"For the village?"
"Or for your own selfish desires?"
"Tell me, Ryoma—how has he harmed the interests of Konoha in any way?"
Uzumaki Mito's calm yet cutting words left Mitokado Homura and Koharu Utatane speechless.
"Elder Mito… this might all be a misunderstanding," Homura tried to smooth things over.
"Yes," Koharu quickly added. "Danzo only said he wanted to question Ryoma, but we never expected him to resist so violently—"
"Enough!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen swung the Adamantine Staff in a blur, the King Kong Ruyi Staff smashing squarely into Danzo's face.
Blood spattered, and the faint glint of teeth could be seen flying through the air.
Danzo's body crumpled like a discarded burlap sack, arcing through the air before slamming into the ground with a heavy thud, his condition uncertain.
"This time, Danzo is completely in the wrong—don't you dare defend him!" Hiruzen snapped. "Konoha has never had a rule allowing Root operatives to openly abduct someone on the street—let alone without due process!"
Turning toward Uzumaki Mito, Hiruzen's expression softened, his voice heavy with guilt. "Elder, this was a grave failure on my part. I… must give you, Ryoma, and the people of Konoha a proper explanation."
Homura and Koharu stiffened at the sudden pressure radiating from the Third Hokage.
The old monkey was furious.
That single blow had just shattered half the teeth in Danzo's mouth.
Uzumaki Mito exhaled sharply and retracted her Nine-Tails chakra cloak. In truth, that blow from Hiruzen—though it seemed devastating—had likely saved Danzo's life.
Ryoma stood quietly at the side, watching her with a mix of awe and amusement. The old lady's Nine-Tails Chakra Mode was incredibly imposing—like a female version of Naruto.
If Kushina ever learned it… now that would be something.
Ignoring Hiruzen for the moment, Mito looked at Ryoma warmly. "Ryoma, what do you think?"
"It's good that the Hokage-sama will investigate this thoroughly," Ryoma replied.
Koharu frowned, her tone impatient. "Then release them at once, Ryoma—they're all Konoha's elite."
Ryoma arched a brow. "The 'elite' of Konoha… attacking Konoha's own citizens?"
Koharu's face darkened. This boy… far too insolent. If it weren't for Uzumaki Mito's presence, she would have dragged him away already.
Homura suddenly moved toward the nearest masked Root operative, crouched, and checked his pulse.
"…Dead."
Koharu's eyes widened as she hurried over. "Dead?!"
Homura's expression was grim as he moved to the second body.
Also dead.
Hiruzen said nothing, but his face was set. All ten Root operatives lay motionless—lifeless.
Ryoma had shown no mercy.
While everyone had been focused on Danzo and Mito, Ryoma had quietly eliminated every single one of them.
"They're all… gone?" Koharu's voice trembled with anger.
Both she and Homura were livid. Among those killed were direct relatives—talented nephews from their own clans, once considered prime candidates for future leadership. Now, they were corpses.
Ryoma only offered a casual shrug. "Oh, I didn't notice. My bad."
"Ryoma, you are lawless! Killing people within Konoha—!" Koharu began.
"I acted in self-defense," Ryoma cut her off. "They tried to abduct me in broad daylight. What was I supposed to do—stand still and let them?"
He gave a slow sigh. "It's just an accident. A misunderstanding, really."
Both elders' faces twitched with rage, veins standing out at their temples.
Not long ago, they had used "accident" and "misunderstanding" to excuse Danzo's actions. Now, Ryoma had thrown their own words back at them.
"Ryoma," Koharu hissed, "watch your tongue."
Koharu Utatane jabbed a finger at Ryoma, her voice shaking with fury.
"You're outrageous—killing so many elite jōnin! Guards! Arrest him!"
But before her command could even be carried out, a massive tree root erupted from the ground, whipping upward with explosive force.
It caught Koharu squarely, sending her flying like a rag doll.
Blood sprayed from her mouth as her body traced an arc through the air—
—and crashed directly into Danzo's already battered frame.
"Ugh!"
Danzo let out a strangled cry before the impact knocked him unconscious again.
Ryoma's voice was calm, almost bored.
"Such language from a senior Konoha adviser… is this really the quality of our leadership?"
His expression didn't waver. He clearly didn't consider Koharu worth the slightest concern.
Senior adviser?
To him, that title meant nothing.
"You—!"
Homura Mitokado's first instinct was rage, but the moment he met Ryoma's gaze, the fire faltered. That look said everything—Ryoma feared no rank, no title, no political weight.
He would strike without hesitation, without deference.
Simply lawless.
Homura's eyes flicked toward Hiruzen, who, to his surprise, wore an almost… rueful smile. The Hokage clearly hadn't expected Ryoma to act the instant words were exchanged—striking with such force that no one even had time to react.
"Ryoma, that was going too far," Hiruzen said.
But before the weight of his words could settle, Uzumaki Mito's voice cut in, sharp and certain.
"I believe it was self-defense. He's only just awakened his kekkei genkai—when attacked, it's only natural to overreact and kill by accident, is it not?"
Her tone left little room for argument.
At this moment, she was deeply dissatisfied with all of them—Danzo, Koharu, Homura alike.
She wondered if Tobirama had made a grave mistake entrusting Konoha's future to these people.
Ryoma, on the other hand, she found herself admiring.
This was how one should stand their ground.
As for the ten Root operatives?
They were simply examples—chickens slain to warn the monkeys.