Proceeding Smoothly

"I am sorry, this is all my fault!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes; he knew he had acted wrongly and felt a sense of shame toward his classmates and the village.

"I have caused you all trouble!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long sigh and lowered his head.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance and nodded slowly.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen had already said as much, there was naturally no need for them to say anything more.

However, the loss of the Sealing Scroll was no small matter. It contained all of Konoha's forbidden techniques, and should it fall into the hands of others, the consequences would be unimaginable.

To this end, the Konoha Anbu and all jonin were mobilized to seal off the village; they would not allow any suspicious individuals to leave until the item was recovered.

"Hiruzen, you are still as soft-hearted as ever!"

Danzo, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and said coldly, "By letting Orochimaru go, you have once again left a hidden danger for Konoha!"

Danzo!

Koharu said with displeasure, "Say less!"

Although the four of them were classmates, Koharu and Mitokado Homura still leaned more toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Danzo let out a cold snort and closed his eyes once again.

In truth, Sarutobi Hiruzen letting Orochimaru go was within his expectations.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was simply that kind of man.

"Do the two people from Kirigakure have any suspicion?"

Mitokado Homura immediately changed the subject.

Koharu shook her head and said, "According to the reports from my subordinates, there should be no suspicion; the two did not leave their room. The ninja responsible for surveillance also did not detect any abnormalities in the barrier."

Danzo slammed his hand on the table and sneered, "It is better to kill the wrong person than to let a culprit go. Regardless of whether they did it or not, we cannot let them off. Leave this matter to Root!"

Absolutely not!

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly said, "They are representatives sent by the Mist Ninja. If we take action, we will provoke the wrath of Kirigakure."

Danzo's expression remained unchanged as he said, "Root can take action halfway; we won't let them leave alive. Hiruzen, do not hesitate any longer. Even if they didn't steal the item, we cannot let this matter spread."

The loss of something vital from the Hokage Secret Chamber was a shameful affair, and Danzo, being of the Hawks, would never allow this matter to spread.

No!

Sarutobi Hiruzen refused flatly.

He belonged to the Moderate Faction and prioritized harmony both internally and externally, so he deliberately sought to avoid war.

If he allowed Root to eliminate the people from Kirigakure, the war that had only just been quelled would likely be ignited once again.

Although the Land of Water could not compare to the Land of Fire, it was still one of the Five Great Nations; once a war broke out, it certainly would not end in a short time.

Hiruzen!

Danzo let out a cold laugh and said, "Do not be so naive. Our Land of Fire is the strongest nation in the central plains, possessing fertile land and a large population. If we develop in peace, the other nations will only fall further and further behind us. This is also what they do not want to see, so they will do everything in their power to provoke war and interrupt our continued development."

He struck his cane heavily against the floor and said grimly, "Therefore, peaceful coexistence is impossible; we must be prepared for war at all times. Strike first to gain the advantage, strike later and suffer the disaster. Do not forget, the territory of our Land of Fire was carved out by the countless blood shed by our predecessors. Why did they sacrifice their lives? Wasn't it to allow future generations to live a comfortable life?"

Some of Danzo's words left Sarutobi Hiruzen and the two high advisors speechless.

Although the actions of Root were somewhat dark and extreme, they were also an indispensable tool for the village.

Peace must be guaranteed by powerful military force!

Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance and nodded slowly.

Although they did not particularly like Danzo, they still agreed with his insights.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's conservative policy was somewhat out of touch with the times.

We cannot take action!

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised his head and said in a low voice, "We are not prepared for a war with the Land of Water. Moreover, our greatest hidden danger lies within."

He hesitated for a moment and said, "Let the Anbu investigate carefully. If there are no issues, let them leave!"

Following the death of Uchiha Shisui, both the upper echelons of Konoha and the Uchiha Clan remained surprisingly calm, and no confrontational situation emerged.

However, the upper echelons of Konoha believed that this might just be the calm before the storm.

At present, the village was in a state of turmoil, and it was hard to say when it might erupt.

"Hiruzen is right; internal instability is the top priority. Before resolving the internal threat, we should try our best to avoid external war."

Koharu said in a measured tone.

She had already been persuaded by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The other high advisor, Mitokado Homura, also nodded.

Fence-sitters!

Danzo looked at the two of them with disdain.

Although they were classmates from the same year, he didn't think much of the two.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up and said in a low voice, "I will resolve this matter personally. Do not let anyone from Root get involved."

He feared Danzo would make a move in secret, and if it triggered a war between the two countries, it would be more loss than gain.

Danzo rapped his cane on the ground and said, "Since that's the case, I'll give you some face and let these two go for now. However, Hiruzen..."

He sneered and said, "When it comes to the Uchiha, I won't be giving you any more face."

The Uchiha Clan!

Mentioning this matter caused the expressions of the two elders to change slightly.

After the Senju Clan declined, the Uchiha became Konoha's strongest clan.

The rift between the current Uchiha and the village elders was growing larger, and it seemed impossible to bridge now.

Danzo!

Sarutobi Hiruzen said unhappily, "Didn't we discuss this matter before? Find the killer of Shisui as best as we can and give the Uchiha an explanation. And use this incident to reconcile with the Uchiha Clan."

He was the one who had finalized this strategy, and Danzo had agreed. But for some reason, he was now opposing it.

Find the killer?

Danzo's mouth twitched. "Who? Orochimaru or me, Danzo?"

Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent.

In this matter, Root and Orochimaru were both suspects, and Orochimaru had just been let go by him.

Danzo!

Mitokado Homura was somewhat displeased.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had already admitted his mistake, so why was this guy still harping on the issue?

Danzo sneered and said, "Actually, there's another possibility."

The three were stunned and looked at Danzo in confusion, not understanding what he meant.

"Danzo, what do you mean?"

Koharu asked, narrowing her eyes.

She was somewhat confused by Danzo.

Danzo's single eye suddenly opened, and he said word by word, "That is, the Uchiha staged a clumsy performance themselves, with the aim of making the Konoha elders make concessions to them, thereby seizing the village's power?"

This...

The three were instantly stunned.

"Impossible?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured.

He didn't believe the Uchiha, who had fought alongside him, would do such a thing.

This was just Danzo's speculation.