Late into the night.
Konoha had long since fallen asleep.
Only the Hokage's office still glowed with light.
Bang!
Bang bang bang!
"Monkey! Why did you stab me in the back?!"
After being carried back, the fury burning inside Shimura Danzō could no longer be contained.
Like a lioness betrayed by her mate, he stared at Sarutobi with disbelief.
From the moment it happened until now, he had been thinking about nothing else.
Hearing this, the Third Hokage tapped his pipe lightly, his expression dark.
"From the time we got back until now, you've asked that question forty-three times."
"Have you ever reflected on why I and the ANBU arrived there in the first place?!"
"And another thing—Monkey, monkey, monkey! Don't forget that I am the Hokage!"
At the last words, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up abruptly.
He looked straight at Danzō.
Though age had shortened his stature, the pressure he exuded was even more imposing!
The sight made Danzō momentarily dazed.
The confrontational aura he'd been holding collapsed in an instant.
Before his eyes seemed to appear that figure from the past—
The man who once dominated the shinobi world, hailed as the strongest Kage.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen!
It was precisely this bearing that made Danzō both love and hate him.
And ultimately forced him to choose to bury himself underground, taking root beneath the tree, supporting the Hokage from the shadows.
But now…
For a brief moment, Danzō actually felt an urge to just forget it all.
He even wanted to retire outright.
Seeing his old friend seemingly cowed, the fire in his eyes fading, the Third Hokage paused.
Then his tone shifted.
"Danzō, after so many great wars, my body is already riddled with decay."
"But the village's next Hokage must be someone who can contribute even more to Konoha."
"Do you understand what I'm saying?"
With that, he picked up the Hokage cloak beside him and gave Danzō a light pat.
Walking to the window, he muttered,
"The Uchiha issue needs to be resolved—but now is not the time."
"Besides, Konoha doesn't only need a Hokage who stands in the light."
"It also needs an unnamed shadow who protects it from the darkness."
Pat.
That single pat left Danzō completely stunned.
Especially the words "unnamed shadow"—they nearly hooked him outright.
His remaining eye locked onto the Hokage cloak.
Countless thoughts surged in his mind.
So… does Hiruzen mean that my contributions still aren't enough?
That even if I became Hokage now, I wouldn't have the people's support?
Yes!
That must be it!
So as long as I continue contributing to the village, then maybe—!!!
At that thought, the tiny spark of retirement that had just appeared vanished instantly.
Danzō became like a cockroach injected with adrenaline and chicken blood.
He spun around to face Hiruzen, his voice rising.
"I understand!"
With that, he grabbed the Hokage cloak and strode out.
Each step heavy, yet resolute.
Only Sarutobi Hiruzen remained by the window, silently watching the night sky, waiting.
Just before the moon dipped below the horizon, a long-haired Uchiha youth quietly knocked on the Hokage's door.
"Itachi… I've been waiting for you."
"Do you know? Your younger brother personally removed Shisui's eyes today…"
...
"Tch, what a pity. That old bastard Danzō didn't make a move on the Third Hokage and just went back obediently?"
"That doesn't look like the Root leader who once dared to attack the Hokage."
"His ambition's gone, huh, old man."
At the same time, before the cliff.
Uchiha Arata, who had returned after leaving, leaned lazily against a tree.
The earlier scene replayed in his mind.
Although Danzō had been furious at first, once he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen, he didn't dare make a move.
He only complained loudly.
That utterly killed Jin's enthusiasm for watching the drama.
"But at least waiting this long wasn't for nothing."
Murmuring to himself, he turned toward the moon.
Or more precisely—
Toward the masked figure standing beneath the moonlight.
"You knew I'd come?"
Hatake Kakashi put away the book he treasured, walked over slowly, and said thoughtfully,
"I'm getting more and more curious about you."
Kakashi was, without question, firmly aligned with the Hokage.
That much was undeniable.
But personally, he preferred not to interfere whenever possible.
Even when he saw things, he often chose to turn a blind eye.
He just wanted to quietly live his own life.
But…
This young Uchiha before him made his heart uneasy.
There was a vague, indescribable feeling he couldn't see through.
As if no secret could be hidden before those small eyes.
So after hesitating, Kakashi asked,
"You seemed to already know that Lord Danzō would attack Shisui."
Otherwise, he couldn't understand why Jin would arrive at the cliff at full power in an instant.
"Know?" Jin shrugged indifferently.
"Danzō's temperament—shouldn't you know it better than I do?"
The key to clearing suspicion isn't self-proof.
It's throwing the question back.
Obviously, Kakashi didn't realize this.
After hearing Jin's words, he truly began to think.
"Back then… even this eye of mine—if the Third hadn't intervened, then…"
In the end, he nodded with difficulty, arriving at a conclusion.
"I don't want to admit it, but—if Lord Danzō learned about Shisui's eye ability, he really might have acted."
Greedy. Insidious. Covetous of Uchiha eyes.
That was Danzō.
See? This was the beauty of self-rationalization.
Jin smiled faintly, then suddenly changed the topic.
"So Kakashi—do you want the village and the Uchiha to fight until one side is wiped out?"
"Do you want the thriving village the Fourth Hokage dreamed of to turn into ruins?"
"Do you want Obito's clansmen to die one by one?"
Crack.
Kakashi unconsciously snapped a branch beneath his foot.
The crisp sound was like a massive hammer smashing against his ears.
Blow after blow, leaving his head throbbing.
Only after a long while did he touch his left eye beneath the mask and murmur,
"If Sensei Minato were still alive, he wouldn't sit by helplessly like the Third…"
"Sensei Minato would… sincerely go and negotiate."
"And Obito… he'd probably hate me even more, wouldn't he?"
"I failed to protect Rin. I failed to protect his family…"
Thought after thought surfaced in his mind.
And without him noticing—
A seed quietly took root.
Anger toward Danzō.
And dissatisfaction with the Hokage's inaction.
As he rubbed the left eye beneath his mask, it felt strangely hot.
And faintly… painful.
"Obito… are you feeling pain for your clansmen?"
"Don't worry. I'll protect your clan."
At this moment, Kakashi's figure seemed to grow taller.
But opposite him—
"Protect them?"
Jin looked at Kakashi and couldn't help curling his lips.
"When Second Appearance Obito officially enters the stage, the Uchiha clan gets wiped out in one go…"
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