"What exactly are you trying to do, Hiruzen?!"
The mont Nara Shikaku stepped out with his usual expression of "please continue without " and skillfully shut the office door behind him, Danzō's furious roar imdiately exploded through the room.
"Hiruzen, you are the Hokage. In front of the village shinobi, naturally we couldn't openly refute you and damage your authority."
"But just now, your actions were far too arbitrary."
Konoha advisor Homura Mitokado also turned his gaze toward Hiruzen.
The unfriendly look behind his glasses made his stance perfectly clear.
"As for Kirigakure, how could you possibly send the current Hatake Kakashi to handle—"
"Alright, alright, old friends. There's no need to be so angry."
Clearly, the Third Hokage had already expected this discussion.
He pressed both hands downward in a calming gesture and only slowly began speaking after everyone quieted slightly.
"I understand your concerns."
"Kirigakure is, after all, one of the great hidden villages. They likely already learned about the Uchiha clan massacre."
"They know exactly what happened."
"Correct."
Koharu Utatane imdiately continued the point.
"But we still don't understand why you insisted on sending Hatake Kakashi at a ti like this."
"He possesses a Sharingan as well. Aren't you worried Kirigakure will seize upon that issue?"
"Right now, Konoha has already lost one of its major clans. Our military strength is severely weakened."
"The last thing we need is to provoke Kirigakure over sothing as simple as delivering a notice."
The Third Hokage listened quietly while slowly packing tobacco into his pipe.
The smoke drifting through the room temporarily interrupted the discussion, as though he intentionally wanted everyone to calm down first.
Everyone else was manageable.
But Danzō—who had spent the entire eting getting ignored every ti he tried getting angry—felt absolutely miserable.
In his eyes, Hiruzen was clearly using the Shisui matter to suppress him deliberately.
And combined with the fact that Root failed to recover many Uchiha corpses earlier tonight, Danzō currently carried a stomach full of resentnt with nowhere to vent it.
Most importantly—
He couldn't understand where Hiruzen's confidence was coming from.
"Alright."
After slowly smoking for what felt like ages while the office gradually filled with smoke, Hiruzen finally nodded thoughtfully.
"I understand both of your concerns."
Then he turned toward Danzō.
"So then…"
"What wisdom does our honorable Hokage Advisor Danzō-sama have to offer?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances.
Hiruzen's tone practically scread sarcasm now.
Had sothing happened between him and Danzō?
anwhile, Danzō inwardly cursed Hiruzen countless tis before finally suppressing his rage enough to speak.
"After the Third Shinobi War, Konoha ford an alliance with Sunagakure."
"anwhile, Kirigakure isolated itself from the outside world due to internal turmoil."
"This incident is an opportunity."
Danzō's voice remained calm and analytical.
"I originally intended to use this chance to explore whether Konoha and Kirigakure could also establish an alliance."
"If successful, the entire balance of the ninja world would shift."
"Kumogakure and Iwagakure would imdiately fall into a disadvantageous position and would be forced to stop harassing Konoha's borders."
To be fair—
As Hokage Advisor, Danzō truly possessed impressive strategic vision.
Though most of his proposals usually carried hidden personal motives, if Konoha genuinely ford alliances with two other great hidden villages—
Then the nation perpetually trapped between enemy fronts would suddenly gain unmatched strategic safety.
Even the two advisors nodded repeatedly.
Hiruzen also understood Danzō's aning and silently gestured for him to continue.
"Thus, Kirigakure's current losses are an extrely valuable diplomatic opportunity."
"As long as Konoha expresses willingness to compensate for so of those losses, Kirigakure will understand our goodwill."
"And among my subordinates, I have soone especially skilled in such negotiations."
"It's not too late yet."
"Let him replace Kakashi—"
"I understand."
The Third Hokage calmly interrupted him once more.
"If Kirigakure truly possesses intentions of alliance, then naturally that would be excellent."
"But there's no need to change personnel."
"I trust Kakashi will make the proper judgnts."
"After all…"
Hiruzen slowly tapped ash from his pipe.
"The primary purpose of this mission is rely delivering the missing-nin notices."
"Not diplomacy."
"But at a ti like this, Konoha is sending Hatake Kakashi—a shinobi with a Sharingan."
Danzō's voice lowered dangerously.
"Don't you think that's inappropriate?"
And unconsciously, everyone present recalled the overwhelming killing intent Kakashi emitted earlier upon entering the room.
Anyone inford understood he was rely delivering notices.
Anyone uninford would assu Konoha sent him to challenge Kirigakure directly.
"I trust Kakashi's judgnt."
Hiruzen calmly answered.
"He won't provoke Kirigakure because of sothing like this."
"And besides…"
"If Kirigakure truly chooses to make trouble over such a trivial issue, then that rely proves they never intended alliance in the first place."
"He has always known his limits."
"There's no need to worry."
"But—"
"There are no 'buts.'"
"Still—"
"There are no 'stills.'"
The Third Hokage shook his head and cut Danzō off completely.
For one of the rare tis in recent years, genuine decisiveness appeared upon his aged face.
"Kakashi is the most suitable candidate."
"This discussion is over."
"You—!"
Danzō nearly choked from rage.
And by now, everyone present clearly understood sothing.
The Third Hokage was completely serious this ti.
Such uncompromising determination was incredibly rare for Hiruzen Sarutobi, who usually resolved discussions through compromise and retreat.
The two advisors imdiately chose silence after realizing the atmosphere had shifted.
"Your decision is utterly foolish. I—"
"Watch your tone, Danzō!"
To everyone's shock, the Third Hokage suddenly shouted sharply.
"Right now…"
Hiruzen's gaze turned icy.
"I am still the Hokage."
At this point, Hiruzen had entirely abandoned reason and was simply suppressing Danzō through authority.
Even the two advisors exchanging looks nearby appeared genuinely stunned.
"... Fine."
"Fine!"
Danzō's body trembled with fury.
"You'll regret this eventually!"
After throwing down those final harsh words, Danzō violently slamd the door open and stord out.
The force nearly startled Shikaku, who stood guard outside.
Watching Danzō's furious retreating figure, Shikaku remained frozen montarily.
How long had it been since he last saw such a forceful Third Hokage?
Compared to Danzō, however, the two advisors understood the atmosphere better.
Realizing the matter had already been settled beyond discussion, they quietly chose to excuse themselves and leave as well.
Naturally, they still gave a few obligatory reminders.
But for the current Third Hokage—
Those words simply entered one ear and exited the other.
Because—
Among everyone present—
Hiruzen himself understood better than anyone that Danzō's analysis actually contained nothing fundantally wrong.
Everything he proposed possessed logic and justification.
Yet none of that could change Hiruzen's decision.
Because the reason he selected Kakashi this ti was only one thing—
Hatake Kakashi…
Was the disciple of Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze.
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