Astonishment and Suspicion

Si Ming Mountain, Konoha camp.

Mitokado Homura's and Ryoma's two squads faced off.

"Good!"

Mitokado Homura laughed loudly. "Since Danzo wants me to help him handle logistics and oversee the Cloud Village prisoners, then I'll do as he says."

Fugaku and Ryoma sighed in relief. It was good that Mitokado Homura was willing to take a step back. Danzo had issued a strict order that no one was to disturb him at this time.

But then their faces turned livid.

"Still, Danzo seems to have gained some real skill lately, making you all so obedient."

"Could it be that he placed some kind of cursed seal on you, leaving you no choice but to obey him? That would be quite like that old bastard Danzo's style." Mitokado Homura cast a mocking glance at Yume Ryoma and Fugaku at the front of the crowd.

This was Danzo's usual method. Mitokado Homura had heard of it, and quite a few of Konoha's higher-ups knew about it as well.

He had deliberately brought it up in public to make everyone suspicious of Danzo, thereby seizing power.

Sure enough, after he said that, quite a few members of the Uchiha Clan involuntarily looked toward Fugaku at the front of the crowd.

The Clan Head had indeed been acting strangely lately. Could Danzo really have controlled him?

Fugaku noticed the gazes around him as well, and his expression stiffened.

Of course Danzo had not controlled him, but he had no way to explain those difficulties to his clansmen.

Fugaku said nothing more, while Ryoma furrowed his brow tightly.

The atmosphere cooled. The squad that had been brimming with momentum after its victory now seemed somewhat stiff due to Mitokado Homura's arrival.

Mitokado Homura watched it all with some satisfaction. No one understands how to sow discord better than I do.

He had not had a shallow friendship with Danzo. In the past, he would not have made things so difficult for him.

But ever since he learned from Sarutobi that Danzo had truly regained his youth, both Utatane Koharu and he himself had begun to reject Danzo.

They did not think the same way as Sarutobi.

Was strength important?

Perhaps they had thought so when they were young.

But after growing old and becoming Hokage Advisors, what they valued more was authority and prestige.

As long as they were in Konoha, their word was absolute. Few people in the village could refute their opinions.

They were clearly all from the same generation, so why could Danzo return to youth, rekindle his flame, and enjoy several more decades of power while they had to drag these aged bodies toward extinction?

Thinking of how he had been treated when he first arrived at this camp, and then of Danzo's arrangements for him—

The more Mitokado Homura thought about it, the angrier he became. He began smearing Danzo's reputation without restraint. Danzo's current strength was less than a tenth of what it had been, so he had no need to care about saving the man's face.

Although Root had quite a few people, he had brought enough manpower to the front lines.

But before Mitokado Homura could revel in it for long, a figure appeared beside him with lightning speed. A fist shot out and sent Mitokado Homura flying more than ten meters, crashing into the crowd behind him and knocking several people over.

"Who is it?!"

Mito Hiroichi stared wide-eyed at the suddenly appearing figure and ordered everyone to surround him.

He was from the Mito Clan and also the deputy commander of this squad.

But before Mitokado Homura's people could make a move, Root personnel had already surrounded them completely.

Danzo's eyes gleamed coldly as he fixed his gaze on Mitokado Homura, who staggered to his feet. "Homura, you came here and immediately decided to give me a problem."

He had only just activated a skill and had not even caught his breath before receiving news that this old bastard had arrived at the Konoha camp.

Though he had expected from the start that this old bastard would not show him a pleasant face upon reaching the front lines, Danzo had hurried over only to find him slandering his reputation.

"Danzo! What is the meaning of this?!" Mitokado Homura clutched his chest and questioned him loudly. He felt that several of his ribs had broken.

That punch had not been light. He had nearly been killed by a single blow.

Danzo looked at him, and a trace of regret flashed through his eyes.

He had actually held back, but he had forgotten to deactivate the passive skill Critical Hit. That punch had directly triggered the passive, and the twenty-percent critical damage had nearly killed this old bastard.

Before striking, he had considered the situation and chosen not to kill him.

But after striking, he wondered why he had held back instead of killing him outright.

"What does it mean?"

He took a step forward, and his figure crossed dozens of meters to arrive before Mitokado Homura.

The few people beside Mitokado Homura who had been supporting him trembled as they retreated several steps. They watched Danzo warily, yet used the injured Mitokado Homura as a shield in front of them.

Mito Hiroichi, at least, had some conscience. He glared at those people, then came to Mitokado Homura's side and supported him.

"With a great battle ahead, you undermine morale. The fact that I did not kill you on the spot is already more than enough courtesy!"

Thick Killing Intent swept down upon Mitokado Homura like an overwhelming tide. Previously, Danzo had lacked the strength and could only waste breath arguing with these people.

But things were different now!

Killing Intent filled his eyes as he stared at Mitokado Homura without concealing it in the slightest.

"You! Your strength?"

Mitokado Homura pointed at Danzo in disbelief. "N-No way! Sarutobi said your strength had been greatly diminished! You can't possibly still have such speed and power!"

Then his eyes widened as if he had realized something.

"Y-You were putting on an act!"

Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but relying on his understanding of Danzo, Mitokado Homura quickly sorted out his intentions.

This had all been an act by Danzo, meant to lower Sarutobi's guard. He still coveted the position of Hokage!

He wanted to use the merits from this war to compete with Sarutobi for the Hokage's seat!

Danzo shook his head, having no desire to explain any of this to him. "Since you're injured, obediently return to Konoha. I'll have Root personnel escort you back."

"As for the people you brought..."

Danzo looked over the squad watching him with fear. There were many familiar faces among them.

Mito, Utatane, Sarutobi.

Most of them were descendants of those three families. Though Danzo had never met them before, as Root Leader, he knew all the information he needed to know.

Those three really had it all planned out. They intended to send their own descendants here to earn easy merit.

"Leave all your people behind. They can make up for the losses in Hizashi's squad." Danzo unconsciously smiled, and that smile made everyone in the squad behind Mitokado Homura shudder.

"Dream on!"

Mitokado Homura gritted his teeth. "Sarutobi sent me here to replace you, and because of you, there have been such heavy casualties. Do you still have the nerve to remain on the front lines?"

"If I'm not here, should I let trash like you lead the squad?" Danzo responded mercilessly. "Have you forgotten what I told you before?"

Danzo stepped closer and closer, staring directly at Mitokado Homura.