"Rock ninjas disguised as missing-nin swapped the scroll containing Hizashi's body with an explosive trap?"
"Root ninjas suddenly attacked, and Akimichi Chōza and his team got into a fight with Toroi from the Hidden Cloud?"
"Wait, and their battle's aftermath happened to release a humanoid monster sealed at the handover point?"
"What do you mean that monster used unknown, bizarre abilities to kill Toroi and nearly a hundred Kumo reinforcements?!"
Homura hurriedly stepped forward, snatching the scroll from Hiruzen's hands. As he read its contents, his face gradually drained of color.
In the end, he was completely stunned, standing frozen on the spot, motionless, unsure if he was dreaming.
He recognized every individual character, but when combined, they felt so alien. Was this still the language of the ninja world?
Thud.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stumbled back to his desk, trembling as he steadied himself against the corner before collapsing into his chair.
"A Magnet Release user like Toroi, renowned for years in the ninja world. Nearly a hundred Kumo ninjas stationed at the border." His voice was hoarse to the extreme. "This blood debt... Konoha cannot bear it."
Hearing this, the dazed Homura Mitokado suddenly shuddered. He looked at Hiruzen in panic, blurting out, "But those people were clearly—"
"No one will believe it."
Hiruzen cut him off before he could finish, closing his eyes in pain. "No one will believe it. No one except the few survivors like Chōza, and us. No one will believe those people died at the hands of some... inexplicable monster."
That was "Magnet Release Toroi"!
That was nearly a hundred Kumo ninjas stationed at the border!
That was nearly a hundred Kumo ninjas with families, with loved ones!
All dead.
Now, who would believe Konoha's word alone?
Forget there being no other surviving witnesses at the scene. Even if there were witnesses, who would believe they were genuine?
Kumo? They may have lost Toroi and nearly a hundred ninjas, but that only gives them a perfectly legitimate reason to declare war on Konoha! Even the Land of Lightning's Daimyō couldn't stop the hatred from the families of the victims!
Iwa? They've been involved from the very start! They'd be overjoyed to see Konoha and Kumo mutually destroy each other, only to step in later and reap the benefits!
Therefore…
"Assemble the Jōnin. Call a Jōnin meeting. Prepare yourselves."
Hiruzen seemed to have aged over a decade in an instant. Hunched in his chair, eyes closed, his hoarse voice carried an eerie calm. "This time… war… is truly coming."
"Yes."
The ANBU ninja kneeling on one knee before him, his voice also trembling slightly, did not know the specifics of what had happened. But he had seen the miserable, wretched state of Akimichi Chōza and the others.
Of the original team of over a dozen, only four or five remained. It was clear the handover with Kumo had not gone smoothly. Something very serious must have occurred in between.
It was probably no longer a matter that could be resolved through the usual diplomatic arguments. This time, it was a true, genuine fuse for war.
Aside from those ambitious schemers, war-mongers, and those blinded by hatred, no one wanted to face another cruel, bloody war.
Click.
The ANBU ninja left. Homura Mitokado snapped back to reality, his hand clutching the scroll tightly, his face clouded with gloom.
Just as he looked at Hiruzen, about to say something—
Tap… tap… tap…
The sound of a cane gently tapping the floor preceded Shimura Danzō as he pushed open the door and walked into the office.
Noticing the dead silence in the office, a hint of a smile actually touched his cold, hard face.
"Hiruzen," Danzō said, his tone indifferent. "I told you long ago. If they are bent on starting a war, we cannot avoid it."
"..."
Homura's heart instantly sank. He instinctively looked at Hiruzen's reaction.
Hiruzen said nothing. He merely lowered his head, eyes closed in silence.
After a long silence, he slowly raised his head. A pair of clouded eyes looked at the old friend standing before him.
"Danzō… Danzō…"
Hiruzen let out a breath, as if trying to calm himself, but veins nonetheless bulged on his forehead.
Still restraining himself, his voice low and suppressed, he spoke hoarsely: "Who… gave you permission to send Root to follow the escort team?"
"How… how dare you do this?!"
"Hiruzen," Danzō stood in the shadows where the sunlight could not reach, frowning slightly. "This time, it truly has nothing to do with me. I inserted my men into the escort team merely as a precaution. Those three who attacked the Kumo ninjas…"
BAM!!
Before he could continue, Hiruzen hurled his smoking pipe. It struck Danzō in the face. "Did nothing?!" Hiruzen roared lowly. "Do you even believe that yourself?!"
"Tell me! Did you collude with Iwagakure? Did the spies you sent out collude with Iwagakure? Tell me!"
The pipe, now stained with a smear of blood red, clattered to the floor. A sharp sting flared from the gash on Danzō's forehead. Hearing Hiruzen's words, his indifferent expression shifted abruptly.
"I didn't!" He could no longer afford to mock Hiruzen's misstep and hurriedly explained. "You know me. Everything I do is for the sake of—"
This time, it genuinely wasn't his doing! He had given clear orders to Aburame Ryōma: if Kumo accepted the deal quietly, they were to let it pass without incident!
Moreover, the spies he had planted in other villages were truly there to gather intelligence.
"Get out!"
But Hiruzen's low roar once again cut Danzō off. Danzō opened his mouth to speak further, but Homura Mitokado, standing beside him, grasped his arm and shook his head subtly.
Hiruzen was truly enraged this time. He had even accused him of colluding with an external enemy. No matter how Danzō tried to explain now, Hiruzen wouldn't believe a single word.
"Hiruzen, I'll notify the heads of the various clans and send letters to Jiraiya and Tsunade, urging them to return immediately," Homura said gravely.
With that, he led the grim-faced Danzō towards the door. Before leaving, he cast one last glance at Hiruzen and said softly, "Don't worry too much, Hiruzen. It's just… another war."
Even in the past situation where they had fought one against four, Konoha had still emerged victorious.
The only issue was that after the war, facing the heavy casualties, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as Hokage, would inevitably have to bear the primary responsibility. At that time, he would surely be forced to resign, just as he had stepped aside for Minato's succession.
Click.
Both Danzō and Homura had left. Hiruzen remained seated in his chair, unmoving for a long time.
At this moment, he resembled a machine with a gleaming exterior, but whose internal gears were utterly decayed, emitting creaking groans of strain, exuding an aura of obsolescence.
He had already sacrificed Hyūga Hizashi. He had already found a way to break the stalemate. He had already steeled his resolve. He had already thrown aside his old face…
Why… How… had it come to this?!
Sitting dazed like a stone statue for a long while, Hiruzen gradually calmed down.
Anger and regret were useless now. He had to figure out exactly what had happened. Perhaps there was still some way to salvage the situation.
Many details about this incident were still unknown. He needed to question the survivors who had returned, Akimichi Chōza and Hyūga Kumokawa…
With this thought, Hiruzen let out a deep sigh. He stood up, walked forward, and bent down to pick up the blood-stained smoking pipe.
His figure vanished from the office, becoming a blur streaking across the rooftops, heading towards the direction of Konoha Hospital.