Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed the killing intent in Danzo's eyes, but he glared right back without fear.
Danzo had become obsessed. To become Hokage, there was nothing he wouldn't do.
In the end, though, Danzo didn't lash out. He didn't even deliver his classic "You'll regret this, Hiruzen." He simply slammed the door and left.
Of course, there was no chance Shimura Danzō would give up. He would never let the thing he had pursued for most of his life slip through his fingers.
He had missed his chance once when he was young. No matter what, he would not miss it again.
He would pay any price for it.
"If the other clans won't do, I'll find someone in the Shimura Clan!"
"As long as I become Hokage, every sacrifice will be worth it!"
Xuanye had no idea that Shimura Danzō had nearly lost his mind. And after Danzo tried to take people from the Mitokado and Utatane clans, the Konoha F4 had split into the F3 and Shimura Danzō.
Something else had happened during this time too. It was neither a major event nor a minor one.
Uchiha Sasuke had been born.
Sasuke was about a month older than Little Blondie. When Uchiha Genya heard the news, he knew the Night of the Nine-Tails was drawing near.
There was one thing, though, that caught Xuanye's attention: the naming of Sasuke.
As one of the most influential figures in the Uchiha, Xuanye naturally attended the celebration for Sasuke's birth. He had also stationed elite members of the Security Division around the area while Uchiha Mikoto gave birth.
With the Security Division close to running Konoha as it pleased, no one was foolish enough to cause trouble now. Apart from the necessary surveillance by Anbu and Root, they were left alone.
Holding his newborn son, whose skin was still a little wrinkled, Fugaku showed a rare smile on his long face.
"The Third Hokage's father, Sarutobi Sasuke, was an outstanding Shinobi. I hope my son will grow into a Shinobi as outstanding as him."
"We'll call the boy Sasuke."
Xuanye couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
Fugaku hadn't said that because he disliked Sarutobi Hiruzen and wanted to make himself the man's grandfather.
It was a signal of his political leanings.
Hadn't Shisui broken into a pleased smile when he heard it?
Fugaku still hadn't given up on his fantasy.
Perhaps he saw how openly the Uchiha had been throwing their weight around lately without any response from the Konoha High Command. Maybe he thought the Uchiha's time had finally come and he would soon take office as Hokage.
Unfortunately, he still hadn't realized that a power struggle wasn't a dinner party. Blood had to be shed and sacrifices made to achieve anything.
Every great achievement was built on sacrifice.
But that didn't matter. Now that Sasuke had been born, it was time to show all of Konoha—and even the Ninja World—the Uchiha's true power.
Itachi took his little brother from their father. A rare, precious smile appeared on his face, usually far too solemn for his age.
"Sasuke. My little brother."
"I'll make sure you grow up safe."
Xuanye glanced at Itachi when he heard that but said nothing.
As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Kushina's due date was a closely guarded secret.
Few people in Konoha's upper ranks knew it, let alone the Uchiha.
Xuanye could only use Sasuke's birth date to make a rough estimate of when the Night of the Nine-Tails would begin.
That day, Konoha Village seemed no different from usual. Most people had no idea disaster was about to strike.
Namikaze Minato and Sarutobi Hiruzen personally led the operation. Anbu and the Sealing Squad surrounded a secret delivery room outside the village, sealing it off tight.
Uzumaki Kushina was not only the wife of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, but also the village's vital Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
During childbirth, the seal on Kushina's stomach would be at its weakest. The slightest outside disturbance could cause the Nine-Tails to run wild.
The operation seemed highly secret, but they didn't know someone had already learned about it. That person could even slip past the Barrier Squad's seal unnoticed and reach the place where Kushina would give birth.
Space slowly twisted around a large tree outside the village.
A man wearing an orange mask and an Akatsuki cloak appeared, looking down over Konoha Village.
Only one scarlet Sharingan showed beneath his mask.
"Konoha... and Minato-sensei. It's time Konoha paid for what happened to Rin."
Night fell completely.
Namikaze Minato was in the delivery room, anxiously watching Uzumaki Kushina on the bed before him.
"Ah—!"
Kushina's face was pale, and sweat drenched her forehead.
Labor had begun.
Minato was there because the Nine-Tails' seal would loosen during childbirth, and a Shinobi skilled in the Sealing Technique needed to be there to help.
As Kushina's husband, Minato was undoubtedly the best choice.
"Kushina, don't push too hard yet. If you use up too much strength now, the Nine-Tails might seize the chance to break through the seal."
Biwako Sarutobi, who was delivering the baby, kept reminding Kushina what to do.
She had been an excellent medical Shinobi in her younger days and had plenty of experience with this.
"Ah! It hurts so much—!"
Minato had heard childbirth was painful, but seeing Little Pepper like this still worried him.
Uzumaki Kushina, who feared nothing on an ordinary day, looked so vulnerable now.
"Is she really all right? Kushina looks..."
Biwako was focused on delivering the baby. Without looking up, she said:
"Focus on the Nine-Tails' seal. Don't get distracted!"
Minato drew his head back at the scolding, feeling even more miserable.
Being Hokage is humiliating. Anyone can come along and yell at me.
Right then, Minato decided he would step down as Hokage after Kushina gave birth.
He was tired of watching Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, and the Uchiha scheme against one another and argue every day.
He held no real power. Only a few Anbu and his student Kakashi were willing to listen to him.
I'd be better off as an ordinary Shinobi, free to do as I please.
Of course, now was no time to think about that.
The urgent task was to focus on the seal. He absolutely could not let the Nine-Tails escape.
If a calamity like the Nine-Tails broke free, all of Konoha would suffer devastating destruction.
Just then, the seal began to shake violently.
Minato hurriedly cast aside his stray thoughts and poured in more Chakra, holding that evil power firmly in check.
Kushina's voice gradually grew hoarse.
Suddenly.
"Waaah~"