Hiruzen Sarutobi froze on the spot.
He stared at Danzo before him, looking so blank that he seemed not to have understood what he had just said.
But that was only on the surface.
No one could tell that the anger he had bottled up in his chest all day was rising little by little, burning fiercer with every moment.
The Three-Tails? Rin Nohara?
How had it come back to this again?
He had already had an unpleasant confrontation with Minato today over this damned mess. Minato was the man he had long since chosen in his heart to become the next Hokage—the Fourth!
If a rift opened between him and Minato Namikaze now, how was he supposed to get along with his student's student once Minato actually took the Hokage's seat?
In the past, the bond between teacher and student had kept things in check. Even if Minato was unhappy, he would at least refrain from openly opposing him. But if he handled today's affair badly, even if he could still keep the Fourth Hokage in line in the future, word getting out would hardly do his reputation any favors.
He was already frustrated enough, yet Danzo had chosen this exact moment to come knocking.
You had your eye on the Three-Tails too?
Damn it, I wanted it too!
The emotions he had suppressed all day finally found an outlet. Without a moment's hesitation, Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth and let Danzo have it.
"Danzo, have you lost your mind?"
"The Three-Tails belongs to Kirigakure! Do you not even know that?"
"If I hand it over to you, what am I supposed to give Kirigakure when they come asking for their tailed beast back?"
"If I refuse, what if Kirigakure tears up the peace agreement and goes to war