"Hiruzen, what do you think?"
Utatane Koharu, having learned from past missteps, refrained from jumping to conclusions this time. Her voice was cautious, eyes flicking between the elders and Danzo.
Danzo spoke with conviction. "We must act preemptively. Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan is too dangerous. The Uchiha's history cannot be ignored."
But Hiruzen Sarutobi's face remained calm and resolute.
"Danzo," he said slowly, his voice deep and serious, "what you're saying may be possible… but I will not sacrifice the future of a loyal Konoha shinobi based on mere speculation!"
He leaned forward slightly, gaze firm. "Obito is an excellent ninja—he has inherited the Will of Fire. I choose to believe in him."
The room fell silent.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. He had known Hiruzen long enough to predict his moves—as easily as one might know another's habits from years of friendship. And yet, this wasn't a game.
If it had been any other matter, Hiruzen might have turned a blind eye. After all, as his friend, Danzo had long helped shoulder the darkness of the village, enabling Hiruzen to shine in the light as Hokage.
But this time was different. This wasn't some shadow mission or political scheme. This was about forcing the Uchiha to bend—possibly provoking a rebellion.
"If you force Obito into Root," Hiruzen thought grimly, "Uchiha Fugaku will immediately abandon the front lines and storm back to Konoha to retrieve him. We're still at war. We can't afford to incite an internal conflict now!"
Even though Hiruzen had briefly hesitated—reminded of Uchiha Madara and the terror of the Mangekyō Sharingan—he quickly dismissed the thought.
Obito was no Madara.
In fact, Obito had been assigned to Minato specifically to help strengthen Minato's standing. And since then, their bond had only grown. Obito had even played a critical role in killing the Mizukage.
The stronger Obito became, the more influence Minato could exert over the Uchiha clan.
This was a benefit to the entire village.
Besides, if they attacked Obito without reason, what message would that send to the other clans—especially the Hyuga?
Would the Hokage only target the powerful Uchiha, but not the Hyuga?
Such a double standard could fracture Konoha's already fragile unity.
Hiruzen was old now. He didn't want chaos during the final years of his leadership. His only wish was to guide Minato into a capable Hokage, one who could truly carry the Will of Fire into the next generation.
To act rashly now would be cutting off one of the village's arms—and Hiruzen was not about to let that happen.
Kakashi, standing silently behind Minato, raised an eyebrow.
Hiruzen's firm defense of Obito surprised him for a moment. But upon reflection, it made sense.
This wasn't the post-Nine-Tails Konoha, where the village had been ravaged and weakened. Back then, Hiruzen had stood alone as the last bastion of power. But now, things were different.
With stronger forces in place, the decisions being made naturally carried different considerations.
Danzo, on the other hand, stood stunned. He had been certain Hiruzen would support him.
He clenched his fists in frustration.
"I've carried the village's burden for decades!" he thought. "I've done the dirty work so Hiruzen could smile in the sunlight, adored by the villagers. And now… he sides with the Uchiha?"
His voice rose with fury, breaking the tense silence.
"Hiruzen—you'll regret this!"
But Hiruzen didn't flinch.
"Danzo, I am the Hokage," he said, his voice sharp and commanding. "And I have made my decision."
He stepped forward. "The matter of the tailed beasts is different—that was done for the village. But Obito is a different case."
"If I allow you to go after Obito now, what will Minato think of me? What kind of leader would I be if I lost the trust of my chosen successor?"
Danzo's face darkened further.
His hands trembled, barely able to contain the fury swelling within him.
"It's always like this," he thought bitterly. "Always Hiruzen getting the praise. Always Hiruzen getting the power. Wasn't it you, Hiruzen, who volunteered me to cover the retreat during our mission with Lord Tobirama?"
"Since that day, I've lived in your shadow. But now... things are different."
He glanced briefly at his right eye, hidden under bandages.
"I have the Three Tomoe Sharingan. And once Orochimaru perfects the Hashirama cell transplantation, I will show you—show everyone—who deserves to be Hokage!"
Suppressing his anger, Danzo turned toward Obito.
"Obito," he said in a low voice, "Mangekyō Sharingan gives birth to unique dojutsu. Tell me—what are yours?"
Obito glanced at him indifferently but said nothing.
Revealing such abilities—especially to someone like Danzo—was absurd.
"Uchiha Obito, I command you. Answer me!"
Danzo's patience snapped as his voice boomed across the chamber.
"I tolerated Hiruzen ignoring me—he is Hokage. But you? You're a child from a cursed clan, and you dare disrespect me?"
Before anyone else could speak, a cold voice cut through the tension.
"Danzo-sama, isn't it unnecessary for you to ask about Obito's eye abilities?"
All eyes turned to Kakashi.
"If I'm not mistaken," Kakashi continued, "you already have a Sharingan in your right eye socket—three tomoe and all."
The silence deepened.
"So why are you so curious about Obito's Mangekyō?"
He stared at Danzo without blinking.
"Could it be… that you're jealous of Obito's power? That you plan to provoke him, steal his eye, and use it to discover his abilities for yourself?"
The room exploded into whispers.
Danzo's heart skipped a beat.
"How does he know?!" he thought in alarm.
But he quickly recovered, face twisting into a scowl.
"Nonsense! Blasphemy! How dare you slander a Hokage advisor!" he roared.
Koharu stood up, slamming the table. "Outrageous! You dare defame Danzo, who sacrificed everything for the village?"
She pointed at Kakashi with a trembling finger. "That Sharingan was a scar from a mission with Uchiha Kagami! He died in that battle, and Danzo nearly did too!"
"That eye is a symbol of his sacrifice, not your twisted conspiracy!"
Homura nodded vigorously, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
"If not for the sacrifices of our generation, you brats would be nothing!"
They were furious—not just at the accusation, but at the fact that Kakashi had struck a nerve. Danzo's dark secrets were not something they wanted aired.
But before the elders could rally more pressure, Minato stepped forward.
"I believe in my student," he said calmly, shielding Kakashi from their furious gazes. "If he dares speak this boldly, then he must have reason to believe it's true."
He looked Danzo in the eye. "So, how about you remove your bandages and prove your innocence?"
"If Kakashi is wrong, I will take full responsibility for the insult."
The room fell silent again.
Kakashi's heart pounded. He hadn't expected Minato to step in so boldly—especially with so much on the line.
After all, Danzo wasn't just any elder. He had deep ties, hidden power, and political influence. With Koharu and Homura backing him, Minato would surely face enormous backlash.
And if this went wrong, Kakashi knew what would happen.
Danzo would use this to destroy him—through propaganda, public shame, and political pressure. He would be branded as disrespectful, slandering a war hero, just like what had happened to his father, the White Fang.
But Minato didn't hesitate.
He understood the price of standing here now.
With Danzo and the two elders against him, his future as Hokage might be destroyed.
But some things were worth more than power.
Kakashi wasn't just a promising student—he was someone who had once saved Minato's life on the battlefield against the Sand Shinobi.
This wasn't just about politics. This was about trust, loyalty, and protecting one's own.
And that… was the true Will of Fire.
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