"This matter must not be leaked!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew very well how serious it would be if this leaked out!
Currently, the ninja clans in Konoha still remember the top brass's extermination of the Uchiha Clan. If it turns out that former top brass Shimura Danzo conducted human experiments with the Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan, the entire ninja clans of Konoha would undoubtedly have different thoughts!
Shimura Danzo, that bastard...
He even did such things behind his back!
If Shimura Danzo had at least discussed with him, they could have figured out how to keep the secret safe, but now many ninjas in the village have seen it!
Of course.
Sarutobi Hiruzen actually had some resentment towards Danzo as well.
The experiment of fusing Wood Release and Sharingan could produce more Wood Release ninjas. Shimura Danzo must have predicted this long ago, and he secretly withheld this information!
As the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen had to destroy all the Sharingan collected from the Uchiha Clan's corpses by the Dark Department. Now, even if he wanted to restart the human experiments, it wouldn't be possible...
Furthermore...
He even had to clean up Danzo's mess!
"Keep those who know about this under control. You did well."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed. As the Hokage, it wasn't appropriate to kill companions in the village just to keep secrets. He could only wave his hand to Kakashi Hatake and say, "Order those who know never to disclose this, and there's no need to harm them for it."
"As for those Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas, they can only be kept in Root for now."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Akihara Kagura again and said, "Make sure to keep this secret, absolutely do not let anyone know about this..."
In Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind, the future successor to the position of Hokage was surely Akihara Kagura, so those people could stay in Root.
"And if there are any other informed people, just kill them directly..."
Akihara Kagura straightforwardly stated the blunt truth.
However, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't publicly agree with Akihara Kagura's extreme way of handling matters in front of other subordinates. He even had to open his mouth to educate: "You can't always handle matters so extremely. The ninjas in the village are trained and educated companions and will surely keep the secret..."
After Sarutobi Hiruzen finished speaking, he mentioned what he was most concerned about: "You just said, there are fifty-nine more beside Danzo..."
"Yes."
Kakashi Hatake looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen, nodded, and said, "Based on the number of Sharingan, this figure matches. When Shimura Danzo left Konoha, he took the remaining fifty-nine Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas with him."
Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but feel even angrier, as these numbers could deduce that the compatibility between Sharingan and Wood Release Bloodline was one hundred percent.
Shimura Danzo, that bastard...
Must have had enough experimental data to support this long ago!
"Sigh..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath. He was worried about Shimura Danzo having a powerful force and whether he would harbor any thoughts of seizing power and not following orders. After all, Shimura Danzo had many hidden cards up his sleeve.
Sarutobi Hiruzen could only reluctantly issue an order: "Now, send someone to pass the order to Danzo, summoning Shimura Danzo back to the village."
Regarding disarming the forces beside Danzo...
Sarutobi Hiruzen was once again plagued by his old habit of weakness, fearing that disarming Shimura Danzo would trigger his resistance, compromising Konoha's interests.
If possible...
Sarutobi Hiruzen still wanted to resolve this matter peacefully.
If Shimura Danzo was willing to heed orders and even willing to make the fifty-nine Double Kekkei Genkai ninja force he had serve Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen even thought about reinstating Akihara Kagura's status as Root Leader and finding a way to retain Kagura's candidacy for Hokage...
Of course.
This all depended on the quality of Shimura Danzo's experimental subjects.
Even if the quality of the experimental subjects in Shimura Danzo's hands didn't reach Akihara Kagura's level, even if they only had a group of elite Jonin combat power, Sarutobi Hiruzen would agree to some conditions of Shimura Danzo, even allowing him to reassume the positions of Hokage Assistant and Root Leader.
"By the way, Lord Hokage."
Kakashi Hatake remembered the confession of those Wood Release Ninjas, how those Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas were in constant contact with Shimura Danzo: "Shimura Danzo might have realized that the village has discovered his illegal human experiments if he received the message a bit late..."
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly felt a headache coming on.
After pondering for a while, the old man spoke: "No matter what, first send someone to summon Danzo back to the village..."
As long as Shimura Danzo was willing to return after learning the truth...
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt that he could still suppress Shimura Danzo.
There was probably no one in Konoha who understood Shimura Danzo better than Sarutobi Hiruzen. He knew very well what weaknesses his old friend had.
Although Shimura Danzo had a force comparable to the Dark Department, as long as he negotiated well with Danzo and compromised a bit, they should be able to resolve things peacefully.
Really...
Konoha seems to never be at peace.
Just as the high-level struggles with the Uchiha Clan were finally resolved, Shimura Danzo caused trouble again, and now nothing was more serious than matters involving Shimura Danzo.
A force equivalent to the Dark Department.
It might even produce more genius ninjas.
Of course.
Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn't without advantages.
The Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas under Shimura Danzo might not be more gifted than Akihara Kagura since Akihara Kagura was just an experimental subject of the Hashirama Cells. Those people all possessed top-tier bloodlines, Wood Release and Sharingan, but likely did not surpass Kagura in strength.
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen had invested quite a lot of effort in cultivating Akihara Kagura. Simply hiring Jiraiya to teach Sage Mode was not something Shimura Danzo could replicate. The Wood Release Jutsu left by the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, relying on Sage Mode, could grow even stronger.
"You may go first!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe, took a deep puff, and exhaled a cloud of thick smoke: "I need to think about this myself..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen needed to carefully consider how to resolve this matter peacefully, how to play against Shimura Danzo, and how to make Shimura Danzo eventually hand over that power.
Shimura Danzo still had fifty-nine Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas in his hands, which meant fifty-nine elite Jonin. Konoha's strength could be further enhanced...
Moreover...
How to settle Akihara Kagura...
As long as Shimura Danzo was willing to resolve this peacefully, his first demand would undoubtedly be to take back control of Root, and the second demand might be to refuse Akihara Kagura as Hokage candidate, which could be somewhat tricky.
After all...
With more Wood Release ninjas in Konoha...
Who also had the top-tier Sharingan bloodline.
Akihara Kagura's Wood Release and genius identity were no longer unique.
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his mind was a tangled mess, and his thoughts began scattering. Once Shimura Danzo handed over those Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas, although Konoha's strength would indeed be enhanced, if Konoha grew too powerful, who could succeed the Hokage and keep these people in order in the future?
Of course.
There were ways.
The difficulty of learning Sage Mode was significant, and those Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas might not be able to master Sage Mode. The current Hokage candidate Akihara Kagura still maintained his lead and strength, which might also help control things in the future...
Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts gradually cleared up. As a Hokage, he had to consider the long-term interests of the entire Konoha and not short-sightedly focus on the personnel in Shimura Danzo's hands...
First, sacrifice Kagura's interests to make Danzo gradually hand over those Double Kekkei Genkai ninjas, weakening Shimura Danzo's armed force; then sacrifice his own promises to Danzo to reinstate the most powerful Kagura in the position of Hokage candidate.
But...
Who exactly should go to face Shimura Danzo?
If Akihara Kagura goes, conflicts might inevitably arise between Shimura Danzo and him.
However...
Is there anyone else in Konoha with more weight than Akihara Kagura?
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought for a moment, deciding on Mitokado Homura to go meet Shimura Danzo: "Forget it, let an old friend take a trip, as Danzo's matters cannot be hidden from him completely..."