The border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields.
Shimura Danzo was hiding in a small town here with Yamanaka Fuu and Aburame Torune, and they all received the news that Konoha had listed Shimura Danzo as an S-Class Traitorous Ninja.
"..."
For the whole day, Shimura Danzo couldn't eat.
Shimura Danzo never thought he would one day be expelled from Konoha. He had spent almost his entire life there and had dedicated his life to that ninja village.
Shimura Danzo believed the most tragic end to his life might be dying for Konoha and having his name etched on the Memorial Stele there, and the most satisfying end should be tirelessly working for Konoha and having his statue carved into Hokage Rock in Konoha Village.
But in the end…
He suddenly became a traitorous ninja.
Who would have thought that approaching seventy years of age, he would become a traitorous ninja!
This made him feel utterly humiliated!
Shimura Danzo could not accept this fact no matter what. He desperately wanted to go back and tell everyone that this was all Sarutobi Hiruzen's conspiracy!
However…
Akihara Kagura had Aburame Torune deliver the message that everything in Konoha was under Sarutobi Hiruzen's control. Returning would only make him a scapegoat.
Knock… Knock… Knock…
There was a knock at the door.
Shimura Danzo didn't want anyone entering and shouted gloomily, "Didn't I say I wanted some peace today?"
"Lord Kagura is here."
"..."
Shimura Danzo sighed, a glimmer of hope igniting within him: "Let Kagura in! Everyone else stay outside."
When Akihara Kagura walked in, he noticed that Shimura Danzo's spirit seemed off, as if he had aged several years!
"What on earth is happening?"
Shimura Danzo raised his head to look at Akihara Kagura, a flash of anger crossing his face: "Akihara Kagura, how did I become Konoha's traitorous ninja, what's going on!"
"Shouldn't this be asked to Lord Danzo?"
"The situation is too severe, there's nothing even I can do."
"It was an order personally issued by the Third Hokage."
Akihara Kagura sat opposite Shimura Danzo, speaking softly: "I originally requested from the Third Hokage to keep all matters confidential, and no one should leak it so that everything could be explained once Lord Danzo returned, but the Third Hokage insisted on issuing a warrant..."
"Monkey!"
Shimura Danzo suddenly clenched his fists, his face full of hatred: "That bastard pushed everything onto me!"
Shimura Danzo looked sharply at Akihara Kagura, solemnly stating: "Akihara Kagura, you should know that I don't have any Sharingan in my possession. All the Sharingan in Root were destroyed, and now only Uchiha Obito and Sarutobi have Sharingan in the Ninja World!"
"But… the evidence is very strong."
Akihara Kagura frowned slightly, speaking calmly: "Because some Double Bloodline Ninjas with the Wood Release and Sharingan were found by people in the village? I also saw some Double Bloodline Ninjas while dining with Kakashi. Many people in the village are aware of them…"
As Akihara Kagura said this, he stared intently at Shimura Danzo and continued: "The most troublesome part was that Lord Danzo led some Double Bloodline Ninjas to attack Advisor Mitokado Homura and Hidden Mist Ninja. The impact of this incident was extremely negative, even though I did not have a conflict with Lord Danzo at the time…"
"What are you saying!"
Shimura Danzo looked at Akihara Kagura in shock and anger, almost in disbelief: "I didn't do any of this. I've been here since I got your message and have never left. When did I lead anyone to attack Mitokado Homura?"
"What?"
Akihara Kagura looked at Shimura Danzo with surprise: "Lord Danzo, didn't we just meet in the Land of Rain a few days ago?"
"How could it have been me!"
"Besides, those people were all Monkey's subordinates!"
Shimura Danzo had always known those Double Bloodline Ninjas were Sarutobi Hiruzen's subordinates. He almost immediately figured out everything; Sarutobi Hiruzen was trying to use this opportunity to solidify the matter!
Shimura Danzo gritted his teeth bitterly: "It's Monkey trying to frame me intentionally! What I have done, I will admit, but I will never admit to what I haven't done!"
"But…"
Akihara Kagura looked at Shimura Danzo, reminding him: "Advisor Mitokado Homura also believes it was you. Everyone thinks it was you. Otherwise, the two Hokage advisors wouldn't have agreed to the Third Hokage issuing the warrant, they hoped to resolve it internally…"
"..."
Inside, Shimura Danzo felt an unspeakable sense of grievance and pain. This old man, who always liked to frame others, was experiencing the feeling of being wronged for the first time.
This feeling of being wronged…
Was something this nearly seventy-year-old man felt he couldn't bear.
"No one wanted things to come to this point…"
Akihara Kagura quickly used reassuring words from his previous life to comfort Shimura Danzo, even pouring him a cup of tea: "However, I do have a solution. Kakashi and I captured twelve Double Bloodline Ninjas in the village..."
"Interrogate them immediately!"
Shimura Danzo seemed to grasp a life-saving straw!
"But..."
Akihara Kagura hesitated for a moment, looked up at Shimura Danzo, and reminded him innocently: "The result of the interrogation also proved that it was your experiment..."
"..."
Shimura Danzo felt that the life-saving straw drifted away.
"Alright."
Akihara Kagura's expression became solemn, continuing softly: "Even if it was you, it doesn't matter. We are here to resolve this issue..."