Still Not Influential Enough

Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's final decision on how to handle the incident, Yunyan slowly let out a breath, his feelings complicated.

Well, damn. Just... damn.

I never expected that after coming to the ninja world in this life, I'd still have to deal with political tricks and word games.

So, let's review Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision just now.

First, Danzō was relieved of his post.

Mm, that sounded quite serious at first. Danzō seemed to have directly lost his position as Root's leader, seemingly losing his greatest authority and no longer being able to command Root.

But! But!

Being relieved of duty and being removed from office were not the same thing. Their definitions, nature, and consequences were vastly different!

Being relieved of duty meant being excused from a position and no longer serving in it. Essentially, it carried little punitive meaning.

Removal from office was different. It meant stripping someone of their position outright; it was undeniably punitive and much more severe than simply being relieved of duty.

Now that Hiruzen Sarutobi had chosen to relieve Danzō of his duty rather than remove him from office, the hidden agenda was obvious.

Then there was the order for Danzō to go home and reflect behind closed doors. This... Yunyan could only sneer.

What did that mean? Giving that old dog a vacation under another name? Or telling him to go home and lie low?

Something this serious, and he was just sent home to reflect? By rights, he should at least have been locked up for a few days, shouldn't he?

Other people made a big fuss but little came of it. Here, there wasn't even any wind or rain—at most, the sky had gotten a little cloudy.

That was fucking shameless!

And finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi himself would take command of Root for the next few days and carry out reforms!?

What familiar rhetoric and perfunctory tactics. What use was it for him to personally command Root? Those reforms were probably just for show, weren't they?

Yunyan even had reason to suspect that these so-called reforms were merely Hiruzen Sarutobi's explanation to him. Once it came to Root itself, none of it would actually be implemented.

This truly was... such a textbook final decision!

For a moment, Yunyan had nothing to say.

After making his final decision regarding the incident, Hiruzen Sarutobi simply sat behind his desk, smiling benevolently at Yunyan.

His expression seemed to say: Well? Are you satisfied with this outcome?

Yunyan scratched his head and fell silent for a moment.

Was he satisfied?

Of course not.

Then what kind of reaction should he have?

Fly into a rage? Fall out with Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, right then and there? Maybe even start fighting?

Uh, not quite to that extent.

Yunyan did not feel much attachment to Konoha, but it was still the strongest ninja village and the most powerful force in the ninja world. It had abundant resources and many things Yunyan wanted.

If he truly made a move here, it would amount to defecting from the village. Many of Yunyan's future goals would become impossible to achieve, and the loss would outweigh the gain.

Ignoring long-term goals and interests for a momentary burst of anger was not something Yunyan could do, no matter how unruly he was.

Besides, knowing when to stop did not mean swallowing his anger. It did not mean this matter was over.

Yunyan had his own plans. Perhaps in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes, once this final decision had been made, the matter was finished.

But Yunyan could tell that it was not so simple. It would not end that easily.

As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi continued protecting Danzō, this matter would not be over.

With Danzō's temperament and dark nature, having been relieved of duty and suffered a minor loss—especially after stumbling against a mere jonin like Uchiha Yunyan—how could he possibly endure it?

If he could not endure it, there would be a next time.

And if there was a next time, there would be an opportunity.

When that next time came, Yunyan would have every justification to make an issue of it, seize the opportunity, and strike at Danzō over both this incident and the last!

By then, it would not be so easy to settle things. Hiruzen Sarutobi could forget about smoothing everything over without paying a price.

That was Yunyan's current plan.

Actually, Yunyan had gained another realization as well.

That realization was that he had only just returned to Konoha, and his influence was far too limited—practically nonexistent.

Some might think that powerful strength was enough. Why would one need influence?

But that was not the case.

Yunyan's current situation was exactly like that. He had laid low outside for several years; his strength was absolutely not a problem, and he had concealed it well.

But now that he had returned to Konoha's grand stage, how many people knew him? How many acknowledged him?

He had strength, but he was unwilling to reveal it. As a result, he had little influence.

Do not underestimate the word "influence." It represented a comprehensive measure of authority, status, and many other factors.

Take this matter, for example. Yunyan had displayed considerable strength, enough to draw attention, but his influence was limited. He could not shake Hiruzen Sarutobi.

When dealing with someone with so little influence, Hiruzen Sarutobi could use such shameless, fence-sitting methods to brush him off and placate him.

But what if Yunyan had enough influence? What if his status had reached the level Sakumo Hatake once possessed? If, with such status and influence, he encountered this situation and was targeted for assassination by Root ninja...

Then things clearly would not have turned out like this. Hiruzen Sarutobi would certainly have taken it extremely seriously. He could neither dismiss the matter nor sweep it under the rug.

In that case, Hiruzen Sarutobi would have had a terrible headache. To quell Yunyan's anger, give him an explanation, and show the wider ninja population that justice was being done, he would inevitably have had to make certain choices and let Danzō suffer to some extent.

That was the difference—the difference between having influence and not having it.

After reaching this realization, Yunyan's eyes cleared and his thoughts sharpened. He now had a plan for his next step in Konoha.

And this next step was linked to his long-standing plans. It also served his long-term objectives.

Thus, Yunyan began his next move.

He lowered his hand from Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk but did not step back, remaining in front of it.

This action gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a signal. He felt that the matter should be settled now; this thorny brat Yunyan should have accepted the result, whether he was willing to or not. After all, this was already the greatest concession Hiruzen Sarutobi could make.

Heh. Making me, the Hokage, yield to this extent—this brat has something to be proud of.

With that thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and took a few more puffs from his pipe.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi relax because he believed he had gotten his way, Yunyan seized the moment and suddenly said, "Fine. We'll let this matter rest for now. I should give Lord Hokage some face, too.

"But I have one more request."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat surprised. He had not expected Yunyan to have another request.

But considering that the boy possessed such strength at such a young age, no less impressive than the Kakashi he favored, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not think much of it. With his pipe between his lips, he nodded. "Go ahead. Tell me what you want."

"I want to serve in the ANBU."

That utterly ordinary sentence nearly made Hiruzen Sarutobi choke on his smoke!

"Cough, cough, cough... What did you say!?"

"I said, I want to serve in the ANBU."

"Say that more clearly!?"

"I was perfectly clear. I want to serve in the ANBU!"

Setting down the pipe that had made him choke, Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his head and stared incredulously at Yunyan's calm face.

What nonsense is this brat talking about? He wants to serve in the ANBU!?

Even if he had been away from Konoha for several years, he was still an Uchiha. Even in the capital of Fire Country, he should have heard at least something about the village's relationship with the Uchiha Clan over the past few years, shouldn't he?

Basically, the conflict between the village and the Uchiha Clan had nearly been brought into the open. The two sides had grown distant, with a faint hostility forming between them.

Under such circumstances, an Uchiha actually wanted to enter the ANBU!?

What kind of place was the ANBU? It was Konoha's most elite and secretive force, one of the strongest powers in the Hokage's hands. It could be called the core of Konoha's ninja forces.

Moreover, it was the unshakable core of the Hokage's faction among Konoha's ninja, because only Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, could fully utilize the ANBU and command it with absolute authority.

And yet, as an outsider, he opened his mouth and asked to join the core sphere of the Hokage's forces. Was there really nothing wrong with that?

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's incredulous expression, Yunyan remained calm. "Lord Hokage, why are you reacting like this? Am I not allowed to serve in the ANBU?

"Could it be that I am not a ninja of Konoha? That I am not a member of Konoha?

"Or is there something wrong with my identity that makes you uneasy?

"Or perhaps my strength is insufficient, and I cannot enter the ANBU?

"That can't be it, can it? I was the one who killed these two Root ninja."

As he spoke, Yunyan smiled and kicked the Root ninja corpses at his feet again, showing off his considerable strength.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's head was starting to ache. "No, no, Yunyan. Of course you are a member of Konoha, a ninja of Konoha. Your strength is certainly sufficient to join the ANBU, and your identity... is not a problem either."

In truth, Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted to say, How could someone of the Uchiha Clan enter the ANBU? But he only thought it. No matter what, he could not say such words outright.