Habara kept his gaze fixed on the heavens, certain now that Danzo Shimura was well and truly dead.
If Danzo still possessed the ability to 'revive,' he wouldn't have needed to resort to the Reverse Four Symbols Seal. While Danzo's life could be said to have included some contributions to Konoha, those contributions paled in comparison to the magnitude of the contribution made by his death. Konoha had its share of parasites, but the largest among them had always been Danzo. Other pests, no matter how destructive, merely nibbled at the leaves and branches of the great tree. Only Danzo, hidden in the shadows, had relentlessly gnawed at Konoha's very roots.
Still, the end he arranged for himself was clean, reducing himself directly to dust. It saved Konoha the trouble of finding him a burial plot.
Seeing that nothing eventually fell from the sky, Habara finally lowered his gaze. He began to consider how to handle the aftermath.
After a moment's thought, he spoke, "Everyone. Tonight, Konoha witnessed two rebellions. The first involves the Uchiha clan. Regardless of their reasons, a faction of Uchiha shinobi chose to revolt tonight. However, for certain reasons, this rebellion has been contained within the Uchiha district. At least for now, it hasn't spilled over… Barring any unforeseen developments, this is likely thanks to the intervention of another Uchiha faction, represented by figures like Uchiha Shisui."
Given the sacrifices made by Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, Habara adjusted his phrasing, speaking up for the Uchiha in a rare show of support. Truthfully, Habara didn't know the exact details of what transpired between Shisui and Itachi, but he could guess that the Uchiha clan wouldn't truly face complete annihilation this time.
"Secondly," Habara continued, "someone orchestrated an attack against the Third Hokage. Their plan was meticulous, far from a spur-of-the-moment decision. The masterminds behind this plot against the Hokage were able to interfere with ANBU mission assignments. They deliberately arranged for my absence, making me disappear from public view, specifically to frame me for this incident."
These points needed to be hammered home immediately, striking while the iron was hot to prevent rumors and speculation from brewing. Habara pressed on with his explanation.
"Considering the Hokage's strength, under normal circumstances, no one could make him vanish from Konoha without a trace. Therefore, he must have been treacherously attacked. And the only ones capable of succeeding in such a betrayal would be people he knew and trusted."
"Although there's no definitive proof yet, all signs indicate that the person who betrayed the Hokage is none other than the leader of Root, Danzo Shimura. He possessed the capability, the cunning, and harbored deep dissatisfaction with Konoha's current state… Furthermore, Danzo's reaction after the incident was overly… perceptive."
"As for the individual who likely carried out the assassination plan, it was probably the Sannin Orochimaru, who has already defected from Konoha. He has, in fact, maintained contact with Danzo all along – this is supported by actual intelligence, not mere speculation. Orochimaru holds similar resentment towards the Hokage who drove him out."
Habara's words carried a degree of credibility. The most convincing element was the Third Hokage's silent disappearance – it was simply too strange. Even Habara himself couldn't have abducted the Hokage so quietly. Thus, the theory that the Hokage fell victim to a plot by someone close to him held weight. After all, in the eyes of contemporary shinobi, the Third Hokage was the 'God of Shinobi,' Konoha's unwavering anchor; no one believed he could lose to anyone in a fair fight.
The crucial question was who this "close person" was. Danzo had pointed the finger at Habara, while Habara pointed it back at Danzo. Now, the crowd leaned towards Danzo being the more likely culprit. Firstly, Danzo was closer to the Third, and Habara had just publicly exposed several of his darker aspects. Secondly… while Habara was speaking reasonably now, his recent actions and attitude clearly screamed, 'Might makes right.'
Could he truly have slaughtered people like chickens one moment, only to suddenly become meek and mild, allowing others to slander him the next? Perhaps Habara was genuinely trying to reason now, but…
If anyone doubted it, they were free to jump out and challenge him. See what consequences awaited.
Undoubtedly, though Danzo was dead, his roots in Konoha ran deep. He surely had countless allies, both overt and covert. How to identify them? Simple. Anyone who spoke up for Danzo, anyone who believed Danzo's words, was his accomplice.
Politics usually operates on the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." But in this moment, it could only be "if you are not my friend, you are my enemy."
"Of course," Habara conceded, "these are merely my speculations. I haven't cleared myself of suspicion. Given Danzo Shimura's accusations, and the fact that I acted independently, without orders, to eliminate enemies of the village… regardless of the circumstances, this was procedurally incorrect. Emergency situations don't grant automatic immunity."
"Furthermore, a significant portion of shinobi likely still find the current situation difficult to comprehend. Therefore, I am willing to submit to temporary custody…"
Habara stated his final position.
Konoha, fundamentally, was an orderly society. Within this established order, Habara's sudden violent outburst and killings were clearly wrong. Suspects could be arrested first, but guilt could only be determined after a trial… at least, that was the official stance. Most people hadn't experienced the ANBU's brand of justice, after all.
Habara felt he deserved punishment, not because he thought killing Danzo and the advisors was wrong, but because he acknowledged violating Konoha's order and procedures. He had a responsibility to bear for that. Thus, he agreed to be confined until the truth came to light.
See? Habara wasn't petty, after all. Though he had killed Danzo, he ultimately agreed with Danzo's proposed method for handling him as a 'suspect.'
What was the difference between then and now? Not much, really. Except that previously, the ones controlling Konoha's situation were Danzo and the two advisors. Now, the person in charge had changed…
It was Kushina Uzumaki.
Before, Habara faced imprisonment. Now, he merely faced confinement. The nature of the punishment was similar, but the treatment would be worlds apart. Was being managed by others the same as arranging things for oneself?
Kushina Uzumaki, naturally, cooperated fully. She pointed a finger at Kakashi, and without needing further instruction, Kakashi dutifully went to "escort" Habara. Habara was then escorted into the Archives building – the very one that had recently been partially burned.
The one judging Habara was Kushina. The one escorting Habara was Kakashi. And the one ultimately assigned to guard Habara was, unbelievably, Daigo… The judge, the bailiff, the key witness – all his own people. Was there any justice left? Any law?
"Gather personnel! Ensure the chaos within the Uchiha district doesn't escalate. Attempt to send teams into the Uchiha compound to ascertain the situation. Provide support to the Uchiha shinobi aligned with Shisui, if possible."
"Dispatch reconnaissance teams. Investigate the scene at the Hokage Tower incident. Deploy search parties around Konoha. We must find the Third Hokage as quickly as possible."
"Someone get over here and process the crime… ahem, the incident scene."
Listening to Kushina's orders filtering in from outside, Habara couldn't help but sigh internally. Not because there was anything wrong with her arrangements, but because he felt tonight's events had been too sudden… Though he hadn't noticed it before, his extended mission away from the village had clearly caused an information gap.
Certain unique atmospheres, certain subtle shifts – these were hard to grasp without being constantly present in Konoha. This was the first time Habara had failed to read the village's undercurrents accurately. The Uchiha rebellion had ignited prematurely, and Danzo Shimura had actually made a move against the Hokage.
Reflecting on Danzo Shimura's death, Habara felt a pang of regret. Such a useful toilet, discarded just like that. What would he do the next time he had diarrhea…? But it couldn't be helped; it had to be thrown out. One could utilize a toilet, but one hardly developed feelings for it, especially when said toilet had a tendency to splash back on you.
Also, he wondered about the Third Hokage's current condition.
As Habara was lost in these scattered thoughts, he suddenly sensed something approaching his face. Snapping back to reality, he found Naruto Uzumaki leaning in close.
"What's wrong? You got a problem?"
Then he noticed Naruto's gaze drifting involuntarily towards the window. He asked again, "Did something scare you?"
Naruto shook his head, seemingly swallowing hard. "Didn't you mention… there's a dish called Lion's Head?"
Habara: "…"
He finally realized what the boy had been staring at.
What kind of bizarre thought process was this? Staring intently at the elephant's (Baku's) head, only to be reminded of Lion's Head meatballs? Were they even remotely the same thing?
Well, forget the elephant head. Naruto had probably snuck several glances at the two human heads lying around earlier too. Likely because he hadn't eaten dinner… It had been too chaotic today; who could possibly worry about the kid's meals?
Habara certainly couldn't. Right now, all he wanted was a good night's sleep.
Meanwhile, the battle between Orochimaru and the Third Hokage was far from over.
"Sensei, you seem a bit tired," Orochimaru's voice was smooth, his face as unnaturally pale as ever. "Don't rush. We have plenty of time. The Konoha shinobi won't find this place anytime soon." His tone suggested he had gained the upper hand in the recent exchange, yet the reality was quite the opposite.
Looking at his tattered clothes, he couldn't appear more disheveled.
However, his words held truth. They did have time. Having used summoning beasts to dimension-hop near Ryuchi Cave, they were now incredibly far from Konoha. If Konoha shinobi had to search inch by inch, they likely wouldn't find this location until hell froze over.
The Third Hokage appeared much better off, merely showing signs of fatigue. Throughout the battle thus far, he had consistently held the advantage. One could even say he had successfully killed Orochimaru several times… No ordinary ninja should survive the level of damage inflicted, yet Orochimaru was still alive and kicking.
"Orochimaru… what exactly is going on with you?"
The Third Hokage finally couldn't resist asking.
"It's merely the simplest form of high-speed cellular division," Orochimaru explained calmly. "Only after accepting certain cells can one truly grasp their miraculous nature. Not only do they possess regenerative speed beyond imagination, but more importantly, regeneration consumes minimal resources, almost negligible. It's as if regeneration isn't driven by my conscious will, but by the cells' own exaggerated life force.
"On a perfectly smooth sheet of ice, a gentle push can send something gliding forward at unbelievable speed."
Especially after incorporating a bit of natural energy, the activation level of the First Hokage's cells becomes practically uncontrollable… Orochimaru kept this thought to himself.
If Habara were here, he would undoubtedly declare that Orochimaru's explanation defied the laws of thermodynamics, and perhaps diagnose his so-called regeneration less as an ability and more as a disease.
Unfortunately, the Third Hokage wasn't Habara. He remained silent. The Hokage knew exactly which cells Orochimaru referred to. His student, as always, drawn to forbidden knowledge.
"The body is ultimately just a vessel," Orochimaru mused. "But a person's spirit is best suited to its original body. Someone reminded me, changed my perspective… Modification is superior to transference. The latter seems freer, more unrestrained, but is actually subject to greater limitations."
Some things were simply best in their original form. The Living Corpse Reincarnation technique seemed wonderfully convenient – desiring someone's body meant you could obtain it. Yet, its negative effects accumulated with each transfer.
Consciousness, or spirit, represented the Yin aspect of chakra's Yin-Yang duality. Damage to the spirit signified a fundamental weakening of a ninja's foundation.
Truthfully, Orochimaru hadn't deeply considered the issue of spiritual damage. He chose a different path of 'evolution' primarily because Habara's previous descriptions had proven too fascinating, completely capturing his attention.
The Third Hokage truly was old. Watching his exhausted teacher, Orochimaru felt a fleeting pang of sorrow for the twilight of a hero. Though the Hokage had maintained absolute dominance throughout the fight, what did it matter? He ultimately couldn't kill Orochimaru… If an advantage couldn't be converted into victory over time, the outcome was obvious, especially for a ninja like the Third Hokage, already stepping into the twilight of his years.
"Sensei," Orochimaru stated, "if you have no other tricks up your sleeve, then victory in this battle belongs to me."
Compared to his usual sharp, insidious, and unpredictable combat style, Orochimaru's approach against the Third Hokage was essentially a 'turtle strategy.' He was fighting his 'unkillable' attribute. It was an ugly way to fight, but it would lead him to victory.
The Third Hokage glanced around again. He was indeed isolated. And there was no denying his age; his chakra reserves were dwindling. If he continued fighting as he had been, the outcome was, just as Orochimaru said, plain to see.
The Hokage had to change tactics.
Since Orochimaru's body had become cockroach-like in its resilience, what about his spirit? This was why one shouldn't talk excessively during battle. Orochimaru's constant references to the spirit had inadvertently reminded the Hokage.
It seems the time has come. There's no fighting old age. I really have no choice but to use that Uzumaki clan technique… the Third Hokage thought grimly.
Only by targeting the spirit could one fundamentally deal with these unhinged psychopaths.
Having made his decision, a smile unexpectedly touched his lips. The deep furrows in his brow smoothed out. It was perhaps a kind of release.
"Orochimaru," he said, his voice steady, "don't underestimate old men like me. If nothing else, I have seen many things…"
"Truly… so very many."