Hokage Building, Hokage Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, the newspaper laid out before him.
He suddenly hurled the newspaper down in front of Danzo. Its pages rustled through the air before landing at Danzo's feet.
"Danzo!"
Hiruzen's voice carried anger he had suppressed for far too long:
"Look at what you've done! Switching mission scrolls, manipulating public opinion, inciting the people.
Where does that leave me, the Hokage?!"
Danzo glanced down at the newspaper by his feet.
The glaring headline on the front page stung his eyes.
He merely raised his head and gave Hiruzen a cold look.
"Hmph. Spare me the act, Hiruzen."
Hiruzen frowned.
Danzo continued, "Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? Are you saying you knew nothing about Hatake Sakumo's situation?
Wasn't the position Hatake Sakumo was in a few days ago exactly what you wanted? And now you're blaming me?"
Hiruzen opened his mouth. "You..."
Danzo stared at him and cut him off:
"Instead of standing here blaming me, you should be thinking about that Newspaper Agency.
The Land of Fire Daily is a weapon of immense power. How can we let that Hyuga brat and the Uchiha Clan control it?
They can write about me today and you tomorrow!"
Hiruzen said nothing.
But his gaze shifted slightly to the side.
Danzo narrowed his eyes.
The instincts he had developed over years of working together told him something was wrong.
His voice sank. "Hiruzen! What's that look supposed to mean?"
Hiruzen still wouldn't look at him.
Danzo stepped closer, a note of disbelief creeping into his voice:
"Don't tell me... you own a share of the Land of Fire Daily?!"
Hiruzen coughed and raised a hand to cover his mouth.
At that moment, the cough sounded especially guilty.
Danzo's eyes widened.