Everyone, Be Careful

A moment later, Danzo turned around.

When he reached the door, he stopped, his voice dark.

"Hiruzen, you'll regret this."

The door slid open, and Danzo left, leaning on his cane.

Outside the Hokage Building, the night wind blew across his face, but it could not suppress the fire in his heart.

Again. It was always like this.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in the light, using the Hokage's authority to reprimand him.

And he could only stand in the shadows.

Danzo descended the steps, and scenes from the past rose in his mind once more.

The Second Hokage had been pursued by Hidden Cloud's Kinkaku and Ginkaku Force, and everyone had been driven into a dead end.

They needed a decoy.

At that moment, he had merely been one step too slow. Just one step.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had stepped forward first.

Then their teacher chose Hiruzen, and the position of Hokage fell into Hiruzen's hands as well.

Danzo's fingers clenched tightly around his cane.

He had never accepted it. In terms of resolve, he was no worse than Hiruzen. In terms of methods, he was more decisive. In terms of bearing the darkness, he was more suited than anyone to sit in that position.

Yet everyone only saw Hiruzen Sarutobi, only the Third Hokage standing in the sunlight.

Why?

Danzo stopped in the shadows, his expression gradually turning cold.

Not only had he failed to get Fang Xu this time, but Hatake Sakumo had seized the chance to force Hiruzen to warn him in person.

He would remember this debt, especially Hatake Sakumo's. White Fang's reputation was already high enough.

And now he had Fang Xu as a disciple.

If he did not deal with them quickly, they would only become more troublesome in the future.

Danzo raised his head and looked toward the distant Hatake Residence, his killing intent growing heavier.

"Hatake Sakumo, you're in my way."

He turned and vanished into the darkness. He had to accelerate his plans.

Everyone standing in the way of the Hokage's seat had to be removed.

The back courtyard of the Hatake Residence.

Fang Xu and Kakashi were still in the training ground.

Hatake Sakumo's Shadow Clone stood beneath the corridor, never leaving.

Before long, faint footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Hatake Sakumo's real body had returned.

The Shadow Clone glanced at him, then dispersed with a bang.

After the memories returned, Hatake Sakumo's expression did not change much. He merely looked at Fang Xu.

"I confirmed it. They were indeed Root operatives."

Fang Xu was not surprised.

"Danzo?"

Hatake Sakumo nodded.

"Yes."

"I injured those three Root ninja, and I also went to explain the situation to Lord Hokage. For the time being, Root won't dare come harass you again."

Fang Xu's suspicions were completely confirmed. It really was Danzo.

That old schemer had already set his sights on him. He was still too weak now, unqualified to confront Danzo head-on.

But he would remember this debt. Once he was strong enough, he would repay it sooner or later.

Fang Xu gave Hatake Sakumo a solemn bow.

"Teacher, thank you for tonight."

"If you hadn't acted, with Root watching me, I don't know when something might have happened."

Hatake Sakumo raised a hand and supported him.

"You are my disciple. It is only right for a teacher to protect his disciple."

Kakashi stood to the side, his expression more serious than usual.

"Would Root really lay hands on Ninja Academy students?"

Hatake Sakumo looked at him.

"That is why I told you both to be careful. Do not lower your guard just because they are also Konoha ninja."

He looked at Fang Xu again, his tone softening somewhat.

"But you do not need to be overly nervous."

"With me here, with Lord Hokage here, and with Lady Tsunade acknowledging you, even if Danzo has ideas, he would not dare move against you openly."

Fang Xu nodded.

"I understand."

Hatake Sakumo looked at him and suddenly examined him a few more times.

Under the lamplight, Fang Xu's short silver hair was slightly messy, and her pale eyes were so calm that they did not seem like those of an ordinary child.

The lines of her face were colder than those of others her age.

Hatake Sakumo had never considered that possibility before.

But now that he knew Fang Xu was a descendant of the Senju, the more he looked at her appearance, the more familiar it seemed.

"Fang Xu."

"Hmm?"

"Your face resembles the Second Hokage's somewhat."

Kakashi looked over as well.

"The Second Hokage?"

Hatake Sakumo nodded.

"Silver hair, pale eyes, and even the shape of the brows and eyes bears some resemblance."

"Of course, it is not exactly the same, but the feeling is very similar."

Fang Xu touched her hair.

"I never thought about that before."

Hatake Sakumo smiled.

"Whether you resemble him is only a small matter."

"What matters more is the talent you have displayed during this period."

"You created Lightning Mode in a short time, then fused Lightning Release and swordsmanship into the beginnings of ninja swordsmanship."

"That does not resemble an ordinary genius. It is more like you inherited the Second Hokage's talent for creating new techniques."

Kakashi fell silent as he listened.

He had once thought himself talented enough, but Fang Xu's recent improvement had truly been absurdly fast.

Hatake Sakumo looked at the two children and sighed softly.

"Your generation holds great promise."

"Kakashi, Fang Xu, Guy, Kurenai, Rin, and Asuma as well."

"As long as you can grow properly, Konoha will not lack powerful ninja in the future."

Yet Fang Xu did not completely relax upon hearing this.

She looked up at Hatake Sakumo.

"Teacher, you cannot treat tonight's matter as an ordinary conflict."

Hatake Sakumo looked at her.

Fang Xu said seriously, "This time, you injured Root ninja for my sake, then went to the Hokage Office to explain the situation."

"Someone like Danzo is narrow-minded and unscrupulous."

"He will not think he was wrong. He will only think you ruined his plans."

Kakashi frowned.

"He would still dare lay a hand on Father?"

Fang Xu did not take the question lightly.

"Not openly, of course. But what about missions?"

"If he secretly sets a trap through a mission, deliberately provides incomplete intelligence, or pushes Teacher into danger?"

"Teacher, your reputation is too great. You are blocking many people's paths."

"Danzo suffered a loss this time. His killing intent toward you will only grow stronger."

"When accepting missions in the future, you must be especially vigilant."

Hatake Sakumo did not brush it aside.

He looked at Fang Xu and nodded seriously.

"You are right."

"Danzo acts viciously. I will not underestimate him."

"In the future, I will be particularly cautious of missions involving Root or missions with unclear intelligence sources."

After saying that, he looked at Kakashi again.

"You too. Do not go to secluded places alone."

"If someone calls you away in the name of a mission, the Hokage, or the higher-ups, tell me first."

Kakashi nodded.

"I'll remember."

At last, Hatake Sakumo looked at Fang Xu.

"Fang Xu, you have been drawing too much attention lately."

"Keep up your usual training, but put safety first."

"Root may not dare act openly in the short term, but that does not mean they will not keep watch in secret."

Fang Xu nodded solemnly.

"I'll be careful."

The three reached an unspoken understanding in silence, each remaining vigilant.

A week passed quickly.

Ever since Root's test had been driven back on the spot by Hatake Sakumo, things around Fang Xu had become much quieter.

At least openly, no one approached her home or the area around the Hatake Residence again.

Fang Xu did not relax. She trained in the morning, attended class during the day, went to the Hatake Residence to practice swordsmanship after school, then went to the secret base at night to test Lightning Body Tempering.

Every day was packed full by her schedule.