Danzo Got Cuckolded, and Kumogakure Arrived

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned successfully, and he had gained an elite ANBU who could use Wood Release-Tenzo.

The process had been full of twists and turns. Who would have thought his close friend would actually try to kill him?

If Tenzo had not switched sides, the attempt might actually have succeeded.

The battle that would have taken place in Orochimaru's laboratory was thus rendered unnecessary.

Was this the power of Kakashi, the white-haired charmer? His ability to charm his comrades was maxed out.

"Danzo, this child will be assigned to the ANBU directly under the Hokage from now on."

The Third brought the silent Tenzo, or rather, Yamato now, to Konoha's Root.

"Nonsense! Kō, are you betraying me?!"

Danzo stared incredulously at Tenzo standing behind Sarutobi, the disappointment and anger plain in his eyes.

"Lord Danzo, I believe shinobi should protect their comrades, not kill one another."

Hiding behind Sarutobi, Tenzo gathered his courage and loudly told Danzo what he thought.

"You traitor!"

"Have you forgotten who saved you?!"

"Have you forgotten who raised you, step by step?!"

"Have you forgotten who erected gravestones for your dead comrades?!"

Danzo's questions struck straight at Tenzo's heart. At this point, Danzo had not yet reached the madness of his original-story self.

His feelings toward Yamato were genuine. After all, Yamato possessed the Wood Release with which the First Hokage had dominated the world.

Although his strength was nowhere near the First Hokage's, it far exceeded that of most Jonin, giving him combat power comparable to Kage level.

He had personally raised and trained this boy from childhood, step by step-the star of his Root, codenamed Kō.

And now he was actually going over to Sarutobi.

Danzo's hands began preparing hand seals to activate the sealing technique inscribed on Yamato's body.

How disappointing. The boy he had raised had actually been lured away by Sarutobi!

But how could Sarutobi not know Danzo's methods?

He immediately snapped at him.

"Stop! Danzo! Do you still want to stay in Konoha?!"

"This matter ends here. Remove the sealing technique on him. From now on, he's mine."

Sarutobi unleashed his full presence, the armor beneath his Hokage Haori clanking.

It was clear that he was serious.

Yet at that moment, all that echoed in Danzo's mind were the words Sarutobi had shouted.

From now on, he's mine.

Now on, he's mine.

He's mine.

Mine.

Snowflakes drifted, the wind sighed~

"Hiruzen, I raised him with my own hands!"

Danzo let out one last anguished cry.

"Danzo, I. Am. The Hokage!"

Sarutobi used his position as Hokage to pressure him outright, driving yet another blade straight into Danzo's heart.

Damn it.

A few tears fell from Danzo's aged eyes. Damn it, it seemed he would have to speed up the next phase of his plans against the Uchiha Clan.

Sarutobi put his Hokage Haori back on, settled his hat on his head, and left the gloomy Root headquarters with Tenzo.

Tenzo placed the mask he had worn as Kō at Root's entrance and took one final look at the man who had raised him.

I'm sorry, Lord Danzo. I've found meaning in life. I can no longer live as a member of Root.

A white-haired ANBU stood outside Root and came forward to meet the Third when he emerged with Tenzo.

"Kakashi, I'll leave this child in your care from now on."

Sarutobi spoke to the pair with a smile.

"Yes, sir!"

Kakashi, who would soon become an Anbu Captain, accepted the task of mentoring his junior.

"Let's go, Tenzo."

Although Kakashi's voice was cold, to the newly freed Tenzo, it sounded incredibly warm.

"Yes, Senior Kakashi!"

Sarutobi looked happily at his two outstanding juniors and smiled in satisfaction.

(Danzo: He was mine! I raised him!!!)

"Let's go. Kumogakure's delegation will be here soon. We still have some postwar matters to discuss."

"Kakashi, take him back to the ANBU first, then come to the conference room later to sit in on this meeting."

Sarutobi had already intended to groom Kakashi, his student's student's student. He was also the son of the former Anbu Captain, Konoha's White Fang, as well as the youngest Jonin in history.

But the events of that year had dealt him too great a blow. Coupled with the burden of the Sharingan from his close friend, not only had his strength never truly developed, but his spirits had grown increasingly low.

Having him mentor Tenzo was also an attempt to help him pull himself together. Perhaps, after Sarutobi was gone, Kakashi could still shelter Konoha from the storms.

"...Yes, sir."

Kakashi fell silent, but only for an instant, before agreeing.

After all, this was an exchange between shinobi villages, and the war had only recently ended.

With Konoha's top-tier fighting strength now all gone, his presence could help keep up appearances and exert some pressure on Kumogakure.

And so they left Root.

"Did everyone understand the mission?"

"Remember, this time we must get our hands on Konoha's Byakugan."

"Once we have the Byakugan, known as one of the world's two strongest eyes, our military capabilities in Kumogakure will improve like never before."

"When that happens, even if Konoha comes looking for trouble, we won't have to fear them."

The captain leading the Cloud Ninja delegation spoke to his team members outside Konoha.

Konoha was no longer powerful. Back then, the Yellow Flash had slaughtered Iwagakure shinobi and Cloud Ninja until they feared him, but now he was dead!

Moreover, the Nine-Tails, the trump card Konoha had always kept, had gone on a rampage. Even if it was now sealed inside a jinchūriki with a Sealing Technique, it might not be usable.

In short, Konoha would absolutely not dare attack Cloud Ninja again now.

Unless all the Konoha Sannin returned, or several generations of Hokage came back to life, what could they possibly use to fight Cloud Ninja?

"Yes, sir!"

Soon, they reached Konoha's entrance.

After a simple handover, Konoha's shinobi escorted them to the conference room in the Hokage Building.

After a round of rambling discussion, Kumogakure's delegation successfully extended their visit by five days.

That evening, in the Cloud Ninja quarters.

"Hey, Karato, no one's listening in, right?"

The sensory ninja Karato carefully checked and detected no signs of surveillance.

"When we visit the Hyuga Clan tomorrow, remember to note the locations, especially the Main Family's."

"According to our information, the Main Family has a daughter who's already three years old."

"She'd be perfect to take back to the village. We might even get a Byakugan family of our own."

They imagined being hailed as heroes by everyone after successfully bringing the Byakugan Bloodline Limit back to their village. How wonderful.

Meanwhile, little Hinata, unaware that she had been targeted, was training hard with her older cousin Neji.

Sweat slipped down her smooth forehead, but her gaze was especially determined.

With a smack, Neji knocked her to the ground.

Seeing this, Neji hurried forward to help little Hinata up.

By now, he had already been branded with the Caged Bird Seal, and his hatred of the Main Family had naturally grown considerably under the Branch Family's unwitting influence.

But Hinata was still his younger cousin, after all, and Neji could not bear to treat her coldly.

That had led to Neji's current awkward state.

Still, whenever Hinata was hurt, Neji would turn back into the good older brother who cared for his little sister.

"Are you all right, Lady Hinata?!"

Neji pulled Hinata up from the ground.

"I'm fine, Neji. Let's keep going."

Hinata wiped away the tears that had nearly spilled from her eyes, encouraged herself inwardly, and took her stance, intending to continue training with Neji.