As soon as Koharu Utatane arrived, Danzo Shimura immediately turned to Tobirama Senju.
"Years ago, based on intelligence, the Uchiha showed signs of rebellion. Hiruzen, Homura, Koharu, and I discussed how to handle it…"
"Just tell me directly—who was for it, and who was against it?" Tobirama interrupted.
Despite being revived through Reanimation Jutsu, which should leave no room for fatigue, Tobirama felt an undeniable weariness. He could hardly believe that his once-vibrant, ambitious disciples had become like this.
The indecisive Hiruzen Sarutobi, the selfish Danzo Shimura… These were his most outstanding students, matched only by Kagami Uchiha.
"We four voted," Hiruzen said with a sigh, as if transported back to that day seven years ago. "Homura voted against it. Danzo and Koharu were in favor of wiping out the Uchiha. I abstained."
Tobirama's expression shifted slightly. Homura voted against it? At least someone had some sense.
But his brows furrowed again as he turned to Hiruzen, his tone laced with dissatisfaction. "As Hokage, you chose to abstain? Monkey, you've been Hokage for decades. Don't you understand the weight of those two words? Especially in a decision this critical?"
"Monkey, you've disappointed me greatly."
Hiruzen remained silent, unable to counter Tobirama's words. He was old, and back then, his only thought was to find a successor to train and retire peacefully.
"Where's Homura?" Tobirama asked, scanning the surroundings. Mito Homura wasn't present.
"Danzo was defeated on the Land of Rivers battlefield," Sakura Haruno chimed in, stepping closer to Tobirama. "Sensei replaced him with Elder Homura, who's now fighting the Sand ninja on the front lines."
Tobirama nodded. In his memory, Homura was the least remarkable of his six disciples. But compared to the others, who had all fallen short, Homura's steady performance stood out.
Seeing the pink-haired girl speak up again, addressing him so casually without even adding "Elder," a shadow of irritation flickered across Danzo's face.
"Sensei," Danzo said, his voice cold. "Do you have anything else to say?"
Tobirama frowned at Danzo. The ambitious, frontline-charging youth from years ago had become a scheming, self-serving man.
"Are you suggesting I favor this junior?" Danzo's gaze landed on Sakura.
"???" Sakura blinked, confused. What? I exposed your secrets, so now you're trying to dig up dirt on me? Let me think… what dirt do I even have? Running around the house without taking off my shoes as a kid and getting scolded by Mom—does that count?
"Is there a problem with that?" Tobirama replied.
Revived through Reanimation Jutsu, Tobirama had intended to help Sakura develop Yang Release ninja taijutsu and then return peacefully to the Pure Land. But this unexpected conversation had unearthed a mountain of issues. How could he return now?
Beneath Konoha's serene facade, the village might already be riddled with corruption. Power had been concentrated in the hands of the same people for too long, breeding darkness that made Tobirama's skin crawl.
And this was just the Uchiha massacre. The death of Sakumo Hatake, the fact that Sand ninja had infiltrated Konoha's interior during the last attack—there had to be a traitor. Tobirama refused to believe otherwise.
Was the intelligence department eating air? How could so many Sand ninja slip into Konoha? The patrol division, the border defense, the scouting teams—all had issues. Not only was there a traitor, but they were likely high-ranking. Otherwise, how could the Sand ninja bypass the border defenses and infiltrate Konoha? Where was the barrier team? The patrol squads?
"Sensei, Sakura Haruno's strength is undeniable," Danzo said, his voice dripping with accusation. "But her sinister intentions cannot be ignored!"
"???" Sakura's eyes widened. Sinister intentions? Me? Since when?
Hiruzen, silently puffing on his pipe, looked startled by Danzo's words.
"Sakura Haruno hides a sharp blade in her heart," Danzo continued, sneering as he pulled out a yellowed piece of paper. "From a young age, she's shown ambitious desires!"
Seriously? You kept my old graduation exam paper? Sakura thought, exasperated.
Hiruzen glanced at the paper, tempted to defend Sakura but hesitated. Danzo's words… weren't entirely baseless.
Who else, at eight years old, could devise a plan to divide the ninja world in two, ultimately bringing it under Konoha's control?
Tobirama skimmed the paper, his brow furrowed, then turned to the pink-haired girl beside him. "You wrote this?"
"Yup, that's mine," Sakura admitted readily.
A glint of triumph flashed in Danzo's eyes. If a genius couldn't be controlled, a dead genius was the next best thing. At the very least, he'd drag Sakura Haruno from her pedestal into the mud.
"It's creative, but overly idealistic," Tobirama said, acknowledging her idea to use resource sanctions against the Wind, Earth, and Lightning Countries but dismissing the plan's feasibility. "It assumes too much. The three nations wouldn't fail to notice the threat. One misstep, and if they united, Konoha couldn't withstand them."
Indeed, that's what happened. During the Chunin Exams, if Onoki hadn't seen Hashirama Senju's figure, he and the Kazekage Rasa might have teamed up to take down Hiruzen. Even with Tsunade and Jiraiya in Konoha, they couldn't counter Dust Release.
"I was just trying to stand out back then," Sakura said, taking the paper from Tobirama and shredding it in front of Danzo. "Who'd have thought someone would take it seriously?"
"You!" Danzo's face darkened at the scattered scraps.
"So, what about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki by your side? The last Uchiha, the Ino-Shika-Cho heirs, and Konoha's elite? Are they all fake?" Danzo's tone grew sharper. "At eight, you dreamed of swallowing the ninja world. Now, at thirteen, you're surrounded by Konoha's future pillars! If you forced Hiruzen to step down and became Hokage, who could stop you? Konoha would fall to ruin because of you!"
His words were so fierce he might as well have pointed at Sakura and accused her of treason.
Koharu, hearing this, paled and subtly distanced herself from Danzo. She was already in deep trouble, barely keeping herself afloat. Though she found the pink-haired girl irritating, she had to admit—Sakura had skills, both in strength and in winning people's hearts.
If Danzo hadn't revealed this exam paper, Koharu wouldn't have known Sakura had been this sharp at eight. It was clear to anyone with eyes that Sakura was practically Hiruzen's chosen successor. With her exceptional resolve and strength, she might even become the first underage Hokage.
Danzo, obsessed with the Hokage's seat, refused to face reality, clinging to his dream. But if Sakura became Hokage, at seventy, he'd never outlive a thirteen-year-old.
Only now did Koharu realize her old teammate had never given up on becoming Hokage.
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