Endless Colors, Konoha's Internal Power Struggle, Hiruzen Sarutobi Seizes Power

These past few days, Uchiha Shadian had been living comfortably.

Free of tedious schemes and calculations, he had completely relaxed and enjoyed Rin Nohara's tender attention.

"Brother Shadian, if one day everything is resolved and everything settles down, will you choose to keep me by your side?"

Rin Nohara's delicate body nestled against Uchiha Shadian's chest as she asked softly.

"You are mine. You belong to me. I will never let you leave me," Uchiha Shadian said domineeringly.

"Brother Shadian!" Rin Nohara gazed at Uchiha Shadian with eyes brimming with affection and tenderness. His promise brought her immense peace of mind. Even if Uchiha Shadian later married into another clan, she would not have to worry about being abandoned.

She could remain by his side forever as his attendant, protecting him.

"Don't worry, Rin. Even if I marry someone else for other reasons in the future, I'll marry you too. I will never abandon my adorable little treasure."

"Brother Shadian." Upon hearing that, Rin Nohara took the initiative and kissed Uchiha Shadian, and he responded with equal passion.

The window, the bedroom, the hot spring...

Everywhere bore traces of the two of them.

Konoha's temporary tent conference hall.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared darkly at Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura.

Hiruzen Sarutobi questioned Shimura Danzō, "Danzo, why didn't you support me? If you had, Konoha would not have suffered such heavy casualties."

Shimura Danzō sneered. "I thought you would easily deal with that evil Uchiha Shadian. After all, the forces under your command are far stronger than mine. Who would have thought you'd be so useless, Hiruzen? I think you're old. You should give up the position of Naruto! Let me be Naruto, and I will surely cut that evil Uchiha Shadian down!"

The forces under Hiruzen Sarutobi's command had now suffered devastating losses, so he no longer feared him.

"Besides, I did not deliberately refuse to support you. My men have been stationed along the outskirts of the village, defending against other ninja villages taking this chance to attack Konoha. Everything I have done has been for Konoha. Especially at this critical time of turmoil, I must lead my Root to safeguard Konoha's perimeter. I absolutely cannot allow ninjas from any hostile village to enter and spread news of Konoha's unrest."

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew perfectly well that Shimura Danzō's words were nonsense, nothing more than an attempt to fool him. But there was nothing he could do. He had led over ten thousand men against a single Uchiha Shadian, failed to take him down, and suffered more than nine thousand casualties. It was an unforgivable blunder.

"What about you two?"

"What have you been doing, Koharu and Homura?" Hiruzen Sarutobi turned to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura and demanded.

"Why didn't you bring men to support me?"

Mitokado Homura said gravely, "Hiruzen, it wasn't that we refused to support you. We were also occupied with protecting and evacuating the villagers."

"The passage to the Underworld that the evil Uchiha Shadian summoned created a massive devouring force field inside Konoha. Countless civilians were swallowed and dragged into the Underworld. We were doing everything we could to save the villagers and simply could not spare anyone for your side. In order to rescue more civilians, more than three thousand ninjas on our side gave their lives."

"So it wasn't that we refused to support you. We simply could not leave. Although two hundred thousand villagers died, we rescued more than four hundred thousand. They are our foundation, the basis of Konoha's future."

Utatane Koharu continued in a grave tone, "As for you, Hiruzen, you had more than ten thousand people under your command, all elite Konoha ninjas at every level. You sent over ten thousand men to pursue three people and one Nine-Tails, yet only killed one person while allowing the other two and the Nine-Tails to escape. You also caused the enormous loss of more than nine thousand Konoha ninjas. Don't you think that is a serious dereliction of duty?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied in a heavy voice, "Have you forgotten the Nine-Tails' combat power? How much damage did the unrest seven years ago cause Konoha?"

Mitokado Homura said, "No matter how great that damage was, it was not greater than this time. This time, Konoha's entire village is gone. Countless people were killed and wounded, and we lost a full third of Konoha's total combat strength. These were outstanding ninjas who required endless money and effort to cultivate."

"If we're talking about responsibility, yours is the greatest, Hiruzen."

Hiruzen Sarutobi glared. "My responsibility is the greatest?"

"Who was it that kept advocating the extermination of the Uchiha Clan?"

"Who was it that kept calling the Uchiha Clan an evil clan?"

"Who was it that kept excluding the Uchiha Clan?"

"Who was it that wanted to wipe out the Uchiha Clan that night?"

"Misjudging the Uchiha Clan's strength and causing today's consequences means my responsibility is the greatest?"

"I have always advocated a conciliatory policy toward the Uchiha Clan. It was you who went on and on every day about the Uchiha Clan being an evil and unstable clan, shouting for their extermination. Now that something has gone wrong, you want to dump all the blame on me? No chance."

"I'm telling you now: because of your mistaken judgment, today's outcome came to pass. I officially announce the removal of Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura from their positions as advisers. Root will also be officially disbanded and merged into the Anbu."

Upon hearing that Hiruzen Sarutobi intended to disband his Root, Shimura Danzō slammed his hand on the table. "Impossible! I refuse to accept this. I will never allow Root to be handed over for you to merge into the Anbu!"

"Danzo, I am Naruto. Are you going to defy my orders and betray Konoha?" Hiruzen Sarutobi barked.

Shimura Danzō clenched his fists, his face dark as he stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi. He had thought that Hiruzen Sarutobi had called this meeting merely to condemn him verbally for failing to provide support. He had never expected him to demand that Root be completely disbanded and absorbed into the Anbu.

Shimura Danzō fixed Hiruzen Sarutobi with a deadly stare, his gaze seemingly wishing it could devour him whole.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, "Danzo, are you going to betray Konoha? Everything I am doing is for Konoha!"

Shimura Danzō's face darkened, and his heart was filled with resentment. He still wanted to sit on Konoha's Naruto throne! How could he bear the charge of betraying Konoha? If that happened, he would be completely cut off from the position of Naruto.

"Hiruzen, you've done well." Shimura Danzō stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

After Shimura Danzō left.

Mitokado Homura said gravely, "Aren't you afraid he'll resist?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "I understand him. He won't. Until he gets what he wants, he will continue to endure."

"Looks like you have Danzo completely figured out, Hiruzen," Utatane Koharu said.

"There's no other way. Konoha suffered enormous losses because of this Uchiha incident. I can't let the Naruto alone take the blame."

"Besides, I warned you many times to adopt a conciliatory policy toward the Uchiha Clan. It was your radical policies that caused all these consequences. You must take responsibility."

"I am willing to step down from my position as adviser," Utatane Koharu said.

"I am also willing to step down from my position as adviser," Mitokado Homura said. "However, I have something else to say. We merely voiced the radical policies against the Uchiha Clan on your behalf. Hiruzen, you are actually the same as us."

"For Konoha, you are willing to do anything."

"Just like how, after transferring the elite ninja army back from the Land of Fire's border, you immediately came to hold us accountable and strip us of our power."

"For Konoha to safely weather this crisis, I will not argue with you."

"I only hope you will not disappoint me. Once you have taken control of all Konoha's forces, lead Konoha safely through this unprecedented crisis."

"I have something to say as well," Utatane Koharu said. "Danzo is absolutely not like us. He will not obediently hand over all the power in his hands to you. Be careful, Hiruzen. A cornered dog will jump over the wall. Danzo is capable of anything."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said gravely, "Don't worry. I understand Danzo. I know how to deal with him."

"If anything happens to me, Danzo's dirty secrets will spread throughout the Land of Fire. At that point, his dream of becoming Naruto will be completely shattered."

Bang! A loud crash came from outside the door.

Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "See? He was eavesdropping outside the door again."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed profoundly at the door. "Danzo, for the rest of your life, unless you are willing to give up your ambitions, I have you completely under my thumb."