Li Anshi had wreaked havoc in the Cloud Village, slaughtering nearly a thousand of their ninjas.
To the Cloud, he was the most terrifying threat, a name that struck fear into their hearts.
While other ninja villages were not as terrified of him, they had still raised their defenses against him to the highest level.
But in Konoha, few ninjas feared him.
Over a decade of peaceful life had indeed led most of the villagers and ninjas of Konoha to embrace the "Will of Fire," viewing their fellow villagers and ninjas as family.
They believed that Li Anshi would not turn his daggers on them.
This was a consensus among almost all Konoha ninjas.
However, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that this "trust" was very fragile and could not withstand the slightest test.
From his few conversations with Li Anshi, Hiruzen could sense that he had a vision for the future of Konoha and the ninja profession that was distinctly different from the present.
In fact, in Hiruzen's view, perhaps that future was the true future for Konoha and the "ninja" profession.
But perhaps Li Anshi also knew that such a "future" was too dangerous for the current Konoha, which was why he had refused the position of Anbu Commander.
No matter how much Hiruzen favored him, he did not try to persuade him further.
Because Hiruzen also knew that the current Konoha could not withstand the turmoil of the "future" Li Anshi envisioned.
"Alright."
Seeing Hiruzen's resolve, Li Anshi nodded slightly and put away the flying dagger in his hand.
Instantly, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.
The moment Li Anshi had held the dagger, they thought they were going to die.
Although Li Anshi had later hidden the dagger's trajectory from them, allowing them to no longer feel the sensation of being targeted, the terror of that moment was still fresh in their minds.
Only now that Li Anshi had put the dagger away could they truly relax.
"Hiruzen…"
Koharu Utatane opened her mouth, but after a glance at Li Anshi, she sighed and said no more.
Now that even Hiruzen had appeared here, she would have been a fool not to guess what was happening.
And in the ninja world, without sufficient strength, fools were the quickest to die.
After nodding to Koharu, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a few steps forward, passed Li Anshi and the others, and knocked on the gate of the Shimura clan compound.
Knock, knock, knock…
"Who is it?"
…
The Shimura clansmen within a hundred meters of the gate had all been scanned by Li Anshi's "Dagger Perception" when he had taken out his dagger.
The feeling that they could die at any moment had nearly scared them to death.
However, ninjas were not ordinary people. Their first reaction was that a powerful enemy had arrived.
Thus, after notifying their clansmen, they had all gathered behind the gate, drawing kunai from their tool pouches or preparing hand seals, ready to strike at any moment.
If anyone broke through the gate or appeared over the walls, they would be attacked immediately.
But to their surprise, just as they had prepared for battle, a knock came from outside.
The three ninjas closest to the gate exchanged glances, made a few combat hand signals, and the ninja in the center formed a hand seal, creating a shadow clone that walked to the gate and asked, "Who is it?"
"It's me!"
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice, the Shimura ninjas were stunned for a moment.
Then, the ninja behind the gate opened it a crack, was startled, and immediately threw it wide open.
"Lord Third, what brings you here?"
"Is it Lord Hokage?"
The other Shimura ninjas also saw Hiruzen and the others outside the gate, and a sense of relief washed over them.
They had thought someone was attacking their clan, but since it was Lord Third Hokage outside, the feeling they had earlier must have been their imagination.
"Where is Danzo? Have him come see me immediately!"
With the gate open, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't bother with pleasantries, directly issuing an order.
As Hokage, all registered ninjas in Konoha were nominally his subordinates and had to obey his commands.
Therefore, although his tone was not good and made the Shimura ninjas tense, they didn't dare to be slow. Someone immediately went to report to Danzo Shimura.
In less than two minutes, Danzo Shimura's figure appeared before them.
If it had been Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura who had come to see him, Danzo might have thought Hiruzen was bowing to the pressure of the other two and had come to restore his position.
However, Danzo's intelligence work was clearly much better than that of his two companions.
Although, like them, he had never truly met Li Anshi, he had seen his picture.
And he was well aware of what he had done before.
But at this moment, it was impossible for him to admit anything.
With a cold snort, Danzo questioned Hiruzen, "What is it, Hiruzen? If I remember correctly, you've already revoked my authority as an elder."
"Are you here now to restore my position?"
"What do you take me for? A piece of trash you can use when you want and throw away when you don't?"
"Danzo, let's not play these games between us."
Hiruzen hadn't expected Danzo to still be playing such tricks, even after he had come to his door personally.
He didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "You were the one who took Sagawa Yui, Kondo Kazuya, and Sakamoto Toshio, weren't you?"
"Now, hand them over, unharmed, and then go to the prison yourself."
"What?"
Danzo Shimura was shocked.
He never would have imagined that Hiruzen would be so merciless.
Besides directly demanding he hand over the boys, he also wanted to throw him in prison.
"Hiruzen, you want to imprison me?"
"Danzo, from the moment you laid a hand on your comrades in the village, you should have known this day would come."
"Furthermore, the time you spend in prison will depend on how Sagawa and his friends were treated by you."
"The more you crossed the line, the longer you will stay in prison."
"Don't force me to act against you, Danzo."
"Hiruzen, I did not attack my comrades."
Seeing Danzo still trying to argue, Homura Mitokado spoke up. "Danzo, stop arguing."
"Although my strength is not comparable to yours,"
"But don't forget, in camouflage and tracking, I was praised by Master Tobirama."
"The camouflage you set up in the Forest of Death may have fooled many, but it couldn't fool me."
"Those were indeed your tracks."
Although Homura also wanted to protect Danzo, from the way Hiruzen treated Li Anshi, he knew that Li Anshi was not an ordinary ninja who could be controlled by a simple command.
Hiruzen's order for Danzo to go to prison, while it seemed like a punishment, was actually a way of protecting him.
If Li Anshi acted personally, Danzo would surely be killed.
Therefore, to save Danzo's life, Homura had to step forward and identify him.
"Homura, you—"
Danzo glared at him and snorted coldly.
"Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura."
"I am also a disciple of Master Tobirama."
"In terms of the Will of Fire, I believe I am no less than any of you."
"To protect Konoha, I would even give up my own life."
"How could I possibly attack my own comrades?"
Li Anshi watched coldly from the side.
He could guess what Hiruzen and Homura were thinking.
However, since he had already agreed to let Hiruzen handle it, he would not express his own opinion until Hiruzen had finished.
The most important thing now was to rescue Sagawa, Kondo, and Sakamoto safely.
As for the punishment for Danzo Shimura, if Hiruzen didn't handle it well, Li Anshi wouldn't mind handling it himself.
It would only take one flying dagger, after all.
"Danzo, you still don't understand what I mean."
"I said, hand over the three of them immediately."
Seeing Danzo still arguing, Hiruzen's voice grew heavy.
"I am not negotiating with you."
"As for whether you attacked your comrades, I have my own judgment!"
"Now, what you need to do is go to the prison yourself and wait for the Jonin meeting I will convene, where everyone will decide how to punish you."
"Hiruzen, you!"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage. I must be responsible for everyone in Konoha."
"Are you going to the prison yourself now, or will I personally escort you there?"
To force Danzo to make a decision quickly, Hiruzen even used the word "escort."
Danzo's face turned red, then pale. Finally, he waved his good left hand. "You will regret this!"
After speaking, Danzo walked towards the prison where Konoha's criminals were held, his face cold.
He knew Hiruzen.
Since Hiruzen had brought up the title of "Hokage," it meant there was no room for negotiation.
At this moment, Danzo was glad that he hadn't actually used physical torture on the three boys, and that the reason he had used to deceive them into revealing the secret of the flying dagger was to "test" them.
As long as Hiruzen found the three of them, he would have a story to tell at the Jonin meeting.
But for now, he still had to go to prison.
Otherwise…
With Danzo's departure, the ninjas of the Shimura clan naturally did not have the courage to block Hiruzen and the others.