Will of Fire? That'll Cost Extra!

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a smoke ring and asked why Danzo had wanted to see him.

Qian Ye said nothing.

He first looked at Pakura standing beside the desk.

The woman turned her head away.

The wide sleeves of her kimono bulged slightly.

Qian Ye had sharp eyes and immediately spotted the paper pinwheel he had bought earlier hidden inside.

He understood everything perfectly.

There was no way ANBU Squad One could have kicked open Root Base's doors so quickly just because Hiruzen Sarutobi had acted on a whim.

The Third Hokage had mountains of documents to handle every day. How could he have the time to keep tabs on the whereabouts of a single Genin like him?

The only explanation was that this little woman had helped make it happen.

And she had most likely used tomorrow's prisoner exchange as leverage.

Qian Ye clicked his tongue inwardly.

This was a huge profit.

He had already fleeced that old goat Danzo and gotten a token that could mobilize Root squads.

Now that he was back in the Hokage's office, he could not let this fat sheep, the Third Hokage, get away either.

Qian Ye sniffed.

He secretly forced chakra into his tear glands.

His eyes instantly reddened.

Two streams of hot tears came pouring out on command.

"Lord Hokage!"

Qian Ye wrenched his voice into a howl, making it sound as though he had been stabbed on the battlefield.

He took two swift strides forward.

Then, with a thud, he dropped to his knees before the desk.

Both hands clutched the desk leg tightly.

"I almost never got to see you again!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was startled by the sudden shout.

Even the pipe in his hand shook.

Scalding ash fell onto the back of his hand.

Hiruzen ignored the burn.

He