Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 184 The Weak Third Hokage
"Don't tell me that secretly joining Root was out of necessity," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, tilting his head to look at the silent Yang Release clone standing to the right of Kairi.

His expression was slightly gloomy, and he carried a large sword wrapped in bandages on his back. He wore a Root uniform with a black cloak, and there was no similar strange pattern on his forehead. Although the two looked exactly alike, they did not look like the same person at first glance.

Compared to Hui Li, whose eyes shone like stars and whose beauty was dazzling, her exquisite face seemed quite ordinary.

“It was indeed a last resort.” The Yang Release clone glanced at the main body, the connection between the illusory and real chakra cores remaining constant.

The two are now so different that she's unsure if they still understand each other. Only when she saw the other person nod did she end the encrypted call and remove the black blindfold from her face.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze sharpened.

He had no idea what the two were up to, and he watched the movements of the Root uniformed Gray silently.

Until the Yang Release clone opened its crimson eyes, which were like four windmills, as it rushed towards Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"kaleidoscope!!!"

Staring in horror at the sinister black and red eyes of the Yang Release clone, Hiruzen Sarutobi's breath caught in his throat, and his eyes instinctively shifted half an inch away.

He was certainly aware of the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Madara Uchiha, the mysterious figure of the Nine-Tails' Night, Shisui Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha—each pair of Mangekyou Sharingan possesses distinct, bizarre, and powerful abilities.

He was unaware of the abilities of others, but he had personally described Uchiha Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, which could silently change a person's will and achieve victory without a fight, and was known as the strongest genjutsu in the ninja world.

"How do you have the Mangekyou Sharingan?"

Turning her head away, not daring to meet the gaze of the kaleidoscope, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was filled with anxiety. Just now she had said that she was of the bloodline of the Hyuga and Kaguya clans, and now she had pulled out a pair of perfect kaleidoscopes.

Her mother is from the Hyuga clan, and her father is from the Taketori clan. Surely her grandfather couldn't be from the Uchiha clan! He wasn't surprised that the other party used Hashirama Senju's Wood Release a moment later.

"This is my shadow clone, how could it have a kaleidoscope? Teacher, don't panic, she's just under Kotoamatsukami's genjutsu!"

Is it just that I was hit by Kotoamatsukami?

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the four-legged windmill-shaped pattern, which was indeed the eye pattern of Shisui. At this moment, he didn't know what to say. This disciple had given him too many frights, to the point that his heart was beginning to become numb.

"I'm not young anymore, I can't take such a fright!"

"I'm sorry! This disciple is still young and didn't think things through." Hui Li made a lighthearted joke, but then her smile faded and her eyes became serious.

"I joined Root because I was forced to by Danzo Shimura, the assistant to the Hokage of Konoha."

"Ah."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded without surprise. Having worked with Danzo for many years, he knew Danzo's tough style better than anyone else.

So when Hui Li said it, he believed it immediately.

He could even predict Danzo's plans.

The initial approach is likely to be to send people to block invitations to join Root. If that fails, they'll resort to coercion and enticement. If that still doesn't work, they'll find your weaknesses and use any means necessary to abduct you to Root. Then, you'll undergo a long period of brainwashing and training to destroy your willpower, ultimately making you a member of Root.

They're pretty much the same; they're all like that.

A few years ago, there was an ANBU member who said he admired Danzo's character and wanted to join Root. I think his name was... Arashi?

Because such freaks were so rare, they left a very deep impression on him at the time.

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi believed her words immediately, Hairi licked her lips and swallowed the evidence that was already on her lips. Danzo's character was too bad; he didn't even need evidence to accuse her, which saved her a lot of trouble.

However, from another perspective, Hiruzen Sarutobi was not completely ignorant about Danzo's affairs; he might even know more about Root's shady dealings than she did. Danzo was able to wreak havoc in Konoha, so her teacher was far from being as innocent as he appeared.

"To cure my bloodline disease, I went to Konoha Hospital to find a way to learn medical ninjutsu, but Danzo colluded with the hospital's chief physician, Chihaya Toru, to lure me to a secluded forest and then used Kotoamatsukami on me..."

The Yang Release clone pointed to its blood-red eyes and told Hiruzen Sarutobi everything that had happened that day.

When the other party heard that Danzo's right eye was the Kotoamatsukami technique, and that Hairi had escaped death and infiltrated Root by relying on the fact that his shadow clone was just a reflection of chakra, his expression suddenly turned gloomy.

The death of Uchiha Shisui remains a mystery.

He initially suspected that the Uchiha's martial arts faction had killed him, but he never expected that Danzo had plotted to kill him by scheming to obtain the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan.

If Shisui hadn't died, and Kotoamatsukami had been used to control Fugaku Uchiha and mediate, the Uchiha's rebellious spirit wouldn't have been so intense, and they wouldn't have ended up annihilating the entire clan.

You could say it's all Danzo's fault, but if you get to the bottom of it...

"I understand." Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded wearily, his expression growing even more somber, but he ultimately did not lash out.

"You... you just found out?" Hui Li asked, somewhat incredulous.

She had already told him about Danzo's plan to have her stab Hiruzen Sarutobi in the back, yet he still remained indifferent.

If this were in Kirigakure, the Shimura clan would have been wiped out!
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's weak and easily bullied appearance, Hairi finally understood the reason why Danzo was so arrogant and domineering.

Controlling the Hokage's last disciple with Kotoamatsukami is, at best, a threat to the Konoha ninja; at worst, it's an attempt to overthrow the Konoha government, which constitutes treason.

Even after the other party did all that, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still able to swallow his anger. No wonder Danzo always felt that Hiruzen Sarutobi was not worthy of becoming Hokage. How could someone so weak become the Kage of the largest village in the ninja world?

The First Hokage, the Second Hokage, and even Danzo were all much tougher than him. At least in the case of the Cloud Village attacking the students, it was Danzo who secretly retaliated. She had never heard of Hiruzen Sarutobi's condemnation of the Cloud Village achieving anything substantial.

Faced with his disciple's somewhat disappointed gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi was evasive, but ultimately did not reveal how he intended to punish Danzo.

“I will warn him.”

"No need to trouble yourself," Hui Li said, turning her head away, too lazy to look at the other person's weak appearance any longer.

She had finally gained Danzo's trust, and if Hiruzen Sarutobi warned Danzo, he would come after her instead. The Root organization, which was already mostly in her hands, would become even more unpredictable.

It is better to rely on yourself than on others.

Her master-disciple relationship with Hiruzen Sarutobi, which lasted only a few days, was ultimately not as strong as his decades-long friendship with Danzo.

"If one day I kill Danzo..." Hairi stared into Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes and questioned him:
"Would you lay a hand on me?"

"..."

Silence was the best answer. Hiruzen Sarutobi's face showed an indescribable sense of desolation and inner turmoil. He could feel the hope in Kairi's eyes constantly turning into intense disappointment.

at this time.

Only then did he truly understand the pressure Hui Li faced when he had just confronted him.

"Don't provoke Danzo. You should focus on developing ninjutsu to cure illnesses." He didn't dare to face Haili, and his back turned made his body appear somewhat hunched.

Even he himself knew how powerless his words of admonition to Hui Li had been.

"Can you tell me why you are so protective of Danzo?"

Behind him, Gray Glass's voice echoed in his ears. It felt as if it transcended time and space, with countless voices—some questioning, some doubting, and some angry—slowly merging together.

Orochimaru, Tsunade, Kakashi... Many people have asked him the exact same question, but each time it brings back that unforgettable memory.

He suddenly looked up at the sky, and the golden sunlight cast a halo over his aged face, as if he had traveled through time and space back to the turbulent years when he had just become Hokage.

……

Konoha 37th year.

ANBU underground base.

Three ANBU ninjas were sitting around a table, chatting.

The old man, wearing a mask and with his white hair disheveled, plopped down in a chair and thrust his kunai into the wooden table, leaving only the iron-ringed end trembling.

"What ability does Hiruzen Sarutobi have to become Hokage? I followed the First and Second Hokage in their campaigns to establish Konoha, while he was still pissing and playing in the mud."

Besides, Konoha is teeming with clans possessing secret bloodline limits, including the Senju, Hyuga, and Uchiha clans. How could the Sarutobi clan possibly be the leader?

The old man's voice echoed through the empty room, and from the meaning of his words, it was clear that he was a ninja from the Senju clan.

"I heard it was the second generation's dying wish. Are you trying to question the second generation's judgment?"

The ninja, whose features were now clearly defined after removing his mask, naturally took over the conversation. His words clearly implied that he did not approve of the Third Hokage, but was only reluctantly accepting the Second Hokage's decision.

"What utter bullshit! Who heard the Second Hokage make Hiruzen Sarutobi Hokage? It was all just talk from his guards."

They were tasked with protecting the Second Generation's safety, but instead, they returned unscathed, leaving the Second Generation on the battlefield to cover their retreat!

"I'd be letting those sons of bitches off too easily if I didn't kill them!"

The old ninja with the disheveled hair became even angrier upon hearing this.

As a veteran of the Senju clan who had fought alongside the Second Hokage for many years, the more respect he held for the Second Hokage, the more intense his anger became.

"Keep your voice down!"

His companion, sitting on the other side, stepped forward and grabbed him, his eyes constantly glancing towards the door. Only then did everyone notice that Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing the Hokage's robes, and Danzo slowly stopped in front of the door.

"What did you say!" Danzo's neck turned red as he tried to step forward to argue, but Hiruzen Sarutobi grabbed him and forcibly pulled him away.

"Tch... what Naruto..."

The snickers coming from inside the room immediately became even more unrestrained.

"Hiruzen, those people..." Danzo was forcibly dragged away by his friend, his face extremely pale.

As a disciple of the second generation, he was always a guest of honor in various families, and had never suffered such humiliation before.

"Don't be impulsive."

The young Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly shook his head. Only after inheriting the position of Hokage did he realize how heavy the pressure was.

Konoha, as the largest village in the ninja world, is home to numerous clans with secret techniques and many powerful individuals.

Don't think this is a good thing.

These people have had many conflicts since the Warring States period. Although they put aside their past grievances under the watchful eye of Hashirama Senju, the contradictions still exist, and now there are signs that they are about to start fighting amongst themselves.

Outside the ninja villages, Konoha, which occupies the most fertile land, is coveted by the other four major ninja villages.

On the surface, Konoha appears strong despite losing its First and Second Hokage. However, beset by internal and external troubles, Konoha has entered its most dangerous situation, and the slightest misstep could lead to its disintegration.

"The situation in Konoha is precarious; we must not act rashly. These are all veteran ninjas who made outstanding contributions during the founding of Konoha. What advantage can you gain by arguing with them?"

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Danzo was somewhat discouraged upon hearing this.

These people are old and tough; you can't hit them or scold them, since they are all their elders according to seniority.

Aside from the support of the Sarutobi and Shimura families, they only had a few members in their guard.

Because the various clans have highly autonomous territories, resembling villages within villages, their so-called Hokage and Hokage assistants are practically empty shells and signing machines, lacking both capable personnel and substantial power.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes gleamed, clearly indicating that he already had a plan in mind:
"My teacher once said that politics is about gathering all forces, bringing friends and centrists together to become a force, and completely eliminating the enemy to prevent future troubles."

Upon hearing those familiar words, Danzo seemed to grasp something, but he remained as unclear as if he were looking at flowers through a fog.

"Who are the enemies? Who are the friends?"

"It's very simple."

Hiruzen Sarutobi condensed water droplets on his fingers and used them to write and draw on the walls of the dark corridor:
"If I become Hokage, then all those who covet the Hokage position will be our enemies. Conversely, all those who are not qualified to become Hokage will be people we can win over."

"You mean..."

“Medium-sized clans such as Nara, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Aburame, and Inuzuka, small clans such as Hatake, Kurama, Yuhi, and Gekko, plus the commoner geniuses of Konoha…” Hiruzen Sarutobi continued to draw on the wall, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.

These smaller clans are not eligible to run for Hokage, so they have no direct conflict with him. As long as he provides them with conveniences and forms a close-knit interest group, these people will spontaneously support him to become Hokage and help him deal with large clans such as the Hyuga and Uchiha.

"The strength of the ninja villages lies in their sheer number when they unite."

Although we are not as powerful as our teacher, if we unite the strength of all the small clans and commoners in Konoha, we will be able to suppress those large clans that fight amongst themselves and refuse to submit to anyone. This is the wheel of time, and no one can stop it!

"Makes sense!"

Danzo slammed his fist into his palm, thus clearly distinguishing friend from foe. The complex forces of Konoha became instantly clear, and he was eager to make a name for himself right then and there.

"Danzo, I need your help."

"Speak up!"

The young Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo, whose eyes were bright, with a mixture of conflict and sorrow in his gaze.

He knew that his dear friend would agree to any request without hesitation. But the thought of the tragic consequences made it impossible for him to utter the words he was about to say.

Danzo's excited expression gradually cooled.

Seeing his friend's conflicted expression, and recalling their previous conversation, he realized that given their mutual understanding, many things didn't need to be said.

"If you want to win over the smaller clans, only your personal involvement as Hokage can show your sincerity. As for the troublesome matters of suppressing the major clans, leave them to me!"

He smiled gently, as if suppressing the Senju and Uchiha clans was nothing out of the ordinary. But both of them knew how deeply those powerful clans had rooted themselves in Konoha. If Danzo were to take action against him, he would face enemies everywhere in the village and find it difficult to move an inch. Even the Shimura clan would be implicated.

(End of this chapter)