Smooth Progress

"I'm sorry. This is all my fault!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen closed his eyes. He knew he had done the wrong thing and felt he had let down his comrades and the village.

"I've caused you trouble!"

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

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

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen had said as much, there was 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 jutsu, and if it fell into someone else's hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.

For that reason, all of Konoha's Anbu and jonin had been mobilized to seal off the village. No suspicious person would be allowed to leave until the scroll was found.

"Hiruzen, you're still as softhearted as ever!"

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

"Danzo!"

Koharu said with displeasure, "That's enough!"

Although the four of them were all classmates, Koharu and Mitokado Homura tended to favor Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Danzo gave a cold snort and closed his eyes again.

In truth, he had expected Sarutobi Hiruzen to let Orochimaru go.

That was just the kind of man Sarutobi Hiruzen was.

"Are those two people from Kirigakure suspects?"

Mitokado Homura immediately changed the subject.

Koharu shook her head. "According to the reports from my subordinates, they shouldn't be suspects. The two of them never left their room, and the ninja assigned to watch them didn't notice anything unusual with the barrier."

Danzo slammed his hand down on the table and sneered. "Better to kill the innocent than let a guilty person go. Whether they did it or not, we can't let them off. Leave this matter to Root!"

"Absolutely not!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly spoke up. "They're representatives sent by the Mist Ninja. If we take action, we'll incur their wrath."

Danzo's expression didn't change. "Root can deal with them on the way. They won't make it out alive. Sarutobi, stop hesitating. Even if they didn't steal the scroll, we still can't let this matter get out."

Something important had been stolen from the Hokage Secret Chamber. It was a disgrace, and Danzo, a member of the Hawks, would never allow word of it to spread.

"No!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen refused outright.

He was a member of the Moderate Faction. He believed in prioritizing harmony both at home and abroad, and deliberately avoided war whenever possible.

If he let Root eliminate the people from Kirigakure, the war that had only just been brought under control might flare up again.

Although the Land of Water was no match for the Land of Fire, it was still one of the Five Great Nations. If war broke out, it certainly wouldn't end quickly.

"Hiruzen!"

Danzo sneered. "Don't be so naive. Our Land of Fire is the strongest country in the heartland. We have fertile land and a large population. If we develop in peace, the other countries will only fall further and further behind us. They don't want that to happen, so they'll do everything they can to provoke a war and stop us from growing stronger."

He planted his cane heavily on the ground and said grimly, "That's why peaceful coexistence is impossible. We must always be prepared for war. Strike first, or be struck down. Don't forget, the territory of our Land of Fire was won by generations of our ancestors, who shed untold amounts of blood. Why did they sacrifice their lives and spill their blood? Wasn't it so that their descendants could live comfortably?"

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

Although Root's methods were somewhat dark and extreme, they were still a necessary tool for the village.

Peace had to be safeguarded by overwhelming force!

Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged a glance and slowly nodded.

Although they didn't particularly like Danzo, they agreed with his views.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's conservative policies were somewhat out of step with the times.

"We can't take action!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen raised his head and said in a low voice, "We aren't prepared for a war with the Land of Water. Besides, our greatest threat is within our own borders."

He hesitated before adding, "Have Anbu investigate them thoroughly. If nothing turns up, we should let them leave."

After Uchiha Shisui was killed, both Konoha's leadership and the Uchiha Clan had remained unusually calm. There had been no signs of conflict between them.

However, Konoha's leadership believed this might just be the calm before the storm.

Tensions were building in the village. It was impossible to say when they might erupt.

"Hiruzen is right. Internal instability is the most pressing issue. Until we've dealt with the threat within our own ranks, we should avoid external war as much as possible."

Koharu spoke unhurriedly.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had already convinced her.

The other advisor, Mitokado Homura, nodded as well.

"Fence-sitters!"

Danzo looked at the two of them with disdain.

Though they had all been classmates in the same year, he had never thought much of them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up and said in a low voice, "I'll handle this personally. Root is not to get involved."

He was afraid Danzo would secretly take action. If that happened and it sparked a war between the two countries, the cost would far outweigh any gain.

Danzo struck the ground with his cane. "Very well. I'll give you this one and let those two go for now. But, Hiruzen..."

He sneered. "I won't give you any leeway on the Uchiha issue."

"The Uchiha Clan!"

At the mention of it, the two advisors' expressions shifted.

After the Senju Clan declined, the Uchiha had become Konoha's most powerful clan.

The divide between the Uchiha and the village leadership had continued to widen. By now, it might be impossible to mend.

"Danzo!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen said unhappily, "Didn't we already discuss this? We'd do our best to find Shisui's killer and give the Uchiha an explanation. We'd also use this matter to reconcile with the Uchiha Clan."

He had been the one to approve that plan, and Danzo had agreed to it. He didn't know why Danzo was opposing it now.

"Find the killer?"

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

At that, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent.

Both Root and Orochimaru were suspects in this matter, and he had just let Orochimaru escape.

"Danzo!"

Mitokado Homura looked displeased.

Sarutobi Hiruzen had already admitted his mistake. Why did this man keep harping on it?

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

The three of them stared at Danzo in confusion, unsure what he meant.

"Danzo, what do you mean?"

Koharu narrowed her eyes as she asked.

Danzo had left her baffled.

Danzo's one remaining eye suddenly opened. He enunciated each word. "The Uchiha staged this clumsy performance themselves, hoping to make Konoha's leadership give ground and seize power in the village!"

"This..."

The three of them were stunned.

"Impossible..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured.

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