Danzo Takes the Blame

Inside the Hokage's office building, several Konoha higher-ups rushed into the office. They saw Hiruzen Sarutobi smoking, a look of anger on his face, and loudly bellowed, "Danzo must explain this to me!"

Utatane Koharu said with a serious expression, "Hiruzen, what's going on with you and Danzo? Why was there a terrorist attack on the village? And why is this Shimura Ken accusing you?"

Mitokado Homura immediately spoke up in opposition, "You should explain to the villagers of Konoha. Is it true that you often peep into the women's bathhouse?"

Danzo also entered the office. Seeing everyone present, he said with a grim expression, "Shimura Ken's matter has nothing to do with me. I did not instruct him to carry out a terrorist attack."

Mitokado Homura directly retorted, "Then why was he shouting, 'Danzo should rise, Hiruzen should die'? And why did he detonate the Explosive Tag, injuring so many civilians?"

Utatane Koharu immediately chimed in, "Those civilians have already filled the hospital. Some injured people don't even have beds and are lying directly at the hospital entrance."

Danzo said with a furious expression, "It could all be the Uchiha Clan's doing. They provoked Shimura Ken. We just need to kill a few people to quell the civilians' anger."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a serious expression, "Who do you want to arrest? You must take full responsibility for this incident. You're so eager to become the Fifth Hokage, but you're using extreme methods that make us Konoha higher-ups look like a joke."

Danzo said grimly, "Hiruzen, you want Sarutobi Asuma to become the Fifth Hokage. His strength isn't enough to deter other ninja villages. It would make Konoha a target for all."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said in a low voice, "That's not for you to worry about. I will hand over the position of Hokage to the right person."

Danzo's eyes widened, and he thought to himself, Hiruzen, you hypocrite, your eyes have been blinded by power. The village would be best in my hands. For Konoha, I can do anything.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew his old partner too well. Looking at Danzo's grim face, he knew exactly what he was plotting and immediately warned, "Danzo, I am the Hokage. You've gone too far this time. I will announce to all the villagers that you incited the Shimura Clan to spread rumors about me."

Danzo roared furiously, "Hiruzen, you're too weak, you're no longer fit to be Hokage. I will protect the village in my own way!"

Mitokado Homura immediately retorted, "Danzo! Hiruzen is the Hokage! How can you go against Hiruzen's orders?"

Utatane Koharu also spoke up immediately, asserting her presence, and said, "The village needs peace. The Uchiha Clan was just annihilated. If we don't handle this well, all the major ninja clans will become disloyal to Konoha, and our authority as higher-ups will decline."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a serious expression, "Danzo, if you don't accept my orders, I will cut off all funding to Root and disband all Root ninjas."

This was different from before, when Hiruzen Sarutobi would publicly say he was disbanding Root, but secretly continue to allocate funds to Root, allowing Danzo to continue acting as Konoha's "root."

So, when Danzo heard "funding" and "disband," his expression became slightly more subdued, but his face was still full of anger. He thought to himself, If I had raised my hand earlier, I would have been the Third Hokage. It's all Hiruzen's fault for competing with me. He, the hypocrite, is actually most suited to be the leader of Root.

With a cold snort from Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Danzo, did you hear my order? If you don't take responsibility, I will immediately stop everything for the Root ninjas, including increasing their numbers."

Danzo replied with a somber expression, "Hiruzen, I will handle it, but Root's funding cannot be stopped. Konoha needs Root."

The daily expenses for Root ninjas were an enormous sum: daily training, living supplies, technological research, and infiltrating various ninja villages to steal intelligence—all required money. The Shimura Clan alone could not support this massive organization; it was all funded by Konoha.

When Danzo heard that the funding would be stopped, he knew Hiruzen Sarutobi had him by his weak spot. He immediately said, "I will handle this matter well and won't cause you any trouble."

After speaking, Danzo immediately walked out of the Hokage's office building and headed towards the Shimura Clan, leaving a weary figure behind for the Konoha higher-ups.

Inside the Shimura Clan compound, the clan head, Shimura Daisuke, was scolding his son, Shimura Min, "Look at the trouble you've caused Lord Danzo! Now Shimura Ken's entire family has been executed!"

Shimura Min also spoke up, scared, and said with a panicked expression, "Dad, you're Lord Danzo's cousin. You can save me!"

Shimura Daisuke said with a serious expression, "Lord Danzo doesn't show favoritism. I hope Shimura Ken's family can appease Lord Danzo's anger, otherwise, we are all in great danger."

When Danzo entered the Shimura Clan, all the Shimura clansmen were startled and immediately called out, "Lord Danzo!"

Danzo didn't reply, he just walked into the main hall and, looking at Shimura Daisuke who was scolding his son, said coldly, "What exactly happened with Shimura Ken?"

Shimura Min looked at the grim-faced Danzo and said with a terrified expression, "Reporting to Lord Danzo, I don't know what happened. I just saw him shouting, 'Hiruzen Sarutobi should perish, Lord Danzo should rise.'"

Danzo cursed furiously, "You sent him to the school, why haven't those two Uchiha Clan members died yet?"

It was August, and a group of Shimura clansmen, hearing Danzo's reprimand, broke out in cold sweat, all trembling in fear of the sinister Danzo.

All the Shimura clansmen knew that Danzo was ruthless and never hesitated to kill. It was very likely that someone would die again this time.

Danzo said with a serious expression, "You all are to publicly announce that this incident was baseless, and that Shimura Daisuke acted on his own accord. He has now been punished by me."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the Shimura Clan ninjas immediately shouted, "Yes, Lord Danzo!" After that, a group of Shimura Clan ninjas bowed and ran towards the street, not daring to linger at home.

Meanwhile, Shimura Daisuke, with a very calm and serious expression, said, "Lord Danzo! I know what to do." With that, he immediately took out a kunai and slit his own throat.

The current head of the Shimura Clan immediately died. For Danzo, the public suicide of a regular Jonin clan head was not a serious matter.

Danzo said with a grim expression, "Shimura Kumano, you will take over as the head of the Shimura Clan. Keep an eye on this bunch of idiots and don't cause me any more trouble."

A forty-something Elite Jonin, with a competent expression, trembled as he said, "Understood, Lord Danzo."

Shimura Min was already scared stiff. Looking at his father, who had just been lecturing him, directly commit suicide in public, his heart was filled with fear. He looked at Danzo with a terrified expression and said, "I know I was wrong, Lord Danzo, I won't mess around again."

A group of Shimura Clan ninjas began to spread the word on the street: "We are ninjas of the Shimura Clan. This morning's incident was the arbitrary act of the clan head, Shimura Daisuke, who made Shimura Ken detonate the Explosive Tag in public. Clan head Shimura Daisuke has already committed suicide out of guilt. Everyone, don't believe the nonsense from this morning!"

Konoha's Anbu also started putting up notices: "This Explosive Tag suicide incident was the work of the Shimura Clan. The Shimura Clan deliberately spread rumors about Lord Third Hokage, attempting to slander him. The mastermind has already received severe punishment. We hope all villagers will spread the word and not believe the rumors. The Shimura Clan will bear all expenses for this incident."

A crowd of villagers started coming out to gossip, looking at the Konoha notices, and said, "I knew someone was stirring up trouble and deliberately slandering Lord Third!"

Some civilians, however, had already sown a seed of doubt, and many began to say, "This matter definitely isn't that simple. Shimura Daisuke must be a scapegoat."

The Explosive Tag incident from the morning continued to escalate in the village, with immense discussion and a terrifying method: directly strapping Explosive Tags to one's body to die with the Sarutobi Clan.

Qingcheng took advantage of lunchtime to head to Konoha's cemetery to pay respects to the fallen Uchiha Clan members, as well as his own mother and sister.