"I am willing to accept any punishment!"
Inside the Hokage Office.
Sakumo Hatake bowed deeply to Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was seated at the main desk.
"Hmph!"
"You say it so easily, but what about the impact this incident has had on the Village?!"
Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu stood to the side, glaring angrily at Sakumo Hatake.
As soon as they heard the news, the two of them rushed over immediately.
For no other reason.
Sakumo Hatake must be dealt with severely.
Throughout the entire Ninja World, all Ninja Villages operate this way.
The most important thing for a Ninja is to prioritize the mission.
If Sakumo Hatake abandoned a mission today and wasn't punished, and word got out.
Would others follow suit?
This one abandons a mission out of fear, that one abandons a mission because of a stomach ache.
Anyway, they wouldn't be punished.
If this continues, wouldn't Konoha fall into chaos?
How would Konoha Ninja take missions in the future?
Who would be willing to trust Konoha Ninja anymore?
Ninja do not engage in production; missions are their only source of income.
If not handled properly, it would definitely have a huge impact on Konoha.
"Hiruzen! This matter must be handled severely! We must give an explanation to the villagers and nobles!"
"I propose stripping Sakumo Hatake of his Jonin Squad Leader position, stripping Sakumo Hatake of his high-level voting rights, and letting him calm down at home for a year before discussing it further!"
Utatane Koharu's tone was full of anger, causing Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth to twitch a few times.
"Koharu, let's not talk about punishment yet, but this matter must be handled severely."
Homura Mitokado was not as aggressive, but his meaning was clear: Sakumo Hatake abandoning the mission required an explanation to the entire Village.
"I am willing to accept any punishment!"
Sakumo Hatake straightened up, not defending himself, and showing no signs of dissatisfaction.
"Homura, Koharu, don't get so agitated yet."
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, greatly troubled, at Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, then picked up his pipe from the desk and took a few puffs in silence.
The atmosphere in the room.
Also became eerily quiet.
"Let's suppress this matter first."
After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke.
In the end, Hiruzen Sarutobi still intended to use conciliatory methods. Sakumo Hatake was extremely loyal to the Hokage and was an inheritor of the Will of Fire; he was unwilling to easily give up on Sakumo Hatake.
Upon hearing this, Utatane Koharu immediately became displeased.
"Hiruzen!"
"There are no walls that don't let wind through. If we suppress the news now, the impact will be even greater when it eventually leaks out!"
Homura Mitokado stroked his chin.
"Suppressing the news is also a method. White Fang, where are your teammates?"
Sakumo Hatake said in a muffled voice, "I sent them home. Hayakawa is recovering in the hospital..."
"Sent them home?!"
Homura Mitokado looked at White Fang in disbelief, speaking with a tone of disappointment.
"How could you let them go back after such a major incident?!"
"Hiruzen! Don't hesitate, control those few people first. If the news gets out, it will be too late!"
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to say something, a hoarse voice came through.
"No need, this old man has already taken control of them!"
"Danzo?"
"Lord Danzo!"
Danzo pushed the door open and walked in, nodding at Sakumo Hatake, then said in a calm voice.
"Before I came, I had already taken control of them."
"Besides Hayakawa, who is currently in the hospital, Yamanaka Kei and Hyuga Tokuma have been brought to Root and are under strict guard!"
Sakumo Hatake was stunned, filled with doubt.
"Is Lord Danzo helping me?"
"But the Third Hokage hasn't spoken yet, how did Lord Danzo know to suppress it?"
"And Hayakawa and the others..."
Sakumo Hatake's heart was a mix of emotions at this moment. Originally, Sakumo Hatake's idea was to take all the blame himself, but now it seemed that his teammates had clearly been affected.
"Third Hokage! Lord Danzo!"
"There's no need to suppress the news; I am willing to bear the responsibility for abandoning the mission!"
"I accept all punishments!"
"Just as Elder Koharu said, stripping me of my Jonin Squad Leader position and my high-level voting rights, I accept it all!"
Sakumo Hatake felt that the order to retreat was his own.
Even if it was to save people, he had to bear the losses and responsibilities himself.
"If it were Feng, he would definitely do the same..."
A hint of tenderness flashed in Sakumo Hatake's eyes, but it was fleeting.
"Kakashi won't have any accidents, will he?"
"I, as a father, have disappointed him..."
Sakumo Hatake was not foolish; he had already guessed.
If news of him abandoning the mission got out, it would definitely cause a storm.
Countless curses would follow, which was not impossible.
"No!"
"I disagree!"
Danzo's voice was very agitated, and his cane heavily struck the ground.
"White Fang rendered great service to the Village during the Second Great Ninja War, how can he be dismissed just like that?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't even spoken yet, but Danzo was already anxious.
If you dismiss him, who will help my son become Hokage in the future?
The position of Jonin Squad Leader in Konoha was only slightly lower than that of an Elder.
He was completely considered the number one person below the Elders.
If it weren't for the Elder Council positions being full, and Hiruzen Sarutobi not wanting to upset his old friend, Sakumo Hatake, with his position as Jonin Squad Leader, would have long since joined the Elder Council.
Without this position, Sakumo Hatake would just be an ordinary Jonin.
Although his strength was great.
He would lose all his original authority.
How could Danzo agree!
"Lord Danzo..."
Sakumo Hatake would be lying if he said he wasn't moved. He hadn't even felt anything himself, yet Lord Danzo was defending him so much.
"It must be because of Feng, that child, right?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two were also taken aback.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly understood Danzo's purpose: he was paving the way for his son.
"Alright, Danzo."
"I haven't said I'm going to strip Sakumo of his duties yet."
"Hiruzen!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand at Utatane Koharu, signaling her not to speak.
"Sakumo, you should go back first. This matter is very important, so you should rest for a while."
"Yes! Third Hokage!"
Sakumo Hatake nodded. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was telling him to lay low, but he had no right to object now.
"Lord Danzo, Elders, I'll take my leave!"
The next second, Sakumo Hatake vanished from the Hokage Office... Hyuga Clan Compound!
Hiashi Hyuga's face was extremely grim.
"Clan Elder, isn't such a decision somewhat inappropriate?"
"The Hokage-sama hasn't made a decision yet. If we spread the news, and it's exposed, Hokage-sama might also have a different view of us, right?"
At the Hyuga Clan meeting.
Besides Hiashi Hyuga, the newly appointed Clan Head, there were also several elderly Elders, all from the Main Family.
The entire meeting hall was filled with people from the Main Family.
Just half an hour ago.
Root Ninja directly came to their doorstep and took away a Special Jonin from their Branch Family.
Before this, Hizashi Hyuga of the Branch Family had already received a report from Hyuga Tokuma and immediately relayed the news to his brother.
"Hmph!"
"Sakumo Hatake abandoning the mission was his own choice; what does it have to do with us?"
"Moreover."
"What if the Sandaime wants to protect Sakumo Hatake?
At that time, the higher-ups will definitely push all the blame onto us and that commoner Ninja!"
"The Yamanaka Clan is the Hokage's confidant; will the Hokage push out that Jonin from the Yamanaka Clan?"
The Main Family's Great Elder snorted coldly.
"At that time, wouldn't it still be our Hyuga Clan and that commoner Ninja who become the scapegoats?"
"The clan cannot bear the stigma of abandoning a mission, and the clan's reputation cannot be insulted. This matter must be pushed out!"