Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat in silence, his body weighed down by exhaustion. The past few days had stolen too much from him—his wife, his chosen successor Minato, and Kushina, the village's Jinchūriki. All gone in a single battle. And with them, hundreds of chūnin and dozens of jōnin had also fallen.
Just letting the memories surface sent him spiraling. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to endure. He could not afford to falter. As the acting Hokage once more, he had to stand tall before the village. If he showed weakness, the people's shaken faith might collapse entirely, plunging Konoha into chaos.
He exhaled a long, weary sigh.
'If only the Uchiha clan had arrived when they should have… perhaps the casualties would not have been so severe.'
His jaw tightened. 'And Danzo… that bastard. Acting on his own, sending Root to block the Uchiha instead of uniting them with us. If they had fought alongside us, the battle might have turned differently. Minato might not have needed to sacrifice himself. Kushina might still be alive.'
Hiruzen thought further.
'But then again… Sharingan flickering in the Kyūbi's eyes is damning proof. I can't fault Danzo entirely for being cautious. Even so… I need to keep him on a tighter leash.'
His gaze darkened. 'As for the Uchiha… they must be investigated. Was this negligence? A silent act of rebellion? Or do they truly know nothing? Until I uncover the truth, I can't decide their fate.'
"Who's there?"
With a soft whoosh, an ANBU flickered into the office, dropping to one knee.
"Third Hokage," the masked shinobi said.
Hiruzen's voice was calm, but firm. "Call the advisors here at once. And summon Clan Head Fugaku… two hours from now."
"Yes, Third Hokage." With another blur of motion, the ANBU vanished.
Silence reclaimed the room. Hiruzen reached for his pipe, lit it with steady hands, and drew in the smoke. The bitter taste grounded him, but his mind did not ease.
'And then… there's Naruto.'
Minato's last act weighed heavily in his heart. He did the village a great service, sealing the Kyūbi into his own son. But what a burden to place on a newborn child.
The smoke curled from his lips, vanishing into the dim light of the office.
Hiruzen stood by the window, smoke curling from his pipe as he gazed at the village beyond. The silence of the office shattered when the door slammed open.
Danzo strode in, his cane striking the floor with every step. His one visible eye fixed on Hiruzen with its usual sharpness.
"Hiruzen," he said curtly, "what did you call me here for?"
Without waiting for an answer, he lowered himself into his usual seat opposite the Hokage's desk.
Hiruzen let out a quiet sigh, exhaling smoke. "Danzo, wait until Homura and Koharu arrive. Then we'll begin."
Danzo hmphed, turning his head aside. He offered no further words.
Not long after, the door opened once more. Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane stepped inside, their faces drawn with fatigue. They each gave Hiruzen a weary nod of greeting before settling into their seats at the council table.
Hiruzen returned to his chair and folded his hands atop the desk. His voice was steady, authoritative.
"Now that everyone is here… what is the current status of the village?"
Homura spoke first, his tone clipped. "The wounded are overflowing in the hospitals. We've mobilized all available medics, but supplies are stretched thin."
Koharu continued, her voice quieter but no less sharp. "Repairs are underway in the civilian sectors. Morale is shaken, but the villagers are clinging to the image of stability. Having a living hokage helped a lot."
Hiruzen nodded gravely, then turned his gaze toward Danzo.
Danzo's single eye gleamed coldly. "Root is sweeping for spies who might try to slip out and spread word of the attack. At the very least, we must slow the leak of information and control the narrative ourselves."
Hiruzen studied him for a moment, then inclined his head. "In this matter… I will trust your expertise."
The faintest trace of satisfaction crossed Danzo's face.
Hiruzen's expression hardened as he leaned forward, pipe resting in his hand.
"Now… let's talk about the Uchiha. During the attack, the Kyūbi was seen with Sharingan in its eyes. That implies someone was controlling it. Possibly the masked man who fought Minato… but it could just as easily have been another Uchiha. What should we do about this?"
The room fell into tense silence before Homura spoke first, his tone pragmatic and sharp. "At the very least, we cannot ignore the suspicion. The Sharingan's involvement is clear. We should keep them under strict observation until their innocence—or guilt—is determined."
Koharu frowned, her voice laced with caution. "If we move too forcefully, we risk pushing them into isolation… or worse, rebellion. The clan is proud, and they already feel slighted after being blamed for arriving late. We should proceed carefully, but ensure we are the ones controlling the narrative."
Danzo's eye narrowed, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "We should act decisively. Place the Uchiha under surveillance, restrict their movements, and confine them where we can keep them contained. They are dangerous as a group, and leaving them free will only invite disaster later. Delay will cost us."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, setting his pipe aside.
"I agree… the Uchiha must be monitored. But we will speak with Fugaku when he arrives. If they truly betrayed the village, then action will be taken. For now, I'd rather not push them into open rebellion without proof."
Homura and Koharu exchanged a glance, then nodded in agreement.
Danzo's lips thinned, his eye narrowing as if to argue. But he knew the timing was against him—he was already under scrutiny. With visible restraint, he gave a curt nod.
Hiruzen's gaze hardened, turning on him fully. "Now then, Danzo. Explain why Root did not participate in the battle. If they had joined forces with us, alongside the Uchiha—even under suspicion—we could have ended it sooner. Minato and Kushina might still be alive. If you had informed me, or Minato, before acting on your own, we could have coordinated a proper plan."
Danzo's cane struck the ground with a sharp crack. His voice rang out, harsh and unyielding.
"I did what I had to! If the Uchiha were given the chance, they would have struck from behind. We would have been annihilated! Everything I did—everything—was for the village!"
The words echoed in the chamber, heavy with conviction.
Homura broke the silence first. "Hiruzen, what's done is done. We can't say which path would have been better. At the very least, there were no unexpected variables in the middle of the battle."
Hiruzen's brows furrowed, but after a moment he gave a reluctant nod. "Very well. But, Danzo, you acted without the Fourth Hokage's permission. For that, Root's funding will be cut in half. One more reckless move, and I will disband Root entirely."
Danzo's grip on his cane tightened until his knuckles whitened. His single eye burned with defiance, but after a tense pause, he gave a stiff nod.