"Lord Danzo," Hatake Sakumo looked at Shimura Danzo sitting across from him with a bitter smile. He knew it was time for him to make a choice.
When the rumors in the village about him abandoning the mission to prioritize saving his comrades grew more intense, he realized...
Someone high up was targeting him!!
Otherwise, considering his contributions and sacrifices for the village, why had no one stepped forward to speak up for him?
Even...
After resigning from his position as ANBU commander and staying secluded at home, the village's gossip about him still hadn't died down.
So...
There must be someone behind this, fueling the flames!!
He didn't know why the higher-ups were targeting him. He had even approached the Hokage, assuring him that he had no disloyal intentions and only wanted to protect Konoha.
As for why he had abandoned the mission to save his comrades last time...
It was because he always remembered the Will of Fire and would never easily abandon his comrades. Moreover...
That mission wasn't critical. Abandoning it wouldn't affect the war's outcome, which was why he made that choice.
But...
The Hokage sighed and said he understood, promising to have the ANBU investigate the source of the rumors.
Yet...
Why had nothing changed even after so much time had passed?
"Lord Danzo," Sakumo sighed, staring intently at him and speaking calmly, "I've already said I would never do anything to betray the village."
"Why won't you let me go?"
"..."
Honestly, I'm just as confused!
Danzo took a deep breath internally, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "I know nothing about this matter."
He did want to become Hokage. He did want to eliminate anyone standing in his way.
But...
This clearly wasn't his doing, okay?
Before his ROOT organization was falsely accused by Hiruzen recently, they had been dutifully serving the village. When would they have had the time?
Besides...
If he really wanted to do this, would he have been so blatant about it?
Did people really think ROOT was some amateur organization that didn't even know how to frame someone properly?
However...
Sakumo looked at Danzo with clear disbelief, forcing another bitter smile as he said, "I know this matter definitely wasn't your doing, Lord Danzo."
Yeah, right!
His subordinates, the ANBU, had seen a group of masked ninjas in identical uniforms spreading rumors everywhere. And in Konoha...
Apart from the ANBU, only ROOT dressed like that.
So...
"I just wanted to explain to you, Lord Danzo..." Sakumo sighed helplessly, "that I love this village."
"..."
Danzo's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. He set it down, slowly stood up, and said, "It's getting late."
"The Hokage has ordered me to inform you..."
"It's time for your trial."
"Please come with me."
With that, he turned and left...
Danzo's face darkened. This blame...
It seemed Konoha's Darkness would have to bear it!!
But...
This really wasn't his doing!!
"Hiruzen..." Danzo sighed and muttered, "In the end, I..."
Am Konoha's root!
...
Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen watched Danzo leaving the Hatake residence through his crystal ball. He picked up his smoking pipe from the desk, took a puff, and said gloomily, "Danzo..."
He didn't understand why his old friend had changed so much.
Back then, it was Danzo himself who chose to become Konoha's Darkness, who chose to be the village's root. Why had he suddenly changed?
All these years, they had worked together so well!
Under their leadership, Konoha had grown stronger. Why couldn't Danzo see that now?
Recently...
Ever since Danzo was dismissed as ROOT's leader, some clans had started becoming disobedient again.
Hiruzen sighed, stood up, and clasped his hands behind his back as he gazed out the window at the scenery...
"Konoha..."
Was such a harmonious, warm place!
He had not disgraced his teacher's legacy...
So...
He would never allow anyone to ruin this!!
"It's time to restore Danzo's position," Hiruzen murmured. "Otherwise, some things will remain inconvenient to handle."
He was Konoha's light, Danzo was Konoha's darkness...
Konoha could not do without either of them.
"Sakumo's matter also needs to be resolved," Hiruzen sighed regretfully.
As long as he confessed, it would be fine.
The village wouldn't do anything to him.
After all...
He was Konoha's hero!
...
Land of Whirlpools.
Uzumaki Jun looked at the intelligence report sent from below and sighed internally, muttering, "What a shame."
It was impossible to recruit Hatake Sakumo.
From his self-sacrifice for Konoha's harmony, it was clear...
He loved the village.
Just look at his final conversation with Kakashi...
That love ran deep.
'I understand you now. You did the right thing. I'm proud of you.'
That's right...
In the end, Kakashi was thoroughly indoctrinated by the Will of Fire, believing his father saving his comrades and then being driven to suicide by the village was the right thing!
Because his father had saved the entire village!
So...
Jun had not made contact with this samurai clan. Who knew if Sakumo would drag him straight to the Hokage the moment they met?
With Obito about to graduate from the Whirlpool Country Academy, would Kakashi and Rin Nohara end up together?
After all, Uchiha Obito had been happily helping old ladies cross the street in the Land of Whirlpools lately.
He was practically one step away from being named one of the Land of Whirlpools' Top Ten Most Touching Figures.
"Being single isn't so bad either," Jun sighed inwardly, smiling wryly. "Otherwise, with Obito's personality..."
'If the woman I love dies, I'll destroy the world'—that kind of mindset was terrifying.
So...
Since its founding, the Whirlpool Academy had always emphasized the psychological health of minors.
Psychological counselors regularly conducted evaluations, especially for the Uchiha clan...
Once every semester!
Otherwise, the Uchiha's tendency to go 'To protect the world's peace, everyone must die' was just...
Too much to handle.
"Hmph!"
Hearing an annoyed voice, Jun looked up to see a red-haired girl glaring at him. He smiled and said, "You seem really angry today."
Who bullied you this time?
"You!" Kushina pointed at Jun angrily. "It's you!"
"..."
Jun chuckled awkwardly and said, "Sorry."
He knew exactly what Kushina meant, because he...
Was getting married.
The bride wasn't Kyoko, wasn't Nono, wasn't...
This red-haired girl in front of him.
During their last conversation, Madara had discussed the future of the Uchiha clan with him. Both knew that the Uchiha needed intense emotional stimulation to awaken their Sharingan. Given the Land of Whirlpools' treatment of ninjas...
It would be hard for the Uchiha to awaken their eyes.
After all, the Land of Whirlpools had a military and didn't force ninjas to take missions.
Especially since the Uchiha had psychological counseling every semester...
So...
Madara had asked how the Land of Whirlpools would treat the Uchiha clan in the future. The Sharingan was a bloodline many coveted. Even if unawakened, a bloodline was still a bloodline, and accidents could happen.
A bloodline clan without power...
Was in great danger!!
Jun's original plan was to integrate the Uchiha into the legal system, establishing a court. Their rigid personalities would suit the role, and intense emotional stimulation...
With hundreds of soap operas produced, he refused to believe none of the Uchiha would awaken their eyes.
After all...
Good soap operas could resonate deeply with people.
But then...
When he saw Uchiha Mikoto, Jun had casually remarked...
'Mikoto's future child would definitely awaken the Mangekyō.'
And then...
Madara thought he was flirting with his many-times-great-granddaughter and tried to beat him up.
So, seeing Mikoto's flushed, lowered face and Madara secretly activating his Rinnegan...
For the sake of the Land of Whirlpools' harmony, he proposed to Mikoto.
After all...
Everything he did was for the Land of Whirlpools!!
Seeing Madara's fleeting smile, Jun knew he had done this for his granddaughter.
Probably gloating again...
'Hashirma, I won again.'