Mitokado Homura did not answer immediately.
Utatane Koharu's words turned over in his mind, and his gaze began to wander. Only after a long while did he speak unhurriedly. "All right, I understand what you mean."
"But we must handle this carefully. At least on the surface, we still have to stand with Lord Hokage."
Mitokado Homura paused, then added, "Our Hokage isn't so easily fooled."
Utatane Koharu nodded lightly.
She understood that better than anyone.
They had worked together for so many years that they knew one another's temperaments inside out. Hiding their intentions from each other was no easy task.
Now that they had reached an understanding, they said no more. After all, the ANBU's eyes were practically everywhere in the Hokage Building.
What was more, ANBU Captain Shinnosuke Sarutobi was Hiruzen Sarutobi's son. He was no fool like Asuma Sarutobi, who could be brushed off with a few glib words.
If Shinnosuke Sarutobi discovered their scheme, their eventual fate would hardly be any better than the Uchiha's current predicament.
On the surface, then, the Hokage Building remained quiet late into the night. The two Konoha Elders buried themselves in their work as usual, looking loyal and diligent.
In reality, though neither exchanged another word, they were both pondering the same thing: how to eliminate Shinnosuke Sarutobi.
As long as Shinnosuke Sarutobi controlled the ANBU, he would pose a formidable obstacle to their plans.
As they thought it over, the same name surfaced in their minds almost simultaneously.
Shimura Danzō!
Hiruzen Sarutobi did indeed value Danzo highly, but Danzo clearly saw things differently. He had always believed that he was the one who truly deserved to become the Third Hokage, and he refused to spend his entire life doing Hiruzen Sarutobi's dirty work.
He had not even made