"So, your plan succeeded after all."
Jiraiya let out a tired chuckle and leaned back slightly.
"Yes… everything went surprisingly smoothly."
Senju Tobirama folded his arms, his sharp eyes narrowing.
"It was a good plan. Still, you should have suspected long ago that Konoha's top spy was secretly collaborating with Orochimaru."
"Ah… Second Hokage-sama already knows who it is."
"Danzo Shimura."
The moment the name was spoken, Tobirama's expression darkened slightly.
As a former member of the Second Hokage's personal guard squad, Danzo had once been Tobirama's direct subordinate. Naturally, Tobirama understood the man better than most.
"Even back then," Tobirama said coldly, "I could already tell he was overly calculating and dangerously ambitious. I knew he might someday become an unstable element within Konoha…"
He paused for a moment.
"And yet, I still chose to nurture him."
Jiraiya sighed softly.
"Probably because he was trying to make up for Hiruzen-sensei's kindness."
A rare smile appeared at the corner of Tobirama's lips.
"You understand it clearly."
"That monkey is excellent in many ways, but he's far too soft-hearted. What you call kindness is simply weakness in another form."
"He can maintain stability during both war and peace, but when it comes to dealing with darkness and extremism, he hesitates. At times like that, someone like Danzo becomes necessary."
Jiraiya scratched the back of his head helplessly.
"Well, maybe that's why I never became Hokage. I don't like dealing with complicated political problems."
Tobirama looked at him carefully.
"Really? I think you understand far more than you pretend to."
"Hahaha, I'd never dare disrespect the previous Hokage!"
Senju Hashirama suddenly burst into laughter.
"Tobirama, I actually think Jiraiya sees things more clearly than either of us. He simply chooses not to involve himself too deeply."
Jiraiya waved his hands frantically.
"First Hokage-sama, you're exaggerating. Compared to the two of you, I'm still just a child."
Hashirama laughed even harder.
"That's impossible. You're probably older than both of us combined!"
Jiraiya froze.
"…Am I really that old already?"
Nearby, Kakashi and Tenzo silently watched the strange conversation unfold. Neither of them interrupted, though both were deep in thought.
Eventually, Tobirama cleared his throat.
"That's enough idle talk."
His voice became serious once more.
"Now that Orochimaru is dead, my brother's soul and mine should naturally return to the Pure Land. If possible, though, it would be safer to seal our souls completely so no one can use Edo Tensei to summon us again in the future."
Jiraiya shook his head immediately.
"We don't possess a sealing method powerful enough for that. Besides, sealing away two former Hokage like criminals would be extremely disrespectful."
"Orochimaru is dead," Tobirama replied calmly. "No one else should possess the Edo Tensei technique, so perhaps it no longer matters."
Still, his expression remained heavy.
"But you must deal with Danzo as quickly as possible."
"Danzo has operated within Konoha for decades. Removing him completely won't be easy. In many ways, he has become deeply intertwined with the village itself."
Tobirama looked toward the distance as if remembering the past.
"Sometimes, a rotten part becomes so embedded within the body that removing it causes even greater pain."
"That was also the situation with the Uchiha Clan during my era."
Hashirama let out a long sigh.
"All we can do now is trust the next generation."
He turned toward his younger brother.
"Let's go, Tobirama."
"…Mm."
The souls of the two Hokage slowly began to rise into the air.
Jiraiya and the others silently watched them ascend, complicated emotions filling their hearts.
After a long moment, Jiraiya finally spoke.
"Let's head back too."
"Yes."
Konoha Village — Hokage Office
Not long after returning to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately summoned an emergency meeting involving every high-ranking official in the village.
Naturally, Danzo Shimura was included.
The atmosphere inside the Hokage Office was suffocatingly tense.
Hiruzen calmly explained everything that had happened during the operation against Orochimaru. As expected, the accusations eventually pointed directly toward Danzo.
The moment he heard that Orochimaru had died, Danzo was genuinely shocked.
But what shocked him even more was learning that the entire operation had been a carefully orchestrated trap planned by Hiruzen, Tsunade, and Jiraiya together.
For a brief instant, cold sweat appeared across his forehead.
Still, an old fox like Danzo would never surrender so easily.
Instead, he calmly spoke up.
"So… according to your story, one of Konoha's senior officials secretly collaborated with Orochimaru?"
"How disgusting."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed immediately.
"Danzo… who exactly do you think that person is?"
Danzo slowly lifted his gaze, his already gloomy expression turning even darker.
"How would I know?"
He sneered.
"You're not actually suspecting me, are you, Hiruzen?"
Hiruzen's voice instantly became sharp.
"At the beginning of this operation, only six people knew the truth behind the plan: myself, you, the two advisors, Tsunade, and Jiraiya."
"Even Kakashi and the others were kept completely in the dark."
"So tell me… who else could possibly have leaked the information?"
"Among the six of us, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and I all knew this operation was designed to expose the traitor and eliminate Orochimaru. Naturally, the three of us couldn't have betrayed ourselves."
"That leaves only you."
Danzo merely gave a cold laugh.
"Then why not suspect those two old advisors instead?"
The expressions of Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado instantly darkened.
"Danzo," Koharu snapped, "are you still trying to argue your way out of this?"
"Orochimaru originally served directly under you in Konoha. The human experiments were conducted by both of you together."
"You even supported Orochimaru over Minato during the selection for Fourth Hokage!"
Homura added coldly,
"And even after Orochimaru defected, you continued maintaining contact with him. What explanation do you have now?"
Danzo remained completely calm.
"Evidence?"
He stared directly at them.
"Do you have any actual evidence proving I collaborated with Orochimaru?"
Without hesitation, Jiraiya slammed several scrolls and secret documents onto the table.
"These were recovered from Orochimaru's hideout."
"They contain your secret correspondence with him."
Danzo glanced at the documents before suddenly laughing mockingly.
"Jiraiya… Hiruzen…"
"You can't seriously be this naïve, can you?"
"Even if I truly collaborated with Orochimaru, do you think I'd leave behind written evidence that could expose me?"
He scoffed disdainfully.
"Trying to overthrow me with something so obviously fabricated is ridiculous."
Tsunade frowned deeply.
"So you're claiming the documents are fake? Jiraiya personally recovered them himself."
Danzo shook his head slowly.
"I'm not saying you forged them."
"But Orochimaru certainly could have."
"Why would he do that?" Tsunade demanded angrily.
Danzo's eyes turned cold.
"To drag me down with him."
"After defecting from the village, Orochimaru hated me. Perhaps he deliberately prepared false evidence to frame me in case he died someday."
Jiraiya's heart sank slightly.
The truth was probably different.
More likely, Orochimaru had prepared those documents as insurance—something to expose Danzo if necessary.
But from Danzo's perspective, the explanation sounded perfectly reasonable.
In other words…
The evidence alone wasn't enough to convict him completely.
Tsunade's expression grew increasingly ugly.
They had finally cornered Danzo after all these years, yet he still managed to wriggle free through pure shamelessness.
"Danzo," she said coldly, "whether or not these documents are enough proof, you've already lost everyone's trust."
Danzo snorted.
"If people can be condemned without proper evidence, then I have nothing more to say."
"You—!"
Just as Tsunade was about to explode, Koharu suddenly spoke.
"In that case, I have a proposal."
Everyone turned toward her.
"Since the investigation cannot be completed immediately, and since the suspects include not only Danzo but also Homura and myself…"
She took a deep breath.
"During the investigation period, we are willing to temporarily surrender all authority and fully cooperate."
Homura nodded immediately.
"That's right."
He then looked directly at Danzo.
"What about you?"
Danzo's heart trembled slightly.
These two old advisers were retreating in order to force him into doing the same.
If he refused now, he would immediately appear guilty.
After a long silence, Danzo finally let out a cold snort.
"Hmph. Since you've all gone that far, what choice do I have?"
"I, too, am willing to relinquish authority and cooperate with the investigation."
Hiruzen quietly let out a breath of relief.
He exchanged a glance with Koharu and Homura before nodding slightly.
Even Tsunade, though still dissatisfied, understood this was the best result they could currently obtain.
"Very well."
"From this moment onward, your authority as senior advisors is temporarily suspended."
"I will personally oversee the investigation alongside the ANBU."
"There will be absolutely no leniency."
Her eyes then locked onto Danzo.
"As for Root, temporary control will be transferred to Tenzo. Every Root member will also undergo investigation."
"Tenzo originally came from Root, so I assume you have no objections?"
Danzo's face twitched slightly.
Still, he could only respond coldly.
"Hmph. Do whatever you want."
With that, he grabbed his cane and slowly stood up.
Without another word, he turned and walked away.
His figure gradually disappeared into the darkness outside the office.
Tsunade immediately began issuing orders.
"Kakashi!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"You will personally lead the ANBU to monitor Danzo closely. I want every movement tracked."
"Understood."
"Tenzo!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
"Immediately lead an ANBU squad to the Root headquarters. Take complete control of the base and ensure Danzo cannot communicate with anyone inside."
"Yes!"
Tsunade then turned toward Koharu and Homura.
"I apologize, but for fairness, the ANBU will also monitor both of you during the investigation."
The two elders nodded calmly.
"We understand."
Hiruzen silently watched everything unfold.
If Danzo hadn't immediately tried dragging the two advisors down with him, perhaps they wouldn't have become so hostile toward him.
But that was Danzo's greatest flaw.
Whenever cornered, he instinctively tried to sacrifice everyone around him to save himself.
In the end, he had no one to blame but himself.
Although Danzo hadn't been completely destroyed, stripping him of Root and severing his political influence was already equivalent to crippling him.
For now, that was enough.
Tsunade finally let out a long breath of relief.
Then, almost unconsciously, she thought about Orochimaru again.
"Hiruzen-sensei…"
"Do you truly believe Orochimaru is dead?"
Hiruzen remained silent for several seconds before replying slowly.
"He is dead…"
"But that doesn't necessarily mean he cannot rise again from the ashes."
Tsunade gave a helpless smile.
"That bastard really does seem capable of something like that."
"Still, no matter what happens next, this can finally be considered revenge."
"Konoha has been freed from one of its greatest threats."
"That alone is worth celebrating."
She glanced toward Hiruzen.
"This time, Hiruzen-sensei deserves the greatest credit."
Hiruzen shook his head gently.
"If anyone deserves praise, it should be Naruto and the others."
"Orochimaru was right. If he hadn't already been severely weakened, even a surprise attack from me might not have been enough to truly kill him."
"Naruto?"
A faint smile appeared on Tsunade's lips.
"That brat is becoming more and more terrifying."
"Sometimes I completely forget he's still only thirteen or fourteen years old."
Jiraiya burst into laughter.
"Yeah…"
"That kid has already become someone who can stand completely on his own."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)