As Hiruzen Sarutobi watched Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura hobble into his living room, supporting each other in their sorry state, his hands paused briefly before resuming their work. Inwardly, he let out a silent sigh.
A thought surfaced without warning: sometimes, choosing the right side mattered more than how hard you worked.
Just look at these two old friends of his.
In terms of seniority, they had spent over fifty years building their influence in Konoha, their roots running deep. In terms of experience, they had weathered several wars in the shinobi world and were hardly incompetents. As for effort... at least where their own perceived interests were concerned, they had never stopped "working hard."
But now?
They had merely gone to "put a researcher in his place"-someone nominally under house arrest but who actually held a special position-and ended up with battered faces, ragged clothes, and voices so hoarse they could barely speak.
When they went to the Hokage Building to complain, Hiashi even told them this was beyond his authority.
For his old friends, the skies over Konoha really had gone dark!
Whether those skies were dark for anyone else, though, the Third had no idea.
Despite those thoughts, the Third's hands remained steady.
He took out his treasured tea leaves, carefully rinsed the teaware with boiling water, and leisurely brewed two cups of hot tea for his old friends.
A delicate fragrance soon filled the living room.
The old dog named Danzo lay meekly at the Third's feet, his coat much smoother than when he first arrived and his eyes less wary.
After pouring the tea, the Third naturally reached down and rubbed the dog's head and neck. The dog narrowed his eyes in contentment, a low rumble rising from his throat.
It was nothing more