"Hiruzen, you still haven't said how to make use of it…" Danzō asked impatiently.
It was like listening to a storyteller reciting a tale—except the storyteller deliberately took a sip of tea and refused to continue to the next segment.
Too much suspense!
"You see, you're always this anxious…"
Hiruzen nodded toward several documents spread across the table. "You all should take a look as well."
"You two Konoha councilors need to get used to participating in village affairs. It's not enough to just hold a title—you must actually take part, pool ideas, and offer opinions and approaches."
These were diplomatic notes sent by the major hidden villages.
The wording was remarkably uniform.
They were mainly framed as condemnations of Kumogakure's provocative actions, and within the phrasing there was considerable praise directed at Hiruzen—of course not out of goodwill, but in hopes of further worsening the relationship between Konoha and Kumogakure.
Hizashi naturally picked one up.
Tenzō, however, though he was reading as well, felt lingering apprehension.
In the Hokage's measured alternation between restraint and pressure, it had already been made clear that he did not merely speak of the Will of Fire…
If he refrained from other methods, it was perhaps only because he did not wish to use them—not because he could not, or was unable to.
"The Kaguya Clan—I don't know much about them."
"I've only heard that they were once spoken of in the same breath as the Uchiha Clan, as a combat-oriented clan?" Hiruzen asked. "Judging from the documents, they do seem rather aggressive…"
Tenzō steadied himself and replied, "Hokage-sama, they are not throwing up a smokescreen. This clan's temperament really is like that."
"Combat and killing seem as if they're etched into their bones, though it's not true of every single member…"
"As for being compared alongside the Uchiha Clan…" Tenzō had to admit that Danzō's earlier remark fit perfectly here.
In short—don't ride on borrowed fame.
The Kaguya Clan is indeed formidable fighters, but did their ancestors ever produce a figure like Uchiha Madara?
"Their disposition may be even more fierce; their overall combat power is more balanced, but truly outstanding individuals are comparatively fewer," Tenzō supplied as intelligence for Hiruzen.
"If that's the case, I think I understand," Hiruzen said thoughtfully.
They could be vaguely understood as a 'Kirigakure version' of the Uchiha—only even less well-liked.
And in terms of legitimacy, they could not compare to the Uchiha Clan.
Back then, Uchiha Madara, together with Senju Hashirama, pacified the Warring States era and jointly captured the tailed beasts—making them among the largest original stakeholders.
Even if Madara later committed grave errors, during the First Shinobi World War, the Uchiha also paid no small blood price.
There were too many entanglements; one or two sentences could never explain them clearly. Flip through any old records and they were full of matters concerning those original stakes, and the relationship between Hashirama and Madara was so outrageous it felt like something straight out of a storybook.
"That is also why the relationship between Konoha's upper echelon and the Uchiha has always been so delicate.
"Then let's add fuel to the fire…"
"The Kaguya Clan is clearly not something that can be dissuaded—and there's no need to try to dissuade them."
"If the Third Mizukage wants to establish the legal legitimacy of the 'Bloody Mist,' then we'll give it to him, and let him properly tangle with these kekkei genkai clans of Kirigakure."
"And we should provoke him too—make the fire in his heart burn even hotter."
Hiruzen spoke: "Danzō, write this down. After Homura and Koharu polish it, have it made public to the shinobi world."
Danzō picked up pen and paper.
"Thank all the major hidden villages for their support; emphasize Konoha's regard for peace, and its resolute stance of striking back against provocations."
"As for the Eight-Tails jinchūriki incident they mentioned, Konoha has reason to believe it was a bottomless military arms race conducted internally by the Third Raikage's faction, attempting to imitate the case of the Gold and Silver Brothers devouring the tailed beast's flesh and blood."
"It must be pointed out that Kumogakure's provocation lies in its 'illegitimate accession'—seeking to stir emotions by launching a war, in order to cover up the fact that it once colluded with the Gold and Silver Brothers' group, attacked the Second Raikage, and then seized the position."
"Instead of thinking about how to live their own lives well, they treat their own shinobi as tools; when problems arise, they shamelessly shift them onto other countries—truly a cancer of the shinobi world."
"Because Kumogakure exists, Konoha advocates that the other hidden villages make appropriate war preparations, and hopes that the major hidden villages can inherit the will of the previous Kage, manage their villages well, and not attempt to use war to shift internal contradictions."
Danzō scribbled rapidly.
Tenzō's eyes lit up.
On the surface, every sentence was talking about Kumogakure, but in truth it was stabbing straight into Kirigakure's sore spot…
The Third Raikage's accession was illegitimate?
In fact, that wasn't the case—but in a war of words, saying anything is normal.
Moreover, Kumogakure indeed had shinobi who died because of the Eight-Tails; in any case, it could still stir up some suspicion.
A conspiracy theory does not need a complete chain of logic—it only needs a suitable point of entry.
But the problem was that the Third Mizukage truly did have an "illegitimate accession" at present.
The old Mizukage faction of the Hōzuki Clan was stubborn.
Although Hōzuki Gengetsu was not a qualified Mizukage, he nevertheless possessed traits that strongly catered to Kirigakure's tastes.
Strong enough, battle-hardened enough, and bold enough…
He had a great many supporters.
How a loser like him ever returned to the position of Mizukage was unknown.
But as long as that stigmatizing label of "illegitimate accession" was emphasized, the internal opposition within Kirigakure would naturally take action—and it would also drive the Third Mizukage, already on the verge of madness, into even greater fury.
Conversely, Hiruzen also provided a statement of "support for war preparations," giving the Third Mizukage the external voice he wanted, in hopes that the implementation of the "Bloody Mist" would grow ever more fervent…
Danzō chuckled. "The Third Mizukage inheriting Hōzuki Gengetsu's will?"
Even he could not help but feel like laughing when he imagined the complicated expression the Third Mizukage would wear upon seeing this response.
This was yet another knife handed to Kirigakure's opposition forces.
"Tenzō, earlier I said you had made some minor mistakes. You didn't refute it—so that means you did."
Hiruzen raised a hand, signaling that he need not rush to explain. "What's past is written off, but don't repeat it in the future."
"Maintain communication with the Kaguya Clan. Probe the reactions of the other kekkei genkai ninja clans of Kirigakure. If the Third Mizukage drives them into a dead end…
"Then conducting humanitarian rescue based on the Will of Fire would not be impossible."
"This is an important mission! If you complete it well, I will personally submit merit on your behalf!"
Tenzō's heart lifted, then settled.
He quickly grasped Hiruzen's line of thinking.
Kekkei genkai clans—who wouldn't covet them?
Wasn't Kumogakure's constant plundering done precisely to give the village a few more Bloodline Limits?
If, by using the Third Mizukage's hand, they could produce a group of Kirigakure shinobi who genuinely wished to escape Kirigakure and accept the Will of Fire, that would indeed be greatly beneficial to Konoha.
"Hokage-sama, for future correspondence, I will open and archive it jointly with Hizashi."
Tenzō said in a deep voice, "I will devote my full effort to carrying out your instructions for the village!"
Being entrusted with such an important task meant that past matters were considered settled—everyone would move forward together.
At that moment, however, Danzō suddenly felt that something was off.
He cast a meaningful glance at Hiruzen and gave a light cough.
This talk of "illegitimate accession"… somehow, it seemed like it could also be stretched to apply to Hiruzen himself, couldn't it?
Was this confidence born of being already unshakable—or was it really inviting trouble…?
"What is it, Danzō?" Hiruzen turned his head and met his gaze.
The two old comrades locked eyes for a few seconds, and the unspoken riddle was resolved.
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
He took out the necklace hanging on his chest. "A gift from Mito-sama. What do you think? Hashirama-sama gave it to her back then. I was fortunate enough to receive her favor and obtain it."
Danzō froze, then said stiffly, "Looks good—looks good!"
No—when did this happen? Hiruzen had actually gained such recognition from Mito-sama…
With Hiruzen reconciled with Uzumaki Mito, who would dare say his accession was illegitimate?
Go argue with the dowager yourself!
Danzō fell into a moment of dejection, but he quickly perked up again.
He needed to find an opportunity to visit the old lady as well…
If nothing else, helping with some farming, carrying water—getting closer would still be good…
...
Several days later, at the Ninja Academy.
Kakashi wore a trace of strangely tranquil calm in his eyes as he held the swordsmanship notes his father had given him, reading them intently.
Asuma, Shisui, and the others who were relatively close to him could not help but gather around curiously.
Where had that genius little cool guy gone—the one who always looked impatient?
Wasn't he supposed to be planning an early graduation?
He had clearly been preparing to graduate and say his farewells not long ago…
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