"Look what you've done..."
"Because of your actions, you've caused such chaos throughout the village..."
"Even during a battle, was it necessary to be so destructive? Look at Might Guy - he's confined to a hospital bed. It will take at least a week for him to recover his full strength. And Kakashi Hatake is in even worse condition. He hasn't even regained consciousness yet..."
"The Anbu have inspected Training Ground 19. Though the fire has been extinguished, the area is completely ruined. It's beyond repair!"
"I suspect the destruction of several other training grounds in the village was also your doing!"
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, angrily slammed his hand on the desk, his fury evident.
Shihouin Naraku stood nearby with curled lips. The Hokage was right - he was indeed responsible for the other abandoned training grounds as well.
"Splendid! One battle caused so much trouble."
"Now, tell me what should be done about this mess!"
Hiruzen shoved a document toward Shihouin Naraku, demanding he acknowledge the damage he had caused.
"Well, Hokage-sama, you can't place all the blame on me," Naraku responded.
"It was merely a battle. How could I have known the consequences would be this severe? Besides, the village's reaction was somewhat excessive. If a real war broke out, who knows what state we'd be in now."
Shihouin Naraku spread his hands with a helpless expression, portraying himself as a victim of circumstance.
"Hmph!"
Hiruzen snorted, though part of his dissatisfaction was indeed directed at the village's reaction.
Just as Shihouin Naraku suggested, if an enemy were to launch a genuine attack on the village, judging by their performance this time, it would be a complete disaster.
One couldn't claim such an event was impossible. Although others didn't possess Shihouin Naraku's knowledge of the future, the entire shinobi world had never known true peace. Intrigue always existed between the major powers. If something serious were to happen, regret would come too late.
"Let's set that aside for now. Your work isn't finished yet."
Hiruzen showed Shihouin Naraku no leniency as he issued his punishment directly: "The training ground is in ruins, and you'll cover the repair costs yourself.
Also, once Kakashi's condition stabilizes, you'll be assigned missions outside the village. You won't be staying within Konoha indefinitely."
"No problem."
Shihouin Naraku agreed without hesitation. This punishment amounted to almost nothing. The cost of repairing the training ground was insignificant. After managing the medical emergency class for so long, he had accumulated a substantial amount of money.
This clemency clearly showed that Hiruzen still favored him.
...
"Bang!"
Danzō Shimura stomped his cane forcefully, his eye nearly bulging with anger.
"Hiruzen is being soft-hearted again. Shihouin Naraku caused extensive damage and sent the entire village into a panic."
"And you let him off so easily?"
"That's not punishment. He's protecting Shihouin Naraku."
It was evident that Danzō was extremely displeased with how Hiruzen had handled the situation.
"That's not entirely fair," Homura Mitokado spoke up in defence of Shihouin Naraku. He looked seriously at Danzō and said, "Might Guy also stated that it was originally just the three of them sparring, though things got a bit out of hand."
"Besides, they represent the backbone of our village. Punishing them too harshly would be counterproductive. They are Konoha's future and will support the village's development in the years to come."
Koharu Utatane nodded in agreement. As long as their interests remained unharmed, both elders were willing to see Konoha prosper.
The strength possessed by Shihouin Naraku was an asset to Konoha. The more powerful shinobi they had, the faster the village would develop, which was beneficial for everyone.
"Hmph!"
Finding that his two old colleagues wouldn't support him, Danzō could only snort coldly and turn away.
Koharu frowned and said with concern, "Danzō still hasn't abandoned his ambitions? He's truly unsuited to be Hokage!"
"He will give up eventually," Homura said calmly. "If he goes too far, Hiruzen will warn him, just as he did before."
In truth, Hiruzen, Homura, and Koharu all firmly believed that Danzō was unfit to be Hokage.
If Danzō had been content leading his Root organization or serving as an advisor to the Hokage, Hiruzen would have restored his position long ago. But his ambition had always been to become Hokage, so Hiruzen's quiet opposition would never cease.
Tap, tap, tap...
Danzō, leaning on his cane, walked slowly along the darkened path, deep in thought.
"Clearly, no one is more suitable to be Hokage than I am..."
"In that case, Hiruzen, you'd better die soon."
Looking back at the Hokage building, Danzō made his decision with cold resolve.
Had Danzō, who had been playing political games all his life, discovered Orochimaru's secret plan to destroy Konoha?
No one knew for certain.
But even if he had, Danzō would never have informed Hiruzen. Especially now that he had determined Hiruzen was the obstacle to becoming Hokage, he would keep such information to himself.
Kill with a borrowed knife!
It was truly the perfect opportunity.
Soon, many noticed that Danzō had become increasingly reclusive.
He concealed his presence in the shadows, remained silent, and watched Konoha Village with his single eye.
...
Half a month later.
"Your examination results show you're recovering well. Keep this up, and you should be discharged from the hospital in at most two weeks."
Shihouin Naraku set down the medical chart and looked at Kakashi Hatake, who had returned to a stable condition.
"I've been bedridden for so long that I feel my bones are weakening," Kakashi remarked.
Kakashi touched the bandages wrapped around his body and looked at Shihouin Naraku with his typical half-lidded eyes. "Although I expected it, your strength improvement seems rather extreme. How did you manage it?"
"Well..."
Shihouin Naraku straightened his posture and said confidently, "I've achieved my current strength through my own hard work."
Kakashi assumed Naraku meant continuous long-term training, so he didn't question further. A shinobi's growth ultimately depended on their persistent efforts.
Of course, those born with natural advantages were exceptions to this rule.
Suddenly remembering something, Shihouin Naraku smiled and asked, "Since the Third has seen that you've recovered well from your injuries, did he send someone to speak with you today?"
"Yes. My position in the Anbu has been revoked. As of today, I am no longer an Anbu member."
Kakashi placed his hands behind his head and gazed at the scenery outside the window. His years-long career in Anbu had ended today, but this didn't surprise him. It was inevitable.
"The Hokage should appoint you as the Anbu's chief captain."
"Not just that - after confirming your condition today, I'll be heading out on a mission immediately. It will take at least half a month."
"I expect you'll be nearly discharged by the time I return."
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion