From now on, he would meddle less in village affairs, give Shikashin more opportunities, push the Ino-Shika-Cho forward, and stay home to enjoy his retirement.
"Hiruzen?"
Utatane Koharu called out tentatively, but the Third Hokage remained silent.
Oh boy!
It seemed the situation was rather serious. The Third Hokage only acted like this when he was especially angry—ignoring everyone until all those involved had arrived, then speaking only when he felt like it.
Just wait.
The three exchanged looks and took their seats.
"Lord Hokage."
At that moment, the Anbu ninja who had gone to notify Shimura Danzō returned.
"Where is Danzo?" the Third Hokage asked.
The Anbu ninja said awkwardly, "Lord Danzo said he was feeling unwell, so..."
Bang!!!
Those words, "feeling unwell," sounded especially grating to the Third Hokage. Furious, he slammed his hand down on the desk, leaving everyone in the office dumbfounded.
Was this really the Hiruzen Sarutobi they knew?
Was he sure he had not been disguised by Tsunade?
You may leave first.
Utatane Koharu rose and dismissed the Anbu ninja.
After the man left, she said to the Third Hokage,
"Hiruzen, what did Danzo do to make you this angry?"
"What did he do?"
The Third Hokage laughed in fury. "He's practically turned the sky upside down! Do you know that?"
"He assassinated a ninja from the same village, traded village intelligence to Hanzō, and hired Hanzō to kill Jingyi Hyuga. Then Hanzō turned around and sold him out! He went to the Border Camp and exposed the whole thing in front of dozens of ninja!"
"Tell me, what exactly has he done?!"
"..."
Assassinating a fellow village ninja and leaking village intelligence—these charges could be made to seem big or small. If handled lightly, a vague explanation could brush them aside.
But if they were blown up, they would be enough to ruin someone completely.
If these matters had been exposed through some other channel, the Third Hokage might have been able to accept it.
But Hanzō had personally come knocking and announced it in front of dozens of Konoha ninja.
The ninja rotating through the border already felt somewhat unwilling and resentful about having to remain stationed there for long periods. With Shimura Danzō's actions coming to light, many of them would surely be disheartened.
They had left their families behind, unable even to spend the New Year with them, braved heavy snow and freezing rain to guard the Border Camp, and diligently patrolled and stood watch every day—only to have to guard against their own people because those people might assassinate them.
Who the hell could take that?
Though they were not the ones being assassinated, they were all stationed in the same camp. Putting themselves in the victims' shoes, anyone would feel chilled to the bone.
They were numb. Completely numb.
Torifu Akimichi covered his forehead helplessly, while Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stared blankly, unable to believe what they had heard.
Had Shimura Danzō gone insane?
Assassinating a fellow village ninja, even hiring an outsider to do it—if word got out, it would drive people apart.
It would have been one thing if the target were an ordinary person, but was Jingyi Hyuga ordinary?
They did not dare imagine how Tsunade and Mito Uzumaki would react upon hearing this news.
"Hiruzen, we must take Danzo into custody. If possible, the Border Camp needs to sign a gag order."
Utatane Koharu was frantic.
The Third Hokage said with a headache, "Do you think a gag order is even possible?"
Did she think Mito Uzumaki was just decoration?
Tsunade could turn the Hokage Office Building upside down.
"Sigh, I never expected Danzo to do something so utterly deranged. We must give the villagers an explanation."
At this crucial moment, the Third Hokage did not hesitate to cast Shimura Danzō aside.
Hiruzen Sarutobi could not let this blame touch him. Not even a little.
It could only all be dumped on Shimura Danzō.
Mitokado Homura nodded solemnly. "I think Hiruzen is right. From beginning to end, this was Danzo's doing alone. We must take him into custody and give the villagers an explanation."
Before the news spread, they had to seize Shimura Danzō as quickly as possible, lock him up, issue an announcement immediately, and make arrangements in advance.
This could not wait. Once the news spread and ignited the villagers' anger, it would be difficult to contain.
So they had to strike first, seize Shimura Danzō, and make the Hokage Office's stance clear.
"Danzo is your responsibility. I will have someone issue the announcement."
The Third Hokage had no desire whatsoever to see Shimura Danzō.
"And Danzo's punishment...?"
This matter could be treated as big or small, but Hanzō had sold Shimura Danzō out too thoroughly. The Hokage Office had to come down hard on him.
Otherwise, too many people would be disheartened.
As for Shimura Danzō's punishment, Utatane Koharu and the other two could not judge the proper extent.
"Lock him up first. No matter what, Danzo has rendered considerable service to the village. Though he made mistakes, he should not receive an overly severe punishment."
Not punishing Shimura Danzō would make it impossible to answer to the villagers, but the severity of the punishment also needed to be controlled.
After all, Shimura Danzō still had his uses. The Third Hokage could not simply crush him outright.
After a brief discussion, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura, and Torifu Akimichi led a group of Anbu to find Shimura Danzō.
Seeing his small courtyard surrounded by Anbu, Shimura Danzō realized something was wrong.
Had Mito Uzumaki come after him?
Or had Hanzō failed? Surely that foolish demigod had not been unable to kill even a medical ninja?
"Danzo, your crimes have been exposed. Under the Hokage's orders, you are to be arrested and detained. We hope you will cooperate."
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had no intention of speaking. Helplessly, Torifu Akimichi could only step forward and play the villain.
"Why?" Shimura Danzō asked calmly.
Torifu Akimichi rubbed his chubby face and scolded him in exasperation,
"You're still asking why? Monkey is nearly furious to death because of you! Over a little conflict, you wanted to assassinate Jingyi Hyuga? Don't forget that you were the one who went looking for trouble first."
"It would have been one thing if you had done it yourself, but you actually leaked village intelligence and made a deal with Hanzō."
If Shimura Danzō had acted himself, Torifu Akimichi might even have admired him.
But this man had been unwilling to act personally and unwilling to show his face, so he had traded village intelligence instead.
And then Hanzō had turned around and sold him out.
Had he failed?
No. Although there were quite a few ninja at the Border Camp, they definitely could not stop Hanzō.
Though Shimura Danzō looked down on Hanzō from the bottom of his heart, he had to admit that the man was truly powerful—at least far more powerful than he was.
So the question was, how had this been exposed?
Surely it could not be that cripple Jingyi Hyuga had suddenly displayed overwhelming power and captured Hanzō?
Hanzō would definitely be under his control. Of that, Shimura Danzō was certain.
Before you continue