"Hiruzen, this matter, I..."
"Danzō!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew his old friend all too well. The more he tried to conceal something like this, the guiltier he was.
He slammed his fist heavily onto the table and shouted in anger.
"Even now, you're still pulling this! Do you know that your Root members have already been captured by the Anbu?
I told you to keep yourself in check, but now you're secretly causing trouble behind my back again!"
"..."
At that moment, a Root member approached Shimura Danzō.
He first glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had his eyes closed as he puffed on his pipe, then crouched beside Shimura Danzō and whispered a few words into his ear.
After hearing him out, Shimura Danzō's narrow, solitary eye widened slightly!
The Root member was reporting precisely on the batch of Root operatives who had been caught by the Anbu.
"Although their identities weren't exposed, Hiruzen was able to conclude they were my men without knowing anything and came here to question me.
Did he learn something, or has he been bluffing me from the start?
But judging by his demeanor, he's certain they're my people. That's why he came here to lose his temper at me.
Forget it. My subordinates will have to take the blame. Nothing can go wrong before I gain control of Wood Style."
Shimura Danzō considered the matter for a brief moment. After weighing his options, he could only make his subordinates take the blame.
With his left hand, he made a gesture beneath the table where Sarutobi Hiruzen could not see it, then said indignantly.
"What! After doing something like that, they still had the nerve to come back and beg me for mercy!"
Seeing the gesture, the Root member immediately played along.
"Lord Danzō, before coming