Hiruzen: Danzo, these burdens will be yours to bear

Early in the morning, the gates of the Nara clan were rapped urgently by the Anbu.

Shikaku Nara pulled open the door while draped in his outer robe, the biting morning wind rushing in, carrying with it the clamor of the Konoha streets.

"Lord Hokage will convene a village-wide assembly in one hour," the Anbu ninja stated. "Clan Head Shikaku is requested to proceed to the Hokage Building immediately for deliberations." With that, the figure vanished around the corner.

Shikaku Nara stared in the direction the Anbu had disappeared, lost in thought.

This scene was playing out among the other ninja clans of Konoha as well.

In front of the Hokage Building.

Inoichi Yamanaka was dressed in his clan attire, while Choza Akimichi, following beside him, stuffed a rice ball into his mouth, his cheeks bulging. Beside them, Shikaku Nara let out a yawn.

"Shikaku, you're the smartest among us. Do you have any idea why Hiruzen would suddenly call for a village-wide assembly?" Choza Akimichi asked, leaning toward Shikaku after finishing the rice ball and wiping his mouth casually with his wide sleeve, his storage pouch clinking dully against his waist with the movement.

Shikaku Nara wiped his sleeve where Choza had brushed against it, looking somewhat repulsed.

After a moment of contemplation, he replied, "I cannot fathom Hiruzen's intentions either."

Choza Akimichi scratched his head, muttering as he reached for his storage pouch again. "Meetings were never this urgent before. When the Anbu arrived at my place, I hadn't even finished breakfast."

Inoichi Yamanaka leaned in. "Choza, give me some. I didn't finish breakfast either."

Choza Akimichi grinned, reached into his pouch with a fleshy palm, and pulled out two rice balls wrapped in maple-leaf-shaped oil paper, handing them to Inoichi. "Knew you hadn't eaten!" He then looked at Shikaku. "Shikaku, do you want some?"

Shikaku Nara waved a hand in refusal.

As they spoke, the sound of clanking chains echoed from afar. Tsume Inuzuka strode over, dragging a barking Akamaru behind her, her canine teeth glinting coldly in the morning light. "Well, well, you lot look relaxed!"

She raised a hand and slapped Shikaku Nara on the shoulder with enough force to make him stumble half a step. "Shikaku, do you know why the Hokage is suddenly holding a village-wide assembly?"

Shikaku Nara wore a look of helplessness.

Why was everyone asking him? He wasn't some all-knowing oracle.

Inoichi Yamanaka took a large bite of his rice ball, his cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's, and laughed indistinctly. "Look at Shikaku's face; does he look like he knows? He was the first one dragged out of bed this morning."

Tsume Inuzuka laughed heartily at this and stopped pressing for answers.

Just then, Hiashi Hyuga approached with Hinata Hyuga.

Hinata's gait was steady and her gaze firm; she was no longer the girl who would blush at the slightest provocation.

The others were somewhat surprised to see Hinata. Inoichi Yamanaka asked, "Hiashi, why did you bring your daughter along?"

Hiashi Hyuga forced a faint smile, patted Hinata on the head, and said, "My daughter has been staying home too much lately and wanted to go out for a walk. Since Lord Hokage is holding a village-wide assembly, I thought I would bring her along to broaden her horizons."

Choza Akimichi scratched the back of his head with a goofy smile. "So that's it! Hinata looks much more spirited than before; I almost didn't recognize her!"

He leaned in to get a better look, but was blocked by Inoichi Yamanaka.

Inoichi Yamanaka playfully nudged Choza away with his elbow. "Don't scare Hinata with that big face of yours."

Hinata nodded politely. "It's alright, Uncle Inoichi. Uncle Choza is just concerned for me."

As they chatted and joked, Uchiha Ao walked over, holding Uchiha Izumi's hand, with Shisui and Fugaku walking side-by-side beside them.

"Clan Head Fugaku, you've arrived." Choza grinned, the flesh on his cheeks bunching into folds.

The heads of the other clans remained silent.

Uchiha Fugaku nodded. "One must naturally obey Lord Hokage's orders."

With that, the group ceased their conversation.

Meanwhile, Hinata, standing beside Hiashi, spotted Uchiha Ao immediately and wanted to go over to greet him.

But the moment she remembered that Ao-kun hadn't sought her out for so many days, she quietly retracted the foot she had just stepped forward.

Hmph, if you aren't going to treat me to barbecue, Hinata won't forgive you!

Hiashi naturally noticed Hinata's small movements and frowned slightly, though he said nothing.

As time passed, ninjas arrived at the Hokage Building one after another.

To everyone's surprise, a large number of civilians followed behind the ninjas.

"Why are there so many civilians here?" Inoichi Yamanaka asked, looking toward Shikaku Nara.

"It's obvious. Lord Hokage intends for the civilians to participate in this village-wide assembly," Shikaku Nara said casually after glancing at the crowd.

Tsume Inuzuka stroked Akamaru's neck, the chains emitting a faint clatter. "But whenever something happens in the village, isn't it the ninjas who take the lead? Why let the civilians join in the chaos?"

Before she could finish, dozens of Anbu ninjas suddenly appeared. The lead Anbu, who had white hair, said sternly, "Lord Hokage has ordered us to escort you all inside. Please maintain order."

The Anbu quickly deployed into a guidance formation, and the previously noisy and chaotic crowd fell silent in an instant.

Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka exchanged a look, the former tapping his palm with his finger. "It seems Hiruzen is planning something major this time."

Under the escort of the Anbu, the group entered the Hokage Building in an orderly fashion.

The civilians whispered among themselves, filled with curiosity and unease, while the ninjas from the various clans wore solemn expressions, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

Upon entering the spacious hall, the people took their seats as directed by the Anbu.

Shikaku Nara, Inoichi Yamanaka, and Choza Akimichi habitually sat together, while Tsume Inuzuka found a spot nearby with Akamaru. Hiashi Hyuga and Hinata sat not far away, and the members of the Uchiha clan gathered on the other side of the hall.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly walked onto the high platform at the front, the wrinkles on his face appearing deeper than usual.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado followed behind him, their expressions grave.

Only Danzo was missing.

"Shikaku, why don't I see Danzo?" Choza nudged Shikaku Nara, who stood beside him, the storage pouch at his waist emitting a dull thud with the movement.

Shikaku Nara's gaze swept over the empty high seat that belonged to Danzo. "His absence... is perhaps the answer itself."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice echoed throughout the hall. "Everyone, I have summoned you all today because a malignant tumor has appeared within Konoha!"

His aged face was filled with heartache. "I assume you have all noticed that Danzo did not come to participate in the village-wide assembly this time."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's murky eyes scanned the restless crowd. "This is because, according to an Anbu investigation, Danzo has been conducting forbidden experiments using the First Hokage's cells behind the backs of Konoha's leadership."

"Furthermore, under the guise of Konoha's safety, he has been secretly extracting the bloodlines of various clans, using ninjas and civilians alike as living vessels! Those clansmen who disappeared without a trace and the bizarre death records from missions—these are all the heinous crimes he has committed!"

I'm sorry, Danzo, but all of this blame must be borne by you alone.

This is all for the sake of Konoha.

Hiruzen Sarutobi said silently in his heart, then proceeded to frantically shift the blame.