He knew that Jiraiya's signed slip was a pass—even the Sandaime wouldn't reject an arrangement from a frontline commander during wartime.
The guard took the slip and glanced at it, then used Chakra to verify the authenticity of the red seal before stepping aside: "Follow me. The Council of Elders just started their break. Hokage-sama is waiting for you in the office."
Shine followed the guard through the red-carpeted corridor.
Portraits of past Hokage hung on both sides of the corridor. Two Elders stood before Tobirama's portrait; their eyes didn't hide their disgust when they saw him.
Shine ignored them, staring straight at the office door at the end of the hallway—behind that door sat the old fox who had single-handedly orchestrated the Uchiha's plight, and he was a heavyweight on Shine's revenge list.
The guard knocked on the door, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's aging voice came from inside: "Come in."
Shine took a deep breath, suppressing the hatred churning in the depths of his eyes, and pushed the door open—he knew that this maneuvering with the Konoha High Command had only just begun.
The moment he opened the door, a scent mixed with tobacco and old scrolls hit his face.
The Hokage Office felt more oppressive than in Shine's memories. The map of Konoha on the wall was pinned with red markers, and files were piled like mountains on the desk, the light scent of ink overwhelmed by the heavy smell of smoke.
In the center's reception area, the four highest-ranking members of Konoha were sitting together; clearly, the Council of Elders' session had not yet ended.
In the seat of honor, Hiruzen Sarutobi was small in stature, yet he looked exceptionally majestic, framed by his flame-patterned Hokage robe.
He held a ceramic pipe in his hand, smoke rising in curls and blurring the expression in his eyes, leaving only his signature gentle smile at the corners of his mouth.
Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado sat on either side of him, both in dark kimonos. Koharu held a scroll, her gaze sweeping over the clan crest on Shine's chest with blatant scrutiny;
Homura leaned back against his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his eyes indifferent as if Shine's appearance were merely an insignificant interlude.
In the corner closest to the door, a figure wrapped in bandages huddled in the shadows like a ghost.
Danzo Shimura's face was mostly covered by bandages, leaving only a pair of sinister eyes visible; at this moment, those eyeballs were nearly bulging out of their sockets, fixed intensely on Shine.
His fingers tightened unconsciously, his nails digging deep into his palm, and his bandage-wrapped arm trembled slightly from extreme shock—how was this possible?!
He had clearly dispatched Sarutobi Koga, that Elite Jōnin, plus three experienced Jonin and three Elite Chunin specialized in encirclement and assassination, setting a triple-death trap that even he himself might not have escaped from unscathed. How could this fifteen-year-old Uchiha brat stand here without a scratch?
Danzo's breathing suddenly hitched, and the corner of his mouth beneath the bandages twitched.
He remembered Sarutobi Koga's boastful promise to "surely take Shine's head" before departing, and the news from Root three days ago that the "mission failed, everyone wiped out." He had thought Shine had narrowly escaped, but the boy before him stood tall; aside from some wrinkles in his clothes, he didn't have a single wound—this wasn't luck, it was total dominance!
Shine's gaze swept over the four of them, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning subtly under his eyelids, taking in Danzo's trembling and Koharu's scrutiny.
He sneered inwardly; Danzo's "seen-a-ghost" expression undoubtedly confirmed that he was the mastermind behind the assassination attempt.
But he showed nothing on the surface, walking to the center of the room, bending his knees slightly, and leaning forward in a standard Ninja salute: "Hokage-sama, Elders."
"It's Shine," Hiruzen Sarutobi finally spoke, his voice aged yet piercing. He tapped the ash from his pipe, his smile softening by a few degrees. "Returning from the Eastern Front... you've worked hard these past six months. Jiraiya praised your execution in his note, saying your three deep reconnaissance missions were flawless and gained us much initiative."
Shine slowly looked up, a perfectly timed look of determination on his face, his eyes even showing a hint of "patriotism" for his home: "For Konoha, for our shared home, it is only right that a Junior gives his all. It is my honor to receive Lord Jiraiya's recognition and to serve the Village."
These words were spoken so sincerely that even Utatane Koharu's hand holding the scroll paused for a moment.
Only Danzo, upon hearing the words "give his all," grit his teeth beneath the bandages until they creaked—this brat was mocking him!
He clearly knew that Danzo had sent the assassins, yet he still put on this "loyal protector of the Village" act. This level of restraint and cunning was more terrifying than he had imagined!
Shine took in Danzo's reaction, his hatred deepening by another degree.
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi's "caring Elder" facade, he only felt it was incredibly hypocritical—this old fox clearly knew the Uchiha's situation and Danzo's schemes, yet he always turned a blind eye, using so-called "balance" to push the Uchiha into the abyss.
Yet he remained respectful on the surface, handing over Jiraiya's slip with both hands: "This is Lord Jiraiya's leave authorization. I have come to report and request approval for my rest period."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took the slip, his fingers tracing the red seal as he looked at Shine's face for a long time, as if trying to see through his thoughts. The air in the office gradually solidified; only Danzo's suppressed breathing and the rustle of leaves outside could be heard.
Shine kept his eyes down, quietly waiting for the next move in this hypocritical game—he knew Hiruzen would not refuse, but Danzo would never let it go.
"Hehe—" The smoke from the ceramic pipe drifted lazily under the light, and Hiruzen Sarutobi's laughter carried a hint of deliberate warmth. He tapped the pipe against the copper ashtray, sparks flying and quickly dying out, as his fingers lightly brushed against the scroll on the desk labeled "Eastern Front Battle Report."
"Speaking of which, you were already on the front lines wearing the Jonin insignia at fifteen, two years earlier than Lord Tobirama was in his day."
"In these six months, you scouted deep into Iwagakure territory three times and led two breakouts, carving through enemy encirclements with your Three-Tomoe Sharingan and Taijutsu. Few in Konoha's younger generation can match such achievements."
He leaned forward slightly, his small frame appearing somewhat "caring" under the Hokage robe: "You've worked hard, Shine."
"I'll sign the leave authorization myself. I've already notified the logistics department; two boxes of Thousand-Year Lingzhi wound medicine, as well as the Land of Whirlpools specialty candied fruits your parents used to mention, will be delivered shortly. Go back and spend time with your family. Put the matters of the battlefield aside for a while."
...
Advance chapter available on pãtrêon Got1808