A Heavy Price

After Nara Shikaku left with Tsukimi, Hiruzen Sarutobi sent Anbu to summon his three advisers. He was alone in the Hokage's office now. Smoke curled above his desk, but it did nothing to quell his anger.

Nara Tsukimi was the greatest prodigy in the history of the Nara. Given the ties among the Three Clans, he was not just the future of the Nara, but of all three clans. Mishandling this could even cause unrest within Konoha.

That bastard Danzo!

Before long, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu arrived together. Summoned in the middle of the night, they sensed that something was wrong. Before either could ask, a voice rang out.

"Hiruzen, what's happened that you had to summon us so urgently at this hour?"

Shimura Danzō pushed open the door. Years spent in the Root base had only deepened the sinister air around him. Though he had a suspicion, his steps remained steady and his voice betrayed nothing, as if he knew nothing of the attempted killing.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up. There was none of his usual warmth in his eyes, only cold scrutiny. "Danzo, did you send three Chunin to kill Nara Tsukimi not long ago?"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu stared at Danzo in disbelief.

Danzo's expression did not change. If anything, he sounded indignant. "Root exists solely to protect Konoha. It has never acted against Nara Tsukimi without authorization. Someone must be spreading malicious rumors."

Every Root Ninja bore the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, so Danzo was certain none could have leaked the truth—unless the three had been killed and their bodies recovered. Then he remembered that they had yet to return when he left, and unease flickered through him.

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance. Sensing that something was amiss, they stayed silent and watched.

Seeing Danzo refuse to admit anything only fueled Hiruzen Sarutobi's anger. He knew his old partner's stubbornness better than anyone. Rather than waste more words, he took out the Sealing Scroll Nara Shikaku had left behind and undid the seal.

The next moment, three corpses dressed in Anbu uniforms lay sprawled across the floor. Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward himself and opened their mouths, revealing the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seals beneath their tongues.

The evidence was undeniable!

The composure finally vanished from Danzo's face. Disbelief churned in his eyes. He had never imagined that three elite Root Chunin working together could fall to an eight-year-old Genin fresh out of the academy.

Silence held the office for dozens of seconds before Danzo's stiff expression hardened again. He stopped denying it outright, but he still tried to defend himself.

"I did send people, but not to kill him. Nara Tsukimi is exceptionally gifted and meticulous. Even his Ninjutsu is well suited to Root. I only wanted to recruit him and give him special training."

Danzo struck his cane hard against the floor, then continued coldly, "I never expected the boy to be so ungrateful. Not only did he reject my offer, he dared kill Root Ninja. Such lawlessness cannot be tolerated. I propose we arrest him at once for killing Ninja from his own village!"

His brazen distortion made both advisers frown in displeasure. Hiruzen Sarutobi tightened his grip on his pipe, his disappointment deepening.

"You threatened to kill him on the spot unless he let you abduct him. That's what you call recruitment? Danzo, you've gone too far this time!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer contain his anger. His usual composure was gone. "I warned you two years ago to leave Tsukimi alone, yet you still sent people to kill him. Do you realize your actions could set us against the Ino-Shika-Cho clans and shake the village's foundations?"

Mitokado Homura stepped forward. "Hiruzen is right. The Three Clans are a pillar of Konoha's stability. By targeting a Nara prodigy, Danzo has crossed their line. If we mishandle this, the other Ninja clans may become dissatisfied as well."

Utatane Koharu spoke up too, her tone grave. "Danzo is at fault. By any measure, we owe the Three Clans a proper explanation."

Questioned by all three in turn, Danzo's face turned ashen. He knew it himself: such acts were manageable as long as no one had proof. Once he was caught and the matter blew up, there was no room to maneuver.

After a long silence, Danzo reluctantly accepted full responsibility.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down behind his desk again. After weighing the matter, he finally reached a decision and announced his ruling.

"Effective immediately, Shimura Danzō is stripped of all his posts and confined to his home for one year. He is not to leave or interfere in any village affairs!"

"Root... will be placed under Mitokado Homura's temporary command. Its excess personnel will be removed and its strength cut by one-third. Every operation must be reported to me. I do not want to see it overstep its bounds again!"

"...Understood!"

The two orders severed Danzo's reach. He shuddered, but could only grit his teeth and endure it. He turned and strode out of the office. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu also took their leave.

The office fell quiet again. Hiruzen Sarutobi continued to consider the incident. Punishing Danzo was an answer to the Three Clans, who had always been among the pillars of his support as Hokage. But there was also Nara Tsukimi. A boy who could kill three Chunin at eight years old had a gift that called for more careful reassurance.

He had originally considered Shibi Aburame or Shinku Yūhi as Nara Tsukimi's supervising jonin. Now neither seemed sufficient. It would take someone of real stature to satisfy the Three Clans.

Of the Sannin, Jiraiya had been roaming the world for a prophecy and was rarely in the village. Tsunade was still there, but her Hemophobia had brought her career as a Ninja to an end. Minato already had Kakashi and Obito Uchiha assigned to him.

Orochimaru came to Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind.

After the Second Shinobi World War, he had sent Orochimaru into Root to watch and check Danzo. Yet Danzo had failed to restrain himself in certain respects, as this incident showed. Recently, Hiruzen had also noticed something unusual about Orochimaru. His behavior seemed increasingly strange, and he had grown rather close to Danzo.

That was also why Hiruzen had not put Orochimaru in charge of Root just now. He did not want the disciple he held in the highest regard to fall into darkness too.

For now, Orochimaru was undoubtedly the best choice as supervising jonin.

After giving it careful thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly made up his mind.

The next morning, golden sunlight broke through the clouds and fell across the Hokage Building. Nara Shikaku brought Tsukimi to the Hokage's office.

After a night's rest, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked himself again, with no trace of the previous night's anger. When the two arrived, he immediately laid out the decision reached the night before.

"What happened yesterday was my failure as Hokage. I failed to keep my people in line, and you were wronged, Tsukimi. I've also let the Nara down."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with warmth and sincerity before explaining the compensation. "I've stripped Danzo of all his posts and confined him to his home. Root will undergo a thorough overhaul as well. By way of apology, you may choose one Ninjutsu from the Scroll of Seals, and Danzo will personally pay you fifty million ryō."

He had added the fifty million ryō at the last minute. After returning home the previous night, the more he thought about the enormous mess Danzo had made—and how he had to clean it up—the angrier he became. In the end, he sent people to Danzo's house to demand the money, making Danzo feel the loss as well.

The Anbu later reported that Danzo's face had indeed turned ashen. He had looked as though his child had died.

Fifty million ryō was equivalent to the pay for fifty standard S-Rank Missions. To an ordinary Ninja, it was an astronomical sum, and it was more than enough to show the leadership's sincerity.

Nara Shikaku nodded slightly. He was clearly satisfied with the outcome. As for having Danzo executed, he had never expected that from the start.

Tsukimi felt nothing in particular; the outcome was just as he had expected. Still, he bowed in thanks, then spoke with a hint of embarrassment. "Thank you for handling this fairly, Lord Hokage. It's just that none of the Ninjutsu in the Scroll of Seals suits me right now. Could I exchange that reward for something else?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi paused, then asked, "Oh? What would you like instead?"

"While looking through my clan's records, I learned that the Second Hokage developed many Ninjutsu and studied Chakra in great depth. I'd like all of Lord Tobirama's research on Yin Release Chakra instead."

Of the Ninjutsu in the Scroll of Seals, only the Flying Thunder God Technique and the Spirit Transformation Technique appealed to Tsukimi. The rest did not suit him. His priority was unlocking the entire Shadowkhan and developing Susanoo as quickly as possible. Even if he chose a Ninjutsu, he would have no time to practice it.

"You have a good eye," Hiruzen Sarutobi said approvingly, then nodded. "Approved. I'll have all the records gathered and sent to the Nara Compound. The fifty million ryō will be delivered to you along with them."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage." Tsukimi thanked him happily, looking deeply moved.

Putting on an act? I'm pretty good at that.

With the compensation settled, Shikaku and Tsukimi rose and left the Hokage Building.

Tsukimi glanced back and chuckled to himself. Root might have money, but that belonged to the organization. The fifty million ryō had come from Danzo's own pocket. He could already picture the pained look on the man's face.

Bleeding money, old man? Come back anytime!