Danzo led the expedition

Time flew, and before long, more than half a year had passed.

In Konoha, white snowflakes had coated the entire village in a layer of silvery snow, making the whole village seem to sparkle.

With the New Year approaching, every household had put out some festive decorations, yet there was not a trace of joy among the people coming and going.

Instead, the atmosphere in the village was tense.

Even the children seemed able to feel it, and nowhere in the streets or alleys could the sounds of children laughing and playing be heard.

When the villagers came out to shop, they left as soon as they finished buying what they needed. Few lingered to chat.

From time to time, ninjas hurried away across the rooftops, many of them heading toward the Hokage Office.

Of course, there were also people who kept themselves completely covered, with all sorts of masks on their faces.

"Troubled times." Sōkyū Hatake stood on the second floor of a house in the Hatake Clan compound and looked down, taking it all in.

Indeed, as friction between the villages grew, the scent of war grew ever stronger.

With that troublemaker Danzo stirring things up, the rift between Kumogakure and Konoha had been laid completely bare. It was no longer something that could simply be concealed.

Kumogakure, on the other hand, felt wronged as well. They clearly had not done anything, so why had Konoha accused them just like that?

And Kumogakure's Third Raikage was not a good-tempered man. Feeling wronged, he immediately dispatched some ninjas to the border with the Land of Fire, clearly telling Konoha that if they dared keep talking, he would certainly fight back!

When Hiruzen Sarutobi saw this, he thought, Oh? Do you really take me for an old man in his twilight years?

His prized pupil Jiraiya was dispatched there at once.

Then, as the standoff between Kumogakure and Konoha continued, the other nations began to stir as well.

At the end of Konoha Year 41, Kumogakure declared war on Konoha outright!

"Hiruzen! Let me go this time! I can definitely drive Kumogakure back!" Danzo said directly at the meeting.

By now, Konoha's situation was no longer something the Hokage and the Hokage Advisors alone could decide.

Today, the heads of almost every clan had come to the Hokage Office to deal with this matter.

Danzo was actually volunteering to take the offensive?

Everyone present looked at Danzo with some surprise. Whenever something happened before, Danzo had always hidden away and refused to go out, quietly developing his own forces in the rear instead.

What was going on with Danzo this time? Why was he so eager to go?

"You want to lead the force?" Hiruzen Sarutobi also looked at Danzo somewhat strangely. Why was his old friend being so proactive this time?

"Yes. If a mere village like Kumogakure dares declare war, I will certainly strike back," Danzo said with absolute confidence.

"What about the composition?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, but still refrained from embarrassing his old friend.

"Orochimaru will come with me. As for the rest... the usual composition will do. A Hyūga reconnaissance team, the Uchiha Clan, and the Aburame Clan." Danzo actually had his own agenda.

Over the past six months, his relationship with Orochimaru had become somewhat delicate. Orochimaru had even been asking him for things less often.

This gave Danzo a sense of crisis.

But that was all right. Danzo planned to use this opportunity to drag Orochimaru into it for good!

Don't you like doing research?

This time, Danzo just happened to be planning to take some Uchiha out with him, then kill them in secret and make it look as though Kumogakure had done it.

He believed Orochimaru would still be very interested in a few Uchiha corpses.

"I still have some things to take care of here. Let Jiraiya go. He happens to be over there already," Orochimaru said, flicking out his forked tongue, his snake-like eyes utterly still.

He did not want to get too deeply involved with Danzo right now.

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Danzo narrowed his eyes. Sure enough, has this fellow Orochimaru developed other ideas?

"Our Uchiha Clan has been a little short-handed lately. With war approaching, the police force doesn't have enough personnel. Lord Danzo, please look elsewhere," Uchiha Fugaku said bluntly.

Uchiha Fugaku was indeed telling the truth. With the village so oppressive lately, there had been unpleasant remarks from time to time, and even conflicts.

As a result, the Uchiha Clan, responsible for the Konoha Military Police Force, had become even busier, to the point that they barely had time to attend to anything else.

Of course, Uchiha Fugaku himself did not want members of the Uchiha Clan going to the front with Danzo either.

After all, Danzo was just like his teacher, Tobirama Senju, when it came to his hatred of the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Fugaku could even read the words "evil Uchiha" in Danzo's eyes.

"Indeed, things within Konoha are still rather chaotic. The Konoha Military Police Force has been working hard," Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed.

He did not know what Danzo was planning, but there was one thing he knew very well.

He did not want members of the Uchiha Clan on the battlefield. Going to war meant they might earn military merits.

And right now, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not want members of the Uchiha Clan earning any military merits at all!

"But the Uchiha Clan must still send at least ten ninjas to the front with us. Against Kumogakure's speed, the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan will allow us to counter them better," Danzo said bluntly.

He intended to obtain some Sharingan on the battlefield, which would also facilitate his dealings with Orochimaru.

Perhaps having realized Danzo's intentions, Orochimaru suddenly narrowed his eyes.

A hint of interest appeared in them.

"Indeed, the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan can counter some of the speed Kumogakure is so proud of." Mitokado Homura tapped the table beside him, speaking as though it were of no particular concern.

After hearing Mitokado Homura's words, Utatane Koharu also nodded slightly in support.

Since all three Hokage Advisors had agreed, Hiruzen Sarutobi could only consent as well.

And since even Hiruzen Sarutobi had agreed, Uchiha Fugaku could not defy the order, however unwilling he was.

Soon, the first group bound for the battlefield had assembled and was waiting outside the Hokage Office for Hiruzen Sarutobi to give the order in person.

Tap, tap, tap.

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked step by step onto the roof of the Hokage Office and looked down at the thousand-strong force assembled below.

These ninjas had all been selected by Danzo, with strength as the main priority.

He, Danzo, would show everyone that he was not the least bit inferior to Hiruzen Sarutobi!