Damn it, if you're going to kill someone, do it right

Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Shimura Danzō, who was being supported by Anbu, his expression turning strange.

The moment he learned of Danzo's maneuvering, he had sent Anbu to stop him.

He hadn't expected Uchiha Jin to injure Danzo so badly anyway.

It seemed the boy was stronger than he had imagined.

After all, Shimura Danzō was an elite Jonin, particularly skilled in extremely powerful Wind Release Ninjutsu.

Yet he had ended up in this state in such a short time.

All he could say was that Uchiha Jin's strength far surpassed that of an ordinary elite Jonin.

Was this the genius of the Uchiha Clan?!

"Monkey."

Shimura Danzō panted heavily, blood lingering at the corners of his mouth, feeling as though he couldn't catch his breath.

That bastard was truly infuriating.

In all his years, this was the first time someone had angered him into coughing up blood.

The Uchiha Clan really was inherently evil!

"Jin, how could you attack a comrade from the village?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Uchiha Jin, displeasure appearing on his face.

Although Danzo had been in the wrong first, a matter like this should have been left to him, the Hokage, to handle.

Not for Jin to take matters into his own hands and severely injure a village advisor!

The boy was becoming more and more brazen.

Previously, he hadn't been able to find fault with how Uchiha Jin handled cases, so he couldn't say anything.

Now he finally had an opening.

He had to give him a stern warning, lest the boy stop respecting him.

"I didn't lay a hand on him."

Uchiha Jin spread his hands and calmly met the Hokage's gaze.

"On my way home from work, a few people disguised as Anbu tried to assassinate me. I just killed them while I was at it."

He pointed at Orochimaru, who had remained silent all this time.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows knitted tightly at those words, and he instinctively looked toward his student.

He really couldn't understand. If Jin hadn't attacked him, why was Danzo in this state?

Called out by name, Orochimaru's eyes flickered with helplessness.

He actually wanted no part in this matter. Had he known, he wouldn't have followed Danzo out just because he had nothing to do.

Wouldn't it have been better to stay in the laboratory and research Hashirama cells?

"Teacher, Jin indeed did not attack Advisor Danzo."

Orochimaru glanced at the ashen-faced Shimura Danzō and gave a concise account of what had happened.

He focused on how Danzo had been angered into coughing up blood.

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "..."

No wonder Danzo was so furious.

That boy Jin had simply been rubbing salt in someone else's wounds.

At the same time, he was shocked.

He hadn't expected Uchiha Jin to see through his thoughts.

Of course he couldn't let Danzo become Hokage.

To think he already thought like a Hokage at such a young age. He truly deserved his reputation as the Uchiha Clan's acknowledged genius.

It seemed he really did possess the Will of Fire, but his way of expressing it was too extreme.

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi silently smoking, Shimura Danzō felt his heart ache in spasms.

As reluctant as he was to admit it, the boy seemed to have been right.

Monkey's reaction clearly showed that he didn't support him becoming the Fourth Hokage.

What a joke!

We were both Teacher Tobirama's students. Why could Monkey become Hokage while I could only be an advisor?

Just because I failed to bravely step forward in time back then?!

No, no matter what, the position of Fourth had to be mine...

Only by becoming Hokage could I fulfill my ambitions. Then I would eliminate the Uchiha Clan to keep the village stable, carry out sweeping reforms, and defeat the other nations to unite the Shinobi World.

That was what a qualified Hokage should do!

Not timidly content himself with a little corner like Monkey.

"Third."

Uchiha Jin stared at him and demanded coldly.

"Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzō sent people to ambush and kill me. How do you intend to handle this?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression grew grave at those words.

Danzo's actions had indeed been appalling. A senior official had attempted to murder a comrade within the village.

If word of this spread, it would undoubtedly have serious repercussions.

He had to handle this properly, or it would be troublesome if the matter escalated.

That Danzo did nothing but cause trouble for him all day long.

He had no idea what the man was thinking, going off to provoke Uchiha Jin.

The real issue was, if he was going to kill someone, couldn't he have brought more men?

Now he had handed them leverage over him.

Uchiha Jin was the Uchiha Clan's genius. If the Uchiha Clan found out, they would certainly erupt.

It might even intensify the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village.

He was about to retire. He really didn't want any complications.

Seeing him remain silent, Uchiha Jin spoke again.

"Shimura Danzō attempted the premeditated murder of an officer of the Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force, abused his authority, established an illegal armed force, deployed private troops beyond his authority, undermined the village's stability, and fomented hostility between clans."

"Under the laws established by the Second Hokage, attempted premeditated murder of a Jonin on official duty, abuse of military and political authority, and endangering the village's peace require the immediate removal of all the offender's authority, the dissolution of the entire [Root] organization, and renewed Anbu screening for all Root members. The offender must receive combined punishment for all offenses and be publicly executed after a public trial..."

Shimura Danzō: "???"

His single eye widened in disbelief, his face filled with shock and incredulity.

He simply couldn't understand how the boy had memorized so much of the village law.

All he had done was send people to "teach him a lesson." Not only had all his subordinates been killed, but he himself had been angered into coughing up blood and struggling to breathe.

And that wasn't even the end of it.

The boy wanted Monkey to have him killed, too!

What a joke!

Had I really committed that many crimes?

A gleam flashed through Orochimaru's serpentine eyes. He instinctively licked the corner of his mouth, then looked toward his teacher, who sat in the main seat with his brows tightly furrowed.

Things were becoming more and more interesting.

He really hadn't expected Uchiha Jin to invoke the village's laws.

In truth, most people in the world of shinobi didn't care about the law. As long as someone didn't go too far, they generally turned a blind eye.

After all, might was what truly made right!

Yet the boy had directly listed a whole string of charges, clearly intent on having Danzo killed!

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent for a long time.

Naturally, he couldn't bring Shimura Danzō to justice under the law as Uchiha Jin demanded.

The man was, after all, a dear friend he had known since childhood. He couldn't really have him killed.

"Jin, the situation isn't as serious as you make it sound."

Hiruzen Sarutobi forced a reassuring smile onto his face.

"Advisor Danzo's original intention was to recruit you into Root. The dispute that followed between you led to the current situation."

Orochimaru couldn't help raising his brows, a fleeting trace of disappointment passing through his eyes.

It seemed his teacher was determined to protect Shimura Danzō at all costs...

Even after things had reached this point, he still intended to side with Danzo.

Was he really not afraid of the Uchiha Clan harboring resentment?

His teacher was no longer the spirited Shinobi Hero he once had been.

Retiring sooner rather than later was the wise choice. Otherwise, he would easily invite criticism in the future.

The village urgently needed a new leader.

Hearing those words so blatantly favoring Danzo, Uchiha Jin laughed in anger.

"Hokage, are you saying I was at fault in this, too?"

"You weren't wrong to defend yourself."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head gently, then earnestly advised him.

"I'm merely saying that you acted too rashly earlier. If you had talked things through properly, no dispute would have broken out."

"Tch. You're the Hokage, so you're right."

Uchiha Jin couldn't be bothered to argue with him. After all, the man was the lofty Hokage.

While he was merely an Uchiha ostracized by the village...

The smile on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face froze for an instant before he spoke with a kindly smile.

"Of course, Advisor Danzo was in the wrong first. I will certainly handle this properly and give you a satisfactory answer..."

"Then I look forward to your answer. If there's nothing else, I'll head back."

Uchiha Jin waved a hand, turned, and left the office.

"Teacher, I'll be leaving as well."

Seeing this, Orochimaru followed him out and closed the office door behind him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the door close. The smile he had maintained vanished, and he looked at his dear friend in exasperation.

"Danzo, what on earth are you doing?!"

"Who told you to go after Uchiha Jin?!"

He truly hadn't expected Danzo to become this lawless.

He had even dared to try to assassinate Uchiha Jin inside the village.

If a matter like this was mishandled, the leadership's reputation would be ruined.

"Hmph. That Uchiha brat is beyond control. Leaving him alive will surely bring disaster. Better to nip it in the bud."

The mere thought of Jin's words made Shimura Danzō gnash his teeth in anger.

"Monkey, everything I do is for the village!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi pressed a hand to his forehead helplessly at his dear friend's stubbornness.

Damn it, if you're going to kill someone, do it right.

Now he had not only failed to kill him, but had made the whole affair blow up instead.

He really knew how to make trouble for him.

"Starting today, you are no longer a Hokage Advisor. Don't come to the office so often unless you have business here."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed.

"Additionally, Root's annual shinobi recruitment will be cut in half."

Shimura Danzō's eyes widened, and he couldn't help exclaiming.

"Monkey, do you know what you're doing?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded gently and explained softly.

"Your actions were indeed appalling. I have to give the Uchiha Clan an answer."

"Monkey, you'll regret this!"

Shimura Danzō's face darkened.

This man was actually weakening my authority at a time like this!

How despicable!

"Danzo, put those little schemes away. I don't want any more complications."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Konoha, his voice filled with helplessness and exhaustion.

"I'm about to retire..."

At those words, Shimura Danzō's expression returned to normal.

So what if my authority was reduced?

Once Monkey retired and I became the Fourth Hokage...

Everything would get better!