The Root Was Crippled

Mirai shot Danzo a sidelong glance. "Don't think everyone is like you, staring at the Hokage seat all day long. Let me tell you, I couldn't care less about this so-called Hokage position!"

"You..."

Mirai's retort made Danzo tremble all over.

For the so-called Hokage position, he had resorted to every possible means.

He had even done things that were nearly unforgivable and thoroughly detestable.

Yet in other people's eyes, was the position of Hokage really so worthless?

"Fuck... what the hell did I even come here for today..."

Danzo was on the verge of collapse, the defenses in his heart already crumbling across the board.

He had never imagined that today, he would be left covered in wounds by this prickly Uchiha Mirai.

From beginning to end, Mirai had led him straight into one trap after another—and he had stupidly jumped right in.

"Besides, if you really had what it took to become Hokage, the Second Hokage would've passed the position on to you long ago! But what was the reality?"

"The reality was that the Hokage position was never passed to you!" Mirai smiled, his mockery utterly undisguised.

"Ah..."

Danzo flew into a rage.

He threw away the cane he had been leaning on and slammed both fists onto the table.

Never in his life had he suffered such humiliation, being rebuked until he had nothing to say.

The matter of the Second Hokage passing down the title had always been a thorn in his heart.

Now that Mirai had laid it bare so nakedly, Danzo recalled how his most respected teacher had chosen Hiruzen as the new generation's Hokage. Grief and fury surged in his heart.

That incident could be said to have become the wound of Danzo's entire life.

Danzo knew he could not stay any longer, or he truly would not be able to endure it.

"Since this brat refuses to become Hokage, we can discuss the Hokage position in detail another day. I'll take my leave first!"

Fuming, he picked up his cane from the floor and swept out with a flick of his sleeve.

Mirai watched Danzo prepare to leave, his thoughts racing.

We've played this far already—why are you leaving?

If you leave, how am I supposed to keep playing?

No, you can't leave!

"I've suddenly decided that I should still succeed as the Fifth Hokage!" Mirai abruptly said before Danzo could step out the door.

Everyone was stunned.

What? You were willing to be Hokage again?

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Jiraiya exchanged glances, both seeing the smiles in each other's eyes.

As for Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, their faces twisted in frustration.

So you were just putting on a show and spouting bullshit earlier?

Danzo Shimura, who had just reached the doorway, suddenly turned around and erupted.

"Uchiha Mirai, you fucking dare toy with me?! I'll fight you to the death!"

As the king of Konoha's shadowy forces, Danzo had clearly been driven mad by Mirai's antics.

Seeing Danzo charge at him, Mirai let out a cold laugh.

Old bastard, you brought this on yourself. Don't blame me.

Lightning flickered around his right hand as a chakra hand blade formed from Lightning Release in an instant.

With a slash through the air, Mirai split Danzo's cane into two.

Mirai's body flashed, and he was already behind Danzo.

The lightning-wreathed hand blade in his right hand came to rest against Danzo's neck.

Everyone froze.

How did this suddenly turn into a fight?

This was looking like they were about to throw down at the slightest disagreement.

Feeling the sharpness of the lightning chakra hand blade against his neck, Danzo could not help swallowing.

At that moment, Koharu Utatane came back to her senses. She slammed a hand onto the table and shouted, "Mirai, what are you doing?"

Startled by her shout, Homura Mitokado also snapped back to his senses and quickly said, "No matter what, Danzo once rendered great service to Konoha. Are you trying to betray the village by doing this now?!"

Homura immediately pinned a huge accusation on him.

Betraying the village was no minor matter.

Although the two had suddenly fallen out with Danzo just now, they still had both personal ties and shared interests after all.

To preserve their former interests, they still had to choose to support Danzō.

What was more, when Mirai made his move, the two of them had sensed a strong warning from him.

It was a provocation aimed at them, a provocation aimed at Konoha's higher-ups.

If he dared lay hands on Danzō today, who knew when he might come after them next.

At that thought, the two of them had no choice but to speak up.

They thought that as long as they occupied the moral high ground, they could make Mirai obediently submit and do as he was told.

But they were wrong.

After all, ideals were beautiful, but reality was cruel.

Faced with the two men's verbal condemnation and accusations, Mirai showed no fear at all.

He looked at them with a face full of mockery and demanded, "Are you two blind or what? Was I the one who started this?"

When Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane thought back, it did seem that Danzō had struck first.

They could not help feeling awkward, but they still forced themselves to remain calm. "Danzō merely wanted to teach you a lesson, yet you pulled a blade. Besides, you're not hurt. Put the blade away already!"

A hand blade was still a blade. Did that make a rotten egg any less of an egg?

Mirai was extremely displeased with their attitude and gave a cold laugh.

"Let him go? Why should I? You tell me to let him go, and I have to? As a hero of Konoha, wouldn't that make me lose face?"

Fuck, there he went again, calling himself Konoha's hero and dragging that title out once more.

Was there no end to this? Was that how a hero was supposed to act?

Every other second, it was, I'm a hero, how can you treat a hero like this?

Mirai deliberately flicked his hand, and the hand blade sliced across Danzō's neck.

Scarlet, steaming blood immediately welled out from Danzō's neck.

"You..."

Danzō jumped in fright, his cloudy eyes trembling.

You bastards could argue all you wanted. What the hell did that have to do with me?

Why was I always the one getting hurt?!

"Hm?" Mirai shot Danzō a sidelong glance, the meaning obvious.

Got a problem? If you do, let's have a nice talk about it.

Danzō was so frightened that he hurriedly lowered his head.

A problem? Problem my ass. How could I possibly dare have a problem?

He was not like Konoha's two advisors. Those two old fools had been yapping away for so long, and nothing had happened to them.

But there was a blade at his neck. How could he be compared to them?!

"This is outrageous, truly outrageous!"

Koharu Utatane pointed at Mirai and rebuked him angrily, "Mirai, you actually dared to make another move! Are you really planning to betray the village?!"

Jiraiya watched Mirai, Danzō, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane bicker back and forth, thoroughly enjoying the show.

Enjoy it though he did, he neither intervened nor said a word.

As for the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, he remained seated with a calm, composed air.

He was considering whether he had been too indulgent toward these old friends and comrades over the years.

Danzō in particular had gone far too far!

This was a good opportunity to use Mirai's hand to teach him a proper lesson.