Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 125 Accepting a Disciple
half a month later.

Hokage's office.

Golden sunlight streamed in through the window, casting chaotic patterns of fine dust particles in the beams of light.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, pushed aside the mountain of important documents piled up on the ground.

These past few days, I've been arguing with Yunyin and causing quite a bit of trouble.

The Hidden Cloud Village completely denies the attack on Konoha students, and has offered no compensation whatsoever.

As for Yotsuki Yu and the three Jonin who broke into the village, whose evidence was irrefutable, the Hidden Cloud Village had already issued arrest warrants in their own country before the invasion.

This was done by a traitorous ninja.

This one sentence directly refutes the claim that the Hidden Cloud Village instigated the war.

Of course, none of us are children anymore.

These petty tactics are merely a way for both sides to back down and save face, preventing a real war from breaking out.

Konoha didn't want to start a war either. The Cloud Village, known for its unity, had already lost face by putting bounties on its own ninjas, so it was impossible for them to extort money from them again.

Moreover, he has always advocated a policy of appeasement, and the reason he has been able to do this is because their attack on the Nine-Tails and the child touched a nerve with many people.

Normally, this would have been dropped long ago.

He is no longer the 'Ninja Hero' of yesteryear; he has long since transformed into a refined and approachable 'Ninja Professor'.

All good things will perish after the war.

Konoha's peace was hard-won, and he didn't want to see anyone lose their life.

As for the victims who lost their lives as a result, sometimes it can only be said that the fairness and justice of the minority must always give way to the interests of the majority.

This sounds disgusting, but that's just how cruel reality is.

He once went to Kumogakure to sign a peace treaty, but was betrayed and hunted down by Kinkaku and Ginkaku, which led to the death of his teacher.

Hiruzen Sarutobi also wanted to tear up the peace treaty and use war to alleviate hatred, but when he thought of the villagers who longed for peace and the hungry children, he could only reluctantly sign his name on the treaty.

Individuals must make concessions for the collective.

It was at that moment that he realized the gravity of the situation.

dang dang...

There was a regular knocking sound coming from outside the door.

"Lord Hokage, Lord Danzo requests an audience."

"Enter."

Click.

The door was pushed open.

Danzo Shimura walked into the office with a cane, his gloomy single eye scanning the dark corners of the room.

Whizzing!

The hidden agents in the office emerged from the shadows, exchanged glances with Hiruzen Sarutobi, received his consent, and quickly left the room.

Gudong.

The door was closed by the sensible member of the secret service, and the two people inside the office sat and stood.

The direct sunlight from the window shone on Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrinkled profile, giving it a golden edge, while in contrast, Danzo Shimura's face appeared even more sinister and gloomy.

"what's up?"

"The information you requested!"

Danzo glanced at the straw hat inlaid with the character 'fire' for the umpteenth time, then pulled a file bag from his pocket and tossed it onto Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was unconcerned about Danzo's less-than-friendly attitude.

Picking up the file bag on the table, I saw the words 'Chasing the Sun' on it and already knew what was going on.

"You read?"

"In order to get this information out of Kirigakure, another Root spy died. Shouldn't I take a look?"

"Your roots have disintegrated!"

Ignoring Danzo's twitching face, Hiruzen Sarutobi tore open the file bag, took out the blood-stained intelligence report, and was surprised to find that it was actually a wanted poster from the Anbu.

He squinted and examined the wanted poster closely in the sunlight.

The wanted poster had the word "Secret" written in the upper left corner, and there were also special patterns belonging to the Fog Shadows as a marker in the shadows.

Below is a photo of a girl.

Standing within the encirclement of the dark forces, the silver-haired blind woman's fingers dripped with blood, her face etched with fragility.

Name: Taketori Hairi (Uncertain)

Abilities: Anti-chakra detection, Kekkei Genkai: Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse), specific effects unknown, possesses ranged attack capabilities.

Main achievements: Killed three special Jonin.

Strength rating: A+
Location where it appeared: Peichuan Port (possibly escaped to the Land of Fire or the Land of Lightning).
Recommendation for arrest: regardless of whether the suspect is dead or alive.

On the back of the wanted poster, there were also a few coded words written in blood, which looked extremely hasty.

The following is a neat translation of the coded language.

"The extermination of the Bamboo Clan... an ancient, unknown treasure, the disappearance of Dark Army Captain Kuryu Shun, the abdication of the Fourth Mizukage, and the Fifth Mizukage Terumi Mei..."

The handwriting after that was so illegible that it was difficult to decipher.

call……

Thick smoke billowed from Hiruzen Sarutobi's nostrils, and his wrinkled and age-spotted face gradually relaxed.

The photos, abilities, experiences, and the timing and reasons for the extermination all match up.

Aside from the unclear origin of the tailed beast's chakra, there are no issues with Hui Li's identity.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo:

"The source of this intelligence..."

"Fidelity."

Having spent many years together, Danzo was naturally aware of Hiruzen Sarutobi's concerns.

"Of the three special Jonin who died at her hands, one was 'Ferocious Fang's' younger sister. At that time, Kuriyu Shun had not yet disappeared, so it couldn't have been a trap set by Kirigakure."

Hearing that even the most suspicious Danzo said so, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, finally convinced of Kairi's identity.

"That's fine."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sealed the information away and placed it in a hidden compartment of the bookshelf behind him.

look back.

But they found Danzo still standing in the same spot.

"Is something wrong?"

"So, we're just going to leave Yunyin like this?"

Danzo's face twisted in a smirk, his narrow, single eye gleaming with a cold light:

"Sarutobi, they've even come to bully us in our own home!"

"Don't do unnecessary things."

Hiruzen Sarutobi casually tossed out a sentence, picked up a document, sat down at the table, and started flipping through it, ignoring Danzo who was radiating murderous intent.

"Ah!"

Danzo chuckled, knowing all too well the nature of his old friend.

"If you wear a mask for too long, you might not be able to take it off."

"I'd like to offer you the same words."

The two old men fell silent at the same time, not speaking for a long time. Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't stand it anymore:
"You've been standing here for ages, just say what you want!"

Upon hearing this, Danzo's wrinkled old face contorted in pain, as if he had swallowed a fly.

half an hour.

“I want this Sunburst Gray Glass… I’ll take it all.”

"I remember someone saying they wouldn't hire disabled people."

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled inwardly as he watched Danzo's awkward expression, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of sarcasm.

Faced with his old friend's mockery, Danzo remained silent, his old face tense.

Actually, when he came out of the Hokage's office that day, his subordinates had already delivered information about Ash Blossom to him.

Regret goes without saying.

He wanted to go back to Sarutobi and ask for Hai Ri again, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

After all, he had said in his office that morning that the department would not accept disabled people, and he had spoken so loudly that his subordinates waiting outside the door could probably hear him clearly.

That afternoon, he shamelessly went back to demand the person back; even someone as thick-skinned as Danzo couldn't bear the humiliation. Furthermore, the Uchiha situation was worsening, and the Root and Anbu were primarily focused on the Uchiha rebellion. The matter of Ash Blossom wasn't urgent, so he temporarily set it aside, planning to wait until everything was over before going to Sarutobi to demand the person back.

He didn't know about the attack on Konoha by the Hidden Cloud Village at first. At that time, he was in a secret room in the Root's underground base, organizing the Sharingan and secret techniques he had obtained from the Uchiha Clan Massacre.

The Uchiha clan has a history spanning over a thousand years, with a complex family history, numerous secret techniques, and a vast amount of hidden information and rare knowledge.

He still hasn't finished reading those things.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't used spies originally from Root to gather intelligence on Kirigakure, he would still be in his secret room studying the Sharingan, completely unaware of all the recent events in Konoha.

He had no idea that the blind woman he rejected would be so outrageous.

Thinking of that legendary talent comparable to the First Hokage, Danzo's cold eyes couldn't help but reveal a hint of eagerness.

"A six-year-old elite Jonin? I've never even heard of such a thing. If I can get her into my Root, I guarantee I can train her into Konoha's sharpest blade."

"I'll say it one last time, your roots no longer exist."

Hiruzen Sarutobi issued a warning.

The Root organization went too far in the Uchiha incident, causing not only civilians but also the major clans of Konoha to feel intense unease.

Ordinary people who are unaware of the details are easily deceived. With a little guidance using Hui Li's reputation as a genius, they forget about the matter.

But those secret techniques and bloodline families are not so easily fooled.

He disbanded Root and dismissed Danzo from his position as Hokage's assistant. Besides punishing Danzo's excessive behavior, the most important thing was to appease the clan's ninjas and prevent them from having any wild thoughts.

“I didn’t discuss the root with you.”

Danzo waved his hand, interrupting Hiruzen Sarutobi who was trying to evade the question, and excitedly stepped forward, leaning on his cane, to meet Hiruzen's gaze across the distance.

"You said you would hand over the Sunburst Gray Glass to me!"

"Didn't you say you didn't want it back then?"

"I regret!"

Danzo said with reason and confidence.

The organization was disbanded, and the positions were revoked.

Having suffered a severe blow to his own forces, Danzo was too preoccupied with getting his hands on Hairi to care about anything else.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi was so shocked by his old friend's shamelessness that he was speechless for a long time.

But he had already made a decision in his heart:
We must never hand over Hairi to Danzo.

Chakra is composed of both spiritual and physical energy, with willpower playing a dominant role.

Training methods at the root will erode human nature, turning people into tools that lose their will and ability to think.

Such a person will never become a top-tier ninja.

If he's just an ordinary genius, or if there's something wrong with Hui Li's identity, then it's fine to hand him over to him.

However, the intelligence agents proved Hui Li's innocence at the cost of their lives.

Entrusting a genius like Hairi, who is comparable to the First Hokage, to Danzo at this point would be like throwing gold into a cesspool—an utter waste.

No matter how powerful Konoha is, it shouldn't squander its talent like this.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's skin wasn't as thick as Danzo's. As the Third Hokage of Konoha, he couldn't bring himself to say something like, "Then I'll change my mind too."

"You're neither the Hokage's assistant nor the leader of Root. Even if I hand over Hairi to you, you won't have any official title!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spread his hands, directly seizing on Danzo's sore spot.

To put it nicely, Danzo, who was dismissed, was a former Hokage's assistant; to put it bluntly, he was just an ordinary elite Jonin.

What is your status that allows you to order the killing of an elite Jonin like Ash?

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo realized the awkwardness of his current situation.

Although the root organization still operates in the shadows, it exists in name only and can only act under the guise of the shadowy organization.

If you put Hairi into the Anbu organization, she will be under Hiruzen Sarutobi's command and will not be under his jurisdiction at all. If you want to get Hairi into your hands, you must find a suitable pretext.

Danzo's single eye flashed, and he quickly came up with a way to break the deadlock.

“I… have never taken on a disciple in my life. I heard that she is skilled in Wind Release, so I can take her as my disciple and pass on my mantle. You and I are both disciples of the Second Hokage, so taking her as a disciple wouldn’t be a waste of her talent. Is that alright?”

"What if she doesn't want to become an apprentice?"

"She has no choice but to think about it! As long as you agree to hand over the Sunburst Gray Glass to me, you don't need to worry about the rest."

Danzo was determined to get Hai Ri. As long as Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed, he would find a way to deal with Hai Ri's constitution through coercion, bribery, and deception.

"That's not OK."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, rejecting Danzo outright.

"Why?"

Danzo squinted, the wrinkles on his forehead appearing as if carved by a knife.

As a longtime friend, he has already said so much, is Sarutobi not even willing to give him this much face?
Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly raised his head, looking at his old friend who was now showing signs of anger:

"I took Zhu Ri Hui Li as my last disciple half a month ago."

"Danzo, you're too late!"

boom!
A powerful surge of chakra erupted from Danzo's body.

woohoo...

Wow…

A strong wind swept through the office, causing the documents on the desks to shake violently.

"You want to attack me?"

Gently pressing the automatically turning page of the official document on the table, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sitting in the sunlight, scrutinized Danzo, whose one eye was bursting with killing intent, his eyes as deep as the sea.

Seemingly touched by Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo gripped his cane so tightly that it creaked, and the X-shaped scar on his chin seemed to deform.

That's how it was back then.

The opportunity to become Hokage was right in front of him, but because he hesitated for half a second, the position was snatched away by the lucky guy, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Now the two are fighting over Gray Glass, and the situation is exactly the same as it was back then!
The disciple who should have belonged to him was once again snatched away by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

How dare they say I'm late!

The Third Hokage has been taking on a disciple for half a month, and there hasn't been a single word from the entire Hidden Leaf Village. Are you kidding me?

This is clearly bullying!

Whether it was then or now...

I was here first!

"You've gone too far, Sarutobi!"

He forced out a few words through gritted teeth.

Knowing he had no more chances, Danzo turned and left with a gloomy face.

Watching his old friend's angry departure, bathed in golden sunlight, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to gradually understand the root cause of Danzo's sudden outburst.

Even if he understood this, he couldn't possibly give the gray glass to Danzo.

Their era has passed.

Danzo, who once held his own against the Kage of various villages, now exhibits a visibly diminished chakra output.

They can hold on now, but the situation may change in ten years.

All three legendary ninjas have left the village.

The Fourth Hokage and Kushina died.

Konoha has no shortage of Jonin and elite Jonin, but it lacks top-tier powerhouses who can deliver the decisive blow.

Kakashi, on whom he had placed high hopes, was hampered by the Sharingan and found it difficult to break through, while Might Guy, despite his high combat power, was a disposable item.

Now he has finally found new hope.

Given Gray's exceptional growth potential, reaching the level of a film star within ten years shouldn't be difficult.

This way, at least they can ensure that there won't be a vacuum in Konoha's top-tier fighting force after the decline of these two, giving the next generation precious time to grow.

The greatest value of Gray Glass is neither a sharp blade nor a shield, but a pillar that can fill the gaps in top-level combat power.

He wasn't competing with Danzo for the genius.

He was paving the way for Konoha after his and Danzo's deaths.

call……

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a deep breath and looked down at the mountain of documents piled up on his desk.

Soon.

The sound of pages turning came from the office again.

(End of this chapter)