Bang!
At the Root base, Danzo slammed his teacup to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
(Teacup: You're incredible. So noble… ToT)
Since returning, his rage had only grown.
Danzo had weathered countless storms as one of Konoha's power players.
Failed ambushes were nothing new. But humiliation like this? Never.
During his retreat, he had hidden beneath a mask and cloak.
Still, the thick pollen cloud hadn't completely covered his tracks. The Anbu loyal to the Hokage had no doubt recognized him.
The most infuriating part was that he hadn't even revealed his objective before being utterly crushed.
He hadn't even gotten close to that brat before being forced to flee in disgrace.
His two guards stood nearby, battered and silent, mouths twitching but unable to speak.
So humiliating.
Their target was just a 12-year-old Academy graduate! If not for the boy's youth and inexperience, the three of them might not have made it back alive.
And even if they tried again, Itsuki's strength would only continue to grow more terrifying.
"Wood Release must belong to me. I won't compromise on this!" Danzo muttered darkly, eyes glinting.
Just then—
Bang! Bang!
Two of his sentries were suddenly thrown to the ground in front of him.
Danzo's eyes narrowed. He prepared to strike—
Swish, swish, swish!
Dozens of figures flickered into the chamber with Body Flicker, surrounding a short, elderly man wearing a Hokage's robes and hat.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, calmly drew on his pipe. Smoke curled from his lips as he fixed Danzo with an indifferent stare.
Danzo's body stiffened. His voice came out as a growl.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen… what is the meaning of this?!"
"Danzo, you've gone too far," Hiruzen said evenly, enunciating each word.
Danzo snapped back, "Even if I was dismissed as your assistant, I am still a Konoha shinobi! A veteran of this village! You storm into my base, injure my men, and even as Hokage you owe me an explanation!"
Straight-backed, his tone grew more defiant, as if daring Hiruzen to deny his righteousness.
The two battered guards gaped. No wonder he's the master—we could never fake a face that thick.
The Hokage was unmoved. He had known Danzo for decades; none of this posturing surprised him.
"I didn't come to argue," Hiruzen said flatly. "I don't care how much you know about Itsuki. Stay out of it. This is your first and only warning."
Danzo's face darkened. He recognized the steel in Hiruzen's tone. His old friend meant every word.
"You know what Wood Release means for Konoha," Danzo pressed, voice like ice.
"Exactly why," Hiruzen shot back, "I won't let him be dragged into the dark."
"You're too naïve, Sarutobi!" Danzo roared, slamming the table as he rose to his feet. "Without control, loyalty cannot be guaranteed! Tools must be bound tightly, or they turn against you. Just like your mistake with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—I've always opposed it!"
"That's a different matter!" Hiruzen's voice was sharp with anger. "Naruto and Itsuki are both children of this village! They inherit the Will of Fire, as we did from our predecessors! They are not weapons. They are Konoha shinobi!"
"In my eyes," Danzo sneered, sitting back down, "shinobi are tools. You will never convince me otherwise."
"Which is why I brought so many here," Hiruzen said coldly. "As Hokage, hear my order: If you or your men attack Itsuki again, no matter the result, I will brand you a traitor and inform the Five Great Nations."
The chamber grew still.
Danzo's gaze flickered toward the surrounding Anbu.
These were Sarutobi's most loyal elites, including those who had once served Root. His own forces were nothing compared to this.
Even at Root's height, he couldn't have stood against the Hokage head-on.
Now, with only a handful of diehards left, resistance was impossible.
Moments ago he had sworn Wood Release must be his at all costs.
Now, faced with Hiruzen's wrath, all he could do was grit his teeth.
"Sarutobi… you'll regret this," he spat.
Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke, shoulders relaxing. "Danzo, don't forget—I am the Hokage."
"Hmph!" Danzo turned sharply, cloak snapping behind him.
…And froze.
Wait. Where's the door?
This was his base, not the Hokage's office. He'd tried to storm off dramatically, but the exit wasn't behind him.
The corner of Hiruzen's mouth quirked upward. With a wave, he led his Anbu out, leaving Danzo stewing in humiliation.
In the end, he didn't arrest his old comrade. They had no hard proof linking Danzo directly to the attack on Itsuki.
For now, a warning was all he could give.
Meanwhile, Itsuki lay in a hospital bed, feeling both exhausted and oddly content.
The moment he accepted Anko as his "sister," the familiar system prompt chimed.
[Ding! Congratulations to group member Mitarashi Anko! Group level upgraded from LV1 → LV3. All attributes increased by 300%!]
Naturally, the chat group erupted.
Pressed by Ino, Tenten, and the others, Anko reluctantly revealed Itsuki's location.
Not long after, Konoha's four flowers—Sakura, Ino, Hinata, and Tenten—"just so happened" to converge on the hospital.
Each with the flimsiest excuses imaginable.
Ino claimed she was there to sell flowers.
Tenten said she was resting after a mission.
Hinata insisted she needed an eye check-up.
Sakura blurted out she needed the bathroom.
What a coincidence. They all ended up walking into Itsuki's ward.
But none of that mattered.
The real trigger was that Anko, the newcomer, had rocketed up three whole levels in no time. That alone lit a fire under the others.
Now all four hovered around Itsuki—checking his condition, massaging his shoulders, offering tea and water.
The boldest, Ino, even insisted on helping him pee.
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Konoha Harem Chat Group: I Can Fabricate the Future (Completed) is now on Patreon!
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