The Higher-Ups Never Disappoint When It Comes to Disappointing People

Outside Konoha.

Underground, the Root Headquarters.

Two Anbu led a blindfolded ninja to the bottom floor.

"Danzo, Sakamoto Kouta has arrived," the Anbu Ninja said respectfully into the room.

"Um."

Danzo's deep voice came from inside the room.

Two Anbu removed the black cloth strip from Sakamoto Kouta's head and opened the wooden door.

Looking at Danzo sitting upright in the room, Sakamoto Kouta asked in confusion, "Danzo, I wonder why you had the Anbu bring me here?"

"You must have heard the rumors circulating in the village lately, right?"

Danzo calmly.

"Yes!" Sakamoto Kouta, his expression somewhat agitated. "Sakumo abandoned the mission to save me. The mission failure wasn't his fault. Everyone shouldn't treat him like this. I'm willing to take full responsibility!"

"You've only seen the surface of the problem; you're being incredibly naive!"

"What?!"

"How do you think this top-secret mission failure information was leaked?"

"Could someone have done this on purpose?"

"That's right, it was I who spread the information."

Danzo said in a deep voice.

Sakamoto Kouta looked on in disbelief. "Danzo, why would you do such a thing?!"

Danzo: "I'm saving him."

"Save Sakumo?" Sakamoto Kouta dumbfounded. He leaked information and exaggerated the facts to save Sakumo, causing everyone to condemn him?

"Sakumo has a very high reputation in the village, surpassing even the Three Ninja. He is the best candidate for the Fourth Hokage, and I have always been optimistic about him," Danzo explained.

"Can"

Danzo waved his hand. "You don't understand. Sakumo has no intention of competing for Hokage, but both the Uchiha and Hyūga clans hope that he can become the Fourth Hokage, and many Jōnin also support him."

Even if he didn't want to go up, the crowd would lift him high and push him upwards.

Do you know who the Third Hokage's preferred candidate for the Fourth Hokage is?

It's Orochimaru!

"You mean—" Sakamoto Kouta's eyes widened. "Impossible, the Lord Third Hokage isn't that kind of person!"

"Three days have passed since the information was leaked, and many ninjas in the village are denouncing Sakumo. Public opinion is gradually getting out of control."

Now, as long as the Third Hokage steps forward and makes a public statement, even if Sakumo is severely punished later, public opinion will be quickly brought under control.

But the Third Hokage chose to remain silent. You understand what that means, don't you?

"No! How could this be? Sakumo is a ninja who truly inherited the Will of Fire. How could you do this to him?" Sakamoto Kouta felt that the image of the Third Hokage that he had always held in high esteem had cracked and was about to collapse.

"This is also a good thing for Sakumo. To prevent him from becoming a victim of the political struggle between the Uchiha, Hyūga and Third Hokage, it's better to take this opportunity to suppress his reputation and make him completely withdraw from the competition for the Fourth Hokage. With Sakumo's abilities, it's only a matter of time before he can clear his name and regain his reputation."

Danzo continued.

"..." Sakamoto Kouta fell silent.

"I called you here so that you would stand up and make a statement, letting Sakumo know that his decision to abandon the mission was wrong. In this way, the Third Hokage will also take this opportunity to punish him to some extent, and the matter will be over. The public opinion will also dissipate immediately. Otherwise, if things continue to develop like this, no one knows what will happen."

"But Sakumo..." Sakamoto Kouta struggled inwardly. If he stood up and accused Sakumo, would he still be human?

What losses did abandoning an "important mission" whose details were known only to Sakumo cause to the village?

Danzo questioned, "You just said you would take full responsibility! In Sakumo's Squad, apart from Uchiha Soujin, your other two teammates have already agreed. What are you still hesitating about?"

"Please give me some time to think about it." Sakamoto Kouta state of turmoil.

"You can go directly to the Third Hokage and see if he's willing to stand up for Sakumo. You can even tell him what I told you; that's not out of the question."

Danzo said with a resolute expression.

He had been teammates with the Third Hokage for decades and knew Third Hokage than anyone else.

Since the Third Hokage did not stand up and express their opinion when the public opinion first fermented, they will definitely remain silent afterward.

This is the consistent style of the Third Hokage; he often turns a blind eye to certain things.

After all, it was paving the way for his beloved disciple Orochimaru.

The current Third Hokage must be struggling with hypocrisy, feeling that doing this is somewhat unfair to Sakumo.

However, if Sakamoto Kouta dared to go to the Third Hokage, Danzo could already foresee the Third Hokage's expression and words.

"Someone come here."

Danzo said expressionlessly, and two Anbu Ninja quickly appeared outside the room.

"Send him out."

The Anbu Ninja blindfolded Sakamoto Kouta again and led him out of headquarters.

In the elegant courtyard paved with pebbles, Sakumo sat on the veranda, carefully wiping the Chakra Short Sword in his hand, as if it were not a weapon, but a cherished companion.

"Father, we have a guest." Kakashi entered the courtyard and looked at Sakumo, whose expression was calm. His anxiety and unease were greatly relieved.

Despite the clamor outside, with everyone condemning my father and holding him responsible for the mission's failure, and the harsh words spoken, my father remained as steady as ever, seemingly unaffected.

Sakumo nodded, sheathed his Chakra Blade, and handed it to Kakashi: "Kakashi, go make some tea."

"Okay!" Kakashi returned the Chakra Blade to Sakumo's room, then ran towards the kitchen, his steps much lighter than when he came.

Shiraha and Orochimaru arrived in the living room and met Sakumo.

"You've arrived, please have a seat."

Sakumo smiled slightly.

Both Shiraha and Orochimaru were taken aback and knelt down on the cushion.

Soon, Kakashi came in carrying a tray, placed tea on the three of them, and then left.

"Sakumo, about this matter, I..." Orochimaru hesitated.

Sakumo Teuchi him. "I know you are unaware of this matter. Although I am the biggest obstacle to your becoming the Fourth Hokage, you are definitely not that kind of person."

Seeing that Sakumo had already seen through the problem so clearly, Shiraha stopped pretending and went straight to the point:

"It's likely that someone deliberately leaked information to damage your reputation."

Sakumo nodded, a look of disappointment on his face. "Actually, this is completely unnecessary. I never thought about becoming Hokage. I just wanted to be a sword of Konoha."

"What mission did you abandon? Why are there so many rumors and condemnations outside, but when asked about the mission details, no one seems to know anything?" Shiraha continued to ask.

Sakumo frowned slightly, his voice low. "We are ordered to ambush the Third Kazekage."

"What?!" Shiraha Yu was shocked and subconsciously lowered his voice. Had the higher-ups lost their minds?

Orochimaru also looked incredulous.