Two Letters of Resignation!

Meanwhile, at the Hokage building.

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat quietly at his desk, dressed in a white Hokage robe and wearing a Hokage hat, a pipe held between his lips. His face was weathered, his gaze piercing as he stared at the two letters in his hands. His brows were tightly knit, as if he were deep in thought, and his imposing eyes conveyed an unquestionable authority.

So absorbed was Hiruzen Sarutobi that he had no time even to spare a glance at the images of beautiful women playing in the bathhouse that appeared in the crystal ball on his desk.

While he was still immersed in his thoughts, a sudden spatial fluctuation swept through the room, and an Anbu ninja wearing a fox mask appeared in the office in an instant.

"Lord Hokage, I have something to report!" he said urgently, kneeling on the floor.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at him and asked evenly, "What is it? Speak."

The Anbu ninja handed him a document. "This is the latest intelligence we've obtained. Someone is plotting to attack Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took the document and quickly read through it. His brows drew tight, and his gaze sharpened, as if it could see through every conspiracy.

Since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, the nations had enjoyed a brief period of peace. Yet that outward tranquility could not last. Conflict continued among the Five Great Nations, none able to make the others submit. Konoha in particular, as the strongest and wealthiest nation, had become prey coveted by the others. In their eyes, it was a juicy piece of meat everyone wanted to take a bite out of.

Recently, Kumogakure had begun stirring, and Sunagakure was restless as well. Beneath the calm, undercurrents churned.

The Kage of the various nations had sent elite ninja to other countries to carry out assassinations, targeting Kage, high-ranking officials, and elders.

Besides that, more and more spies had been captured recently. Disguised as ordinary merchants or refugees, they had infiltrated Konoha to gather intelligence and sow chaos.

Some had even attempted to assassinate the daimyo, causing panic.

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew full well that wherever there were people, war was unavoidable. This hard-won but utterly false peace would likely not last.

"Hmph, these fellows are getting more and more brazen," Hiruzen Sarutobi said quietly. "I understand. You may leave."

"Is there anything else?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in puzzlement when he saw that the man in the fox mask had yet to leave.

"Reporting, Uchiha Kōki, son of Uchiha Fugaku, was seen loitering near the Hokage building."

"What did he do?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, thoroughly puzzled.

"He only circled the Hokage building a few times. There was nothing unusual," the man in the fox mask replied.

"All right, I understand."

"Then I will take my leave."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man in the fox mask was gone from the office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the two letters on the desk again, a chill entering his eyes.

A moment later, he put the letters down and closed his eyes, hiding the light in them.

Two major events had occurred that day, shocking everyone.

Early that morning, the heads of the clans had gathered.

As usual, Hiruzen Sarutobi had come armed with complaints from the villagers, preparing to launch an offensive against Uchiha Fugaku.

To everyone's surprise, however, Fugaku had not counterattacked. Instead, he had taken the initiative to say that the Uchiha were not capable enough and feared they could no longer fulfill their role in the Military Police Force. They were all willing to withdraw.

The moment he said it, an uproar broke out!

Everyone stared at Fugaku in disbelief, as if he had gone mad. The Uchiha Clan, which ordinarily regarded its policing authority as its very life, seemed so unfamiliar at that moment.

Fugaku paid their gazes no mind and calmly handed his letter of resignation to the Third Hokage.

Fugaku had only two conditions.

First, from that day onward, the Uchiha would no longer bear responsibility for the Military Police Force or conduct patrols. But regardless of who took over the force, their withdrawal from its duties had to be publicly announced and posted. The division of authority had to be made clear so that every villager knew about it; there could be no handover in private.

Second, Fugaku said they could surrender the authority of the Military Police Force, but their ninja also had to be able to make a living. He asked the Hokage for a sum of compensation.

Everyone turned to the Third Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi alone remained lost in thought, but Danzo had already stepped forward, unable to wait, and agreed to Fugaku's request.

The Uchiha giving up the Military Police Force could not have been better for Konoha. Yet unease welled up in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart, as though something were quietly slipping out of control and drifting farther away.

The other matter left Hiruzen Sarutobi feeling even worse!

His trusted subordinate, Hatake Sakumo, the Anbu Captain directly under his command, had submitted a resignation to him on the very same day!

What a heroic figure Hatake Sakumo was!

He had become a Chunin at seven and been promoted to Jonin at thirteen. He had first made a name for himself in the Shinobi World War, earning remarkable military achievements, and had become the Anbu's chief captain at only seventeen!

What a glorious record that was, what an utterly monstrous genius!

He was hailed as Konoha's sharpest blade and known as Konoha's White Fang!

During the Second World War, it was said that enemy ninja who encountered White Fang could abandon their missions on the spot and return to report, a glimpse of just how terrifying his strength was. During the Second Shinobi World War, when Konoha was caught between enemies on both fronts, he had been entrusted with a mission in that hour of danger and held Ike Castle, defeating more than a hundred enemy elites with nothing but a short Chakra blade that gleamed white.

Later, while stationed in Konoha, he had easily killed Sasori's parents as soon as he took action. Even the Sannin, who had shone brilliantly during the Second Shinobi World War, held him in some respect!

It was thanks to the valiant fighting of Hatake Sakumo and the Sannin that victory had been won in the Second Shinobi World War.

His loyalty to Konoha and the Hokage was beyond question. He was truly the most capable warrior at Hiruzen Sarutobi's command!

Yet now Sakumo had handed him a letter of resignation, his face full of exhaustion. He had admitted that he could no longer fight in wars and begged the Lord Hokage to let him return home and recuperate.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not unaware of what Danzo had done, but he had chosen to turn a blind eye.

Even though Danzo had given orders to those two teammates, and even though Danzo had spread rumors about Sakumo, he had believed that as long as the village was not involved, everything could be resolved easily.

As he saw it, once the matter was over, that was that. It had not affected the village, so why discuss it further?

Did they really expect him to punish Danzo? Ridiculous! Danzo had followed him for many years. He was like the Hokage in the sunlight, while Danzo was the root in the darkness. Danzo could handle many things that he could not do himself.

He knew full well that without Danzo's help, he would find it difficult to take a single step.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had thought that, given Hatake Sakumo's character, once the storm had passed, he would still be the sharpest blade in his hand.

Yet he was abandoning his heavy responsibilities and seeking to resign? What on earth had caused such a drastic change in his temperament?

Where was his "Will of Fire"?

As Konoha's strongest fighting force, Hatake Sakumo ought to continue serving the village. He absolutely could not allow him to resign!

A fierce glint flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes!