13 - The Butterfly and the White Fang

---Ryouma's POV---

Konoha was like this. Ninjas just needed to complete their missions, but as Academy students, we had a lot more to think about.

"Was that a bit too much strength, Ryouma?" Rin's voice came from beside my ear. Her fingers worked methodically at the knots in my shoulders.

"No, it's just right," I replied, relaxing into her touch. "You've got a natural talent for this, you know."

Rin smiled softly. "Medical ninjutsu requires good hands. This is just practice."

The morning classes hadn't started yet. I sat in my seat, enjoying Rin's shoulder massage.

After playing ninja games all day yesterday, it was dull to return to the boring Academy today.

Nearby, Kurenai and Anko walked into the classroom while chatting and laughing. When Anko saw Rin, she held a skewer of dango as if it were a kunai, walked up to Rin with a sharp look, and said, "You shouldn't spoil him too much. If you marry him in the future, you'll be stuck under his thumb for life." She gestured with her dango stick like a weapon. "Look at you, Rin, acting like his personal masseuse."

Kurenai observed the scene with measured composure. "I think it's just a friendly gesture, Anko."

"Oh, sure," Anko grinned mischievously. "Next thing you know, she'll be feeding him lunch too."

"Marry? Marry? Me and Ryouma?" Rin exclaimed, her cheeks immediately flushing.

"Yeah, didn't you say so during your first self-introduction? 'My name is Aotsuki...'—mmph!"

Blushing, Rin quickly covered Anko's mouth, only to end up smearing her hands with dango sauce.

Some secrets are worth keeping, but others provide endless entertainment when exposed, I mused, feigning disinterest while listening intently.

"You two should act more ladylike," Kurenai said, stepping in to separate them.

"Being ladylike didn't help anyone win a battle, Kurenai," Anko retorted after freeing herself.

"Presentation matters in infiltration missions," Kurenai replied smoothly.

Anko twirled her dango stick. "So does knowing how to use a dango stick as a weapon."

"Seriously though, Ryouma, didn't you say there wouldn't be too many people watching? And Anko, didn't you claim you didn't hear my self-introduction clearly?" Rin turned to me with an accusatory look.

"Huh? If I didn't hear it clearly, how would I know I didn't hear it clearly enough to tell you?" Anko retorted after freeing her mouth.

"..."

I ignored the usual bickering among the girls and estimated that it was about time. I used my Rikugan, focusing my attention on the Hokage Building.

Ever since acquiring the Rikugan, I could see the entirety of Konoha as if there were no secrets. Like a divine being looking down on an ant farm, I could see everything—every secret, every lie, every truth.

I even knew how many times Danzō had used the restroom in the Root base... Oh, maybe I should stop this. Anyway, the Rikugan was great at gathering information.

Unfortunately, much of the information within Root was encrypted, so without their codebook, I couldn't figure out what they were up to recently.

Thankfully, yesterday I had asked Sakumo about the timing of his visit to submit his resignation letter to the Third Hokage.

Sakumo resigning as a ninja was not something I could afford to miss.

Hurry up and submit it!

---Third POV---

Elsewhere...

Sakumo was a man of action. The next day, he brought his resignation letter to the Hokage Building. His steps were measured and calm, betraying none of the turmoil he had faced in recent days.

His decision was made.

In Konoha, ninjas typically retired after being injured during a mission or for other unavoidable reasons that made it impossible to continue their work.

Voluntary retirement was rare, usually done by low-level ninjas fearful of war.

At the entrance to the Hokage's office, an ANBU stood guard.

"State your business with the Hokage," the masked figure asked formally.

"Personal matter. He'll want to hear it directly," Sakumo replied, his composure firm.

The ANBU assessed him briefly. "Wait here."

Moments later, the ANBU ninja suddenly appeared inside and reported, "Hokage-sama, Sakumo requests an audience."

During wartime, meeting the Hokage required prior notification through the ANBU.

Hiruzen, who was reviewing mission scrolls, heard the report and said, "Let him in."

"Yes."

With permission granted, Sakumo walked to the Hokage's office door and knocked.

"Come in."

He entered, bowing respectfully. "Thank you for seeing me, Hokage-sama."

"Oh, it's you, Sakumo. Recently, there's been some negative talk about you in the village. I hope you won't take it too seriously."

"The village's opinion matters less to me now than doing what's right for my son," Sakumo replied evenly.

Hiruzen leaned forward slightly. "And what might that be?"

In truth, he hadn't planned to take any action regarding Sakumo's mission failure.

The war already consumed most of his energy, and creating internal conflicts now would have been downright foolish.

However, someone had indeed acted foolishly. His dear old teammate Danzō had secretly spread word about Sakumo abandoning his mission.

With the news already out, Hiruzen found it difficult to contain the situation. After all, Sakumo's mission failure was a fact, and the village had suffered losses as a result.

Not punishing him was already the most Hiruzen could do.

If he forcibly suppressed the rumors, he and Sakumo might both end up as targets of the villagers' wrath the very next day.

As the Hokage, he still cared somewhat about his public image.

On another front, with years of political experience under his belt, Hiruzen could clearly see who stood to benefit most from Danzō's actions.

Orochimaru had been one of his preferred candidates for the position of Hokage, but lately, Orochimaru had been getting closer and closer to Danzō.

This made Hiruzen a bit worried that giving the Hokage title to Orochimaru might not be a good idea after all.

Sakumo, unaware of all that Hiruzen was contemplating, had come today with one purpose: Resign! Resign! Resign!

"Hokage-sama, I understand that the failure of this mission caused significant losses to the village, and I must take full responsibility."

"No one can succeed all the time. I think, as the Hokage, I also bear some responsibility."

"Please, Hokage-sama, do not console me. After this experience, I've realized I'm not fit to continue being a ninja. Here is my resignation letter," Sakumo said, handing over the prepared document with both hands.

"Hmm, well, I have something here that might... What? Resign?!" Hiruzen's face froze, and he abruptly stood up from his chair.

Watching history change before my eyes, Ryouma thought, observing from afar. The butterfly effect in action—Sakumo lives, Kakashi's path changes, perhaps even the future of the village shifts.

The detailed exchange didn't need much elaboration, but suffice it to say, Ryouma, watching from afar, found it quite entertaining.

The Third's face is priceless. He expected anything but this, he smirked internally.

Especially when Sakumo left and Hiruzen shouted, "Bring Danzō here right now!"

"That scheming old war hawk has gone too far this time," Hiruzen muttered, pacing the length of his office. Pipe smoke created a haze that matched his clouded thoughts.

He was fuming. The situation on the warfront was already dire, and now there were internal troubles caused by teammates dragging him down.

He missed the days when their teacher was still around—why hadn't he noticed back then how foolish Danzō could be?

"Is he here yet?"

"Here I am, Hiruzen. What's so urgent?"

Leaning on his cane, Danzō walked into the Hokage's office, entering with the practiced humility of a viper pretending to be a garden snake. As the Hokage Advisor, he didn't need prior notice to meet the Hokage, especially since this time Hiruzen had summoned him.

"Take a look for yourself," Hiruzen said, tossing Sakumo's resignation letter at Danzō.

"Throwing things now, Hiruzen? How undignified for a Hokage," Danzō remarked coldly, catching the scroll.

"Read it."

Danzō squinted slightly, caught the scroll, and read it. He seemed to realize he was at fault, but naturally, he would never admit it, least of all to Hiruzen.

Neither spoke, instead locking eyes in a tense, silent standoff.

Say something! This isn't a staring contest between Academy students, Ryouma thought impatiently, observing from afar. He was getting frustrated. What were they doing—performing a silent play?

Finally, Danzō broke the silence. "You approved this?"

Hiruzen, puffing on his pipe, replied, "What else could I do? This entire situation began because you leaked mission details. On what grounds could I reject his request?"

"You're too soft, Hiruzen," Danzō retorted, immediately shifting the blame. "Always have been."

"You're the one who went too far, Danzō," Hiruzen snapped, his anger escalating at Danzō's complete lack of remorse.

"Everything I do is for the sake of the village!" Danzō shot back indignantly.

"More like for Orochimaru," Hiruzen countered coldly.

"Are you serious? After all these years, you think I'd put an individual above Konoha?" Danzō appeared genuinely shocked.

"I think you'd put your vision of Konoha above what's best for its people," Hiruzen replied sharply.

"Your actions cost us one of our finest shinobi."

"A shinobi who prioritized comrades over mission was already lost to us," Danzō replied coldly.

"Is that how you see loyalty? As weakness?"

"In war? Yes."

The two argued back and forth, but eventually, Hiruzen calmed himself. At this point, instead of playing the blame game, it was better to think about what to do next.

Outside the door, Koharu and Homura opened the door and entered. Like twin gargoyles guarding the old ways of thinking, they stepped into the tension-filled room. As members of the Konoha Elders, they didn't need ANBU clearance to see the Hokage either.

With a single glance, Hiruzen knew that Danzō must have called these two as reinforcements on his way here.

"Hiruzen, Danzō may have made a mistake this time, but for now, our priority should be the front lines," Koharu said diplomatically.

"That's right. Whatever the issue, let's resolve it after the war is over," Homura chimed in.

Hiruzen was speechless. These two didn't even know what had happened, yet they were already siding with Danzō?

Sighing, he slowly sat back in his chair, his mind filled with a single thought, Tobirama-sensei, save me.