Konohagakure.
Hokage Building.
"Seventy-nine orphans from Tanzaku Town…" Hiruzen realized, after listening to Shizune's report, that Tsunade's rare return to the village had brought back a huge problem for Konoha.
Fortunately, Shizune hurried to add, "If nothing unexpected happens, Tsunade-sama will be covering the expenses herself. She won several tens of millions of ryō in gambling funds at Tanzaku Town, but she's decided to keep only one million and use the rest to raise these children."
That addendum made Hiruzen let out a silent sigh of relief.
If Konoha didn't have to pay out of its own pocket, that made things much easier for him.
However…
Hiruzen's expression grew strange. He hesitated. "Tsunade… has she given up gambling?!"
This was completely unlike the Tsunade he knew!
In his mind, Tsunade had inherited her grandfather, the First Hokage's, gambling habit—only she was terrible at it yet loved to play.
Shizune scratched her head. "Maybe… Tsunade-sama just thought the children were pitiful. Or maybe she figured the money was basically found, so spending it freely didn't matter."
Hiruzen: "???"
After Shizune patiently explained, Hiruzen fell silent.
He knew the tragedy at Tanzaku Town was connected to Uchiha Keizumi, but he hadn't expected Tsunade's return to also be tied to him.
"These children's origins…" Hiruzen frowned and asked, "Do they also have something to do with Keizumi?"
Shizune nodded rapidly like a pecking chick, recounting everything in detail—the cause, the process, and the outcome—leaving nothing out.
Hiruzen fell into silence once more.
Because after hearing her account, he actually began to feel that Uchiha Keizumi's killing this time had been… very well done!
That realization sent a shiver down his spine. Unwittingly, he had almost been swayed by Keizumi's extreme actions carried out in the name of [Absolute Justice]!
But at that moment, Hiruzen finally understood why Keizumi's [Absolute Justice] had, in such a short span, reshaped the opinions of so many.
It was likely because of that very extremity—"ending evil with killing"—that those who believed the heavy hand of [Absolute Justice] would never fall upon them could actually find such actions admirable.
After all, only villains had died. To those who considered themselves good people, wasn't that a blessing?
Realizing this made Hiruzen's headache grow worse.
"Hiruzen!" It was then that Mitokado Homura strode in quickly. He opened his mouth to speak, but upon noticing the outsider still in the Hokage's office, he exchanged a look with Hiruzen.
Hiruzen frowned, motioned for Shizune to leave, and then asked Homura, "What's happened?"
Homura's expression was grave. "There's been an incident in the capital of the Land of Fire. A shinobi has been rampaging there, killing wantonly—he nearly wiped out an entire noble clan. You remember the Yūki Clan, don't you? Now they're down to only two survivors."
Hiruzen: "!!!"
Grasping the severity of the situation, Hiruzen's brow furrowed tightly.
Homura continued, "Messengers from the Daimyō's side provided Konoha with some of the rogue's features. They want us to confirm whether the criminal is one of our shinobi."
"They suspect the killer is from Konoha?" A flash of displeasure crossed Hiruzen's face. "Konoha shinobi all uphold the Will of Fire. This village does not raise rogues who would target the Land of Fire's nobility."
Yet he could already feel the weight of doubt from the Daimyō and the nobles.
Homura's expression turned complicated. "Hiruzen… but I believe the killer is from our village."
Hiruzen: "???"
Homura listed some of the rogue's features, his eyes heavy with resignation. "Hiruzen, doesn't it sound familiar to you? Doesn't it sound exactly like Keizumi—and his ninja cat?"
"And not all shinobi of Konoha live by the Will of Fire. Keizumi, after all, follows [Absolute Justice]. He already has a record. He once tried to assassinate the Daimyō's second son."
"So tell me—do you think Keizumi would care about wiping out something as insignificant as the Yūki Clan, or any noble of the Land of Fire?"
Hiruzen: "…"
Clinging to a final sliver of hope, Hiruzen said, "Wasn't there mention of a kunoichi accompanying the rogue? Keizumi's little follower, Uchiha Izumi, is still here in Konoha."
Just as those words left his mouth, a sharp knock suddenly came at the door of the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen rubbed his brow. "…Come in!"
An ANBU shinobi stepped inside, speaking rapidly as he reported: "Hokage-sama, a three-man squad on a mission outside the village has run into trouble. According to the one survivor who managed to return—while outside the village, they encountered the 'Lava Release Fiend'… Uchiha Keizumi."
"Among them, a special jōnin named Ryōichirō was slain in a single stroke by Uchiha Keizumi. Another, a special jōnin named Mitarashi Anko, was taken away by Keizumi under the claim of 'arresting an escaped convict.'"
Hiruzen's eyes slowly widened.
He couldn't help but exchange a glance with Mitokado Homura.
Homura let out a sigh. "Hiruzen… the 'female ninja' said to be at the rogue's side has appeared."
That single sentence shattered the last sliver of hope Hiruzen had been clinging to.
The man the Daimyō now called a "rogue shinobi"… it was, in all likelihood, truly Uchiha Keizumi!!!
No…
Wasn't he supposed to be dutifully carrying out his S-rank mission?
By all rights, the mission's route should never have brought him near the capital of the Land of Fire. So why in the world had he gone there?
Wait!
Hiruzen suddenly shot to his feet, fixing his gaze on Homura, his tone heavier and grimmer than ever before, his aged face darkening visibly. "Keizumi knows why the Twelve Guardian Ninja ambushed him outside Konoha!"
Homura's pupils shrank. He understood at once what Hiruzen meant. "In Keizumi's eyes, the Daimyō himself is one of the masterminds behind that ambush!"
"With his extreme creed of [Absolute Justice], the Daimyō has surely been branded a villain in his eyes. He didn't just happen to pass through the capital—he went there deliberately."
"His true target may not have been the Yūki Clan at all. They were likely nothing more than a casualty of convenience. His real target… is the Daimyō of the Land of Fire!!!"
Hiruzen collapsed back into his chair, utterly drained.
If the Daimyō were in Konoha, he would already have mustered every shinobi the village could spare.
No matter the cost, Uchiha Keizumi would have to be stopped.
But…
The capital of the Land of Fire was simply too far.
Even if an elite jōnin rushed there without rest, it would still take a full day at least.
It was far too late!
"Asuma…" Hiruzen shut his eyes in anguish. "You thought what I unleashed was a tiger… but in truth, what I set loose was a dragon."
He could no longer even put into words how he felt about his already-dead son.
Asuma's deception of his own Hokage father had borne a terrible price…
That price was placing the Daimyō himself in mortal peril!
Worse still, the nobility of the Land of Fire would inevitably direct their fury at Konoha, all because Uchiha Keizumi was one of its shinobi.
They would likely even suspect that Hiruzen himself had secretly ordered Keizumi to assassinate the Daimyō.
The Hokage's head was pounding.
At that moment, Homura gave a helpless, bitter smile. "The Daimyō has already placed a bounty on Keizumi—this so-called rogue shinobi. The current bounty stands at fifty million ryō."
"Fifty million…"
Hiruzen shook his head. "Across the entire shinobi world, there are at most five people capable of claiming this bounty."
Mitokado Homura remained silent.
Because he felt Hiruzen was still being a bit too optimistic.
Five?
He couldn't even think of a single person in the vast shinobi world who could defeat Uchiha Keizumi in a one-on-one fight!
"Hiruzen, it may be necessary for the ANBU to move," Homura suddenly said. "Even if they reach the capital of the Land of Fire too late, at the very least… we can't allow Uchiha Keizumi, already out of control, to spiral even further."
"Perhaps…"
Homura's tone dropped lower. "Perhaps it requires you, the Hokage of Konoha, to lead the team personally. Only then might he be restrained."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeply.
If he, the Hokage, were to leave Konoha for several days, who could say what might happen during that time?
Sensing his hesitation, Homura spoke again. "Isn't Tsunade returning? Even if she stays in Konoha for just one day, it would be enough to deter troublemakers in the village. Besides… Fugaku and Itachi are both on our side."
"Also, Kakashi can remain, and with Might Guy still in the village as well, a few days of your absence won't matter. The Uchiha won't be able to stir up anything."
Hiruzen sighed helplessly. "You should remove Itachi from that list. He's one of the biggest uncertainties I worry about…"
"Still, you're right."
Slowly rising to his feet, Hiruzen said in a grave voice, "We can't let a crisis already spinning out of control become even worse. Otherwise, other shinobi villages will surely seize the chance to invade while the Land of Fire is weak."
"As the Hokage of Konoha, if I stand idle while the Land of Fire falls into chaos, I would be betraying the vow I made when I first took this office."
"And I would disgrace the will of the First, the Second, and the Fourth."
In the end, Hiruzen decided to personally lead a unit of ANBU and head for the capital of the Land of Fire.
Before leaving, he gave instructions to everyone he could. Only after receiving repeated assurances and guarantees from them did he allow himself to depart from Konoha.
Of course…
As for why he was leaving, Hiruzen never revealed the true reason. He only said he had been invited by the Daimyō of the Land of Fire.
Because if the truth of this matter were to spread…
The entire village of Konoha would be thrown into upheaval!
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