Inside the Hokage's office.
After Sora left, Sarutobi Hiruzen's gentle expression gradually faded, becoming deep and thoughtful.
He tapped on the desk, and a black shadow silently appeared in the corner of the office.
"Go retrieve the detailed records of Green Snake's mission this time, including the information of the mission issuer."
"Yes."
The shadow responded and vanished instantly.
Not long after, a mission scroll and a personnel file appeared on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.
He first picked up the mission scroll. His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw the issuer's codename character "Ranuki."
He then opened the file of "Ranuki" and carefully examined it.
The file was very clean, the career history clear, with no issues at all.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen's intuition told him this "Ranuki" was problematic.
'This codename is unfamiliar, I haven't paid much attention to it before. But why did he issue this solo mission precisely when all members of Sora's team were unavailable for missions?'
Doubts arose in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart. His many years as Hokage made him particularly sensitive to this kind of "coincidence."
'Danzo. Is this your person?'
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed inwardly, feeling a surge of weariness and anger.
He understood Danzo's dedication to the village's security, but this kind of internal strife was something he absolutely could not tolerate.
Especially reaching into the Anbu, this had already crossed his bottom line.
But just as he had thought earlier when facing Sora, Sarutobi Hiruzen still made the same decision.
He summoned an Anbu member again.
"Keep an eye on 'Ranuki.' Report to me immediately if there is any unusual activity," Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered.
"Yes!"
"Also, send a squad to the Land of Grass valley to investigate the scene. Be discreet."
"Understood!"
The Anbu member accepted the orders and left.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his chair, took a deep puff of his pipe, and slowly exhaled.
Amidst the swirling smoke, his gaze grew profound.
'That child Sora. He is more extraordinary than I imagined.'
To escape from the coordinated attack of four elite Root members, even with the Iwa-nin disturbance, was by no means easy.
'His strength is probably more than what he has shown.'
A flash of sharp light appeared in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.
But he did not intend to investigate deeply.
As long as Sora felt a sense of belonging to Konoha and was willing to fight for Konoha, it was fine for him to have some secrets.
'After all, he is the young person I value most, after Minato and Kushina.'
Sarutobi Hiruzen recalled Sora's performance at the Ninja Academy, and the bonds he shared with Kurenai, Asuma, and others. A slight smile appeared on his face.
'Bonds. They are the best shackles.'
He believed that by giving Sora enough trust and care, this child would certainly become a pillar supporting the protection of Konoha.
'As for Danzo.'
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes turned cold.
"His reach has gotten a bit too long. It's time for a trim."
The office fell into silence again. Only the glowing embers in the pipe flickered in the darkness.
.....
Just as Sora, dragging his "severely injured" body, returned to the orphanage.
Deep within the Root base.
Danzo sat behind his desk, listening expressionlessly to his subordinate's report.
"So, that brat came back alive?"
"Yes, Danzo-sama. Confirmed just now through our eyes at the village gate. Green Snake has returned and went directly to the Hokage Building."
Danzo's fingers lightly tapped on the desk. A flicker of coldness passed through his eyes.
'Four elites, including two Jonin, actually couldn't capture a seven-year-old brat.'
He felt both shocked and furious inside, but more than that, a kind of indescribable desire.
'This talent. This power. If it could be used for me.'
But soon, he suppressed this thought.
The priority now was damage control.
Danzo ordered coldly:
"Immediately send people to the Land of Grass valley. Get there before the Anbu and clean up all traces that might point to Root."
"Yes!"
"Also, have 'Ranuki' prepare himself. He has likely already been exposed."
Saying this, a trace of pain flashed in Danzo's eyes.
"Ranuki" was a pawn he had planted within the Anbu at great cost, holding the highest position and being the most useful.
This time, to capture Sora alive, he had to use this card.
In his envisioned scenario, Sora should have been smoothly captured and brought back to Root, from then on wearing a mask and becoming his tool, essentially a dead end with no proof.
Moreover, the mission information issued by "Ranuki" was genuine, so it shouldn't have affected him.
But he never expected that Sora could actually escape from the hands of an elite squad. Not only was the objective not achieved this time, but he also lost personnel. It was truly a double loss.
...
One week later, the Hokage's office.
Sora once again stood before Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This past week, he had lived quite comfortably, resting and recuperating peacefully at the orphanage while continuing to develop the abilities of the Azure Dragon Fruit.
Sarutobi Hiruzen asked in a gentle, concerned tone:
"How is your recovery from the injuries going?"
"Thank you for your concern, Hokage-sama. It's much better now."
Sora answered respectfully, with an appropriately fearful expression on his face.
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded, his expression turning serious:
"Regarding the attack on you during your last mission, the investigation has results."
"After investigation, the Anbu member 'Ranuki' who issued that mission had long been colluding with other ninja villages, intending to undermine Konoha's internal stability. He has confessed and is now imprisoned awaiting trial."
Sora lowered his head, inwardly sneering.
'As expected, find a scapegoat to take all the blame. "Colluding with other ninja villages," huh? He was probably already disposed of by Root.'
As a transmigrator, he understood too well the modus operandi of Danzo and the "Root."
At times like these, sacrificing a pawn to save the king was the most common tactic.
Sora put on an expression of "sudden realization" and "righteous indignation":
"So that's what happened! That traitor!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Sora's reaction with satisfaction and continued:
"As for those ninja who attacked you, based on the on-site investigation, they should have been forces from outside villages that 'Ranuki' colluded with. Fortunately, the Iwa pursuit force appeared in time, giving you a chance to escape."
He paused, his tone intensifying:
"This matter ends here. The village will strengthen internal review to ensure similar incidents do not happen again."
'Ends here? Hah, easy for you to say.'
Sora sneered inwardly. Danzo remained unscathed, having only lost a pawn, while he, the victim, had to accept this result gratefully.
But on the surface, he wore an expression of profound gratitude:
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, for upholding justice for me! I believe under Hokage-sama's leadership, Konoha will definitely become better and better!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded approvingly:
"It's good that you think this way. Remember, Konoha is your home. We will all protect you."
After exchanging a few more words of care, Sarutobi Hiruzen let Sora leave.
Walking out of the Hokage Building, Sora looked back, his eyes complex.
'Indeed, being weak is the original sin. Clearly knowing who is behind this, yet having to play along with the act.'
He recalled Danzo's various actions in the original story and Sarutobi Hiruzen's tolerance of them.
'In the end, in the eyes of these people, I am ultimately just an outsider. Valuable, but not worth them truly breaking face over.'
'But it's fine. This is actually good.'
Sora clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within his body.
When he fully mastered the Azure Dragon Fruit and opened the higher gates of the Eight Gates...
At that time, it wouldn't be Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others choosing how to treat Sora, but Sora choosing how to treat Konoha.
That would be the true reversal of offense and defense!
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