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"Oh? The old monkey… the Third Hokage actually went to the Senju Clan's abandoned compound?"
Danzo's brows furrowed deeply as his subordinate knelt, reporting.
Why would that old fool go to the Senju estate? That place was deserted—practically ruins, just like the Uchiha compound.
"Yes. And Naruto even stayed overnight at the Uchiha district."
"Hmph. Just a brat who doesn't know what's good for him. Since Hiruzen insists on protecting him, we don't need to waste effort on that one."
Danzo dismissed Uchiha Ying outright. His goal wasn't the boy—it was to secure control over the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki.
But the old monkey still refused to let go.
"Keep a tight watch on the Hokage's office. I want to know exactly what he's planning."
"Yes, Lord Danzo."
"…Also, send someone to test Uchiha Ying. If he shows any abnormal behavior, arrest him and bring him to me!"
"Yes!"
——
"Am I really going to die during the Chūnin Exams? Killed by Orochimaru… during the Reaper Death Seal?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his office, staring at a worn, yellowed notebook in his hands. His expression was unreadable.
The handwriting inside—even the stroke patterns—was unmistakably that of his teacher, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
But what it recorded…
It was unbelievable.
To think—he, the Third Hokage, would be assassinated in front of everyone by Orochimaru?
No one intervenes? Not the ANBU, not the personal guard? No one from the village?
Just like back then—
*Cough cough.*
Hiruzen spent the whole day in the Hokage's chair, trying to process it.
Could this have been a prank?
But what kind of genjutsu or ninjutsu could replicate this so perfectly?
Only something like Kotoamatsukami from the Uchiha's Shisui could pull this off.
And Shisui… is dead.
"…Wait. Could it be Itachi?"
No. Itachi wouldn't waste his time on such pointless games.
But if it were Shisui's eye… someone could've taken it. And if they were targeting the Leaf...
*Tch.* Hiruzen tapped out his cigarette, troubled.
But what if… the records in this book are real?
He flipped back through the notebook.
Details about the Sand's alliance with Orochimaru. The Kazekage's assassination. The ambush during the Exams. Even how Orochimaru infiltrates disguised as the Kazekage...
If this is accurate, then stopping the Sand Village could be... effortless.
Too tempting.
"…Damn you, Orochimaru. You even stole the Second Hokage's body in secret, didn't you?"
If he still had access to the Forbidden Summoning Technique, he'd just summon Tobirama and ask directly.
"Screw it. Gather all ANBU to the Hokage Tower. Now."
Even if the notebook was fake, the peace of recent years had clearly rusted the core of Konoha's black ops.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Soon, masked ANBU operatives filled the tower's underground war room.
Hiruzen reviewed the latest roster.
"…No wonder…"
The ANBU Commander was Moonlight Gekkō—half-dead with chronic illness. His squad leader, Hayate, didn't look any better.
Even the Chūnin rank-and-file were poorly selected. Water clones in human form.
What kind of dark ops were these?
No wonder Orochimaru waltzed into the village undetected.
*Sigh...*
Back in the day, just *one* operative like White Fang could frighten the Five Great Nations.
Followed by geniuses like Orochimaru himself, Minato, and later on—Kakashi, Itachi...
Now?
"Lord Hokage, is something troubling you?" Moonlight Gekkō asked carefully, his voice weak.
"…Not quite."
Hiruzen's gaze swept across the room—then paused on a young man with a forehead protector tied loosely.
Of all people here, he was the only one Danzo ever recommended.
*Tch.*
"…Didn't expect ANBU to lack fresh blood this badly."
But he kept that thought to himself.
"Yamato—tell Kakashi to return to the village. Immediately."
"Yes, sir."
"Everyone else, dismissed."
——
"…Dismissed?"
"…No missions?"
The hastily summoned ANBU looked around, confused.
Did Lord Hokage really just call them in for… nothing?
Still, they followed orders and exited the building one by one.
"Yūgao, stay behind."
As the others filed out, Hiruzen called out to Yūgao Uzuki.
Once the room was empty, he handed her a list that Iruka had submitted earlier.
"I want you to test this student. If he checks out, wait until he's fully loyal, then pull him into the shadows."
"…Understood."
Yūgao glanced at the list.
One name caught her eye.
Wait—
*Wasn't this the same boy I saved from Root that day?*
Uchiha Ying.
She hadn't expected him to already be marked for ANBU recruitment.
"The Leaf is truly turning old and fragile…" she murmured.
Once she left, Hiruzen slumped into his chair.
Only four young ninja had the potential to join ANBU: Hyūga Neji, Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi… and Uchiha Ying.
But Sasuke and Neji had clan responsibilities. Itachi had vanished.
That left only one candidate—Uchiha Ying.
And even *he* hadn't awakened his Sharingan.
"…Tch."
Rubbing his temples, Hiruzen sighed deeply.
After a long pause, he made his decision.
"…Time to contact the Uchihas. If they still care about Konoha—"
He trailed off, his voice lost in the silence.
Only when no one was watching did he allow himself to miss what Konoha had lost: White Fang. Itachi. Even Danzo.
"…Have Danzo investigate Orochimaru."
If the notebook was accurate—
Then Orochimaru was already on his way to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage.
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