Chapter 38: Troubled Hokage

As the words "Mangekyō Sharingan?!" came out, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had been smoking his pipe through the entire night in the Hokage's office, found himself enveloped in thick, choking smoke.

He had just listened to Uchiha Shisui's report, and his face changed drastically.

Being a disciple of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, Hiruzen naturally understood the terror of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

In the past, it was precisely because both Uchiha Madara and his brother Uchiha Izuna had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan that they were able to battle the Senju clan—who boasted two generations of Hokage-level power—to a stalemate.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared coldly at Uchiha Shisui.

"Shisui, I won't fault you for failing to deliver the fatal blow. But I do want to ask you one thing…"

Shisui, kneeling on the floor, didn't dare lift his head.

"Please speak, Hokage-sama."

"If it ever truly comes to a fight with Uchiha Chiyu—how confident are you in winning?"

Shisui breathed a secret sigh of relief. If Hiruzen had asked something else, he might have felt uncertain, but on matters of strength…

"Please rest assured, Hokage-sama. Uchiha Chiyu's Mangekyō Sharingan has only just awakened. In terms of ocular power, there's still a considerable gap between us. Moreover—

"Not a single person can match the Mangekyō technique I possess.

"And I also command the ultimate ability that comes with the Mangekyō Sharingan…

'Susanoo'!"

Hiruzen nodded, and his expression improved somewhat.

"Susanoo, is it? That is indeed the stuff of legend…

"I recall my teacher mentioning that only by awakening the Mangekyō in both eyes, and mastering the ocular techniques they hold, can one finally obtain the so-called Third Power…"

Uchiha Shisui was silently impressed.

"Hokage-sama truly deserves the title of 'Professor of Ninjutsu.' Even in the Uchiha clan, only a handful know secrets like these."

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head impassively.

"These were Sensei's (Tobirama's) research findings on the Uchiha clan, after all."

Even though Shisui had absolute confidence, Hiruzen's anxiety remained palpable. By then, dawn had arrived outside. In the midst of Hiruzen and Shisui's discussion, a knock came at the office door.

"Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen stirred. "Kakashi, is that you? Come in."

Wearing a foxlike mask, Hatake Kakashi walked in. Beneath the mask, Hiruzen tried to gauge his eyes, as though attempting to see right through him.

"So, Kakashi—did your investigation yield results?"

Kakashi gave a solemn nod. "Yes. This is the report that Inoichi, Ibiki, and I compiled after our inquiry."

Hiruzen took it, glancing over just a few lines before his brows knit.

"This is…"

Kakashi let out a soft sigh. "Hokage-sama… I'm afraid it corroborates Uchiha Chiyu's account.

"It appears Captain Shinnosuke—excuse me, former Captain—likely did set up a trap targeting Uchiha Chiyu out of personal vendetta, leading to the ambush that severely injured Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamakaze of the Police Force."

Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Shisui exchanged looks. Neither seemed surprised—the truth was already known to them. What surprised Hiruzen was… Kakashi's stance.

"I see…" Hiruzen murmured. "Kakashi, you're saying Shinnosuke deserved death?"

Kakashi hurried to reply, "No, Hokage-sama, I never thought that. While I don't condone his methods, I also don't condone Uchiha Chiyu's extreme measures."

Hiruzen asked, "If you were in Chiyu's place, what would you have done?"

Kakashi hesitated, then answered candidly: "I suppose… I'd also have fought as hard as I could to defend my subordinates' honor. But my methods wouldn't have been so drastic."

In his mind, Kakashi pictured an earnest face—that of Uchiha Obito—along with Obito's dying words:

"In the ninja world, those who break the rules are trash. But those who abandon their comrades… are worse than trash."

Hiruzen stared at him intently. "Then, in your opinion, how should we deal with Uchiha Chiyu?"

"That's for you to decide, Hokage-sama…"

"I'm asking for your opinion."

Kakashi was silent for a while. Hiruzen sighed. "Understood."

He grasped Kakashi's position now: loyal to the village, yes, but, much like Chiyu, guided by principles. Harder to control than a follower like Uchiha Shisui or Uchiha Itachi.

Shisui and Kakashi each had their own thoughts, yet Hiruzen withheld a final conclusion. At that moment, a third knock sounded on the door.

"Hokage-sama."

"Is that you, Baku? Come in."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's personal Anbu guard codenamed "Baku" stepped inside.

"Hokage-sama, the delegation from Kumogakure has arrived in the village."

"Already? So soon?" Hiruzen's face changed.

Though there hadn't been a full-blown war, local conflicts between Konoha and Kumo were ongoing, an aftermath of the Third Great Ninja War, worsened by the heavy casualties Konoha suffered from the Nine-Tails' rampage. Recently, however, Kumo was at last willing to sign a peace treaty with the Leaf. For Hiruzen, who was beset by troubles both internal and external, this was invaluable—

He had to settle external threats so he could "stabilize things" at home.

His real priority, deep down, wasn't Kumo but that chronic thorn in Konoha's side since its founding—the Uchiha clan. To gain this chance for negotiations, he had sacrificed much power and profit, enduring accusations of weakness. He'd always proclaimed it was for the sake of peace, stability, and the future. Others might call him soft; he simply considered it "mercy."

With so much piled on his shoulders, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt increasingly overwhelmed. But, ever the wily leader, he quickly forced himself to rally.

"Keep Chiyu under lock and key for now; don't let him run amok. Our talks with Kumogakure are top priority. Once that's taken care of, we'll deal with him and the Uchiha."

Kakashi and Shisui exchanged glances. "Yes, Hokage-sama!"

Standing up with renewed resolve, Hiruzen seemed more imposing than before—less gentle, more commanding.

"Let's go. You two are coming with me to greet Kumo's envoys."

"Yes, Hokage-sama!"

…

"Kumo's envoy delegation?"

Chiyu heard the news from Yamakaze, who had returned to the prison to update him, and he felt a faint stir of interest. He naturally knew Kumogakure's true intentions, and he also knew what vile, filthy things Hiruzen Sarutobi might do next. Among the many events he'd found most incomprehensible in his past life—besides the actions of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito—were Sarutobi Hiruzen's manipulations, namely the infamous…

Hyūga Hizashi Incident!

~~~

Patreon(.)com/Bleam

— Currently You can Read 100 Chapters Ahead of Others!