The Three Divisions Convene for Trial

The high-level conference room on the top floor of the Hokage Building.

Usually, only major or urgent meetings are held here.

However, at this moment, even though there were only three people at either end of the long conference table.

The atmosphere was suffocatingly oppressive.

On one side of the long conference table sat only Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

They were both high-level advisors of Konoha, representing the interests of the village.

The shinobi village system, including Konoha, is essentially a community of interests formed by clan powers.

Although the supreme leader of the village is theoretically the Hokage, In order to ensure that the Hokage cannot act recklessly and harm the interests of various clans.

The leaders of each clan select advisors to keep the Hokage in check.

Although both Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu came from commoner backgrounds and were not from any major clans.

It was precisely because of this that they were chosen as advisors.

Because the major clans within Konoha all hoped that the advisors would come from their own families.

So they vied with each other, and no one would submit to the other, Ultimately leading to the final candidates for advisors being, surprisingly, just ordinary commoners.

At the other end of the long table stood the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, all alone.

"Minato, do you have any further explanation regarding the removal of Danzo from his position?"

Mitokado Homura tapped the table, his tone filled with exhaustion and dissatisfaction.

"That is Root!

It is the second-largest force in the village after the Anbu!

You removed Danzo from his post just like that, Now that all the members of Root have fled, who will compensate for the loss of the village's combat power?"

Utatane Koharu also sighed, "And those Wood Release ninjas... that is the power of the First Hokage!

To tear things apart with Danzo over a few children, the price is simply too high."

"Those Wood Release ninjas were obtained at the cost of living children."

Minato's voice was calm, "As Hokage, I cannot turn a blind eye."

"Turn a blind eye?"

Mitokado Homura's tone was sharp: "Minato, you have disappointed us too much.

They are merely a few children; do you know how precious those Wood Release ninjas are?!"

The atmosphere at the scene instantly dropped to freezing point.

Minato did not speak, He just stood there quietly, His golden hair appearing somewhat cold and rigid under the lights.

This scene felt familiar.

The last time such a situation occurred was just after the Third Shinobi World War had ended.

It was just that the person standing in this position then was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

During the Third Shinobi World War, Because the team led by Minato Namikaze inflicted massive losses on Iwagakure, The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, chose to cease hostilities, Indicating a desire to sign a peace treaty with Konoha.

But as the defeated nation, they actually refused to pay war reparations, And Ōnoki also stated aggressively, That if Iwagakure were to pay reparations, they would refuse peace talks.

And the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, actually accepted these outrageous ceasefire conditions from Iwagakure.

The reason he gave was that he did not wish to sacrifice more of the village's ninjas to gain benefits.

This resulted in the Land of Fire, as the victorious nation, failing to obtain its due rights and status, Leading to the situation at the end of the Third Shinobi World War.

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was impeached by the high-level officials of Konoha together with the jonin.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was forced to resign from the position of Third Hokage.

Following this, Konoha held an election for the Fourth Hokage.

The village quickly held a new vote of confidence among the jonin.

The final result was the Minato Namikaze who stands here today.

And now, history seems to be repeating itself.

Facing the same scenario but with different people, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both felt quite a headache.

The Fourth Hokage had suddenly stripped Danzo of his position and placed him under investigation.

Even though the evidence of his crimes was laid out right before them, the two of them could not agree with the Fourth Hokage's handling of Danzo.

It was not that they disagreed, but rather that the major clans they represented disagreed.

This was an extremely serious matter.

It signified a crisis of trust in the Hokage within the village.

One must know that the Shinobi Code of the village had already told everyone, clearly and explicitly, that a shinobi is merely a tool.

And tools are not considered people; they are merely items measured by their value.

You, Hiruzen Sarutobi, for the sake of a mere few shinobi lives, actually failed to secure war reparations for the village, ultimately leading to the detriment of the village's interests.

Even as Hokage, you had to be held accountable for this, so you were forced to resign from the position of Hokage.

Now you, Minato Namikaze, for the sake of a mere few children's lives, are actually going to damage the village's interests as well.

One must know that those Wood Release shinobi were something the village had always dreamed of.

Furthermore, the fact that all members of Root had left the village

was, for the village, nothing short of a major loss.

Even if Danzo truly deserved to die, the price was simply too expensive.

Thinking of this, Mitokado Homura sighed helplessly.

At the clan meeting held a little earlier, although the Uchiha clan head, who had always been a thorn in their side, Uchiha Fugaku had been uncharacteristically quiet.

But the leaders of the other clans had already shown clear opposition.

Some had even tentatively suggested handling this in the same way as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

After all, the leaders of every clan hoped that the next Hokage would come from their own family.

This would allow them to secure more benefits for their own clan within the village.

"Even if Danzo is guilty, you cannot be this radical!"

Mitokado Homura could not help but raise his voice, "The other clans have already clearly stated their positions;

some of them have even proposed... that if the Hokage insists on having his own way, they will adopt the same approach used against Hiruzen Sarutobi back then."

Facing this naked threat, Minato remained silent, persisting in his decision.

This silence made the two advisors feel even more of a headache.

The war had only just ended, and the village had finally stabilized after Orochimaru defected;

it could not afford to go through any more turmoil.

Even though the two of them represented the major clans of the village, Minato Namikaze, you could at least explain yourself a bit more.

You can't just keep not saying a single word like this!

Time passed second by second just like that.

Mitokado Homura looked at the silent Minato, feeling even more agitated inside.

Just as the atmosphere between the two sides reached its breaking point, the door to the conference room creaked open.

"Oh my, Minato only has the village's best interests at heart."

An aged voice drifted in.

Amidst a haze of smoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi strolled in slowly, his pipe clenched between his teeth.

Upon seeing him, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu visibly exhaled, as if they had finally found their backbone.

"Hiruzen!" The two rose to greet him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand and walked up to Minato.

He offered a wry smile: "Minato, your intentions were good, but you were too hasty."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to face the two advisors: "I have already handled the matter regarding Danzo."

"Oh?" Mitokado Homura was taken aback.

"I made a deal with him." Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a ring of smoke.

"He is willing to recall all members of Root and hand those Wood Release ninjas over to the village.

In exchange, the village will drop the investigation against him and restore him to his former position."

Minato frowned slightly: "But he conducted human experiments in secret..."

"Minato," Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted, his eyes deep and inscrutable, "Things must be done one step at a time. Being too radical will only lead to another extreme.

Konoha cannot afford a second internal conflict right now."

Minato looked at this former Hokage, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions.

He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was doing this to protect his current position as Hokage, trading compromise for a temporary balance.

Yet, back then, he himself had not chosen to compromise with the village...

"Since Hiruzen says so..."

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance and finally ceased their pursuit of the matter.

The village had obtained the precious Wood Release ninjas, which gave them a satisfactory explanation to present to the major clans of the village.

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Minato on the shoulder and whispered: "Go on, attend to your duties.

I will keep an eye on Danzo."

Minato took one long look at the former Hokage before turning to leave.

As he stepped out of the conference room, the cold wind in the hallway ruffled the hair on his forehead.

Although the hearing had ended, the struggle had only just begun.