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Inside the Hokage's office at the Ninja Administration Building…
Sandaime Hiruzen Sarutobi sat slumped in his chair, silently puffing on his pipe, letting thin trails of smoke curl into the air.
The atmosphere was heavy, like a sealed jar under high pressure—suffocating, unbearable, as if one wanted to shatter the walls or tear off the lid just to escape.
"Cough… cough!"
Finally, Koharu Utatane broke the unbearable silence with a sharp cough.
"Hiruzen…" Homura Mitokado began carefully, exchanging a glance with the stubbornly unyielding Danzō Shimura before continuing, "This time, even we must admit… Danzō went too far…"
"Conducting Mokuton experiments in secret, hoarding research results and even hiding a Mokuton user?"
Hiruzen interrupted coldly before Homura could finish. "Do you really think that isn't crossing the line?"
At those words, Homura's aged face flushed slightly, and he looked helplessly toward Danzō.
Indeed, it was the Wood Release they were talking about.
Who would have imagined Danzō had grown bold enough to hide an actual Mokuton ninja?
If not for the investigation into Orochimaru's defection, they wouldn't even know the Wood Release had resurfaced.
Danzō's growing control over Root had even begun to unsettle Homura.
"Root is the foundation of Konoha, the root of the ANBU, and originally my own root," Hiruzen said slowly, narrowing his eyes at Danzō. "But now, it dares to withhold such crucial intelligence from the Hokage himself. Does that mean…"
He paused, fixing Danzō with a piercing stare.
"…that it has become a private organization serving only certain individuals' interests?"
At this, Danzō—who had remained expressionless until now—spoke in a low, firm voice.
"All I have done… is for Konoha."
Silence fell as Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke, his face half-hidden behind the swirling mist. From Danzō's perspective, his expression was unreadable—shadowed and shifting.
"Hiruzen…"
Koharu, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up.
"Enough." Irritated by their attempts to defend Danzō, Hiruzen waved a hand dismissively, signaling them to stop.
After the death of his mentor, Tobirama Senju—killed by a scheme from Kumogakure—it had fallen to him to take up the mantle of Hokage.
But the reality of being Hokage was far different from the youthful dreams he once held. The moment he assumed the title, he was immediately faced with war and pressure from the powerful clans.
Both the Uchiha and Hyuga had initially obeyed orders only when forced, but not out of loyalty.
Only through political maneuvering, aided by Danzō and others, did he manage to consolidate power—playing some clans against others, using covert methods to sow division between the Uchiha and Hyuga.
Eventually, he secured his position, placed loyalists in key positions, and centralized true authority under the Hokage.
Back during Tobirama's time, Root had merely been a training department within the ANBU.
It wasn't until Hiruzen allowed Danzō to take control—tasked with handling missions too unsavory to be carried out under the ANBU banner, such as surveillance of the shinobi clans—that Root evolved into a full-fledged intelligence network.
Officially, Danzō was only supposed to command four squads, totaling seventeen operatives.
Yet, under Hiruzen's deliberate or passive tolerance, Root expanded relentlessly. Under Danzō's influence, its methods grew increasingly ruthless and dark.
If left unchecked, Root would soon become nothing more than Danzō's personal army.
That couldn't be allowed.
"The matter regarding the Mokuton user 'Kohaku' is settled—I've already assigned him to the ANBU. Now, there's something else."
Ignoring Danzō's glare, Hiruzen fixed the three elders with a deep gaze.
"Intelligence reports indicate Kumo is mobilizing troops again. They may be planning something."
He paused, then asked evenly, "What are your thoughts?"
At his words, Koharu and Homura both frowned.
"Again? How disgusting."
Homura muttered grimly, "No matter what, we cannot act recklessly."
"Agreed," Koharu nodded. "Whatever Kumo plans, our job is to prepare defenses. We mustn't give them any excuse to declare war."
Hiruzen gave no reaction, simply tapping the ash from his pipe before turning to Danzō.
"What do you think?"
Danzō's shadowed eyes narrowed slightly. After a long pause, he replied in a gravelly voice.
"We strike first. And hit hard."
"…"
Hiruzen didn't respond. He took another slow drag from his pipe, inhaling deeply, holding the smoke, then exhaling it slowly.
Though the Third Great Ninja War had ended, the balance of power across the shinobi world remained unstable.
Konoha was still reeling from the loss of elite fighters.
First, Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, had taken his own life after the Second War.
Then came the deaths of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and the Nine-Tails jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki, during the Kyūbi Attack.
With casualties from the Third War still fresh, and many more lives lost in the chaos unleashed by the masked man, even Konoha—with all its might and history—was beginning to buckle under the strain.
Anyone could see how vulnerable Konoha had become.
Kumo and Iwa, though bruised by past battles with Konoha, saw this rare opportunity and began testing Konoha's borders.
Every few months, border skirmishes flared—each more violent than the last.
It was partly Konoha's own fault. Its repeated displays of restraint had emboldened Kumo and Iwa, feeding their arrogance.
Still, the people of Lightning and Earth countries remained war-weary. Neither village dared risk open war without justification.
But all they needed was the right spark—the kind of "legitimate" reason that could rally daimyō, nobles, and civilians alike to support war.
And that was exactly why Hiruzen kept choosing restraint.
Because he couldn't afford to gamble.
Konoha couldn't afford it either.
He exhaled slowly, eyes scanning the latest report from the ANBU.
His aging face disappeared behind the rising smoke, invisible even in the sunlight streaming through the window.
"Iwagakure… Kumogakure…" he murmured after a pause. "We'll hold back for now. Send a team to reinforce the border near Kumo."
Danzō frowned instinctively, retorting, "You're only making those bastards bolder!"
Hiruzen glanced at him calmly. "Then why don't you send a detachment from my Root to assist on the border?"
"…What?" Danzō blinked.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed meaningfully. "Any objections?"
Translation note: That final sentence implied a veiled threat—if Danzō pushed further, he might lose his leadership of Root entirely.
Realizing this, Danzō's expression twisted between anger and frustration.
"Fine," he spat bitterly. "I suppose I have no choice. It is your Root, after all."
He turned to leave, but hesitated at the door.
"Hiruzen," he said without turning, voice laced with resentment. "Remember this decision of yours. You will regret it."
"Mind your tone, Danzō," Hiruzen said coolly, tapping his pipe. "Remember… I am the Hokage."
At those words, Danzō's jaw tightened.
"Then be the Hokage," he growled, gripping the door handle.
BOOM!!
He slammed the door behind him.
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