The group of Double Bloodline Ninjas, who were pursuing the Hidden Mist Ninjas, also stopped, watching Hozuki Mangetsu's team and Mitokado Homura's team, seemingly discussing something.
"Where is Danzo?"
Mitokado Homura looked at this group of Double Bloodline Ninjas and roughly understood that these guys were the private hidden troops of Shimura Danzo. He spoke coldly, "I am here on behalf of the Hokage to see Danzo. Stop this senseless battle!"
"..."
The group of Double Bloodline Ninjas hesitated.
However...
Soon someone with authority arrived.
Shimura Danzo emerged, supported by a cane, surrounded by a crowd.
"Danzo!"
Upon seeing Shimura Danzo, Mitokado Homura immediately relaxed: "First stop this unnecessary conflict. Why attack the Hidden Mist Ninjas? Do you want to start a war?"
"Only war can save Konoha."
Shimura Danzo shook his head, half-closing his eyes: "Everything I have done is for Konoha. Now is the time when a war inevitably must begin..."
"What nonsense are you saying..."
Mitokado Homura furrowed his brows tightly.
Konoha had long ended its wars with the outside world and its internal conflicts. As long as Danzo and Sarutobi talked things over, a long period of peace and tranquility would follow...
"The monkey already knows what I have done..."
Shimura Danzo looked at Mitokado Homura, speaking coldly: "However, I do not want to have a conflict with him, nor do I want Konoha's strength to be wasted on internal strife. Therefore, a war must begin, so that everyone in the village has no time to criticize me..."
"The monkey sent me to negotiate with you..."
Mitokado Homura roughly understood Shimura Danzo's thoughts, knowing that Danzo feared that the unauthorized human experiments would invite retribution, and he took the initiative to advise: "Danzo, your actions do not need to be so extreme. What you did was in Konoha's interest, and the monkey does not blame you. Let me talk to you..."
"The matter has already happened..."
"But now I have a better solution."
Shimura Danzo interrupted Mitokado Homura, his half-opened eyes slowly widening as he spoke coldly: "For the village, anything can be sacrificed. Ninjas must learn self-sacrifice, and now it is your time to be sacrificed..."
"Me?"
Mitokado Homura furrowed his brows in confusion.
Shimura Danzo coldly began to fabricate his story: "The Hidden Mist Ninjas murdered Mitokado Homura, the esteemed Hokage Advisor, plotting to incite a war between Konoha and The Hidden Mist Village. Both I and the monkey are your friends, and we will not let your sacrifice be in vain..."
"..."
Mitokado Homura's face immediately turned ugly, staring intently at Shimura Danzo: "Danzo, do you want to kill me?"
"Your sacrifice is valuable."
Shimura Danzo advised Mitokado Homura, "When someone of significant status dies, Konoha and The Hidden Mist Village will undoubtedly go to war. Konoha will surely win in this war, and the conflict between the monkey and me will also be resolved in this war..."
"All of this..."
"Only requires your sacrifice!"
"For Konoha, please sacrifice yourself!"
"You!"
Mitokado Homura was enraged and wanted to curse.
Shimura Danzo's thinking was indeed quite reasonable. If only Mitokado Homura, a Hokage Advisor, died, Konoha would have to go to war with The Hidden Mist Village. Regardless of how many conflicts Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo had, they would have to dissolve during wartime...
Moreover...
Konoha had a significant chance of winning this war.
The only one who needed to be sacrificed was himself, the Hokage Advisor.
To be honest...
Mitokado Homura wasn't afraid of sacrificing himself.
However, dying amidst a conspiracy made him feel particularly aggrieved!
Mitokado Homura suppressed his dissatisfaction, trying to persuade with reason: "Danzo, we've been friends for sixty years..."
"For Konoha, anything can be sacrificed."
Shimura Danzo interrupted Mitokado Homura directly, even speaking unceremoniously: "Whenever the monkey and I had a conflict, you always sided with the monkey. It's better to remove you this time, taking away a support for the monkey!"
"Kill him."
Shimura Danzo raised his hand, with an old, yet commanding voice filled with unquestionable authority: "Leave no one alive among those present, no one is allowed to leave alive!"
"..."
Mitokado Homura was utterly shocked by Shimura Danzo's ruthlessness!
Killing him, framing The Hidden Mist Village, inciting a war between Konoha and The Hidden Mist Village, and conveniently removing himself, who always supported Sarutobi Hiruzen...
Given their long-time friendship, Mitokado Homura always thought that some of Danzo's extreme actions were for Konoha, never expecting that one day Shimura Danzo's extreme actions would target him, an old friend...
"This dark and extreme method..."
Mitokado Homura shook his head in disbelief, his body trembling slightly: "Danzo, you are truly insane..."
"..."
Shimura Danzo merely calmly lowered his hand.
"Lord Danzo's orders: kill everyone present!"
The group of Double Bloodline Ninjas saw his gesture, and as if receiving an order, charged up without hesitation, wanting to kill Mitokado Homura along with the others!
Mitokado Homura, forced to flee, was pursued along with the Hidden Mist Ninjas, compelled to flee towards Konoha.
"You people of Konoha are indeed interesting..."