"What?" Everyone thought their ears were playing tricks on them.
Hadn't Danzo always been the sort of man who would stop at nothing to claim the Hokage position? Yet now that a new Hokage had taken office, he thought he held too much power and wanted to give up his post to balance the power in the Hokage's hands. It was utterly baffling.
Minato Namikaze looked at Danzo and asked, "Elder Danzo, what do you mean by this? Have I done something wrong?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately stood up as well. "Danzo, did you misspeak? How is the Fourth supposed to look if you do this? You're making it seem as though he dislikes us old men and wants to retaliate against us!"
Yet Danzo still wore a righteous expression. "I didn't misspeak, nor was I influenced by the Fourth. This is something I realized during the war that just ended. It made me feel that the Hokage Advisors truly hold too much power. In unstable times, when the two sides disagree, making decisions becomes difficult. That can easily delay decisions and cause unnecessary trouble!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened completely. What on earth was Danzo trying to do? Wasn't having power a good thing? Was he trying to strip Hiruzen of his power too?
"Danzo, then tell us how the Hokage Advisor Elders interfere with decision-making," Hiruzen Sarutobi said grimly.
Danzo glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi's dark expression and said, "Since the former Hokage wants me to explain, I won't be afraid of your condemnation. I'll bring a few things out into the open!"
Danzo left his seat and walked over to Hatake Sakumo. First, he bowed to Sakumo in apology, then began, "You all know what happened to Sakumo a few years ago. Whether in strength or wartime achievements, you could