He didn't think about it any further.
Because it makes no sense.
It's too late to say this now.
"Elder Shaoyu." Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was still steady, "You are now the elder of Kumogakure. You have a high position and a heroic appearance."
This was said as a compliment, but Shaoyu could hear the bitterness in it.
A Hokage, speaking compliments to a traitor.
What a travesty this is.
But he didn't expose it, just smiled.
"Third is a prize." He said, "Please sit down."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded and sat down on the chair opposite Shaoyu. Minato and Orochimaru stood behind him and did not sit down.
Shaoyu doesn't mind either.
His eyes swept across these three people and finally landed on Orochimaru.
"Lord Orochimaru, are your injuries okay?" There was a hint of concern in his tone, but everyone knew it was just polite.
"E Tu was a bit harsh that day, and I apologize to you on its behalf."
Orochimaru's mouth twitched.
He would never forget that battle in his life.
"I can't die." His voice was cold but still calm, "Thank you, Elder Shaoyu, for your concern."
Shaoyu nodded and said nothing more.
His eyes turned to Minato.
"Minato Namikaze, Yellow Flash." He said, "I have admired your name for a long time. In the battle that day, your Flying Thunder God Technique really opened my eyes. It is well-deserved."
Minato didn't speak, just nodded slightly.
He doesn't like this person.
I don't like his smile, I don't like his tone, I don't like his feeling of being in control of everything.
But he had to admit that this man was very strong.
So strong that it makes people despair.
Shaoyu didn't say anything when he saw him, and he didn't care either.
His eyes finally fell on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Third." He said, "Let's not talk so much about useless things. I invited you here today because I want to talk about business."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
"Tell me," he said, "What do you want to talk about?"
Shaoyu did not answer directly, but raised his hand and lightly snapped his fingers.
Lianhuo, who was standing behind him, took a step forward, placed the scroll in his hand on the table between them, and then stepped back.
Shaoyu pointed at the scroll.
"This is the list of prisoners." He said, "Sarutobi Shinnosuke, Shimura Danzō, Jiraiya. There are also one thousand seven hundred Konoha prisoners."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes twitched.
One thousand seven hundred people.
Three to four thousand Konoha Ninja died on the battlefield.
And there were nearly two thousand people alive and captured.
In this battle, Konoha lost thousands of ninjas.
This is an unprecedented defeat since Konoha founded the village.
"They are all still alive." Shaoyu continued, "Alive and complete. Including the old man Danzo. Although he was tied up by me for a few days, he still has no arms or legs. Don't worry."
Sarutobi Hiruzen Take a deep breath.
Danzo Just be fine
"What do you want?" he asked. "Ransom? Territory? Or something else?"
Shaoyu smiled.
That smile made Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart sink.
"Third." Shaoyu said.
"More than that."
Those eyes made Sarutobi Hiruzen feel an inexplicable palpitation in his heart.
After a long time, Shaoyu spoke.
"Third." he said.
"First, I want to talk to you about the Uchiha Clan."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils shrank slightly.
The faces of Minato and Orochimaru standing behind him also changed.
Uchiha Clan.
This family is excluded, monitored and guarded in Konoha.
This family has made countless military exploits for Konoha, but is feared by everyone.
This family has more than a dozen people defecting from Konoha.
Shaoyu is talking about this?
"Uchiha Clan..." Sarutobi Hiruzen murmured, "What do you want to talk about?"
Shaoyu stood up, walked to the window, and looked out the window at the Kumogakure military camp.
"Third." He said, "You know, the biggest gain I have gained during my years at Kumogakure is not strength or status, but a truth."
He turned around and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"If a village doesn't even trust its own people, then the village will be doomed sooner or later."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face turned ugly.
A naked accusation.
Accuse him, accuse Konoha, accuse Uchiha Clan of what he has done over the years.
"How much blood did Uchiha shed for Konoha, and how many people died?"
Shaoyu's voice was still calm, but every word pierced Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart like a knife.
"When First Hokage and Uchiha Madara founded Konoha, you called them the 'two heroes'. But what happened later?"
He paused.
"Later, Uchiha was driven to the edge of the village, monitored, guarded against, and treated as an unstable factor. Second Hokage established Konoha Military Police Force, ostensibly to reuse them, but in fact to trap them."
"Third After you succeeded to the throne, you intensified your efforts. Danzo, that old guy, Tenten stared at Uchiha and tried every means to weaken them."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face turned ugly.
He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
Because what Shaoyu said is true.
Irrefutable facts.
Shaoyu looked at him with a mocking smile on his lips.
"Third, you don't need to explain." He said, "I'm not here to settle old scores with you today. I just want to tell you--"
He walked back to his seat, sat down again, and looked directly into Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.
"Next, I will go to Konoha."
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.
"Are you going to Konoha?"
"Yes." Shaoyu nodded.
"When the time comes, I will stand at the gate of Uchiha Compound. I will take away all the Uchiha people who are willing to come with me."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed.
"Impossible!" He blurted out, "Uchiha Clan is Konoha's important combat power, how could you let you--"
"Important combat power?" Shaoyu interrupted him and smiled even more sarcastically, "Third, do you believe this?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was stunned.
"Do you dare to use Uchiha?"
Shaoyu's voice turned cold, "Do you dare to let them go to the front line? Do you dare to let them have access to core secrets? Do you dare to let them hold important positions?"
He stared into Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes.
"Don't dare."
He said it word for word.
"You don't dare to use them at all. You only dare to let them stay on the edge of the village and do those insignificant police work, and then Tenten guard them and monitor them, for fear that they will rebel one day."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face turned pale.
"Third." Shaoyu's voice slowed down, "Think about Danzo, think about Jiraiya, think about your son."
"My respected Lord Third Hokage, you don't want your son, disciple, and your dear Mr. Danzo to lose their lives..."
Although I don't know why I say dear Danzo, but...
A naked threat.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen also knows that this is not a threat, but a fact.
If he refuses, Shinnosuke will die, Jiraiya will die, and Danzo will die.