Chapter 64: Danzō becoming a S-rank Rogue Ninja!

Koharu Utatane sighed. "It's not that I'm suggesting it, but that's simply the reality…"

"Digging up graves, stealing people's remains, even using orphanage children as live sacrifices for human experimentation… Once these matters come to light, let alone Danzo himself, the entire Konoha Village will become like rats crossing the street that everyone shouts to beat. Hiruzen, you likely won't get out unscathed either…"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a cold laugh. "When you get down to it, is there any Village truly clean?

"The Mist has its 'Bloody Mist' policy; the Sand uses puppet-corpse forbidden arts; the Stone's Onoki is constantly stirring up trouble and inciting conflicts in secret; as for the Cloud, we needn't say much: back in the day, they tried to abduct the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Kushina, and not long ago they attempted to kidnap Hyuga Hinata to steal the Byakugan. Those are all their filthy deeds!"

Homura Mitokado said, "True, but Hiruzen, you've always shown yourself as benevolent and kind. Back when Orochimaru—your most favored student—was exposed for human experimentation, didn't you, all the same, disavow him, painfully cut him off, and expel him from the village?

"For decades, your hold on the Konoha has relied on preserving that public reputation and prestige, correct?"

A tremor flickered through Hiruzen's heart.

"You mean… to treat Danzo just as I treated Orochimaru?"

Koharu Utatane responded gravely, "Hiruzen, those were your own words to begin with, right?

"Don't forget—when you allowed Danzo to use any means necessary against Uchiha Chiyu, you also said that once he was exposed, you'd decisively pin all responsibility on him!

"This is the most helpless yet also the most correct choice!"

Homura Mitokado nodded. "Koharu's right.

"At present, Uchiha Chiyu holds the moral high ground, the entire Konoha Village is riled up in outrage, plus he's got Aburame Tatsuma and Yakushi Nono as witnesses who can at any time reveal to the world the Root's ugly crimes. If you don't cut ties promptly, when the time comes…"

"It won't be just Danzo who becomes a rat that everyone wants to beat."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

His relationship with Danzo was a truly delicate one.

They had competed all along, yet also needed each other.

Hiruzen relied on Danzo to do various shady activities. Danzo similarly needed Hiruzen as a reliable patron.

In essence, they had a love-hate dynamic, scheming against one another yet unable to fully separate.

Now, ordering the same treatment for Danzo as was done for Orochimaru—he couldn't help feeling a twinge of reluctance…

Of course, that was from a sentimental standpoint.

For Hiruzen—an intriguer, a politician, a ruler—once he made a rational decision, he would never hesitate.

"Where… is Danzo, anyway?"

Homura and Koharu shook their heads.

"You know how he is: the Root's lairs are scattered like rabbits' dens. Aside from himself, no one knows all his secrets."

"These past days, he's presumably lurking underground, secretly training and studying the powers he got from Orochimaru, bolstering himself."

A cold, sinister glint flashed in Hiruzen's eyes.

"Then so be it…

"I'll proclaim an investigation to uncover Danzo's crimes. Once verified, just like Orochimaru, he'll be designated as an enemy of the Konoha—a Class-S rogue ninja!"

"Of course, I'll shift the entire blame onto Uchiha Chiyu, driving Danzo to detest him so intensely that he'll try anything to kill that bastard! So, in that way…"

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado understood perfectly.

Let the snipe and clam fight, and the fisherman profits.

That was precisely Hiruzen Sarutobi's plan.

They both agreed. Danzo might once have been their companion, but by now he was like a gecko's tail that must be cut off. Failing to make a clean break could lead to Hiruzen's own downfall—and they themselves wouldn't escape being implicated. Consequences beyond imagining!

"Hiruzen, that indeed seems the best method. However…"

"Likely by then, Danzo won't just hold a grudge against Uchiha Chiyu alone…"

Hiruzen Sarutobi caught their meaning.

"Hmph. If he wants revenge on me, let him come. But first…"

"He needs to survive his encounter with Uchiha Chiyu!"

…

At the Hokage meeting:

Chiyu decisively laid out the Police Force's findings, pointing the finger straight at Danzo and his Root.

He also brought the Analysis Team and Interrogation Unit into the investigation to ensure credibility.

And the conclusion was:

Danzo and Root had secretly carried out inhumane experiments!

Not only grave-robbing and corpse-stealing, but even using children from the orphanage as living sacrifices!

At this declaration, an uproar blasted through the entire Hokage conference!

Every major figure qualified to attend bristled with indignation, outraged beyond measure!

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu, and Homura had expected something like this—but they hadn't imagined Danzo would go so far!

And how on earth had Uchiha Chiyu privately contacted the Analysis Team and Interrogation Unit so that they'd back him?

Hiruzen's gaze suddenly fell on Kakashi…

That look in Kakashi's eye…

What was going on?!

Gone was his usual languid detachment. Instead it was cold as ice—very much like Uchiha Chiyu's.

Hiruzen had a sudden realization…

It must be that bastard Danzo…

He knew well what Danzo and Orochimaru were up to: Edo Tensei!

The forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage Tobirama!

Plainly, Danzo intended to use it to deal with Uchiha Chiyu. But Edo Tensei would be useless unless they could summon a tremendously powerful deceased shinobi, or else it wouldn't suffice to defeat that man.

Hence…

"That bastard Danzo… set his sights on Hatake Sakumo, the Konoha White Fang?"

Hiruzen's heart seized with alarm!

If so, then Kakashi surely…

He must have thrown his lot in with Uchiha Chiyu!

The Interrogation Unit and Analysis Team's assistance presumably came thanks to Kakashi.

Damn him!

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi resented Danzo to the core!

But that wasn't all…

Acting clan head Akimichi Choza shouted in fury, "Danzo and Root surreptitiously infiltrated the Akimichi clan's graveyard, digging up and stealing Torifu-senpai's remains!

"It's just monstrous, beyond redemption!"

"The Akimichi clan will never forgive him!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu, and Homura exchanged glances, equally flabbergasted.

Akimichi Torifu…

He, along with these three plus Danzo and Uchiha Kagami, all served under the Second Hokage Tobirama!

They knew his strength and that he was deeply revered in the Akimichi clan.

Now that Danzo had stolen his body…

If they failed to handle this properly, it wouldn't be just the Akimichi clan but the whole Ino-Shika-Chō trio of clans turning against the Konoha.

Who else had Danzo robbed the corpse of?

From Hiruzen's own intel: Kato Dan, Mokume Kunugi, Yuhi Shinku, plus Akimichi Torifu and Hatake Sakumo…

Likely also Uchiha Kagami, Uchiha Shisui…

And even…

The First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!

The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama!

Such a lineup would be terrifyingly formidable indeed.

Even Uchiha Chiyu might be destroyed!

Yet it would stir a backlash destroying the entire Konoha leadership…

Confronted with the villagers' anger and clamor, Hiruzen Sarutobi was drenched in cold sweat.

Fortunately, he'd decided already. He instantly declared:

"Everyone, don't worry!

"Since Danzo and Root have committed such inhumane acts, I, as Hokage, absolutely won't cover up for him!

"I hereby proclaim in the name of the Hokage: As of this day, Danzo Shimura is designated an S-rank enemy of the Konoha!

"He is to be killed on sight!"

Though all present loathed Danzo to the bone, hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's ruthless break was still shocking—

But no matter what, a major Konoha figure, the Root's head, once Hiruzen's closest colleague and comrade, had now become an S-rank rogue ninja—

An utter disgrace!

~~~

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