Hiruzen, You'll Regret This!

And the facts turned out just as he had expected.

Inside Konoha's Hokage office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, the crystal ball before him glowing with a soft white light.

This was his unique secret technique-the Telescope Technique. Officially, it was used to monitor public safety in the village, track dangerous individuals, and ensure Konoha's peace.

Put simply, he could watch every move everyone in the village made, anytime and anywhere.

As for where he spent most of his time looking... that was another matter.

At that moment, the image in the crystal ball was fixed precisely on that secluded alley.

Zongyan kicking the man, taking action, and crouching down to speak to Naruto-the Third saw the entire sequence without missing a single frame.

He stroked his graying beard, his cloudy eyes narrowing slightly as genuine surprise surfaced in them.

"Oh? Something interesting happened today."

In his memory, children of the Uchiha Clan had always been aloof and distant, keeping ordinary villagers at arm's length and rarely getting involved in the village's petty affairs.

Much less standing up for a "demon fox" shunned by the entire village.

How long had it even been since the Nine-Tails incident?

Everyone in the village avoided Naruto like the plague, considering even a glance at him bad luck, yet a six-year-old from the Uchiha Clan had actually approached him to help?

That was unusual by any measure.

"Someone."

The Third called toward the door.

A black-clad Anbu appeared in the doorway at his call, bowing as he awaited orders.

"Go and bring me Uchiha Zongyan's personal records."

The Anbu acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Once the office door closed again, the Third sat back down at his desk and returned his gaze to the crystal ball.

He shifted the image, sliding past the alley. What appeared in the crystal ball now was a scene from the other end of the village: billowing steam, hazy human silhouettes, and...

"Hehe... hehe..."

The expression on the Third's face began developing in a direction not particularly suitable for outsiders to see.

Just then, someone shoved the office's wooden door open with a crash.

The Third jolted, his hand moving faster than his mind as he slapped the crystal ball dark with a smack.

He looked up at the doorway with a displeased expression, only to see a gaunt, upright figure stride inside.

Half the newcomer's face was wrapped in bandages, while the other half was covered in old scars. The moment he entered, it was as though a chilling wind had swept into the room.

Shimura Danzō.

He wore dark Danzo robes, his steps heavy and hurried, each one landing as though he bore a grudge against the floor.

The instant he entered, his gaze locked onto the Third, his voice cold enough to shed ice.

"Hiruzen, you saw what happened in that alley just now too, didn't you?"

The Third frowned, his tone carrying some displeasure at having his enjoyment interrupted.

"Danzo, why are you in such a hurry?"

"A hurry?"

Danzo snorted coldly. "The Uchiha Clan has already made a move on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."

The Third narrowed his eyes. "It was merely one child intervening in a dispute. What do you mean, made a move?"

"Intervening?"

Danzo advanced step by step, speaking faster and faster. "The Nine-Tails is one of Konoha's most important military assets. An Uchiha approached Naruto of his own accord and stood up for him. What are his intentions? If a six-year-old dares to do this today, tomorrow the entire Uchiha Clan will dare to stir up Konoha in the Jinchūriki's name! As I see it, that clan has long harbored rebellious intentions. They must be eliminated as soon as possible to prevent future trouble."

As his words grew more and more outrageous, the Third's expression immediately darkened. "Danzo, stop talking nonsense."

"Nonsense?"

Danzo's voice grew colder and harsher, his gaze cutting like a knife. "You always foster trouble with your leniency, tolerating and indulging them at every turn! Hiruzen, sooner or later, you'll regret this!"

At those words, the Third straightened his back in the Hokage's seat and looked levelly at his longtime partner. His voice was not loud, but it was firm.

"I am the Hokage. Every decision concerning the village is mine to make. I don't need you telling me what to do."

That statement left Danzo thoroughly rebuffed, darkness churning in his eyes.

Of course he knew he could not bring down the Uchiha over today's incident, nor had he expected a child's actions alone to make the Third relent.

But since he had come, he could hardly leave empty-handed.

He suppressed his anger and changed tack.

"Fine, I won't bring up the Uchiha again. Then hand the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki over to me. Having me take charge of him and keep him in check would be far safer than letting him wander around outside, where others can win him over."

At those words from Danzo, the Third's expression turned completely cold.

"Don't even think about it. Naruto is Konoha's Jinchūriki, but he is also Minato's child, not some tool to be used at will. What would you turn him into if he fell into your hands?"

Rebuffed once again, Danzo looked as though he had swallowed a fly, yet he held back from leaving immediately.

He paused, then spoke again, switching to a different target this time.

"Fine, since you won't give me the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, surely you can hand over that boy from the Uchiha Clan-Uchiha Zongyan?"

At those words, the Third's gaze sharpened.

Seeing that he did not immediately object, Danzo spoke a little faster.

"This child's disposition is sinister. He dares to approach the Nine-Tails of his own accord at such a young age. He poses an enormous potential threat."

"The proper course is to let me take him back to Root for supervision and training, to correct his disposition."

This time, the Third did not hesitate in the slightest. The instant Danzo finished speaking, he rejected him sharply.

"Absurd! I will never allow you to meddle with the children of the clans and disrupt Konoha's order!"

Rejected by the Third three times in a row, Danzo's expression turned utterly grim.

He stared fixedly at the Hokage, who sat as steady as a mountain behind the desk. His chest heaved once, and when he spoke again, his voice was so cold it seemed to have been forced up from underground.

"Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

With that, he spun around, the hem of his black robe sweeping heavily across the floor, and strode to the doorway, slamming the door shut with a resounding bang.

The entire wooden door shook violently, and even the glass in the window frames buzzed.

Once the office door closed again, the Third sat back down at his desk and returned his gaze to the crystal ball.

He rested his fingers on its cold surface and shifted the image. The alley was empty now, and Naruto was no longer there either.

He gazed absently at the deserted alley entrance for a long while before letting out a quiet sigh, as though speaking to himself.

"...Danzo, oh, Danzo. I am the Hokage."