Chapter 115 – The Steely Resolve of Hiruzen Sarutobi
Hokage Tower - Hokage's Office
The four most powerful figures in Konoha had once again gathered—yes, again—at the same table, in the same room, with the same people.
Tomorrow was the day of the Five Kage Summit, yet Orochimaru still showed no intention of handing over Kazane. So Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned everyone to discuss their next move.
"Danzo, your plan was well-executed," Koharu Utatane said, arms crossed as she looked at the man beside her. "But with the summit taking place tomorrow, and Orochimaru still refusing to surrender Hatake Kazane, it seems your strategy has failed."
"Hmph. On the contrary—my strategy has already succeeded. Go take a walk around the village. You won't hear any more voices supporting Orochimaru as the next Hokage," Danzo replied dismissively, unfazed by Koharu's words.
He had never expected Orochimaru to actually hand over Kazane. That was a fantasy.
From the beginning, his true target had been Orochimaru himself.
"But tomorrow is the summit. If we can't present Hatake Kazane, the three villages will likely declare war on Konoha," Koharu said, her voice laced with unease. "And now that we've completely fallen out with Orochimaru, the four of us alone won't be able to face all three great villages."
Her hesitation revealed a twinge of regret—regret for ever agreeing to Danzo's plan in the first place.
"Hmph! Those villages don't have the strength to wage war," Danzo snapped. "Kazane already crippled all three of them. If they had the power to attack, they would've done it already. Why else would they be trying to negotiate for Kazane?"
"This is just a transaction—they offer peace in exchange for Hatake Kazane. If we hand him over, they'll conveniently send over some silver coins, calling it a bounty."
"But if we don't hand him over, then they have an excuse to withhold their war reparations. In our current state, we can't do anything about that."
"So yes, I've abandoned the reparations. But if Orochimaru fails to become Hokage, then Konoha's future still belongs to us."
Danzo's smugness was barely contained. Even someone as shrewd as he couldn't help but feel intoxicated by his own perceived brilliance.
"Monkey, everything you failed to see—I saw through it all. Looks like I'm still sharper than you," he thought, casting a quick glance toward Hiruzen.
But Danzo didn't notice the faint smile curling on Hiruzen's lips as soon as he looked away.
---
Land of Iron
Five Kage Summit Hall
The five leaders of the great villages were now seated in their respective positions, all eyes fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi. They were waiting—demanding—an answer.
"Hiruzen, it's been seven days," growled Yagura of the Hidden Mist. "Don't tell me you've done nothing in all that time. If so, then be ready to face the combined wrath of our three villages!"
His tone was biting, and both Hiruzen and Danzo's expressions soured at the blatant provocation.
But Danzo reminded himself—they hadn't come to argue with Yagura. Escalating the situation too far would be counterproductive.
So he said nothing, remaining silently stationed behind Hiruzen.
"Konoha isn't like the Hidden Mist. We don't hand over our shinobi so easily. If you want war, then bring it," Hiruzen said flatly, shocking everyone—including Danzo.
Danzo hadn't expected Hiruzen to suddenly act so tough, sarcastically mocking Yagura right to his face.
"What's that supposed to mean? So you're really choosing war?" Yagura snapped back, stunned by Hiruzen's drastic change in attitude compared to a few days ago. He still believed the upper hand belonged to them.
Standing up, he barked out a retort, trying to assert dominance.
Yagura's childlike appearance, with his baby face and small frame, made for a strangely balanced face-off with the short-statured Hiruzen. Visually, they were oddly well-matched.
The tension between them, however, was anything but comical.
Watching from the sidelines, Rasa of the Hidden Sand could barely contain his excitement.
"Do it. Fight! Come on! If they start fighting now, this could be our chance to rise."
He chanted internally, practically salivating at the conflict.
Unfortunately for him, it looked like that fantasy wouldn't become reality today.
"There's no need for things to escalate like this. Yagura, sit down," said Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage.
"Hiruzen, are you serious? Do you truly intend to sacrifice the fragile peace of your village over one man—Hatake Kazane?"
"If you go to war for his sake, your entire village could fall. Think carefully. We only want him. There's no need for everyone else to suffer."
Realizing things were veering toward a worst-case scenario, Ōnoki stepped in to shift the direction. He didn't want a war—not anymore.
The Stone Village had taken the worst beating in the last conflict. Kazane alone had killed his son, Kitsuchi, and three elite Jōnin. Later, in battles against Konoha, even more elite Jōnin and thousands of ordinary soldiers had perished.
During the war with the Hidden Cloud, they'd lost even more.
At this point, nearly one-third of Iwagakure's ninja had died. If they fought again, there would be nothing left.
"Hmph," Yagura snorted.
He hadn't truly wanted war either—he'd just been humiliated by Hiruzen. Now that Ōnoki gave him an out, he sat down, swallowing his pride.
Mist Village had suffered, too. With its elite-centric military structure, its total number of ninja was limited.
And setting aside the uncontrollable kekkei genkai clans, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were the only true power under Yagura's command—and Kazane had wiped out four of them, one being killed by Might Duy.
He hadn't even left their legendary swords behind.
Reforming the group was now impossible.
Rumors spread across the village now labeled him the "Weakest Mizukage." His grip on power had never been weaker.
If war broke out, he couldn't even guarantee his troops would follow orders—much less win a battle against Konoha.
"So what's left to discuss?" Hiruzen said coldly. "Konoha will never abandon its own. If you want to fight, then go ahead and try."
"If you don't, then sit down, and let's discuss your war reparations."
Even though Yagura had backed off, Hiruzen showed no sign of compromise.
Back when Danzo had first seen through the enemy's ruse, how could Hiruzen—notoriously called the "Professor of Shinobi"—have failed to understand it too?
Of course he saw it.
He had simply taken advantage of the situation, pretending to be weak so Danzo would act first.
He knew his old partner too well—Danzo valued power more than anything. It was only natural he would be the first to make a move.
And as expected, Danzo had gone all in—and executed his plan flawlessly. Now, hardly anyone in the village still supported Orochimaru for Hokage.
But Hiruzen couldn't let Orochimaru and Kazane think he had orchestrated everything. He just didn't want Orochimaru to become Hokage. That didn't mean he wanted an all-out conflict with him.
He also knew—if he pushed too hard, there wasn't a soul in Konoha who could stop Hatake Kazane.
Which was exactly why, here at the summit, he needed to project the true dignity of the Hokage.
Hatake Kazane is a shinobi of Konoha.
I will not hand him over.
Everything that had happened recently—the rumors, the unrest—was Danzo's doing. Danzo had misled him. Danzo had stirred the village.
When they returned to Konoha, Hiruzen would take the stage himself and clear the names of both Kazane and Orochimaru.
As for the Hokage seat… well, that probably had nothing to do with Orochimaru anymore.
This way, the village could retain its greatest assets—Kazane and Orochimaru—while Hiruzen kept a firm grip on power.
A pity about his old friend, though.
Danzo would have to bear the brunt of the backlash.
Then again, it really was Danzo's doing. All of it.
This wasn't something Hiruzen asked him to do—it was something Danzo chose to do for himself.
But as long as he had the backing of Konoha's beloved Hokage, Danzo wouldn't be in any mortal danger.
He would simply remain… in the shadows. Forever the "Darkness of the Leaf."
All for the sake of the village's stability.
Surely, even if Danzo came to understand the truth one day, he would still support him.