The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, slowly straightened his back. His face was a storm of shifting emotions—grief, helplessness, and something unreadable lurking in the depths.
After a long, heavy silence, he finally sighed. His gaze moved from Kakashi to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
"Danzo's actions…" Hiruzen began in a deep voice, "have indeed provoked public outrage. And… I admit, his death was not undeserved."
He hesitated, his eyes showing a flicker of old sorrow.
"But… if I wish for him to be placed in the memorial with dignity, I doubt any of you would agree."
He gave a small, tired shake of his head.
"I am old now. The circle of comrades I once fought alongside has grown painfully small. No matter what crimes Danzo committed, he is gone. The debts he owed in life are settled in death. I ask only one thing—return his body to me. I will personally oversee his funeral."
He drew in a breath, his voice trembling.
"As for the sins he has committed… let me take responsibility. Let me make amends for him."
And then, to everyone's astonishment, the man who had once been the strongest ninja in the village, the former Hokage and current head of the Elder Council… bowed deeply before Minato, Kakashi, and the clan leaders.
In that instant, Hiruzen was no longer the imposing leader of Konoha. He was just an old man who had lost his dearest friend.
---
The Room Reacts
The sight left everyone silent. The clan leaders glanced at each other, unsure how to respond.
Facing such heartfelt grief, it was difficult to remain cold. Some even began to murmur praises of the Third Hokage's magnanimity.
> "Debts settled after death—how noble."
"A masterful move… retreating in order to advance."
"This is why he has ruled for so long—his political skill is unmatched."
Kakashi, however, was not so easily swayed. He sighed inwardly.
Hiruzen's words were undeniably touching, and his bow showed remarkable humility toward Minato and the clans. In terms of politics, it was more than enough face given.
If Minato continued to push for a full investigation now, it would make him appear as a power-hungry leader desperate to press his advantage, forgetting the kindness and trust of his predecessors. Worse, it could sow seeds of distrust between him and the great clans—seeds that would grow into deep cracks in cooperation.
But if Minato agreed to end the matter here, it meant the case would be closed. The evidence that Anbu had gathered—evidence that could bring down Danzo's allies, the two Hokage Advisors—would be useless.
Kakashi made his decision.
If someone had to play the villain, it might as well be him.
---
Kakashi Speaks
He stepped forward, his voice calm but cutting.
"Excuse me, Elder Hiruzen," Kakashi began.
"While Danzo was scheming to obtain the Sharingan, he also implanted Hashirama Senju's cells into himself, gaining the Wood Style."
Gasps filled the room.
"Unfortunately," Kakashi went on, "Lord Hashirama's cells were too overbearing. Before he could complete his plans, Danzo's body failed. The cells devoured him entirely… turning him into a massive tree."
Kakashi paused just long enough for the words to sink in.
"So, I'm afraid… there is no body to return. There are no remains to bury."
---
Shock Spreads
"What?!"
The clan leaders, who had just been moved by Hiruzen's emotional appeal, snapped back to alertness.
Danzo had not only stolen Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan—he had dared to graft Hashirama's cells into himself?
These were not just powerful abilities. The Mangekyō Sharingan and the First Hokage's Wood Style were the very powers that had once shaken the shinobi world, wielded by Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju themselves—powers that bordered on the divine.
If Danzo had succeeded in mastering them both… what would he have done?
The answer was chilling: he could have crushed the great clans beneath his heel, stripping them of their heirs, their talents, their futures. Perhaps even enslaving the clan leaders themselves.
One clan leader muttered darkly, "He even went to the Aburame clan once, asking for the designated heir, Aburame Shibi…"
If the Aburame had not gone directly to the Third Hokage to report it, who knew how far that plot would have gone? The current Aburame leader might already be nothing more than Danzo's lapdog.
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Kakashi's "Final Use" for Danzo
"As for his… tree-like body," Kakashi continued, "I thought it would be wasteful to leave it rotting in the wild. A Kage-level tree is a rare thing, after all."
His tone remained perfectly straight-faced as he delivered the killing blow.
"It so happens the public toilet on the commercial street was in dire need of renovation. I brought Danzo's… remains… back for the construction team. They've been turned into wooden boards for the new toilet floor."
Gasps, then stifled laughter rippled through the room.
"After all," Kakashi said with a faint smile, "he was once the leader of Root. He should remain somewhere with a steady supply of… fertilizer. The public toilet is the most appropriate place."
"Oh—and I've named it 'Jingguo.'"
He explained smoothly, "It means the rotten roots have turned into nourishment, bringing new vitality to Konoha and protecting the village's peace. Consider it Danzo's final act of atonement."
---
The room was silent for a beat. Then the reactions began.
---
The Advisors Explode
"Kakashi! How dare you?!"
Utatane Koharu's voice cracked with outrage as she jabbed a trembling finger at him.
"Danzo made mistakes, but he was still a Hokage's advisor! You have no right to treat a former leader this way!"
Her expression was twisted with fury. If not for her awareness of her own combat limits, she looked ready to leap at Kakashi and claw his face.
Mitokado Homura's voice was equally sharp.
"That's Danzo—second only to the Hokage himself! If he can be treated like this, then what about us?!"
The unspoken fear in his words was clear—if this fate could befall Danzo, theirs might not be far behind.
---
Laughter Breaks the Tension
"Hahahahaha!"
The booming laughter cut through the tension like a kunai.
Heads turned toward Akimichi Chōza, who was laughing so hard his shoulders shook.
The other clan leaders gave him odd looks.
Uncle Chōza, they thought, we know you're bold and carefree, but this is hardly the time! Your reaction reflects on the entire Ino–Shika–Chō alliance!
Nara Shikaku sighed, rubbing his temples.
Uchiha Fugaku had been fighting the urge to laugh ever since Kakashi mentioned the "public toilet floor." Seeing Chōza lose it almost broke his composure. He bit his tongue hard to hold the laughter back.
---
Hiruzen's Patience Snaps
"Enough," Hiruzen said, his voice suddenly like steel.
The sorrowful, weary elder was gone. In his place stood the hardened warrior of decades past. His expression turned cold as stone.
"Kakashi, you killed Danzo to avenge your comrade—that much, I can understand and even accept." His eyes narrowed.
"But to humiliate him like this, to trample on his body… that, I will never forgive."
He took a step forward. The air around him seemed to tighten, pressing on everyone present.
"Since you have the strength to kill Danzo, then fighting me will not be bullying. From this moment, I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, set aside my title as elder. I challenge you, Kakashi Hatake, to a death match—as a man, not as a Hokage."
His roar shook the room.
"Whoever wins… claims Danzo's body!"
---
The Old Lion Roars
In an instant, Hiruzen's chakra flared like a wildfire. The force of it tore the kimono from his body, revealing the black combat suit beneath.
Politics might be the art of compromise—but among shinobi, power was the final word.
He had made his gesture of concession. He had shown humility. But Kakashi was still pressing forward. If words failed, then fists would speak.
Hiruzen's gaze swept the room. Many of the lesser clan leaders looked away, and even the Anbu behind Kakashi lowered their eyes under the crushing weight of his killing intent.
---
Kakashi Accepts
Kakashi did not flinch.
"Fine," he said, his voice calm and steady.
He straightened his posture, his own chakra surging outward like a sudden storm. The collision of their auras sent dust skittering across the floor and made the air hum with invisible pressure.
The challenge was set. Neither man would back down.
The outcome would not just decide the fate of Danzo's remains—it would leave a mark on the political future of Konoha itself.
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