Shimura Danzo

After issuing his orders, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued to puff on his pipe while poring over files, until a knock sounded at his office door.

"Come in."

Hearing the authoritative voice from within, Naraku opened the door and stepped inside.

"Third Hokage."

"Hmm, Naraku is here." The Third Hokage nodded, then fell silent.

The matter of the missing ninjas troubled the Third Hokage, and he had been speculating about which nation's jonin might be responsible. Although the Uchiha had also lost many chunin and genin, there were still plenty of other missing ninjas from various clans and civilian backgrounds. Given the capability required to pull off such a feat, the Uchiha clan was certainly a prime suspect.

Seeing the Third Hokage's cold demeanor and his seemingly distant thoughts, Naraku cleared his throat slightly and spoke.

"Third Hokage, fifteen ninjas from my Uchiha clan have recently gone missing without a trace, all of them chunin and genin. The perpetrator is utterly despicable. Does the Third Hokage have any inside information on this?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen was already suffering from a headache over the disappearances, and seeing Naraku arrive, he had guessed this would be the topic.

He couldn't help but feel a flicker of annoyance; it wasn't just the Uchiha who were losing people, but many others as well.

"Does the Uchiha Military Police Force have no leads?"

The Third Hokage ignored Naraku's question, instead turning the inquiry back toward the Military Police Force.

"Indeed, no leads. The Military Police Force is currently investigating, and we have a preliminary suspect," Naraku said slowly.

To have a suspect already—it seemed the Military Police Force still had some competence. The Third Hokage couldn't help but smile slightly, his expression softening.

"Hmm, good. And who is the suspect?"

Naraku did not answer, merely watching Sarutobi Hiruzen in silence.

When the Third Hokage received no reply and noticed Naraku staring directly at him, he grew puzzled. As his thoughts raced, realization dawned on him.

The Third Hokage's faint smile slowly faded, replaced by a grave expression.

In this series of disappearances, the Uchiha ninjas accounted for the majority, which certainly mirrored Shimura Danzo's methods. The Third Hokage's primary suspect was, in fact, Danzo.

"Hiruzen, what did you need me for?"

Just then, the office door swung open, and a middle-aged ninja with bandages wrapped around his eye and arm walked in.

This recent trip to the Land of Rain had made Danzo realize the terrifying strength of the new generation of ninjas.

His arm had been injured during the war and could no longer be used normally, so it hung in a sling across his chest. He looked every bit the image of a man who had sacrificed for Konoha, a person of indomitable spirit despite his disability.

The questions the Third Hokage had intended to ask were now difficult to voice in front of Naraku, the head of the Uchiha clan.

Shimura Danzo always did as he pleased; he never reported or made appointments when coming to the Hokage Building, always just pushing the door open. This time, however, the atmosphere in the office turned somewhat awkward.

"Uchiha, why are you here instead of working at the Military Police Force?"

Danzo asked coldly, his face impassive.

He acted as if he were the Hokage himself, making no effort to hide his authority within the Hokage's office.

"Advisor, many ninjas have gone missing in Konoha recently, especially from my Uchiha clan, so I came to inquire with the Third Hokage."

Shimura Danzo was the Hokage's advisor, the second-in-command of Konoha in the public eye. Naraku could not simply ignore him, so he replied coldly.

Shimura Danzo glanced at Naraku sideways and said:

"Oh? Ninjas missing? Since there are missing ninjas, why are you still standing here instead of investigating, as a member of the Military Police Force?"

As the "Darkness of the Shinobi," Danzo already had Naraku's portrait and dossier hanging in the Root office.

Yet, Danzo pretended not to recognize him, seeing only the Military Police Force emblem on Naraku's arm and treating him as nothing more than an ordinary Uchiha officer.

"As a high-ranking official of the Military Police Force, I have already dispatched ninjas to investigate. I am here now to communicate the case details to the Hokage."

"There is no need to report such trifles here. Just handle the case, retrieve the missing persons, and arrest the criminals."

Shimura Danzo spoke with the tone of a superior, as if he were unaware that a large number of the missing were Uchiha clansmen.

"It is precisely because there are no leads on the missing persons—which clearly points to a powerful ninja or a powerful ninja organization—that I have come here."

"No... leads?" Shimura Danzo repeated, word by word.

"I never imagined the renowned Uchiha Military Police Force could be so useless. Hiruzen, perhaps it is time to disband the Military Police Force, so as not to waste the funds and supplies we struggle so hard to secure from the Daimyo."

Having said this, Danzo shook his head, appearing deeply disappointed in the Military Police Force. Throughout this, Sarutobi Hiruzen continued to puff on his pipe, saying not a word.

These two old, cunning beasts, Naraku thought, a surge of anger rising within him.

"There are over twenty missing persons, fifteen of whom are Uchiha chunin and genin. This is certainly not the work of an individual; it must be a ninja organization."

Danzo nodded upon hearing this and asked:

"Which ninja organization? The Land of Wind? The Land of Earth? Or perhaps some rogue ninjas?"

"The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth have already been defeated by the ninja forces I led; they are in no position to stir up trouble."

"If a group of rogue ninjas could cause such an impact, then the Military Police Force has no reason to exist."

Shimura Danzo was being aggressive, and Naraku no longer held back. He let out a cold snort and said:

"Hmph, the ninja organization I suspect is the Anbu."

The scene fell into a silence so profound that a pin dropping could be heard.

After a long moment, the Third Hokage frowned and said, "The Anbu is a force under my direct command, tasked with protecting Konoha and executing special missions abroad. Naraku, do not make reckless speculations!"

"Uchiha ninjas have gone missing, and instead of reflecting on the weakness of your own clan's strength, you dare to suspect the Anbu? Are you implying that I, as the Hokage, would harm the very village I protect? Do you even know what you are saying!" Shimura Danzo shouted righteously.

Naraku could not help but retort angrily, "If you can think of anyone else capable of making ninjas vanish without a trace, leaving the Military Police Force completely clueless, then tell me who it is!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen actually had his own suspicions, but he could not show weakness at this juncture. He exhaled a ring of smoke and said sternly, "Naraku is right; there is a powerful ninja or faction behind this incident. The Anbu will also investigate these disappearances to ensure justice for the villagers."

"Naraku, return for now. I am aware of this matter, and once I have investigated it thoroughly, I will give you a satisfactory answer."

Even though the Third Hokage was calculating, he had not yet reached the senile, power-hungry state of his later years. At this time, his rule over Konoha was stable, and he lacked the narrow-mindedness he would develop later.

With so many Uchiha ninjas missing, Sarutobi Hiruzen could understand why the Uchiha leader had come to his doorstep.

"Very well, Lord Third Hokage. I will await your reply. Our Uchiha clan and the Military Police Force will continue our investigation as well. If we manage to uncover the culprit behind this, I will make sure that in the Konoha prison..."

"They will wish for death but be denied it!" Naraku said coldly, casting a sidelong glance at Danzo as he spoke.

Danzo remained expressionless, one eye wrapped in bandages and one arm hanging in a sling. Before the Second Great Ninja War, he had both hands intact, but he had returned from the war with one arm crippled.

He appeared to be a noble leader who had sacrificed himself for Konoha, a man of strong spirit despite his physical disability.

"Naraku takes his leave." Naraku bowed slightly to the Third Hokage and turned away.

"Hmph." Before leaving, he could not help but cast one last look at Danzo, then let out a cold snort and departed.