Mitokado Homura hemmed and hawed for a while. In the end, out of consideration for their past friendship, he refrained from saying anything harsh and changed the subject.
"But we can't actually issue the Konoha Military Police Force a Search Warrant for Root, can we?
"You know the people of the Uchiha Clan are all lunatics.
"We can't let them investigate everything, can we?
"What if they actually uncover something?"
Shimura Danzō specialized in doing Konoha's dirty work.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu all knew that.
But they really didn't know exactly what dirty work Shimura Danzō had done.
Konoha, growing in the sunlight, only needed the "fruits"; it didn't need to concern itself with what nutrients its "roots" absorbed in the darkness.
As for the "darkness" Shimura Danzō shouldered...
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew more than Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu combined, but not much more.
None of the three people present wanted to see the Military Police Force uncover some extraordinary "darkness."
Silence fell over the Hokage's office.
Ultimately, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the one to speak.
"We cannot refuse Uchiha Minamoto's request."
Homura said impatiently, "Hiruzen! You-"
"Homura, say no more."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze fell on the newspaper left behind.
"Danzo... went too far.
"He attacked comrades from his own village, colluded with Orochimaru, and was caught red-handed. Even if I wanted to protect him, I couldn't."
Forgive me, Danzo...
In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi brought out a blade to "cut away the darkness."
"Sigh..."
The two old geezers, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, sighed almost simultaneously.
How could they not understand that reasoning?
Even taking things ten thousand steps back...
If the people who had gotten something on Shimura Danzō hadn't been the Uchiha Clan...
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others would at least have had a chance