Danzo, I'm the Hokage!

He has been arrested by the Anbu.

Upon hearing the news, advisors Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

We arrived inside the Hokage Building.

"What exactly happened with the Third?"

Utatane Koharu asked in a deep voice, "Did that brat Chiya Rikuto really awaken Wood Release?"

Mitokado Homura, standing to the side, also wore a solemn expression, frowning as he said, "I never expected Tsunade's disciple to be so well-hidden. It's quite a surprise!"

"Yes, he does possess the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, and it's far superior to that experimental subject, Tenzo..."

The Third Hokage, sitting there, nodded and smiled, "This is good for the village..."

However.

Before the Third Hokage could finish speaking...

Utatane Koharu interrupted the Third Hokage directly.

She frowned and said, "Although the long-lost Wood Release has reappeared, it may not be a good thing for the village!"

"After all, strictly speaking, he is a descendant of the Senju... Tsunade, you know how prejudiced Third is against us!"

"Especially during his time at the Ninja Academy, Chiya Rikuto clearly concealed his true abilities. What was he guarding against?"

Utatane Koharu's eyes flickered as she looked directly at the Third Hokage and said, "I'm afraid he's been influenced by his grandmother, Chiya Nao, after all..."

They knew perfectly well what they had done to the Senju.

No matter how righteous they are, or how they claim that everything they do is for the sake of the village, they can only fool those naive youngsters.

However, under Tsunade's influence, it's unlikely that the Chiya Rikuto will have any goodwill towards them.

"Koharu, Konoha can't afford any more trouble now!" The Third Hokage's smile faded, and he silently took a puff of his pipe, speaking with a hint of melancholy.

Konoha was once teeming with powerful shinobi and was even hailed as a cradle of geniuses.

Talented individuals have emerged in abundance, without interruption.

But now, apart from the Sannin have already left and are unwilling to return.

There is a clear gap in the strength of Konoha's younger generation.

Minato Namikaze, once known as the "Yellow Flash" and who became the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze a young age, also tragically sacrificed himself nine years ago during the Nine- Nine-Tails' Attack.

Kakashi once possessed the aura of a genius, graduated from ninja school at the age of five, became Chunin at six, and Jonin at twelve, and was highly regarded, also fell into decadence and despair under the successive blows.

The growth rate is far below expectations.

Among the younger generation, Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi were both true geniuses.

But now some are dead, and others have defected.

Konoha is the leading village among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.

The transition period has already begun, and there is a shortage of food supplies.

043 Things are getting worse every day.

Sometimes, the Third Hokage couldn't help but think about it.

Did I do something wrong?

"Hiruzen, Koharu didn't mean that..."

Seeing the Third Hokage's displeased expression, Mitokado Homura hurriedly said, "Such a strategic force is of utmost importance. We must find a way to bring Chiya Rikuto under the village's jurisdiction. We can no longer allow him to wander outside with Tsunade..."

He worried that the longer Chiya Rikuto stayed with Tsunade, the more influenced he would be by her.

At that time, they will become more resentful and distant towards these high-ranking officials.

This is not a good thing.

While you're still young, there's still time to make amends.

"To easily defeat an entire Anbu squad, including Kakashi, the Anbu Captain, without sustaining a single injury, and without even actually harming a single person, that exaggerated amount of Chakra is probably no less than that of an ordinary Tailed Beast, and perhaps even surpasses it..."

He tapped his pipe on the desk.

The Third Hokage gazed at his two old friends, whose faces were filled with righteous indignation, and said quietly, "Even I, the Third Hokage, am no match for him. How do you intend to manage him?"

He had already listened to Kakashi and the others' reports in detail.

The assessment of Chiya Rikuto's strength has clearly risen to another level.

Although it's somewhat unbelievable, there's no doubt that the opponent already possesses strength no weaker than a "Kage".

In particular, the fact that that kid dared to touch his Hokage Rock shows that he is not afraid of any powerful figures.

If they really upset the other party, they'd probably just pack up and leave Konoha immediately.

Do you still want to use those outdated methods to control him?

Chapter 118 Danzo, I am the Hokage! [Fourth Update]

"What!?"

Hearing the Third Hokage say that...

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura both paled in surprise.

"Hiruzen, are you saying that even you are no match for him?"

Mitokado Homura was somewhat shocked and bewildered.

"Even with the First Hokage's Kekkei Genkai, Wood Release, that brat is only ten years old..." Utatane Koharu exclaimed in disbelief, "Is his strength really that exaggerated?"

"Absolutely true!"

He exhaled a puff of smoke.

The Third Hokage nodded somewhat helplessly.

Seeing the changing expressions on his two old friends' faces, he said in a deep voice, "I understand the significance of Wood Release better than you do!"

"But you don't need to worry about this matter; I have my own arrangements... Don't interfere without authorization, lest you make things worse!"

If he were twenty or thirty years younger, his ambition would still be there.

They might genuinely view the Chiya Rikuto as a potential threat.

But now, we see Konoha gradually declining and facing a shortage of capable successors.

Even the Third Hokage had to reflect on this.

He was hailed as a "Shinobi Hero".

But he was not immune to the common fate, just like the vast majority of heroes throughout history.

After the youthful passion fades, what takes its place is a powerful desire for power.

However, no matter how passionate one is about power.

They even made mistakes on some matters, wavering and being overly weak.

The Third Hokage was still the same person who genuinely loved the village and was willing to give his life for Konoha.

He naturally understood the significance of Chiya Rikuto to Konoha.

At the age of ten, he already possessed Chakra reserves comparable to those of Tailed Beast, and he also had the Wood Release the First Hokage used to quell the chaos of the world, making him a force that was in no way inferior to that of a Kage.

One can imagine what would happen if the other party grew up.

Even if he's not the Hokage, as long as he's still a member of Konoha.

That's a strategic deterrent comparable to the Nine-Tails.

Having already made mistakes, he may not necessarily regret his past choices.

But naturally, they won't repeat the same mistake of foolishly forcing such a genius to leave Konoha.

"You don't want to force Tsunade to return to Konoha and directly pave the way for her disciple, do you?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, who seemed to want to say something more, were watching.

The Third Hokage sighed softly and calmly offered his reminder.

He knew perfectly well what his two old friends were worried about.

They're simply afraid that if young people rise to power in the future, they, the old folks, will lose their power.

I don't want anything to slip out of my control.

He was once...

Although they keep saying they're thinking of Konoha's best interests.

But isn't that the same mentality in private?

If it weren't for the past two years, with the demise of the Uchiha...

Konoha watched as its power waned, no longer the power it once was.

This gradually brought him to his senses, but he might still be as stubborn as ever, immersed in his own opinions without realizing it.

Power truly is the most terrifying thing in the world.

They were once full of passion and high spirits.

The corrosion has reached this point!

"All right!"

"Then it's up to you!"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's expressions changed.

In the end, he had no choice but to back down and nod in agreement.

Joke.

If Tsunade really comes back.

With the other party's prestige in the village and the support of the Chiya Rikuto, they were able to achieve their goal.

In particular, the Wood Release displayed by Chiya Rikuto has shown many just how astonishing the power that once quelled the chaos of the world truly was.

Those families and commoner ninjas who were already dissatisfied with these high-ranking officials would probably immediately change their allegiance and stand on the other side.

Even if we can't directly bring those old guys down from their pedestals.

At the very least, they could raise the banner of the Senju Clan again and quickly gather a force capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with their leaders.

That's not what they want to see.

"That..."

"Danzo, you cannot go in!"

"Get out of here!"

"Bang..."

The door was kicked open.

An elderly figure walked in, leaning on a cane.

Behind them followed a security guard, who was sweating profusely and looking somewhat bewildered.

The Third Hokage glanced at Danzo, who had barged in without announcing himself, but wasn't angry. He simply waved to the gatekeeper, "Alright, you can go now!"

"Danzo, what are you doing here?"

The Third Hokage's tone was harsh. "Don't forget, you're no longer the Hokage's assistant!"

Time and again, I softened my heart and indulged them.

This has gradually reduced his tolerance for Danzo to its lowest point.

If it weren't for the deep camaraderie he once shared, which he couldn't forget, and the fact that he sometimes needed the other's help to handle matters that it was inconvenient for him, as Hokage, to appear in person, and also because he didn't want his old friends Homura Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu to become disloyal to him due to excessive suppression of Danzo, he would have been more likely to turn against him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already ordered him to be imprisoned in Konoha Prison.

But seeing that Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu didn't seem surprised at all...