In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood quietly. After hearing Danzo's request, he fell silent for a moment.
Conflict, hesitation, guilt, and a trace of helplessness flickered in his eyes.
In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed the last shred of kindness in his heart and silently nodded, giving his tacit approval to Danzo's entire plan.
He raised a hand to summon the Anbu, assigned a squad, and issued a secret order: they were to obey Danzo throughout the operation and cooperate with his every move.
The moment that order was issued, the light yielded completely to the darkness.
The elite Anbu squad swiftly arrived at the Root base to await instructions.
Danzo's expression was grim, his eyes utterly impassive. He casually handed them a tightly sealed mission scroll, his tone cold and indifferent.
"Leave the village immediately and lie low outside while awaiting orders. Open this scroll three days from now and carry out the mission exactly as written. There must be no mistakes and no leaks."
The Anbu squad questioned nothing. After accepting the scroll, they immediately slipped out of Konoha without a sound to lie low and await orders.
Danzo was left alone in the empty Root base.
He looked toward Hokage Rock, his gaze deep and inscrutable. His lips moved as he murmured a weighty name.
"Nine-Tails..."
That simple name concealed his undying ambition and greed.
Beyond the Sky Screen, an uproar erupted once again.
"Just as I thought! I knew it!"
"The Third acted all righteous and told Danzo to stop, then turned around and secretly helped him! Classic good cop, bad cop!"
"He rejected underhanded schemes in public, but secretly approved all the dirty work, helped Danzo assign men, and covered for him afterward!"
"No wonder Danzo could run rampant in Konoha for decades and