"Hokage-sama!"
The moment Hiruzen arrived atop a rooftop overlooking the chaos, every nearby shinobi straightened and greeted him with urgency and respect.
Hiruzen gave a brief nod, but his gaze was already locked on the towering beasts rampaging through the village streets. His sharp eyes narrowed as he observed the destruction: shattered rooftops, toppled buildings, and the deafening roars of canine monsters that shook the foundations of Konoha.
"Where is Danzo?" he asked coldly, noting the absence of Root operatives in the area.
The creatures were unmistakably canine in origin, massive dogs with sheer brute strength. It would be natural to suspect the Inuzuka clan, given their long association with ninken. But Hiruzen's instincts whispered something else. The location of the eruption—the Shimura clan's territory—spoke volumes.
Between Danzo and the Inuzuka clan, Hiruzen did not need a council vote to know which was the more likely instigator.
After all, even the secret files left behind by the Second Hokage made no mention of such monstrous dogs being connected to the Inuzuka clan. But Danzo... Danzo was always a force of calculated chaos, wearing the mask of a patriot while dancing dangerously on the edge of betrayal.
An Anbu operative suddenly appeared beside him, crouching low on the tiled terrace.
"Danzo and Root have surrounded the Inuzuka clan grounds, Hokage-sama," the Anbu reported. "He moved out without notifying central command."
Hiruzen's gaze darkened, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
So, you are not behind it? Or is this your way of covering the trail?
It was possible Danzo had nothing to do with this, but equally likely that he was using the chaos to isolate the Inuzuka, justifying it as preventive action.
"Send word," Hiruzen ordered, his tone sharp. "Tell Danzo to report to me immediately. Summon the Inuzuka clan head as well."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Without waiting, Hiruzen formed a rapid series of hand seals. In a puff of smoke, four shadow clones appeared around him. Each one immediately launched into a different elemental jutsu.
"Fire Style: Flame Vortex!"
"Earth Style: Mud Dragon!"
"Water Style: Crushing Water Wave!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Pressure Palm!"
The combined attack was devastating. The jutsu collided with the nearest beast in a synchronized blast, staggering the creature and sending it reeling backward with a gaping wound across its side. Compared to the Anbu's earlier efforts, the power behind the Hokage's technique was in a different league.
The shinobi nearby were left stunned, not just by the sheer power, but by how swiftly and precisely their leader had responded.
Hiruzen remained still, eyes calculating.
This was not just a random event. Someone planned this. Someone knew where to hit.
As smoke and debris continued to rise in the distance, his gaze turned once more toward the Shimura compound.
Danzo. What have you done now?
"Team 13, your target is the solid black one!" Hiruzen commanded, his voice sharp and cutting through the chaos like a blade. "Team 16, handle the white one!" "Team 21, you are assigned to the brown one!" "Team 9, deal with the black one with white spots!"
He barked the orders one after another, each unit instantly moving into formation with practiced discipline.
Then, Hiruzen turned sharply, spotting the newest arrivals.
"Where is the Konoha Police Force?!" he shouted.
Several Uchiha appeared moments later, sliding into view from the rooftops.
Without hesitation, Hiruzen issued the final directive.
"You will handle the last three beasts. I expect swift containment." His eyes locked briefly with the lead Uchiha. There was no room for doubt or delay.
Finally, he addressed the rest of the Anbu.
"Everyone else, start perimeter sweeps. Search for anything suspicious. Look for clues, tags, or possible summoning remnants. And above all, make sure this chaos does not spread to the rest of the village."
Shinobi scattered in all directions, missions clear.
"Eagle. Hawk. Crow!"
Hiruzen's voice rang out with sharp authority.
Almost immediately, three Anbu appeared. One of them, wearing an eagle-shaped mask, dropped beside him from the nearby rooftop, kneeling in silence. The others followed suit, each bowing slightly as they awaited their orders.
Hiruzen wasted no time.
"You," he said, pointing to the one with the eagle mask. "Find Tsunade. Bring her here immediately."
The eagle-masked Anbu gave a silent nod before vanishing in a blur.
"You," he turned to the one with the hawk mask. "Go to the Nara Clan compound. Tell them to appear here."
"Yes, Lord Hokage." The second Anbu flickered out of sight without hesitation.
Finally, Hiruzen looked to the last masked shinobi. "Crow, inform the Hyuga Clan. Ask some to come here while others work with the Police Force to monitor the village."
The crow-masked shinobi gave a crisp salute before disappearing into the trees.
As the dust from the Anbu's departure settled, Hiruzen took a long breath, his mind already running several steps ahead.
He knew full well that the clans he had just summoned would not be eager to involve themselves in a situation that had originated near the Shimura clan. If anything, some of them might even feel a quiet satisfaction at Danzo's misfortune. Of course, none would let the village itself suffer. They were shinobi of Konoha, after all. But that did not mean their cooperation would come without reluctance.
Still, he gave the orders.
Like Calling the Nara meant more than just summoning a single clan. By extension, the Yamanaka and Akimichi would come too. The Ino–Shika–Chō alliance had stood for generations, and even now, in the face of chaos, that bond would ensure their presence. Whether they wanted to be involved or not, their duty as a unified support pillar of Konoha would compel them.
Watching from the rooftop, his eyes narrowed slightly as he saw his Anbu squads struggling to contain the chaos. It was clear they were doing their best, but the scale of the situation was growing rapidly. And being inside the village prevented them from going all out.
A part of him silently wished Jiraiya or Orochimaru were present. Either of them would have made a difference in turning the tide. Unfortunately, both were stationed at the borders, reinforcing patrols due to rising tensions with the Hidden Stone and Cloud.
And Tsunade... he sighed.
With the bitterness she still carried toward Danzo and the elders, she would not be eager to help, especially if it meant saving the Shimura clan.
Still, he had no choice but to call her.
For Konoha.
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A MURIM CHARACTER to rank kage level