After leaving the hospital, Hiruzen returned to the Hokage building with his friends.
"Hiruzen, why did you call us here?"
Danzo could still remember the humiliation he'd suffered from that kid while sitting idle without backing him up.
Hiruzen looked at Danzo, but before he could speak, the only female among them interrupted.
"I heard that Kakashi was injured. We know it can't be another village since we already have a ceasefire agreement."
Everyone nodded. Whoever attacked Kakashi had to be stronger than him.
All eyes fell on Danzo. He was the prime suspect. After all, just days after Minato died, he'd sent Kakashi to kill Hiruzen on his way back from the daimyo after securing approval for his re-election as Hokage.
"What?!"
"Don't tell me you're suspecting me again?"
Danzo grew angry when he noticed his friends' suspicion.
"No, I already know who did it," Hiruzen said, taking a drag from his smoking pipe.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
Everyone's eyes turned toward the entrance.
Shikaku entered with Megumi at his side.
The moment the Third Hokage and Shikaku left the hospital, Hiruzen had ordered Shikaku to find and bring Megumi to the Hokage building.
Megumi had been found near his mother's house, which was already demolished. He could see construction workers building a new house on the site.
He'd gone to Minato's house only to discover that a Sarutobi clan member had claimed ownership, even threatening him with "It was the Hokage who gave it to me."
Megumi would be the patient dog for now.
When he heard the Third Hokage wanted to see him, he didn't ask why. He simply walked toward the Hokage building, hearing Root members spreading lies about him along the way.
"I'll kill you when I'm done with your big daddy," he muttered inwardly. He didn't say a word to Shikaku, noticing the man's emotions radiating panic and fear.
He recognized the team of elders in the room.
He wasn't pleased to be here again and wondered if he should just kill Danzo now for spreading bad rumors about him.
"Why did you attack an ANBU member?"
Koharu wanted to intimidate Megumi into talking.
Megumi didn't answer her question. His eyes never left the Third Hokage's gaze.
"Didn't your mother teach you to answer when an elder speaks to you?"
Koharu grew furious when Megumi acted as if she didn't exist.
"Hiruzen, you need to discipline this child," Homura added, supporting his friend. The boy hadn't even greeted them upon entering.
While everyone shouted, Danzo remained silent. He could tell this boy was watching him with predator's eyes.
"It's alright. We should be discussing Kakashi's accident," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, unable to tolerate Koharu's behavior. She was shouting while he sat in his seat.
He glanced at his friend Danzo, who was acting strangely.
"Can you tell me why you attacked Kakashi?" he asked.
"I attacked him because I sensed killing intent from him."
Hiruzen and everyone else realized he'd just admitted to attacking Kakashi based on sensing killing intent.
Danzo gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tight they started to bleed. He couldn't endure it anymore, but Koharu beat him to speaking.
"What gave you the authority to attack the ANBU?"
She stood up and slammed her hand on the table. She couldn't bear it anymore. Even his mother couldn't speak to her like this, and now her son regarded her as nothing.
"Hiruzen, you should punish this boy on three charges. One, he was disobedient to village rules. Two, he attacked an ANBU operative. Three, he and his mother have betrayed the village."
Danzo added, still thinking of recruiting the boy and placing a seal on his sharp tongue.
Megumi turned to this annoying woman. Even without emotions, he could sense hers filled with killing intent.
Megumi grabbed a scroll and threw it onto their table. The elders couldn't understand what was happening.
"This is ridiculous. Minato wouldn't agree to such things without Hiruzen's approval," Koharu said, holding the scroll. Her eyes widened as she read. She was both confused and speechless before Danzo grabbed it from her.
Every elder in that room fell silent. They knew Minato had been just a puppet while Hiruzen was the real Hokage.
They couldn't deny or claim the scroll's contents were fake since it bore the Hokage's official stamp.
"Wait, Minato made a law behind my back?" the Third Hokage muttered to himself.
"Now you see what gives me authority, old hag."
Megumi stared at Koharu, and everyone in the room felt a malevolent aura.
"Minato is dead. As Hokage, I hereby revoke this law," Hiruzen spoke, sensing that Megumi might kill Koharu.
"You're shocked, right? Well, don't be, because you're not the only one with a thinking brain."
"Even an outsider can see through your scheme. You're so greedy for power that you started controlling a living puppet."
Megumi walked up to Hiruzen and took the scroll from his hand before returning it to his shadow.
"Minato might have been brainwashed with the Will of Fire. My teacher knew you were manipulating her from the very beginning. On the day a Cloud ninja infiltrated the village with knowledge of where and who the Nine-Tails was, a genin was sent to retrieve her."
"Let's be serious. A genin from a commoner background defeated a jonin?"
"You must be wondering why Minato did this. Well, it's simple. He knew that if it wasn't for the binding vow, every one of you would be dead."
"First, you control the ANBU division. Second, you allow this dead man to do anything he wants because he was the Second Hokage's student and the Third Hokage's friend."
Megumi walked to the side of the wall, his hand covered in red cursed energy.
What is he doing? they thought in unison.
A white Zetsu emerged from the wall, but before it could retreat, its head was severed.
Megumi pulled out its body and faced the crowd.
"Can your ANBU and Root do what I just did?"
Neither Hiruzen nor Danzo could claim they could. They hadn't even sensed such a creature in the office.
"Megumi, do you know how Kakashi is related to you?" Shikaku intervened after witnessing something he'd never seen before.
"I know. That's why I didn't kill him." Megumi started walking toward the exit.
"Third Hokage, even in this situation you're still insecure that I'll come for your seat."
"But let me break it to you. I don't see anything special about this pathetic position, and I will never contest for it."
---
Elsewhere at the hospital, Kakashi had told Guy, Kurenai, Anko, and Asuma how strong Megumi was and that they should watch their actions.
Then, out of nowhere, Megumi appeared in the room.
Everyone drew their kunai and blocked Kakashi.
"What do you want? State your reason for being here," Asuma said, remembering this was the same boy who once hid behind his mother's protection but was now strong enough to put Kakashi in this condition.
"I'm not here to play games with children."
Megumi approached Kakashi's bed.
"Relax, everyone. He could defeat everyone here if he wanted to. Don't make things worse," Kakashi said, knowing only Might Guy could pose a challenge. The rest...
Megumi went to Kakashi's missing hand, tore off the bandage, and to everyone's surprise, bone and tissue began growing back.
After he finished, he walked back toward the door.
"Next time you confront me like that, I will kill you."
---