Shimura Danzō apologized

The Hokage's Office.

"Monkey, what did you want me for?"

Shimura Danzō had been confined to Root lately and was in a rather foul mood.

He had originally intended to recruit Uchiha Jin through his personal charisma.

Who would have thought that the inherently evil Uchiha brat would show him no respect at all? Neither of them had been willing to back down, inadvertently letting the matter spiral out of control.

Under pressure, Hiruzen Sarutobi had been forced to punish him.

Not only had he stripped him of his position as Hokage Advisor and curtailed Root's authority, but he had also confined him for thirty days.

It was an utter humiliation!

"Danzo, there's something I forgot to tell you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples and softened his tone as much as possible out of consideration for his old friend's feelings.

"What?"

Shimura Danzō was deeply dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision to punish him.

As far as he was concerned, there had been nothing wrong with attacking Uchiha Jin.

Keeping an arrogant, conceited Uchiha brat like that around would certainly do the village no good.

Since he could not put him to use, eliminating him early was the best choice!

"You need to apologize to Uchiha Jin in person..."

After a moment of silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with a grave expression.

"What?!"

Shimura Danzō's eyes widened. He pointed at his old friend, trembling with rage.

"Monkey, you want me to apologize to that brat?!"

Was this some kind of joke?!

Had the man gone senile?

He actually wanted me to apologize to an Uchiha?

He must have had too much to drink.

"You were in the wrong here, so naturally, you need to apologize."

In truth, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not want this either.

He had originally thought that, that day in the office, Uchiha Jin would show him some respect as Hokage.

That he would let a major issue become a minor one, then let it go altogether.

Who would have thought that Jin would show him no respect at all and instead demand Danzo's execution...

Although he had later used his authority as Hokage to make Jin relent, his handling of the aftermath still had to satisfy the Uchiha Clan.

Thus, besides stripping Danzo of his position as Hokage Advisor, curtailing Root's authority, and confining him for thirty days...

The most important thing was to have Danzo apologize to Jin in person.

Only then would they see his sincerity.

Otherwise, the Uchiha Clan would surely spread word everywhere that he had favored his friend.

It would be bad if his lifelong reputation were ruined in an instant.

"You're joking with me, right?"

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Shimura Danzō made one last attempt to test him.

Unfortunately, he saw no hint of a joke on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

He was utterly furious.

"Forget it, Monkey!"

Shimura Danzō roared, "I will never apologize to that arrogant brat!"

Uchiha Jin was already on his kill list.

Wasn't Monkey slapping him in the face by asking him to apologize to the boy?!

No, this was not merely a slap in the face.

It was throwing his face onto the ground and trampling it!

If word of this got out, how would he, Shimura Danzō, ever show his face in the village again?

Even after he became Hokage in the future, people would criticize him over it.

So he could not agree, no matter what.

Even if he died, even if he jumped out of the Hokage's Office, he would never apologize to that brat!

Hiruzen Sarutobi quietly smoked his pipe, waiting for his old friend to finish venting before he spoke unhurriedly.

"I've already decided. Whether you apologize is not up to you."

He had known Danzo for so many years, and most of the time, it was very difficult to persuade him.

Fortunately, he was the Third Hokage.

Since reason would not work, he could use authority instead.

"Danzo, this isn't my decision. It's the decision of Konoha's Third Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi once again invoked his authority as Hokage.

At those words, Shimura Danzō looked worse than if he had swallowed a fly. He instinctively clenched his fists, his body trembling with rage.

Bastard, this again!

Every time he couldn't win an argument, he said he was the Hokage.

Couldn't he try something different?!

He really was on the verge of breaking down.

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi softened his expression, and his tone grew gentler as well.

"Danzo, for the sake of the bigger picture, you have to apologize."

If this man had not attacked Uchiha Jin without permission, how could things have reached this point?

Of all the people he could provoke, he had chosen the one who was the most trouble!

If he had not brought this on himself, what else was it?

Even he, the Hokage, could do nothing about Uchiha Jin.

After all, although the boy showed no one any respect, there truly was nothing to fault in the results of his law enforcement.

There had never been a single wrongful conviction or false charge.

The only thing anyone could criticize was that he never bothered with evidence before making an arrest.

But as long as he made no errors in judgment, there seemed to be nothing wrong with doing things that way.

The facts were exactly as he had said.

He would not wrong a single good person, nor would he let a single evildoer escape.

Yet Danzo had not only sneaked off to recruit Uchiha Jin, but had even decided to kill him after the recruitment failed.

Compared with Jin, he thought Danzo was even more lawless!

He had entirely himself to blame for things reaching this point.

"Monkey, must it be this way?"

Shimura Danzō's face was dark, his voice trembling.

Having to apologize to Uchiha Jin in person was simply worse than being killed.

"Yes."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded.

After a long silence, Shimura Danzō took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute.

"For the village, I agree!"

He understood that, at this point, he had no choice but to apologize.

Once I become Hokage, I will repay today's humiliation tenfold, a hundredfold!

A smile blossomed on Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face.

An hour later.

Uchiha Fugaku and the Uchiha Clan's elders arrived at the office.

With the Uchiha Clan Leadership as witnesses, Shimura Danzō approached Uchiha Jin.

"I apologize to you for my impulsiveness at the time!"

He bent at the waist, forcibly suppressing his humiliation and anger.

The esteemed former Hokage Advisor, current leader of Root, and future Fourth Hokage.

He actually had to apologize to an inherently evil Uchiha brat.

It was an utter humiliation!

He would never forget today's humiliation and hatred.

Just wait. All of you, just wait until I become Hokage.

The Uchiha Clan must disappear from the Shinobi World!

"Was it just impulsiveness?"

Uchiha Jin stared at his face, which was twisted with anger, his expression playful.

"Are you sure it wasn't premeditated?"

The moment he said that, the office fell silent.

Everyone's eyes fell on the black-haired youth in unison.

Uchiha Fugaku: "..."

This brat really dared to say anything!

Lord Hokage was still right here.

The two Pro-Peace Faction elders knitted their brows, the two Hawk Faction elders relaxed theirs, and the two Neutral Faction elders raised their eyebrows.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression did not change in the slightest, as though he had not heard Jin's mockery.

"You!"

Shimura Danzō straightened and glared at him, his face livid.

This brat was far too arrogant!

In all his years, apart from Madara Uchiha back then, this was the first time he had seen someone so arrogant.

He even dared to make snide remarks in front of the Hokage.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi had known what his old friend was thinking, he would surely have said, What's so surprising about him taking jabs at you?

Sometimes he even takes a few jabs at me.

"As the victim in this matter, I'm merely raising a reasonable question."

Uchiha Jin spread his hands helplessly, looking somewhat resigned.

"Why are you getting so worked up?"

"Konoha's esteemed former Hokage Advisor..."