Inside the Hokage's Office in the Hokage Building.
The smoke lingering in the room never seemed to disperse, just like the anxiety and determination filling Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
He had just finished speaking with several senior jonin from Minato's faction, strengthening his resolve to cultivate Minato into the Fourth Hokage.
However, that determination was soon interrupted by an unwelcome visitor.
The office door was violently pushed open without even waiting for the guards to announce the visitor.
Leaning on his cane, Shimura Danzo strode inside with a face dark enough to drip water.
Within his single eye burned a strange mixture of righteous indignation and disappointment.
"Danzo?"
Hiruzen frowned.
He was displeased by his old friend and longtime rival's rude intrusion, especially when he had just finished planning Konoha's "bright future."
"What is it? I'm busy."
"Busy?"
Danzo's hoarse, sharp voice carried undisguised mockery.
"Busy paving the way for your 'Yellow Flash'? Busy destroying the stability Konoha has only just regained, Hiruzen?"
Hiruzen's face darkened.
"Danzo, watch your words!"
"Minato is also one of Konoha's heroes."
"He's young, talented, powerful, and loved by the villagers."
"He is an outstanding candidate to become the next Hokage."
"Promoting him is for the village's future."
"The village's future?"
Danzo slammed his cane onto the floor with a dull thud, cutting Hiruzen off.
"I think it's for your future, Hiruzen."
"For the future of your own faction's power!"
He stepped forward, staring directly into Hiruzen's eyes.
His words struck with the precision of a venomous snake.
"Uchiha Chiya has just achieved unparalleled merit for the village."
"He ended the war."
"His reputation has reached its peak."
"His strength is unfathomable."
"He is Konoha's true pillar and greatest deterrent."
"And yet, at a time like this, you're impatiently pushing forward Minato Namikaze, whose experience, reputation, and strength are all far inferior."
"What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with heartbroken condemnation.
"Are you trying to divide the people's support?"
"Are you trying to create internal conflict?"
"Do you want Konoha, which has only just survived a devastating war, to sink back into pointless internal struggles and political infighting?"
"This isn't thinking about the village!"
"You're disrupting Konoha's order!"
"You're shaking the very foundation of the village!"
Hiruzen's face turned pale with anger after Danzo's relentless accusations.
He abruptly stood up and glared back without yielding.
"Ridiculous!"
"Danzo, you're judging a gentleman with the heart of a villain!"
"Minato is also a hero of this war."
"His Flying Thunder God Technique crossed countless battlefields."
"He saved countless comrades. He intimidated countless enemies. He represents the inheritance of the Will of Fire. He represents Konoha's future beneath the sunlight."
"And Uchiha Chiya?"
Hiruzen's tone became heavier.
"His strength is indeed extraordinary but the Uchiha Clan's history and bloodline have always made them more likely to fall into extremes."
"Entrusting the village's future to one overwhelmingly powerful individual and a clan that has long had conflicts with Konoha is the greatest risk of all."
"What we need is balance."
"Stability."
"A leader who can unite every ninja under the Will of Fire."
"Minato is the ideal candidate."
"Balance? Stability?"
Danzo let out a piercing laugh filled with utter contempt for Hiruzen's shortsightedness.
"I think you've grown old, Hiruzen. So old that all you have left are political tricks and balancing games."
"You've forgotten what the village truly needs. In front of absolute power, your so-called balance is as fragile as paper."
He slowly inhaled, as though suppressing his rage, before speaking the cruelest words of all.
These were also the most logical attacks produced under Kotoamatsukami's subconscious guidance.
"You keep claiming everything is for the village."
"But the truth is..."
"You're afraid."
"You're afraid of Uchiha Chiya's power because it's beyond your control."
"You're afraid that if he becomes Hokage, your faction will lose all of its influence."
"So you hurriedly pushed Minato Namikaze forward."
"A man with a clean background."
"A man who is easy to control."
"A puppet."
Danzo's lone eye was as sharp as a blade.
It seemed determined to strip away every disguise Hiruzen possessed.
"You claim he's the best candidate?"
"But isn't the real reason that he's a commoner with no foundation? Without the Third Hokage's support, he could never firmly secure the position."
"You aren't choosing the Fourth Hokage. You're searching for an obedient spokesman."
"A puppet Hokage you can continue controlling from the shadows. You simply want to extend the era of Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"You're the truly selfish one. You're the one sacrificing the village's interests for yourself."
"That's enough!"
Hiruzen was completely enraged.
Danzo's words were like poisonous needles stabbing directly into the deepest corner of his heart, a place even he himself refused to face.
The veins on his forehead bulged as he slammed his palm onto the desk.
The force shook the pen holder and scattered several documents.
"Minato Namikaze is the finest young ninja I have ever seen! He carries the Will of Fire."
"He has ability. He has responsibility."
"I chose him because I believe he can lead Konoha toward a brighter future. There isn't the slightest bit of selfishness involved."
"Danzo!"
"Don't use your twisted way of thinking to judge everyone else!"
"No selfishness?"
Danzo did not retreat.
Instead, he met Hiruzen's furious gaze with a sneer.
"Then why are you in such a hurry?"
"The war has only just ended. The village still needs rebuilding."
"Uchiha Chiya has unmatched achievements. He has the support of the people."
"Even if you truly intended to cultivate Minato, why couldn't you do it gradually?"
"Why make such a grand spectacle?"
"Why use the Hokage's authority to forcibly build his reputation and create the seeds of division?"
"How do you think the Uchiha, who shed blood for this village during the war, will feel?"
"How do you think the ninjas and civilians who admire Chiya will react?"
"You're not protecting Konoha. You're planting the roots of future chaos."
"Everything I do is for Konoha's long-term stability."
Hiruzen's chest rose and fell violently.
His cold eyes left no room for doubt.
"The Uchiha's power must be balanced. This wisdom has been passed down since our teacher's time. I will never allow the village to walk toward an unknown danger."
"Balance?"
"I call it suppression. I call it internal conflict."
Danzo shouted back.
"Hiruzen. You've become exactly the kind of person you once hated."
"Obsessed with political schemes."
"Fearful of the strong."
"In order to maintain your ridiculous balance, you're willing to suppress the village's greatest hero and drag Konoha into endless internal struggles."
"You've disappointed me."
"The one who's disappointed should be me, Danzo!"
Hiruzen pointed toward the door.
His hand trembled with anger.
"I think Uchiha Chiya has frightened you out of your wits or perhaps he has bewitched you somehow!"
"You've completely abandoned right and wrong."
"You've turned black into white."
"Get out!"
"I don't want to see you anymore. My decision will never change because of your nonsense."
"Hopeless. Utterly foolish."
Danzo's face filled with overwhelming disappointment and righteous anger.
He let out a heavy snort.
"You'll pay the price for today's shortsightedness and selfishness, Hiruzen. Konoha's future must never be destroyed by a narrow-minded politician like you."
After saying those words, he turned around without another glance.
Leaning on his cane, he walked toward the exit, filled with righteous fury.
"Bang!"
The office door slammed shut with tremendous force.
The deafening sound echoed throughout the hallway.
Even the ANBU guards outside flinched in shock.
Inside the office...
Hiruzen remained standing where he was. His chest still rose and fell violently with anger.
His face was ashen.
He stared at the still trembling door, as though he could still see Danzo's face filled with accusation and betrayal.
"That bastard..."
He cursed under his breath.
Exhaustion mixed with fury, leaving him momentarily dizzy.
Slowly sitting back down, he rubbed his aching temples.
He simply could not understand why Danzo had become so unreasonable.
So...
Supportive of the Uchiha.
"Could it be... Has Danzo fallen under a genjutsu?"
The frightening thought flashed across his mind.
But he quickly forced himself to reject it.
"No..."
"Impossible..."
"How could Danzo..."
He would rather believe Danzo simply disagreed with his political ideals.
Or perhaps Danzo was merely jealous that he had chosen Minato instead of him.
As for the Uchiha...
There was absolutely no way they possessed such a terrifying genjutsu.
...
Meanwhile, Danzo walked down the cold hallway of the Hokage Building.
The furious expression on his face gradually faded.
It was replaced by deep, icy calm.
His lone eye quietly gleamed with rational thought.
The argument just now had appeared meaningless.
It had even looked like he had humiliated himself.
But in reality...
Everything had gone exactly according to plan.
His role was to publicly become the radical figure who had completely broken with the Third Hokage over conflicting ideals.
A man deeply worried about the village's future.
That confrontation had been a public declaration of their split.
It was meant for everyone secretly watching the Hokage Building.
It was also meant for every clan within Konoha.
At the same time, his fierce opposition and ruthless accusations had planted seeds deep inside Hiruzen's heart.
No matter how furious Hiruzen was now...
No matter how strongly he denied everything...
Those words would remain buried within his subconscious.
They would inevitably influence how he treated Minato in the future.
The slightest sign that Hiruzen was controlling Minato would immediately remind people of Danzo's accusations today.
Without realizing it, Hiruzen's future actions would become restricted.
But...
That alone was not enough.
Danzo never slowed his pace as he left the Hokage Building.
Instead of returning home, he headed in another direction.
There were still two more people he needed to meet.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
Soon afterward...
Inside a secret conference room with excellent soundproofing...
The two senior advisors of Konoha, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, had been urgently summoned by Danzo.
"Danzo. What happened that was so urgent?"
Homura adjusted his glasses as he looked at Danzo, whose expression still appeared gloomy.
Koharu also looked toward him with curiosity.
Danzo let out a heavy sigh.
His face displayed both heartbreaking disappointment and burning indignation.
Perfectly continuing the emotions he had shown moments earlier inside the Hokage's Office.
"Homura, Koharu."
"We've worked alongside Hiruzen for decades."
"I always believed that no matter how different our political views were, our ultimate goal was always Konoha's best interests."
His voice was low, carrying both hoarseness and disappointment.
"But today... I realized I may have been wrong. Hiruzen... may already have been blinded by power."
"He may even be willing to push the village to the edge of disaster."
Those words were incredibly serious.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane immediately became solemn.
"What exactly happened, Danzo? Explain it clearly."
Koharu urged.
Danzo took a deep breath before beginning his embellished "report."
"I just came from the Hokage's Office. Hiruzen and I had a huge argument."
He paused, as though trying to calm his emotions.
"I questioned him."
"Why was he in such a hurry, right after the war when people's hearts were still unsettled, to pour so many resources into promoting Minato Namikaze?"
"Why did he have to elevate Minato's achievements above those of Uchiha Chiya, the man who ended the war?"
"Wasn't he afraid of provoking the Uchiha Clan's dissatisfaction and dividing the village?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances.
The two of them had also been somewhat concerned about that issue.
However, out of trust in the Third Hokage, they had never looked into it further.
"How did Hiruzen answer?"
Homura asked.
"His answer?"
Danzo let out a cold laugh, his single eye filled with mockery.
"He refused to listen to any advice. He said the Uchiha's power was dangerous and needed to be restrained."
"He said Minato was the true inheritor of the Will of Fire. He claimed everything was for Konoha's long-term stability."
Danzo's voice suddenly rose, filled with indignation.
"Those were nothing but excuses! I exposed him to his face."
"I asked whether he feared Uchiha Chiya's power. Whether he was afraid of losing his authority."
"Whether that was why he was so eager to push forward Minato Namikaze, a commoner with no background and no political foundation."
"Someone easy to control. A puppet Hokage. So that Hiruzen himself could continue controlling Konoha from the shadows."
Homura and Koharu's expressions changed immediately.
That accusation was far too serious.
"Danzo, you can't say something like that without proof."
Koharu quickly said.
"Without proof?"
Danzo slammed his cane against the floor.
"Do you know how he reacted?"
"He flew into a rage. He pointed at me and told me to get out."
"He even said... He said I had accepted benefits from the Uchiha."
"He claimed I'd been bewitched by them."
Danzo displayed just the right amount of grief and indignation, as though he had been terribly wronged.
"I, Shimura Danzo, may use harsh methods but every single thing I do is for Konoha."
"The reason I don't support Minato Namikaze is because I can see the truth."
"Only someone with Uchiha Chiya's absolute strength and prestige can truly protect Konoha in this dangerous ninja world."
"Only he can keep the village united and maintain its deterrence."
"Not like Hiruzen."
"He's creating division for the sake of his so-called balance and political games. He's suppressing the village's greatest hero."
Danzo looked at his two old comrades.
His tone became sincere and heavy.
"Homura, Koharu."
"We've known each other for decades."
"Think carefully hasn't Hiruzen's recent behavior been unusual?"
"The war has just ended. Shouldn't this be the time to comfort the heroes and unite every available strength?"
"So why is he pushing Minato into the spotlight with such urgency... and even suppressing Uchiha Chiya's reputation?"
"Is that really what a rational Hokage should be doing?"
"This..."
Homura hesitated, his brows deeply furrowed.
Koharu also fell into deep thought.
Danzo continued pressing the issue. His voice dropped even lower, as though he were sharing a terrible secret.
"I even suspect... That the pressure during the latter stages of the war changed Hiruzen."
"He's become extremely insecure. He trusts only the people from his own faction."
"And... He can no longer tolerate any powerful force that exists beyond his control."
"What he's doing now isn't cultivating a successor. He's searching for a puppet who can continue extending his own power."
His words were half true and half false. Yet they were extraordinarily persuasive.
He cleverly linked Hiruzen's actions to selfish ambition, loss of control, and an unstable state of mind.
The words deeply affected Homura and Koharu.
As the Hokage's advisors, their greatest responsibility was maintaining the village's stability and ensuring the Hokage made sound decisions.
If the Hokage himself was making choices that threatened Konoha's unity because of personal motives...
Then they had no choice but to remain vigilant.
Silence filled the meeting room.
Homura and Koharu's expressions became increasingly grim. They had already found the Third Hokage's urgency somewhat puzzling.
Now that Danzo had seemingly torn away the curtain and connected everything to ideas like controlling a puppet and losing emotional balance...
Dissatisfaction and suspicion toward Hiruzen quietly began taking root.
Although they would not immediately accept Danzo's version of events...
A seed of doubt had already been planted. From now on, whenever they watched Hiruzen continue supporting Minato...
They would inevitably view every decision through eyes filled with suspicion.
Danzo watched the subtle changes in their expressions.
Deep within his lone eye, a trace of satisfaction flashed unnoticed.
The plan was progressing step by step. His goal was to drive a wedge between Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu.
To create cracks and suspicion within their own ranks and to create better conditions for the Uchiha...
Or perhaps even for Uchiha Chiya...
To one day ascend to the position of Hokage.
"Sigh..."
Danzo let out one final heavy sigh. His face was filled with sorrow.
"I hope my concerns are unnecessary. But for Konoha's sake..."
"We must remain vigilant."
"Perhaps... We need to pay much closer attention to Lord Hokage's decisions from now on."
Neither Homura nor Koharu spoke.
Yet their silence itself was an answer.
The atmosphere inside the meeting room became subtle and heavy.
"Oh, right. The war may be over but that's all. The Four Great Nations have sent ceasefire agreements."
"But surrender documents..."
Danzo spoke calmly as he slowly stood up.
His meaningful gaze swept across the two of them.
"We haven't seen a single one. That isn't a good sign."
"Perhaps... They're buying time as well."
"Perhaps they're deliberately waiting..."
"For Konoha... to destroy itself through internal conflict."
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