Starting with the Uchiha clan, they began cultivating demonic arts.

Chapter 19 The Argument in the Hokage Building

The graduation exam, which had a few minor hiccups, passed by uneventfully, and what followed was the assignment of instructors to the group of young ninjas.

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi casually flipped through the Ninja Academy's results, looking at Uchiha Tou, who was still ranked first, as if he was pondering something.

With a bang, the office door opened, and a middle-aged man with a gloomy face and a cold expression walked in:

"Hiruzen, I need someone from you!"

"You want me to hand over your people? Haven't you made enough trouble already, Danzo!"

When the Third Hokage looked up and saw his old classmate, he was immediately furious and slammed his fist on the table.

"Shouldn't you give me an explanation for what happened to Sakumo Hatake?!"

Before Shimura Danzo could even utter a word, he was bombarded with a barrage of insults by the Third Hokage. Although Danzo was in the wrong regarding Hatake Sakumo, he certainly wouldn't admit it.

"What are you talking about, Hiruzen? What does Hatake Sakumo's matter have to do with me?"

The Third Hokage looked coldly at Shimura Danzo and said calmly:

"How many people in Konoha do you think could silence a Special Jonin within the Anbu? Or do you really think I'm old, blind, and deaf, and would believe such nonsense as Kondo Kunihiko being a spy from another ninja village?!"

"I told you, this has nothing to do with me. I have no idea who Kondo Kunihiko is."

Danzo Shimura's main strategy was to deny everything. After all, with the Third Shinobi World War about to begin, even if the Third Hokage had a lot of grievances, he couldn't possibly take action against his Root organization at this time.

As long as they don't admit their mistakes, the Third Hokage won't be able to make amends in time. After all, Root has done a lot of outrageous things since its inception, and in the end, the Third Hokage just raised the stick high and then gently put it down.

Without me playing the bad cop, where would the Third Hokage find the good cop role? As long as I still have value, I don't need to worry about the Third Hokage dealing with me and Root.

Things were much as Shimura Danzo had anticipated. Although the Third Hokage was filled with anger and frustration, he ultimately didn't dwell on the matter, simply speaking coldly:

"Everyone knows the truth of this matter. We're at war now. We'll settle accounts after the war is over!"

"And what about the intelligence on the other ninja villages? Surely Root hasn't even failed in its basic duties?!"

"Hmph, you don't need to tell me that. I've already gathered information on the other ninja villages!"

As Shimura Danzo spoke, he took out a stack of intelligence scrolls. Although Root was a troublemaker when dealing with internal affairs, it was indeed a poisonous knife in the dark when dealing with external affairs.

The title "Darkness of the Ninja World" is not a reputation bestowed upon the strongest Hokage; after all, few people would be willing to maintain such a title.

The fact that he was called the "Darkness of the Ninja World" instead of the "Darkness of Konoha" shows that other ninja villages must have also suffered at Danzo's hands.

The Third Hokage picked up the intelligence scroll, flipped through it, and the anger on his face subsided considerably. No matter what, although his old classmate had gone too far in his actions, he still had some ability!

Danzo looked up at the Third Hokage's changing expression and knew he had passed the test again. He then spoke:

"My Root forces have suffered heavy losses because of this intelligence, and we need to replenish them with more personnel."

The Third Hokage frowned slightly, but finally spoke:

"Alright, I can give you funding for 20 spots. You can recruit people yourself according to the list!"

Although Root does not openly recruit, it does have a personality analysis of all ninjas in Konoha. Generally speaking, ninjas with extreme, dark personalities, or those whose ninjutsu is extremely dangerous, are on Root's candidate list.

Danzo scoffed, "What I want aren't ordinary ninjas, but true elites!"

The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow. After so many years as partners, he knew Danzo inside and out. He could practically predict Danzo's every move.

"Hey, explain yourself! Which ninja have you set your sights on this time?!"

"Kakashi Hatake! I think he has the potential to be a Root ninja..."

"Stop dreaming!!! Isn't Konoha chaotic enough already?!"

With a roar, the Third Hokage even snapped the pipe in his hand in his fury:

"The White Fang incident hasn't even died down yet, and Kondo Kunihiko has already been exposed. Now you want to take Kakashi into Root? What do you mean? Are you telling us that after the ninjas of Konoha die, their children will be brainwashed into suicide soldiers by Root?"

"Do you believe that once this news gets out, the number of Konoha ninja defectors will increase several times over?!"

While Root has done its fair share of exploiting others, at least it's done in the shadows. But now, the White Fang incident in Konoha is the focus of the entire village, and all the other ninjas are feeling a sense of shared sorrow.

If Kakashi were taken to Root at this time and saw Konoha's appalling behavior, how could the other ninjas still have the will to serve Konoha?

Furthermore, although the Third Hokage was very lenient with his old classmate, he couldn't possibly support Shimura Danzo without any limits. He just wanted Danzo to act as a black glove, and he didn't want Root to wipe out Konoha.

Although Danzo's Root organization appears to be all-powerful in the manga, a closer look reveals that there are actually no truly skilled fighters within Root. Danzo is the only Kage-level fighter who could barely be considered one at his peak, while the others are at most a few elite Jonin.

If Kakashi's previous potential was only that he might reach the Kage level, then after he killed Kondo Kunihiko, that potential became that he would definitely reach the Kage level in ten years. How could the Third Hokage possibly entrust such a super genius to Danzo?

"Hiruzen, don't forget, he's Sakumo's son. How can you be sure he won't harbor resentment because of Sakumo?"

"Let me handle Kakashi. I'll train him to be Konoha's sharpest sword..."

"That's enough!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi almost laughed out of anger. Why would Kakashi hold a grudge? Isn't it because Danzo went too far? And now you have the nerve to say that to me!

"Kakashi? No way! If you want a genius, the top student graduating from the Ninja Academy this year could be given some training with Root!"

(End of this chapter)