In the training grounds, Might Guy, who was training alone as usual, also heard the recent village-wide news. A smile appeared on his face.
He had initially thought that Uchiha Ryosuke was impulsive and reckless — someone who disrupted the peace of the village. But now, he realized that the earlier reports were misleading and incomplete. Ryosuke wasn't the one who broke the peace, but the one who stood up for what was right.
This realization greatly lifted Guy's spirits. His motivation to train increased even more.
His beliefs were simple: protecting the village means protecting its people. Sacrificing an innocent for so-called peace violated everything he stood for. His father had taught him the same — peace should never come at the expense of their own comrades.
Ryosuke had done the right thing. Guy had not misjudged him.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was livid. The truth behind the failed peace talks had reached his ears as well.
How did the truth get out!?
It completely tarnished his reputation. He knew deep down that his decision had moral flaws — but what other option did he have?
Kumogakure had acted with aggression and arrogance, threatening to restart the war. If that happened, the Leaf Village could suffer massive losses. Sacrificing one ninja seemed like a small price to pay to preserve peace.
In his view, it was the best — or perhaps the least terrible — option available.
Besides, he wasn't going to the frontlines himself. He hadn't fought in a war in years.
To make matters worse, his most trusted disciples were all gone:
Orochimaru had defected and betrayed the village — and was once his most prized student. Just the memory brought him pain.
Tsunade had succumbed to hemophobia (blood phobia) and was no longer even functioning as a ninja — practically a cripple.
Jiraiya had abandoned his responsibilities and was wandering the world instead of serving the village.
He had no capable successors left.
He bitterly reflected: If only he hadn't targeted Sakumo Hatake.
Back then, he merely wanted to curb Sakumo's rising influence and allowed villagers to gossip and undermine him.
He never expected Sakumo — the White Fang of the Leaf — to take it so personally and commit suicide.
Wasn't he too weak to be a true ninja if he couldn't handle such pressure?
The Hokage shook his head in disappointment.
Now, with this scandal, he suspected the leak came from either the Uchiha or the Hyūga clan. Either way, he was furious at both.
Just then, the door to the Hokage's office opened.
A man with his right face and right hand bandaged, leaning on a cane, walked in and sat down on the sofa without asking.
Hiruzen frowned deeply the moment he saw the man.
Shimura Danzō.
"What wind blew you in?"
Danzō, wearing a faint smirk, replied,
"The real reason behind the failed peace talks has already spread throughout the village. Naturally, I've heard of it too."
"I warned you earlier — we should've dealt with the Uchiha sooner. Then it wouldn't have come to this."
Indeed, both Hiruzen and Danzō had long worked together in secret to suppress the Uchiha's influence, gradually souring the villagers' opinion of them.
The Uchiha were powerful — and worse, ambitious. Some even whispered about them seeking the Hokage's seat. Neither Hiruzen nor Danzō would allow that.
Even if Hiruzen stepped down, Danzō was adamant that he should be the next Hokage — not an Uchiha.
Hiruzen, however, sighed inwardly at Danzō's usual obsession with violence.
"We can't make a move unless the Uchiha actually rebel. There has to be justification."
Danzō scoffed. "Rebellion is just a matter of time."
"The Uchiha clan will never truly submit to us," Danzō said coldly. "They are a massive powder keg."
"The longer we delay taking action, the greater the cost. It's better to act early — gather the strength of the whole village and wipe them out."
"Only by eliminating this unstable factor can we maintain stability in Konoha."
He recalled how Uchiha Madara once betrayed the village. His own teacher, the Second Hokage, had always been wary of the Uchiha, which was why he assigned them to the Konoha Military Police Force — a way to monitor and isolate them while appearing to grant authority.
But now the Uchiha weren't satisfied with just that. They had grown bolder, even coveting the position of Hokage.
That's why Danzō and Hiruzen Sarutobi had worked together for years to suppress the Uchiha's influence.
However, Hiruzen shook his head with clear disapproval.
Now was not the time to launch an offensive against the Uchiha. They were still too powerful, and a civil war would tear Konoha apart.
Besides, he had already successfully manipulated and indoctrinated two young Uchiha — Itachi and Shisui — bringing them under his ideological control. As long as they remained loyal, the Uchiha could be subdued from within.
The only obstacle was the wildcard: Uchiha Ryosuke.
Had things progressed as expected, he would have easily brought the entire Uchiha clan under control.
Starting a war now would be incredibly foolish.
If Konoha fell into disarray, what good would the Hokage title be to him? He would be cursed through history. How could he ever face the First and Second Hokage in the afterlife?
He shot Danzō a frustrated glare.
"If we attack them now, and the Cloud Village retaliates, are you going to fight them off?" he asked mockingly.
"Ryosuke provoked them, and chances are high that Kumogakure will come back seeking revenge."
Danzō's eyes narrowed. His expression soured.
Fight Cloud Village? That wasn't his style. Danzō preferred to operate in the shadows, manipulating others to do the dirty work.
"…Very well," he relented. "Let the Uchiha fight the Cloud ninja and wear themselves down. They'll be easier to handle afterward."
With that, he stood and left — without even a word of courtesy.
Hiruzen frowned. The man didn't even greet or excuse himself anymore. He had grown too arrogant, bolstered by the increasing power of Root, which was now a rival to the Anbu directly under the Hokage.
Perhaps he had given Danzō too much leeway over the years. But they were old comrades, and Danzō served as a useful dagger in the shadows — handling dirty work that the Hokage couldn't be seen doing.
Still, the old memories didn't erase the fact that Danzō once tried to have him assassinated.
Hiruzen took a deep breath and adjusted his mood.
He prayed that Ryosuke would go to the battlefield.
After all, this whole mess had started because of him.
If Ryosuke died in battle, he would be rid of the problem.
Then with Itachi and Shisui both under his sway, the rest of the Uchiha could be controlled — a good outcome for both the village and the clan.
Just outside the gates of Konoha, a rugged man with a strong build and scruffy beard stood, looking at the village with a warm smile.
"I, Sarutobi Asuma, have returned."
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