The atmosphere in the Hokage Office was even heavier than before. The air seemed to have stopped moving, thick with the oppressive hush before a storm.
Shimura Danzō stood before Hiruzen Sarutobi once again.
Unlike the defiant way he had left earlier, his face was now so dark it seemed ready to drip with fury. An unreadable glint shone in his one eye, and the fingers gripping his cane had gone pale from the strain.
Danzō had just received the formal protest from the Uchiha Clan, "delivered" by the Anbu. Its words had landed like a series of stinging slaps across his face.
What made Danzō even more uneasy was that, despite Root operating underground, he had sensed the brief yet vast, ocean-like surge of chakra from the compound where Mito Uzumaki lived.
And the invisible pressure that had followed, directed at him. That old hag had meddled after all!
"Danzō." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice broke the silence, cold and utterly devoid of emotion. He didn't even invite Danzō to sit.
"Do you have anything to explain about last night's vicious assassination attempt at Konoha Hospital, targeting Uchiha Ling, a student who had rendered distinguished service?"
Hiruzen didn't phrase it as a question. He declared it an assassination attempt.
Danzō narrowed his one eye. He knew there was no point denying it; the Root equipment and token left at the scene were irrefutable evidence.
Danzō drew a deep breath and spoke hoarsely, yet with his characteristic stubbornness and air of "reasonableness":
"Hiruzen, I admit I sent them. But I didn't order them to assassinate Uchiha Ling. I ordered them to bring him to Root!"
A flash of anger crossed Hiruzen's eyes. He seemed taken aback that Danzō was still trying to make excuses.
But Danzō immediately changed tack, his tone turning impassioned and... "deeply anguished":
"Everything I've done has been for Konoha! Uchiha Ling—that brat—is far too dangerous! He deliberately got close to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. His intentions are suspicious!
"This incident proves he has terrifying strength and cunning far beyond anyone his age—even beyond an ordinary Chunin!
"Three Root Chunin! Wiped out! Could an ordinary Ninja Academy student really do that?!"
Danzō stepped forward and slammed his cane against the floor.
"His Sharingan! That depth and scheming, so far beyond his years! Hiruzen, can't you see? He's putting on an act! Trying to win everyone's trust!
"Everything he's doing now is preparation to control the Nine-Tails and overthrow Konoha one day! By eliminating him now, I'm nipping the danger in the bud!
"I'm preventing a potentially greater disaster in the future! I'm shouldering this necessary darkness for you, for all of Konoha!"
The same old line! For Konoha!
Hiruzen looked at his old friend, at the near-mad "conviction" in his one eye and his "self-sacrificing" expression. He felt not only anger, but also deep helplessness and sorrow.
"Necessary darkness? Nipping it in the bud?" The Third Hokage sprang to his feet, braced both hands on the desk, leaned forward, and glared at Danzō.
"Danzō, open your eyes! The 'danger' you speak of just risked his life to save the village's precious Jinchūriki from the Cloud Village and prevent a war!
"Everyone approved of his essay on the Will of Fire! He even earned Lady Mito's favor!
"And now he's lying in a hospital bed, nearly killed by his own people! Tell me, who looks more like Konoha's enemy?!
"You, or him?!"
The Third Hokage's voice crashed through the office like thunder.
Danzō was briefly choked by this unprecedentedly harsh interrogation, but then shot back with even greater agitation:
"It's all an illusion! A Uchiha plot! Hiruzen, you've been blinded by their Sharingan!
"Lady Mito is old, too. That brat and Kushina have deceived her as well! When the truth comes out, you'll regret it!
"History will prove that I was right!"
"History?"
Hiruzen laughed in fury. "Danzō, you keep saying you're doing this for Konoha, but your actions are pushing Konoha toward division and civil strife!
"Assassinating a student who served the village in a hospital, in plain sight—do you know what that means? It means the collapse of order! It means the people at the top can attack anyone without restraint!
"It will chill the hearts of every shinobi who serves Konoha! It will leave every clan living in fear! Is that the Konoha you want?!"
"Those backward clans and shinobi don't understand what it means to truly protect the village!" Danzō roared. "Necessary sacrifices—"
"There are no necessary sacrifices!" Hiruzen cut him off, his voice resolute.
"Especially not when it comes to a child! A hero! Danzō, you've gone too far!
"You've been consumed by the darkness in your heart and your lust for power! Because you can't see the light, you assume all light must be a disguise!"
The two men faced off in the office like furious lions, chakra stirring faintly in the air.
After a long while, Hiruzen slowly sat back down, his face weary and disappointed.
He knew that nothing he said could truly change Danzō's deep-rooted beliefs.
The man before him was already trapped in a cage of fear and conspiracy that he himself had woven.
He had to punish him—for Lady Mito's sake, and to give the Uchiha and everyone else an answer.
But Hiruzen also knew he couldn't uproot Danzō entirely.
Though Root's power was dark, it did protect Konoha in places where the light couldn't reach.
Completely eliminating Danzō would cause great turmoil, and might even drive him to desperate measures.
And deep down, Hiruzen still felt a bond he couldn't let go of with his longtime friend, along with some guilt that his own tacit acceptance of Root's existence had led to this situation.
At last, Hiruzen announced his decision in a cold voice:
"Shimura Danzō, during your leadership of Root, you have repeatedly acted recklessly and failed to reform despite repeated warnings.
"This time, you committed an unforgivable offense, seriously undermining the village's unity and nearly causing irreversible consequences."
"The following measures will take effect immediately. First, all your duties as an advisor are suspended. Unless summoned directly by the Hokage, you may not enter the inner area of the Hokage Building."
"Second, Root's annual budget will be cut by one-third, with the funds transferred to the Anbu. From now on, Root must report all missions above B-rank to the Hokage in advance and may carry them out only after receiving approval."
"Third, the Anbu will take full charge of all security and related research plans concerning the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Root may no longer interfere in any way."
"Fourth, you must issue a formal written apology to the Uchiha Clan for this incident (though both sides knew it would be insincere and the Uchiha would never accept it)."
"That is all. Do you have any objections?"
Hiruzen's gaze was sharp as a blade as he stared at Danzō.
The fury and spite in Danzō's one eye nearly burst forth! His advisor duties suspended, his budget cut, his missions subject to approval, and his authority over matters concerning the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki taken away! Almost all of his public power and influence had been slashed!
It was undeniably a severe punishment!
But as he looked at Hiruzen's uncompromising gaze, he knew this was the most Hiruzen could do under immense pressure while still leaving him the foundations of his power. If he continued to resist so fiercely now, the consequences might be even worse.
Danzō said nothing more. He only uttered coldly, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
Meanwhile, Uchiha Ling, lying in his hospital room, also received a system notification.
[Shimura Danzō's emotions: anger, humiliation, resentment +80]
"Leave," Hiruzen said, waving a weary hand. He didn't want to look at Danzō any longer.
Danzō leaned on his cane, turned around, and left the Hokage Office one step at a time.
His back was stiff and gloomy, as if it contained all the darkness in the Shinobi World.
As he watched Danzō leave, Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and let out a long, helpless sigh.
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