In the middle of the night, the Hokage Building was brightly lit.
The door to the Hokage's Office opened, and Yagami followed Yellow Dog and Kurozaru inside, taking in the scene.
The Third Hokage sat behind his desk, smoking.
Danzo and Mitokado Homura sat on one sofa, while Senju Rin, the Clan Head, sat on the other.
Dan Katō stood behind Senju Rin.
Dan Katō had long silver-white hair and a cold, stern face.
The three ANBU entered the office and stood behind Danzo.
Yagami swept his gaze around. Both sides looked terrible, as if they had just finished a heated argument.
Danzo turned and said, "Yellow Dog, report tonight's situation."
"Yes, Lord Danzo!" Yellow Dog said.
"Tonight, every spy from Kumogakure made a move. Some caused disturbances elsewhere to draw the ANBU's attention, while others directly targeted the Uzumaki Princess.
"The ANBU took action immediately. The Uzumaki Princess's guard squad was intercepted by Cloud Ninja, but the Black Gorilla Squad appeared in time and followed the Uzumaki Princess."
Something's wrong. The Black Gorilla Squad had originally gone after the Cloud Ninja spies Yagami had discovered. Yet from the Yellow Dog Squad Leader's description, it sounded as though the ANBU had been prepared in advance.
Reporting it this way greatly reduced the ANBU's responsibility.
Yellow Dog continued.
"The Cloud Ninja escaped through a concealed hole in Konoha's walls. The Black Gorilla Squad caught up with them one kilometer from Konoha.
"All the Cloud Ninja spies were eliminated, and the Black Gorilla Squad rescued the Uzumaki Princess."
The Third Hokage nodded repeatedly. The ANBU had performed very well this time, cutting their losses in time.
Yellow Dog said:
"There were two reasons the Uzumaki Princess was abducted.
"First, at eleven o'clock at night, the Uzumaki Princess lingered outside the Senju Clan Compound, and no one came out to bring her back inside.
"Second, the Cloud Ninja spies had been hidden too deeply. There were at least five of them, and no trace of them had been discovered before this."
The Yellow Dog Squad Leader was not only powerful; he was also first-rate at shifting blame.
He did not say that the ANBU bore no responsibility. He merely said that the ANBU had failed to discover the five Cloud Ninja spies.
That was hardly a crime. Konoha received countless clients and tourists every day. Naturally, it was impossible to weed out every spy.
The ANBU had made a mistake, but it was neither serious nor minor—there was no need to hold anyone accountable.
But his first reason carried a hidden implication.
The Uzumaki Princess had been abducted because she had not gone home late at night, increasing the danger.
As for why the Uzumaki Princess had not gone home, the ANBU did not know.
The Third Hokage looked at Senju Rin.
Senju Rin explained:
"Kushina has not yet adapted to Konoha. I told the clan that no matter what Kushina wanted to do, they were to let her follow her own wishes and not force her.
"She has yet to recover emotionally from the destruction of her clan. She has nightmares every day and cannot sleep, so she does not want to return indoors to sleep.
"I did this so she could adapt as quickly as possible and complete the Nine-Tails sealing as soon as possible."
There was no need to hide the matter of changing the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki from anyone in this room.
Not to mention the higher-ups. The fact that the three ANBU could appear here proved that they were trustworthy and entrusted with the village's secrets.
Dan Katō was a core member of the Senju Clan. Having mastered a forbidden technique, he could display Kage-level combat power under special circumstances.
The Spirit Transformation Technique was a forbidden technique for long-range assassination, and its deterrent power was terrifying.
Danzo spoke at that moment.
"Clan Head Rin! If you cannot manage the Uzumaki Princess, then hand her over to the village!
"The village has better methods for managing the Uzumaki Princess!
"Letting the Uzumaki Princess do whatever she pleases? How did you come up with such a terrible idea?
"Mito has worked diligently for decades. When has she ever made the village worry because of the Nine-Tails?
"Since the older generation of the Senju Clan faded away, you have only disappointed the village more and more.
"The Senju Clan handled the matter of changing the Jinchuriki terribly.
"If the ANBU had not reacted quickly tonight, the Uzumaki Princess would have been taken to Kumogakure!
"Intelligence from the border says that Cloud Ninja infiltration forces have already reached a point sixty kilometers from Konoha.
"If we had been half an hour later, Konoha would have permanently lost the Uzumaki Princess, as well as the next Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!
"I propose stripping the Senju Clan of its status as the Uzumaki Princess's guardian and placing her directly under village supervision.
"I believe Sarutobi Biwako would be an excellent candidate. She is a powerful medical ninja and has raised several children. She is fully capable of caring for the Uzumaki Princess!"
Senju Rin glanced at Danzo, then at Mitokado Homura, before finally fixing his gaze on Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand froze in midair as he held his pipe. He did not know why Senju Rin was looking at him like that.
Senju Rin slowly said:
"Brother Hiruzen, I still remember the day I picked you up at the entrance to the clan compound and took you to meet my father.
"Back then, you were the older brother who patiently taught me ninjutsu.
"I admired you so much that even when Father and Uncle Tobirama treated you far better than they treated us cousins, I never harbored any resentment.
"When did the conflicts between us become increasingly severe? When did they become harder and harder to endure?
"When you became Hokage, the Senju Clan gave you its full support.
"But why have you increasingly targeted the Senju Clan?
"Brother Hiruzen, how long has it been since you visited the Senju Clan Compound? Since you visited your teacher's wife—my mother?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent.
Yes, how long had it been since he had visited Mito, his teacher's wife?
His wife, Biwako, visited often. Biwako was Uzumaki Mito's personal physician and monitored Uzumaki Mito's physical condition at all times.
It seemed as though everyone was waiting for Uzumaki Mito to die.
Once people grew old, the greatest tragedy was being able to see others' anticipation of their death in their eyes.
It seemed that as long as they died, many problems would disappear.
When Sarutobi Hiruzen thought about it carefully, only Uzumaki Mito was broad-minded enough to endure such a situation. How could an ordinary elderly person bear it?
When news of the Uzumaki Clan's destruction arrived, Uzumaki Mito must have been devastated, unable to find peace each day just like Uzumaki Kushina.
The transfer of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was imminent.
Mitokado Homura spoke at that moment.
"Clan Head Rin, the village has absolutely no intention of targeting the Senju Clan, nor any ninja clan.
"The problem now is that, as a Jinchuriki, the Uzumaki Princess should put the village first at all times.
"I will be direct. We are worried.
"The Uzumaki Princess is being raised by the Senju Clan and may be instilled with improper ideas, causing her to consider the Senju Clan in everything she does.
"The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is too important. If she deviates in her growth, serious problems will arise.
"The Jinchuriki of Iwagakure and Kumogakure were both controlled by their tailed beasts because of their animosity toward their villages, causing riots within those villages.
"Jinchuriki are far too likely to breed hatred.
"There cannot be the slightest error in raising a Jinchuriki!"
Yagami watched from the back with great interest. The arguments between the higher-ups were far too entertaining.
Every one of them had righteousness on their lips, yet none could convince the others.
Senju Rin's face darkened. Mitokado Homura had exposed the point that was hardest for both sides to reconcile.
Did the Nine-Tails belong to Konoha, or to the Senju Clan?
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