Kushina slowly walked up to the Hokage's desk, her gaze fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi, her eyes brimming with barely restrained fury. Sunlight spilled across the floor of the Hokage Office through the windows, and even the shafts of light seemed to carry a tense air.
"Kushina, what are you—" Hiruzen Sarutobi began, but Kushina rudely cut him off.
"Old Third, how did I ask you to take care of things? Is this how you handled it? Were the lives Naruto and Menma lived anything like the lives a hero's children should have?" Kushina's voice trembled slightly as she spoke. Her fists clenched tight, as if she might swing them at any moment.
"Kushina, calm down first." A few beads of cold sweat appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead, and his voice sounded tense.
"Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down? Minato and I died for Konoha. Before I died, I clearly entrusted Naruto and Menma to you, but look at what you've done! My children were so poor they had to fend for themselves, and that's just the financial side of things. And look at the village—people said one awful thing after another. Was it really so hard to put a stop to those rumors?" The more Kushina spoke, the more agitated she became. Her fury was like a volcano about to erupt. She slammed her hand on the desk, the sound echoing through the silent office.
Everyone in the office held their breath. The clan heads present—especially Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi—had always been close to Minato. But back then, they hadn't spoken up for Naruto and Menma, either. All they had done was tell the rest of their clans to treat the boys like ordinary children and not discriminate against or ostracize them.
"If my son hadn't been so smart, he might still be living like that. Old Third, ask yourself: do you really think you've done right by Minato and me? We gave our lives for Konoha. All we wanted was for our children to grow up happily. Is this how you looked after them?" Fury blazed in Kushina's eyes as she continued to demand answers.
"And that old bastard Danzo even set his sights on my son. What were you doing as Hokage? It's happened twice now, and both times you were nowhere to be seen. You said you were protecting them in secret, but we never saw a soul. You owe me an explanation for that, and Danzo owes me one, too. Otherwise, believe me, I'll take my two sons and tear Konoha apart!" Kushina stared fiercely at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her gaze as sharp as a blade.
"I've sent for Danzo. He should be on his way," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, his eyes darting away.
"Better if he doesn't come. I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from killing him." Just then, Menma spoke up from beside them.
Everyone turned to look at Menma. They couldn't believe such murderous words had come from a child who wasn't even four years old.
Fugaku and Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, weren't too surprised. After all, this wasn't the first time.
"If I hadn't remembered that the Third Hokage Grandpa didn't know about this yesterday, I might have killed him already," Menma said calmly, as if he were recounting something trivial.
Just then, someone knocked at the door. Danzo entered a moment later. Seeing so many people in the room, he looked completely bewildered.
"Danzo, what happened to your hand...?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked when he saw that Danzo's other arm was also bandaged and slung over his shoulder.
"Yesterday, he used that hand to hold my big brother and threaten me with his life, so I cut it off," Menma said nonchalantly, shrugging.
At that, Danzo clenched his teeth so hard his molars nearly cracked. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Menma with a complicated expression, then glanced at Danzo.
"Uncle Fugaku, Kakashi-sensei, and our mother were there, too. You adults can talk this over. My big brother and I will head out first." As he spoke, Menma took Naruto by the hand and led him toward the door.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement and sent someone to fetch Kakashi.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Menma sat on the stairs outside. Sunlight streamed through a window in the stairwell, and dust motes floated in its beams. Naruto gazed up at the sky, a hint of confusion in his eyes, while Menma continued reading his book. The only sound around them was the turning of its pages.
Now and then, voices arguing inside the office rose and fell. It was quite a lively scene.
Before long, Kakashi arrived as well. When he saw the two boys sitting on the stairs, he walked over and greeted them.
"Kakashi-sensei's here. Hurry inside; it's lively in there," Menma said with a grin.
Even without Menma telling him, Kakashi had a pretty good idea of what was going on inside. He knocked politely, and after receiving permission, entered the Hokage Office.
"Kakashi, you're here," Hiruzen Sarutobi said when he came in.
"Yes, Lord Hokage. What can I do for you?" Kakashi replied.
"Tell me in detail what happened yesterday afternoon. Don't leave out a single detail," Hiruzen Sarutobi said sternly.
Kakashi recounted everything that had happened the previous afternoon in detail. He also pieced together the first Root attack on the Jinchuriki, combining his account with what Kushina had said.
"Danzo! What on earth are you trying to do?" Utatane Koharu finally burst out.
"Let me see what you've been accused of. First, you attacked the Jinchuriki twice. Then you attacked the sons of various clan heads. And you killed a member of the Uchiha Clan. Danzo, are you trying to destroy Konoha?" Mitokado Homura summed up, his voice full of anger and disappointment.
Hiruzen Sarutobi silently took a puff from his pipe and slowly exhaled a ring of smoke. He looked at everyone in the office, his eyes full of conflict. Danzo was, after all, his longtime friend, and he held a powerful position. Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't bring himself to have him killed.
"Hiruzen, I suggest we strip Danzo of all his positions for now and lock him up. We can discuss what to do with him afterward," Utatane Koharu suggested.
Just then, Menma pushed the door open and entered. Everyone's gaze immediately turned toward him.
"Lord Danzo, would you mind taking off the bandages on your head and right hand so everyone can have a look?" Menma asked respectfully.
Danzo panicked. He didn't know how Menma had found out about his secret. If anyone else learned the truth, even Hiruzen Sarutobi might not be able to protect him.
"Since Lord Danzo would rather not, I'll have to say it myself. Third Hokage Grandpa, Lord Danzo's right eye is a transplanted Sharingan belonging to Kagami Uchiha, and his right arm has been implanted with cells from the First."
"What? Is that true, Danzo?" Mitokado Homura asked in shock.
"Kagami Uchiha was our friend. Danzo, how could you... Sigh." Utatane Koharu looked at Danzo, her heart a tangle of conflicting emotions.
"I lost an eye and an arm for Konoha. What's wrong with giving myself a little compensation? I did it all for Konoha, for—" Danzo was growing frantic, but Menma cut him off before he could finish.
"You did it so you could become Hokage. Otherwise, there'd be no explaining why you have someone planted beside Grandpa Hokage." Menma's words struck like a bomb exploding over a calm lake, causing an uproar in an instant.
"What? Danzo, you even had someone spy on me? What are you trying to do?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious, never imagining Danzo would go so far.
"I did all of this for Konoha! What did I do wrong? It's all because of you! All because of you, brat! I'll eliminate you for Konoha right now!" Danzo roared as he charged at Menma.
Everyone was stunned and couldn't react in time. Just as Danzo was about to reach Menma, Menma suddenly vanished in a flash and appeared behind him, kicking him hard.
Danzo stumbled and fell to the floor. He sat up against the wall and glared viciously at Menma.
"Lord Danzo, this is the second time I've told you: the Flying Thunder God Mark will never disappear," Menma said to Danzo, who was sitting on the floor.
"Oh, and Lord Danzo, this is already your third time going after a Jinchuriki." Menma added, and only then did everyone realize that he was right.
"Danzo! Effective today, you're stripped of all your positions. Root is disbanded, and I'll deal with all its members. As for you..." Hiruzen Sarutobi trailed off, his heart still torn.
"Lord Hokage, are you really going to protect him?" Inuzuka Tsume finally spoke after remaining silent for so long. She was Inuzuka Kiba's mother and the head of the Inuzuka Clan.
"Sigh. Danzo, you've gone too far this time. Even if some things weren't exactly as they claimed, you attacked innocent children from our own village and went after a Jinchuriki. That's enough to make you an enemy of Konoha." Hiruzen Sarutobi turned away and spoke heavily.
"No! No! I haven't betrayed the village! I did all of this for Konoha! You can't treat me like this, Sarutobi! I'm one of Konoha's unsung heroes!" Danzo shouted at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Don't worry, Lord Danzo. Konoha will be better off without you," Menma said with a smile, then walked out.
Everyone watched, at a loss for words, and turned their gazes toward Kushina.
"Why are you all looking at me? Since this is more or less settled, I'm taking the kids and leaving." With that, Kushina left the Hokage Office.
"Then we'll take our leave, Lord Hokage," Shikaku said. After Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, the others filed out of the Hokage Office as well.
Now only four people remained in the Hokage Office. They sat in silence, their expressions as heavy as a sky thick with storm clouds.
In the end, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu left without saying a word.
"Sigh, Danzo. You really went too far this time. Some of the things they said may not have happened exactly that way, but you attacked innocent children from our village and went after a Jinchuriki. That makes you an enemy of Konoha," Hiruzen Sarutobi said helplessly, coming to stand beside Danzo.
"Sarutobi! Others may not understand me, but you can't fail to understand me! Everything I've done was for Konoha!" Danzo shouted, still worked up.
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly and sighed deeply. Then he ordered some people to take Danzo away.
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