He Was Only Four!

While Sōkyū Hatake was happily eating at Ichiraku Ramen, several groups appeared in the Forest of Death, then left one after another after conducting their own investigations.

"Lord Hokage, these are our findings. The scene was saturated with powerful Lightning Release Chakra. We found no suitable match in our shinobi registry. Our preliminary assessment is that someone from Kumogakure was here."

In the Hokage Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the three Hokage Advisors were listening to the information the Anbu had brought back.

The four of them listened in silence to the Anbu's report.

"Someone from Kumogakure? Have things really become this unsettled already?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said, rubbing the little beard on his chin.

Lately, clashes on the front lines had become increasingly frequent, with every village testing the others.

The Land of Fire, in particular, possessed the most fertile land and had become an object of desire for all the other villages.

War... was coming soon!

"Yes, that is what the evidence at the scene suggests," the Anbu ninja replied directly.

"Send a letter to Kumogakure immediately and demand an explanation!" Mitokado Homura slapped the desk. This was nothing short of trampling all over Konoha!

"Hiruzen, what do you think of this?" Utatane Koharu did not have Mitokado Homura's explosive temper. After a moment's thought, she tossed the question straight back to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Do as Mitokado Homura said. I'd like to see just what these villages are planning!" Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted coldly, an imposing aura bursting from him.

For a moment, the others were reminded that his title of Shinobi Hero was no empty boast!

"I don't think Kumogakure did this!"

Of the four people present, Danzo was the angriest.

After all, only he knew the truth behind the deaths of those two Root ninja.

Sōkyū Hatake did it! It had to be him!!!

Otherwise, it was hard to explain how those two Root ninja had gone to "invite" Sōkyū Hatake to Root for tea, only to end up dead themselves!

"Danzo?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. Did Danzo have some other information?

"I don't think Kumogakure did this. First of all, to reach the Forest of Death, they would have had to pass through one barrier after another. But before coming here, I asked the Yamanaka Clan and the Nara Clan, and neither had detected any intruders."

Danzo slowly rose to his feet as he spoke. Right now, he intended to pin this crime squarely on Sōkyū Hatake!

"The barriers can't detect everything, Danzo. Or do you have a suspect?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. Was Danzo not quite so clever after all?

Ever since the barriers had been established, Konoha had never been able to detect intruders with complete certainty. From that perspective, Kumogakure could not be entirely ruled out.

"Of course I have a suspect. Hiruzen, hand Sōkyū Hatake over to me, and I'll give you a perfect answer!" Danzo said bluntly.

He was now certain that Sōkyū Hatake had done this!

Otherwise, it was hard to explain why the Root ninja had died there.

"Sōkyū Hatake? What does this have to do with little Sōkyū?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was clearly bewildered by Danzo's words. What did this have to do with Sōkyū Hatake?

"Hiruzen, you know Sōkyū Hatake has a summoning beast by his side that we've never seen before. I suspect it," Danzo said slowly.

Danzo's words stunned everyone else.

"Danzo! Don't force your wild speculation onto this incident! When it happened, Sōkyū Hatake was eating at Ichiraku Ramen! That summoning beast was there too!" Hiruzen Sarutobi said bluntly.

It was not that he had never considered this possibility, but eyewitnesses could confirm that Sōkyū Hatake had not been at that location at the time!

"And he's only four! Could he do something like this? Do you really think a child that age could teleport from the Forest of Death back to Ichiraku Ramen?" Hiruzen Sarutobi slapped the desk.

Danzo was really becoming more and more unreasonable.

You're even suspecting a four-year-old child? Clearly, you just want to bring Sōkyū Hatake under your control, Danzo!

Once Sōkyū Hatake entered Root, what followed would be completely out of control.

First, Danzo would certainly tamper with Sōkyū Hatake in some way. Second, that old schemer would certainly manipulate the Hatake Clan's affairs from behind the scenes!

After all, the Hatake Clan still held a seat on the Council of Elders!

"You actually see me that way?!" Danzo stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi in shock. Have you lost your damn mind?

"There's nothing more to discuss. Mitokado Homura, proceed as you suggested earlier. And Danzo, I'm warning you: stay away from Sōkyū Hatake!" Hiruzen Sarutobi slapped the desk, settling the matter outright.

Shimura Danzō: "Hiruzen!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "What?"

Shimura Danzō: "The boy!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "No!"

Shimura Danzō: "Why?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Hokage!"

Shimura Danzō: "Regret!"

After leaving the Hokage Building, Danzo flicked his sleeve. Hiruzen Sarutobi was really becoming more and more hidebound!

The thought of Hiruzen Sarutobi rejecting his proposal outright today made Danzo yearn all the more for the Hokage's authority.

Simply put, Danzo wanted to become Hokage even more!

Hmph!

Since you want Kumogakure to give an explanation, Hiruzen Sarutobi, why don't I embellish things a little and get Kumogakure riled up?

Then I'll lead Root to defeat Kumogakure on the battlefield and force you out when I return!

Hiruzen! I'm the one best suited to become Hokage!

After leaving Ichiraku Ramen, Sōkyū Hatake went straight home and completed his remaining tasks.

Stepping out of the Hatake Clan Compound, Sōkyū Hatake could clearly sense that the atmosphere in the village had grown somewhat more tense.

It seemed that what had happened today could no longer be kept under wraps. Rumors had begun spreading among the villagers.

People from Kumogakure had infiltrated the Forest of Death and killed two Konoha ninja!

Believe me, this news left the villagers both shocked and furious!

If ninja from another country could kill our village's ninja in the Forest of Death today, could they come straight into our homes and kill us tomorrow?

For a time, public resentment flared everywhere. Some of the more radical villagers had even gathered below the Hokage Office, demanding that Hiruzen Sarutobi take action.

Danzo, hidden away, witnessed all of it. As he watched the villagers act just as he wanted, an odd smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.