Hearing Homura Mitokado's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo exchanged glances. This was not the time for the two of them to argue.
"It seems like a serious matter for both Advisors to come in person," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a slight pause, then chuckled.
"Of course, it's a serious matter! The Mist Ninja Village is demanding an explanation from us, and if it weren't for their inquiry, we still wouldn't know what happened!"
"The head of an entire clan died at Konoha's hands, such a significant event, why weren't we informed?!" Homura Mitokado looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo with dissatisfaction, his tone somewhat hostile.
"It's just a mere Kirigakure. Aren't both Advisors making too much of a fuss?" Danzo snorted lightly, his voice deep.
Hearing Danzo's words, Homura Mitokado turned his head directly, staring at Danzo, and said coldly, "Don't tell me you don't know about the bounty the Mist Ninja Village issued half a month ago."
"The content of that bounty alone proves Kinoshita Yoshiro's importance to the Mist Ninja Village. Danzo, do you think I don't know that Root members were out of the Village recently?"
Utatane Koharu, who had been standing beside Homura Mitokado without speaking, now spoke in a stiff tone, "On our way here, we already questioned Iruka, and we have a general understanding of the situation."
"Our relationship with the Mist Ninja Village, though not good, has been peaceful. If this incident deteriorates the relationship between Konoha and the Mist Ninja Village, who will take responsibility?!"
Feeling the gazes of Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, Danzo's face darkened.
Even if he didn't want to admit it now, he had to say that he was most likely responsible for this matter. After all, it wasn't the first time he had done something like this.
However, none of the Root Ninja he dispatched had returned, so Danzo didn't have much information and couldn't even make a basic judgment.
"It's hard to make a definitive judgment until Kakashi wakes up," Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flickered slightly. He took a few deep puffs from his pipe, looked at Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, and said with a smile.
The few people present had known each other for most of their lives, and they could probably tell what was on each other's minds at a glance.
Danzo pressed down hard on his cane, looked at Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu, and said in a cold tone, "Although the Mist Ninja Village matter is difficult to handle, it's probably not a big problem for the two of you, so there's no need to beat around the bush."
Exposed by Danzo, Homura Mitokado showed no embarrassment, still saying calmly, "As far as I know, Kinoshita Yoshiro handed a scroll to your Root people before he died. I wonder if it can be brought out?"
What?! Hiruzen Sarutobi's face showed surprise; he didn't know about this matter.
"Before coming here, I specifically went to the hospital and got a lot of useful information from a Genin named Sakura Haruno."
"Iruka is indeed a good teacher, but he's not very good at gathering intelligence," Utatane Koharu said with a smile, seemingly sensing Hiruzen Sarutobi's surprise.
After hearing Utatane Koharu's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face turned somewhat ugly. However, before Hiruzen Sarutobi could speak, Danzo's voice already sounded.
"The scroll isn't with me. It's not hard to check if the Root Ninja have returned, but now that I think about it, they're probably dead."
Danzo's eyes narrowed slightly. Although it was only fragments of information, Danzo had already analyzed the general situation.
For a moment, the entire Hokage Office became quiet.
"Who did it?" Homura Mitokado asked in a low voice.
"Sand Ninja Village, Cloud Ninja, Stone Ninja, or other small Ninja Villages?" Utatane Koharu's tone was somewhat hostile.
Danzo's words didn't sound false. If it was true, then the Root Ninja were attacked by other Ninja Villages.
As for the Mist Ninja Village, it was the first one to be ruled out by the four people present. After all, who would use a clan head as bait?
The bounty on Kinoshita Yoshiro had been issued for more than half a month, and Kakashi's team's mission was temporary.
Unless someone in the Mist Ninja Village could foresee the future, the possibility of it being the Mist Ninja Village was almost negligible.
More importantly, the current strength of the Mist Ninja Village could be said to be on par with the Sand Ninja Village. With such strength, even Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't believe the Mist Ninja Village would dare to provoke Konoha.
"Only Kakashi has a general understanding of this matter. Until Kakashi wakes up, I'll temporarily trouble both Advisors with the negotiations with the Mist Ninja Village."
A trace of worry flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. For some reason, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a very bad premonition deep in his heart.
Homura Mitokado and Utatane Koharu exchanged glances. They had heard the meaning of a dismissal from Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth.
"Until this matter is completely clarified, Hiruzen, Danzo, both of you need to take responsibility for this," Utatane Koharu said coldly, then turned and left with Homura Mitokado.
"A mere Mist Ninja Village makes these two so constrained. It seems they've truly grown old!" Seeing the two leave, Danzo let out a dissatisfied cold snort!
So much time had passed since the Third Ninja World War, and the strength of each Ninja Village had almost recovered.
In Danzo's eyes, the next Ninja World War could break out at any time. Before the war breaks out, constantly weakening the strength of other Ninja Villages was the right path.
"For this period, Root should best not make any moves. Also, regarding the Jinchuriki, don't mention it again in the future," Hiruzen Sarutobi said calmly a moment later, with his pipe in his mouth.
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo's face turned somewhat ugly. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi was using the Mist Ninja Village incident to bargain with him.
Whether Kinoshita Yoshiro was killed by his people or not, Danzo had already taken the blame for now, because he was the Root buried underground.
"Alright, but Hiruzen, you're still too soft-hearted!" Danzo said coldly, then turned and walked out the door.
Watching Danzo leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed softly. He naturally understood the meaning of Danzo's words.
Based on the strength the Mist Ninja Village had shown in recent years, it couldn't be compared with Konoha. Konoha could completely disregard the pressure from the Mist Ninja Village.
However, Danzo's clandestine actions were becoming increasingly reckless. Danzo probably wanted to do the same thing this time, but he was intercepted by Ninja from who knows where.
"Is it truly correct to entrust Root to Danzo? And recently, the Ninja World seems to be a bit restless…" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, a worried expression on his face.