The Lively Hokage Office

Kushina walked slowly to the desk in the Hokage Office, her gaze fixed squarely on Hiruzen Sarutobi, her eyes burning with irrepressible fury. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting shadows that seemed to thicken the tense atmosphere within the room.

"Kushina, what is this..." Hiruzen Sarutobi had barely begun to speak before Kushina cut him off with a harsh, abrupt tone.

"Old man Third, how did I entrust them to you? Is this how you handle things? Is the life Naruto and Menma have been living the life a hero's children should have?" Kushina spoke, her voice trembling slightly, her fists clenched so tightly she looked ready to strike at any moment.

"Kushina, please, calm down." Cold sweat beaded on Hiruzen Sarutobi's forehead, his voice betraying his nervousness.

"Calm down? How do you expect me to be calm? Minato and I died for Konoha. Before I passed, I entrusted Naruto and Menma to you, yet look at what you've done! My children were so poor they had to fend for themselves, and that's just the financial side. Look at the village—the things people say are vile. Is it really that hard to suppress such rumors?" Kushina grew more agitated as she spoke, her anger like a volcano on the verge of eruption. She slammed her hand onto the desk, the sound echoing through the silent office.

Everyone in the room held their breath. The clan heads present, especially Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi, had always been close to Minato. Yet, at the time, they hadn't spoken a word of justice for Naruto and Menma, merely instructing their own families to treat them as ordinary children and avoid discrimination.

"If my son weren't clever enough, he might still be living like that today. Old man Third, ask your conscience: do you think you've done right by Minato and me? We gave our lives for Konoha; we only wanted our children to grow up happy. Is this how you look after them?" Kushina's eyes seemed to spit fire as she continued her loud interrogation.

"And then there's that old man Danzo, who actually dared to target my son. What were you doing as Hokage? This is the second time! Twice now, and I haven't seen hide nor hair of you. You talk about 'secret protection,' but I haven't seen a single soul. You owe me an explanation for this, and Danzo owes me one too. Otherwise, do you really think I won't take my two sons and tear Konoha apart?" Kushina stared daggers at Hiruzen Sarutobi, her gaze sharp as a blade.

"I have already summoned Danzo; he should be on his way," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, his eyes darting away.

"He'd better not come. I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from killing him," Menma suddenly interjected from the side.

All eyes turned to Menma. They couldn't believe such murderous intent could come from a child not yet four years old.

Fugaku and Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, were not overly surprised; after all, this wasn't the first time.

"If I hadn't thought about the fact that Grandpa Third Hokage didn't know about these things yesterday, I might have already killed him," Menma added calmly, as if describing something trivial.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, and Danzo walked in. Seeing so many people in the room, he looked momentarily bewildered.

"Danzo, what happened to your hand..." Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, noticing that Danzo's other arm was also bandaged and slung over his shoulder.

"Yesterday, he used that hand to grab my brother and threaten his life, so I cut it off," Menma said with a shrug, his expression indifferent.

Hearing this, Danzo was so furious he nearly shattered his back molars. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Menma and then at Danzo with a complex expression.

"Uncle Fugaku, Kakashi-sensei, and our mother were there. You adults can discuss this; my brother and I are going out," Menma said, taking Naruto's hand and walking toward the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in agreement and arranged for someone to fetch Kakashi.

Naruto and Menma sat on the stairs outside. Sunlight filtered through the stairwell window, dust motes dancing in the light. Naruto looked up at the sky with a hint of confusion in his eyes, while Menma continued reading his book, the silence broken only by the sound of turning pages.

Inside the office, the sounds of heated arguments erupted periodically, lively and chaotic.

Before long, Kakashi arrived. Seeing the two sitting on the stairs, he walked over to greet them.

"Kakashi-sensei is here. Go on in; it's very lively inside," Menma said with a grin.

Without needing Menma to explain, Kakashi had a rough idea of what was happening. He knocked politely on the door and entered the Hokage Office upon receiving permission.

"Kakashi, you're here," Hiruzen Sarutobi said upon seeing him.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. May I ask what this is about?" Kakashi replied.

"Tell me in detail about what happened yesterday afternoon. Do not leave out a single detail," Hiruzen Sarutobi said sternly.

Kakashi recounted the events of the previous afternoon in detail. Furthermore, incorporating what Kushina had revealed, he reconstructed the Root's first attempt to attack the Jinchuriki.

"Danzo! What exactly are you trying to do!" Utatane Koharu finally couldn't hold back.

"Let's look at the charges against you: first, two attacks on the Jinchuriki; then, attacking the children of various clan heads; and finally, murdering a member of the Uchiha Clan. Danzo, are you trying to destroy Konoha?" Mitokado Homura summarized, his voice filled with anger and disappointment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed silently on his pipe, slowly exhaling a ring of smoke. He looked at the people in the office, his eyes full of conflict. Danzo was, after all, a friend of many years and held a position of great power; he found it truly difficult to bring himself to kill him.

"Hiruzen, I suggest we first strip Danzo of all his positions and lock him up, then discuss how to handle him later," Utatane Koharu suggested.

Just then, Menma pushed the door open, and everyone's gaze instantly shifted to him.

"Danzo-sama, would you mind unwrapping the bandages on your head and right arm for everyone to see?" Menma asked respectfully.

Danzo panicked. He didn't know how Menma had discovered his secrets. If this became public knowledge, even Hiruzen Sarutobi might not be able to protect him.

"Danzo-sama, are you unwilling? Then I shall have to say it. Grandpa Third Hokage, Danzo-sama's right eye is a transplanted Sharingan belonging to Kagami Uchiha, and his right arm is transplanted with the cells of the First Hokage," Menma continued in a respectful tone.

"What? Is this true? Danzo!" Mitokado Homura asked in shock.

"Kagami Uchiha was our friend, Danzo! How could you... sigh," Utatane Koharu looked at Danzo, feeling as though her heart had been turned upside down.

"I lost an eye and an arm for Konoha! What is wrong with a little compensation? Everything I did was for Konoha, for—" Danzo was frantic, but Menma cut him off.

"For yourself to become Hokage, right? Otherwise, there's no explanation for why you have your own people around Grandpa Hokage." As soon as Menma said this, it was like a heavy bomb exploding on a calm lake, causing an instant uproar.

"What? Danzo, you actually arranged for people to monitor me? What on earth are you doing!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was furious; he never imagined Danzo would do something so egregious.

"Everything I did was for Konoha! What could I have done wrong? It's all because of you! It's all because of you, you brat! I'll eliminate you for Konoha right now!" Danzo roared and lunged at Menma.

Everyone was shocked. Before they could react, just as Danzo was about to pounce on him, Menma flashed, appearing instantly behind Danzo and kicking him hard.

Danzo stumbled and fell to the floor. He sat up against the wall, glaring viciously at Menma.

"Danzo-sama, this is the second time I've said this: the Flying Thunder God Mark never disappears," Menma said to the man on the floor.

"By the way, Danzo-sama, this is the third time you've attacked the Jinchuriki," Menma added. Everyone finally realized that this was indeed the case.

"Danzo! From today on, all your positions are revoked. The Root is hereby disbanded, and I will deal with all its members. As for you..." Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, struggling internally.

"Hokage-sama, are you still going to shield him?" Inuzuka Tsume, who had been silent until now, spoke up. She was Inuzuka Kiba's mother and the head of the Inuzuka Clan.

"Sigh, Danzo, you have gone too far this time. We shall treat this as an act of treason against the village, in accordance with our laws," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, turning his back, his voice heavy.

"No! No! I did not betray the village! Everything I did was for Konoha! You cannot do this to me, Sarutobi! I am a hero behind the scenes of Konoha!" Danzo shouted at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Danzo, rest assured, Konoha will be better off without you." Menma smiled, and with those words, he walked out the door.

Everyone witnessed this scene, at a loss for what to say, and turned their gazes toward Kushina.

"Why is everyone looking at me? Since the matter is mostly resolved, I'll be taking my child and leaving." After saying this, Kushina also departed the Hokage Office.

"In that case, Lord Hokage, we shall take our leave as well," Shikaku said. After receiving a nod from Hiruzen Sarutobi, the others left the Hokage Office one after another.

At this moment, the four people remaining in the Hokage Office were silent, their expressions as heavy as a sky thick with storm clouds.

In the end, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu said nothing, simply turning and leaving as well.

"Sigh, Danzo, you really went too far this time. Even if some things aren't exactly as they described, by laying a hand on an innocent child of the village, by laying a hand on a Jinchuriki, you have already marked yourself as an enemy of Konoha." Hiruzen Sarutobi approached Danzo and said helplessly.

"Sarutobi! Others may not understand me, but you cannot fail to understand me! Everything I have done has been for the sake of Konoha!" Danzo shouted, still agitated.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head helplessly, let out a deep sigh, and then arranged for people to take Danzo away.