Danzo is Outmaneuvered
When Danzo arrived at the Hokage's Office, he went straight to the point.
He formally proposed to Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi that Chi Yu be removed from his position as Captain of the Konoha Defense Force and expelled from the unit altogether.
Danzo, certain of his own influence, fully expected them to agree.
But Minato and Hiruzen exchanged glances. In that brief silence, both realized what was happening.
Danzo and Chi Yu had completely fallen out.
And now, Danzo wanted to seize the opportunity to remove Chi Yu and replace him with one of his own Root operatives.
After all, the Konoha Defense Force had been Danzo's proposal to begin with. The unit included thirty elite Root shinobi, and though it was nominally under the Hokage's command, in truth, Danzo had kept it under his thumb.
Had he made this proposal earlier—before Chi Yu acted—they might have agreed.
Minato, after all, had his own troubles with the arrangement. The Defense Force stripped authority from the Uchiha Clan's Military Police, intensifying clan resentment. Though Fugaku Uchiha supported Minato, many Uchiha accused the Fourth Hokage of undermining them and giving command to a man—Chi Yu—who openly despised their clan.
Danzo's hand in all of this was invisible.
For Minato, Chi Yu's presence was always a bitter pill. Removing him might have been tempting if not for what had already occurred.
Now both Hokage and former Hokage understood what Chi Yu had meant when he said he was "helping them."
By stepping down on his own, Chi Yu had robbed Danzo of initiative. The choice of his replacement now lay in Minato's hands, not Danzo's.
To Minato, it was as if fortune itself had delivered the solution.
Looking at Danzo—who still believed he was in control—Minato said calmly:
"Assistant Hokage Danzo, your proposal is no longer meaningful."
Danzo's brows furrowed. "What do you mean? Explain yourself."
Minato replied, "Chi Yu has already come here. He voluntarily stepped down from his position and withdrew from the Konoha Defense Force. The Third Hokage and I have already discussed his replacement."
Danzo's expression darkened. He had not expected Chi Yu to be so decisive, nor that he would go straight to Minato to resign.
By resigning directly to the Hokage, Chi Yu gave Minato the authority to appoint his successor without consulting Danzo.
He had been outmaneuvered.
Still unwilling to yield, Danzo pressed, "Fourth Hokage, the Defense Force Captaincy is no trivial matter. It must not be decided lightly. I insist we deliberate further!"
It was the same tactic he had used to install Chi Yu before—stalling, then slipping his own candidate into power.
But the circumstances had changed. This time, Minato held the reins, and he had no intention of letting them go.
Smiling faintly, Minato answered, "The Third Hokage and I have given it serious thought. We have decided to appoint Shinsuke Nara as the new Captain of the Konoha Defense Force."
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, fully backing Minato's decision. "That's correct. Shinsuke Nara distinguished himself in the Third Shinobi War. He is calm, analytical, and well-suited for command. I have full confidence in him."
Danzo's temper flared. "Have you both forgotten why the Defense Force was created? Its purpose was to check the power of the Uchiha Military Police! Do you truly believe Shinsuke Nara can keep Uchiha Shisui—already the Deputy Captain—in line? If you allow this, Shinsuke will become a puppet, and the Uchiha will once again monopolize authority. What then was the point?!"
Still smiling, Minato delivered the final blow. "I understand your concern. That is why I have decided to abolish the position of Deputy Captain. Furthermore, no Uchiha shinobi will be permitted to join the Defense Force."
Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke. "There, Danzo. Minato has handled it with proper caution. You need not worry—the Uchiha will not gain control of this department. And I will personally ensure balance is maintained."
Danzo's fists clenched.
With Shisui removed and the Deputy Captaincy abolished, he had no argument left.
He had been outplayed—by Chi Yu's foresight, Minato's decisiveness, and Hiruzen's support.
Danzo could only growl, "You will regret this," before storming out.
After he left, Hiruzen shook his head and sighed. "Chi Yu truly did us a service. This way, Minato, you won't be caught between Danzo and the Uchiha anymore."
Minato nodded. "Yes. Now, the priority is stabilizing the Defense Force itself."
Not long after, Hiruzen departed. Minato summoned Uchiha Shisui.
When Shisui arrived, Minato informed him gently: "Shisui, Chi Yu has stepped down as Captain."
Shisui blinked in surprise. "Stepped down…? Just like that?"
No wonder Chi Yu had told him earlier that he "wouldn't have to worry anymore."
Minato explained the situation and concluded, "To silence Danzo, I have abolished the Deputy Captain position. Uchiha shinobi will no longer serve in the Defense Force. I hope you understand."
Shisui bowed his head. "Of course I understand. I am grateful to the Fourth Hokage. This way, my clan will no longer be treated as a threat. That is all I ever wanted when I joined. If stepping down spares my people, I accept it wholeheartedly."
Relieved, Minato smiled. "Good. I believe the Uchiha Clan will prosper in time."
Hope welled up inside Shisui. With Minato as Hokage, perhaps the Uchiha truly could have a better future.
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