The Hokage's orders

"Sarutobi..." Danzo's expression darkened further when he saw who had arrived.

Could he have been the one who directed that killing intent at me just now?

After signaling behind his back once more for his subordinates not to act rashly, Danzo stepped aside, leaving Hyuga Hiashi face-to-face with the newly arrived Third Hokage.

Although Danzo said nothing, the gesture was clearly a question directed at Sarutobi—

What is going on with Hyuga Hiashi?

"Lord Hokage..." As Hyuga Hiashi looked at the Third Hokage, a subtle change flickered across the expression he had kept carefully composed all this time. He quickly concealed it, but it did not escape Danzo, who had been watching him throughout.

"What's going on?" Sarutobi looked at Hiashi and frowned.

Those words, combined with the expression Hyuga Hiashi had just "accidentally" revealed, left Danzo utterly convinced that his suspicions were correct.

Hyuga Hiashi wasn't sent by Sarutobi at all. He has an ulterior motive!

Believing he now fully understood the "truth," Danzo decided to strike first. Having deliberately stepped aside a moment earlier, he now stepped forward and addressed the Third Hokage. "Hyuga Hiashi forcibly obstructed Root's operations just now, then claimed that you, the Third Hokage, had urgent business with me and told me to return to the Hokage Office to see you."

As Danzo spoke, he stole another glance at Hyuga Hiashi. Seeing that the man could no longer conceal his nervousness, he felt a surge of satisfaction.

Trying to bluff me? I don't even need to embellish anything. Once I check your story with Sarutobi, you won't escape the charge of falsely invoking the Hokage's orders to interfere with Root.

Once the Uchiha are dealt with tonight, it seems we'll have to reconsider the Hyuga Clan's loyalty to Konoha as well.

*At the very