Chapter 18: Danzo and the Third Hokage's Daily Squabbles
Meanwhile, after leaving the training ground, Kurenai Yuhi immediately went to the Konoha Hokage Building. "Hokage-sama."
"Oh, Yuhi, you're back. How was it? Is Qianye a good kid?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked gently, putting down his pipe.
"I lost," Kurenai Yuhi frankly admitted that she had lost to Qianye.
"Oh?" Hiruzen Sarutobi subtly raised his eyebrows, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
According to the intelligence he possessed, although Qianye had good talent, he was far from having the strength to defeat Yuhi.
Could it be that he was hiding something?
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes narrowed imperceptibly.
"Tell me the specifics," he said. He liked geniuses, but he absolutely disliked geniuses who were beyond his control.
"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kurenai Yuhi said, recounting the details of her battle with Qianye.
She omitted the part where Qianye flirted with her.
"Is that so? It seems you were indeed careless, Yuhi."
Upon learning that Qianye had used knowledge from the Ninja Academy textbooks, applying it to break Yuhi's genjutsu and win due to her carelessness, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows instantly relaxed.
That's right!
A genius without a bloodline limit would, at most, become another Kakashi in the future.
He would only be an aid to the Hokage; his threat was far less than that of the Uchiha Clan, so there was no need to worry about him.
"I apologize, Hokage-sama, for disappointing you," Kurenai Yuhi said apologetically.
"Just be more careful next time. Remember not to underestimate anyone in the future. I see that child seems to have an aptitude for genjutsu. You should teach him more genjutsu from now on."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up, tapped his pipe, and said meaningfully, "This child has a very pitiful background. In fact, he is just like you."
"He is also…?" Kurenai Yuhi was startled, suddenly recalling the scene six years ago when her father, Shinku Yuhi, bravely charged towards the Nine-Tailed Fox to protect the Village, willingly sacrificing himself. A wave of inexplicable sadness washed over her.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. "Both of his parents died in the Nine-Tailed Fox Incident protecting the Village. So… let this child grow up as quickly as possible."
"I understand, Hokage-sama," Kurenai Yuhi responded respectfully and exited the Hokage Office.
She clutched her chest, feeling a surge of bitterness.
As fellow sufferers, no one understood better than her how painful it was to watch one's parents go to their deaths.
At that time, she was already in her teens, while Qianye was only five or six years old.
At the same time, recalling their battle, she suddenly realized that she might have overthought things.
Although that brat Qianye had good taijutsu, the techniques he mastered were, at most, the Three Body Technique.
The reason he could defeat her was simply because she hadn't taken the battle seriously from the beginning.
But that kid was truly detestable. He actually confessed to her in public, kissed her hand, and repeatedly flirted with her.
Thinking of this, Kurenai Yuhi's pretty face couldn't help but blush. Both shy and annoyed, she secretly vowed, "That damned brat, I'll definitely make you pay next time…"
No sooner had Kurenai Yuhi left than an Anbu Ninja entered.
"Hokage-sama, Danzo-sama has arrived," the Anbu Ninja knelt on one knee and said respectfully.
"Let him in," Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows furrowed upon hearing this.
He had sent someone to notify Danzo several days ago.
Yet, he had dragged his feet until now, clearly showing disrespect for him, the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama… Danzo-sama, he seems to be indisposed to see you and said he would wait in the conference room," the Anbu Ninja said somewhat nervously.
"I understand."
Despite his dissatisfaction with Danzo, considering his amiable and gentle image among his subordinates, he still suppressed his anger and stood up to go to the fully enclosed conference room.
"Hiruzen, you're here." At this moment, Danzo's left arm was already fitted with a prosthetic limb, and from the outside, no change was visible.
"Hmph," Hiruzen Sarutobi flung his sleeve in annoyance and sat down. "Danzo, look at the mess you've made!"
"You already know?" Danzo frowned. Had his attempt to steal a chicken and lose his rice been discovered?
"Danzo, you went too far this time." Hiruzen Sarutobi, without further ado, immediately accused him.
"Too far?" Danzo sneered. "How did I go too far? Everything I did was for the Village."
"A Ninja must sacrifice himself."
"For the Village, what does sacrificing a mere Uchiha Shisui matter?"
Danzo sat in his chair, meeting Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze, unyielding.
"I know what you want to say. It's nothing more than Shisui being an excellent Ninja who inherited the will of the mirror, bearing the fire will and so on."
"But have you considered that if he harbors ill intentions, controls you and me, and then instigates the Uchiha Clan to launch a coup, Konoha will fall into an irreversible situation?"
"The foundation laid by the First Hokage will be destroyed."
"As the Root of Konoha, it is my bounden duty to prevent potential harm to the Village."
Danzo spoke with conviction.
By the end, he was so agitated that he stood up.
He was not intentionally trying to excuse himself but genuinely believed that the power of the Uchiha Clan should be restricted.
Even to the extent of eliminating this unstable factor that could potentially harm Konoha.
If not for this, he would not have lost his left arm, nor would he be in his current state, as if under some curse, where any new limb attached immediately necrotizes.
He could only use a prosthetic limb.
"Is that your reason for taking his eyes?"
Danzo's words did not surprise Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Or rather, this was exactly the outcome he desired.
But a warning was still necessary.
Otherwise, one day, Danzo would become too powerful and increasingly ride roughshod over him, the 'Most Powerful Hokage of All Time.'
However, at these words, Danzo's expression froze. "You still don't know?"
"Know what?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, frowning.
"I did not obtain Shisui's eyes." As he spoke, Danzo pulled up his sleeve, revealing his prosthetic limb, and recounted everything about trying to seize the Sharingan and then having it snatched away midway.
He even mentioned the inability to transfer it to a new arm.
"Are you telling the truth?" Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression suddenly became grave.
"Do you think I would sacrifice an arm just to lie to you?" Danzo said grumpily.
Hiruzen Sarutobi did not retort.
Indeed, although Danzo often spoke of "Ninja must sacrifice themselves," when it came to him, he couldn't do it.
To put it bluntly, Danzo was even more afraid of death than he was.
At the very least, when Konoha truly faced a life-or-death situation and it was his turn, he would still sacrifice himself.
He would never cling to life out of fear of death.
This was the most fundamental difference between him and Danzo.
Otherwise, he would not have been able to inherit the position of Hokage from the Second Hokage.
PS: Second update.