Konoha's F4, One Member Short

In a spacious and solemn conference room on the third floor of the Hokage Building, the air seemed to freeze.

Sunlight filtered through the half-closed curtains, dappling the neatly laid wooden floor. The interplay of light and shadow seemed to dance amidst an ominous premonition.

In the corner, on a dark sofa, sat two senior advisors of Konoha — Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

Their faces were serious, their brows furrowed, as if they were deep in thought about a difficult problem.

Mitokado Homura's eyes, piercing through thick glasses, shone with a sharp, knife-like light. His fingers unconsciously tapped the sofa armrest, producing a dull thud, mirroring the anxiety and unease within him.

Utatane Koharu to the other side, sat quietly. Her expression was equally solemn and hard. Her eyes were slightly narrowed, and although her gaze was on the documents in her hands, she was clearly distracted.

At the other end of the room, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, stood quietly in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, holding a pipe in his hand and slowly exhaling swirling smoke.

His back was somewhat hunched, and the marks of time had left indelible marks on him.

The scene outside the window came into view: busy villagers coming and going, and the distant scenery was picturesque, but it could not soothe the turmoil in his heart.

The Third Hokage sighed softly, his voice heavy and low, as if lamenting the helplessness he felt towards life.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze remained fixed on the view outside the window, but his thoughts had already begun to drift in another direction.

"Has Danzo not arrived yet?" His tone carried a hint of barely perceptible confusion, as if it were floating in the air.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a dark figure appeared silently, suddenly appearing beside the Third Hokage like a ghost.

It was a ninja dressed in Anbu uniform, his face covered by a mask, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes.

He bowed respectfully to the Third Hokage and replied, "Lord Danzo has not come." A hint of unease was in his voice.

The Third Hokage frowned slightly, his gaze becoming even more profound.

He paused for a moment, then spoke again, a hint of barely perceptible worry in his voice, "Have you sent anyone to look for Tsunade?"

The Anbu Ninja nodded in response and whispered, "Lady Tsunade Lady Tsunade personality, she might not be willing to return at this time."

Upon hearing this, the Third Hokage couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.

Are you still blaming him?

Tsunade's medical skills are unmatched. If she can return to Konoha, her return will undoubtedly bring hope for Koki's treatment and may even bring a turning point to the impending storm.

However, he also knew Tsunade's personality very well; if she was determined not to return, even heaven and earth could not force her.

"You may leave." The Third Hokage waved his hand, signaling the Anbu Ninja to retreat.

The Anbu Ninja bowed, and then his figure disappeared silently as if it had blended into the air.

After the Anbu left, Hiruzen Sarutobi's emotions seemed to have reached a breaking point. His brows were furrowed, and the anger in his eyes was like a volcano about to erupt, making it difficult for anyone to look him in the eye.

He slammed the pipe to the ground with all his might, the sound echoing jarringly in the quiet office.

This sudden action startled both Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who were sitting on the sofa.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

They had never seen the Third Hokage so out of control. He was usually so gentle and composed, but now he seemed like a completely different person.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest heaved violently, as if a surging power was surging within him, trying to break free from the constraints of his body.

He clenched his teeth, trying hard to control his emotions, but every breath felt like he was under immense pressure, causing him unbearable pain.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart felt like it was being burned by a raging fire, a mixture of anger and despair that made him almost unable to control himself.

His heart was racing, his blood was boiling, and every cell in his body was burning, releasing boundless energy.

His anger stemmed not only from his dissatisfaction with Danzo, but also from his own powerlessness.

How could he not be angry?! When he learned that Koki had been hospitalized, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart was already in turmoil.

He knew the whole story, and a burning rage was already raging in his heart.

However, as Hokage, he had to remain calm and not easily reveal his emotions.

He immediately dispatched his men to find Tsunade and prayed that everything could be brought under control in time.

Not long ago, Hiruzen Sarutobi had a serious conversation with Danzo, warning him not to cross the line again and not to act rashly.

But now it seems that Danzo has completely ignored his warnings, not only continuing to do as he pleases, but also causing even bigger trouble.

This behavior was a direct challenge to his authority and completely undermined his prestige.

Danzo's previous actions of arresting villagers had already caused a huge uproar, and it was only through various means that the storm was finally quelled.

However, this time he foolishly extended his reach to the sensitive Uchiha Clan, and without any legitimate reason whatsoever.

To make matters worse, the men he sent couldn't even beat a single child, which only added fuel to the fire and made the already complicated situation even more difficult.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew Uchiha Fugaku's character well. Although Fugaku usually appeared very calm, restrained, and tolerant, he would never let things go when it came to the safety of his son.

After all, harming his son was tantamount to touching his sore spot, and Fugaku would definitely take action, making a conflict inevitable.

Moreover, the Uchiha Clan has been behaving themselves well lately, and their reputation in the village has even improved.

It makes no sense that a Konoha High Command would send someone to assassinate the son of a clan leader!

The Third Hokage felt a wave of helplessness wash over him; he knew this matter could not be easily resolved.

He had always been wary of the Uchiha Clan because he was well aware of Uchiha power and their historical entanglements with the village.

However, despite his doubts, he never considered completely breaking ties with the Uchiha Clan at this moment.

The pride of the Uchiha Clan and their conflict with the village, coupled with Danzo's reckless behavior, created a complex and difficult-to-resolve situation.

Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was lost in thought, Mitokado Homura slowly spoke, his voice tinged with reminiscence. "Hiruzen, Danzo was, after all, a comrade we grew up with. That deep bond isn't something that can be easily severed."

"So what! Now look what he's done, he's made such a mess of things! He won't even come, how am I supposed to help him?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said angrily.

Inside the meeting room, the already tense atmosphere suddenly became even more frozen, as if time itself had stopped flowing.

"I understand how you feel, but now is not the time to be angry. We need to calm down and think of a solution," Mitokado Homura comforted him.

"Hmph, that guy is always like this, he only causes trouble for others!" Utatane Koharu complained, dissatisfied.