Although Sarutobi Hiruzen harbored his own thoughts, on the surface he maintained the calm and kindly demeanor of an old man, smiling as he said:
"Mr. Aizen, you've worked hard. Tomorrow morning, I'll hand you both the food supplies and the clearance papers. Tonight, please allow Konoha to provide you some rest."
"Hokage-sama is too polite. Then I'll take my leave first."
Aizen departed swiftly.
Once the guest was gone, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately convened his advisory council: Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
Shimura Danzo, however, was deliberately excluded. Ever since the Uchiha incident, Hiruzen had been making every effort to limit Danzo's involvement in high-level political decisions. He could sense that his old friend's stance toward him had shifted—no longer simple disagreement, but open opposition.
Inside Konoha's highest council chamber—
"The Sand Village plans to form an alliance with the Mist?"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura were both stunned when they saw the clearance request, handwritten by Rasa, that Hiruzen had placed before them.
Konoha's intelligence network was among the finest in the shinobi world, so they were well aware of the civil strife consuming the Land of Water. Yet their policy had been to avoid that mire, unwilling to risk entanglement that could dirty their own hands.
But they hadn't expected Sunagakure to act so quickly. Despite Konoha lying between them and the Land of Water, Rasa had already aligned himself with the future Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, even preparing to send reinforcements to help her overthrow the Blood Mist regime and reunify Kirigakure.
"Rasa… is he truly this bold?"
Utatane Koharu frowned deeply.
In her impression, the Fourth Kazekage was a cautious, conservative leader. To speak unflatteringly, he was someone who wanted grand achievements yet clung tightly to his life—a man without courage.
And indeed, among the current Five Kage, if ranked by strength, Rasa was undoubtedly the weakest.
A decision to support Terumi Mei and reclaim the Mist was something only a man brimming with confidence and ambition would dare attempt.
Sand Shinobi, after all, had already been weakened when the Daimyō of the Wind stripped their military power. Their numbers were thin. If they dispatched troops to another nation's civil war, any major losses would fall squarely on the Kazekage's shoulders.
Worse yet, they would be fighting thousands of miles away in enemy territory—at a severe disadvantage.
From every angle, the move seemed reckless.
Would a timid man like Rasa truly dare make such a gamble?
"I also find it strange," Mitokado Homura admitted. "This is completely at odds with Rasa's past conduct. By his nature, he should be taking the same approach as us—waiting and watching, letting others burn."
"It's already happened. There's no use speculating why the Fourth Kazekage chose this path," Hiruzen said, drawing on his pipe. "The real question is: what should Konoha do?
"My view is that, once this war concludes, we approach the Fifth Mizukage and propose an alliance between Konoha and the Mist."
Both Koharu and Homura stiffened in surprise.
"Hiruzen," Koharu said slowly, "there's no guarantee the opposition will win. What if Yagura prevails?"
"Then we simply do nothing," Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke. "Yagura's reign of blood has already crippled Kirigakure and the entire Land of Water. Even if the rebels fail this time, he'll be toppled eventually. There's no need for us to involve ourselves with him."
His strategy was simple: remain still, let the war play out, then reap the benefits.
If the rebels won, Konoha would step forward and propose an alliance.
If they lost, Konoha would walk away untouched.
In short—no risk, no loss.
"…I understand."
"As expected of you, Hiruzen," Koharu and Homura both nodded in approval.
Click.
"You're too soft, Hiruzen."
The door creaked open, and that familiar, cold voice entered with the man himself—Danzo.
The lines on Hiruzen's face tightened. His tone dropped to ice.
"Danzo. I've already told you—without my order, you are not to leave the Root base. Have you forgotten?"
"Forgive us, Hiruzen," Koharu said quickly, turning toward him. "Homura and I informed Danzo of the matter. This isn't trivial."
Hiruzen frowned but allowed Danzo to speak.
Danzo's single eye narrowed. "The course we should take is simple—secretly inform Yagura of Rasa's plan. With that knowledge, he can crush the opposition in a single stroke. Then, out of gratitude and necessity, Yagura will ally with Konoha. That would maximize our gain."
Hiruzen's eyes hardened, and his voice rose in anger.
"You would align Konoha with Yagura?!"
Yagura's reign had plunged the Mist into its darkest age, the era of the Blood Mist. Of all the Kage, there was none Hiruzen despised more.
And now Danzo was suggesting they join hands with him. To Hiruzen, it was shameful.
"As long as it benefits Konoha, we can ally with anyone. You're still too naïve, Hiruzen," Danzo replied coldly.
In his view, Rasa and Terumi Mei were already doomed. If Konoha passed the information to Yagura, the rebels' defeat would be assured. Then Yagura, indebted to Konoha, would agree to alliance, supplying resources from the Land of Water—while simultaneously weakening Sunagakure.
For Danzo, even allied powers must be kept weak. Konoha alone should stand above all.
That, in his mind, was true profit.
"Silence!"
Hiruzen's voice was steel. "From this moment on, unless I give the order, you are not to leave the Root base. Even if Koharu or Homura summon you!"