"Looks like Danzo suspects a mole in Root. Now that Root has been folded into ANBU, it's only natural for the Third Hokage to grow suspicious too.
"Don't contact me for the next few days, and stop gathering intelligence. Just carry out your ANBU duties as usual," Fugaku said.
"Yes."
Gray Snake vanished from the room. Fugaku stood lost in thought. The Shinobi World was relatively peaceful, with only a few Small Nations fighting among themselves.
The Five Great Nations were holding back and watching how things developed. More importantly, all but the Land of Water were recuperating.
Danzo had been imprisoned. Even if the Third Hokage wanted to scheme, he would have to think carefully about whether to act himself or find another proxy.
If he acted personally and made a grave mistake, there was no telling whether he could keep his seat as Hokage.
Fugaku swept every corner of the room with his Sharingan. Black mist surged over his body, and he gradually disappeared.
He remained where he was for over ten minutes. When no one came in to check, Fugaku left the room, leaped onto the roof, and scanned his surroundings.
No one was watching. He headed toward the Security Force, reappeared around a corner, and strolled through the streets of Konoha.
In an unnamed Small Nation far from the Land of Fire, Jiraiya had spent the last two days wandering.
A frog's croak caught his attention. He turned and parted the grass, revealing a frog before him.
It was a messenger frog unique to Mount Myoboku, used to carry messages.
"Gamamaru, what is it?"
"The two Sages want you to come to Mount Myoboku. I heard the Great Toad Sage woke up and saw a prophecy about you."
Jiraiya froze for a moment, then laughed. "All