"These two are indeed geniuses, one in a million, especially Kiyomizu. Danzo, your choice to nip such a threat in the bud was correct, but your methods were wrong."
"You shouldn't have let anyone discover that Konoha was behind this. Framing Iwagakure or Kirigakure would have been fine, but you let your subordinates use the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique... Alas."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, putting down his pipe.
Using the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique was as good as telling everyone that Konoha was responsible.
"But I sent a Jonin skilled in close-quarters assassination and a Special Jonin skilled in sealing barriers, and even using the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique, we couldn't eliminate them. Hiruzen, their threat is greater than you or I imagined! No matter the cost, eliminating them is a victory!"
"But you didn't eliminate them. Now, not only are they fine, but Sunagakure and Amegakure have also sent troops."
Koharu Utatane retorted.
"Then we fight! The village's war reserves are not lacking. Currently, no other ninja village threatens Konoha. We can fully commit to fighting Sunagakure and Amegakure!"
Danzo slammed the table again, shouting loudly.
"Years of war, the village's ninja are almost at their limit, Danzo... Even the senior students at the Ninja Academy have graduated early. We can't possibly drag out children who have only been studying for two or three years. They..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped speaking and picked up his pipe again.
Several Konoha elders fell silent.
The Uchiha's strength was immense, with the most Jonin in Konoha, and they were undoubtedly the top clan in the ninja world.
But Konoha was unwilling to use them, dared not use them, and could only continue the Second Hokage's policy of using the Police Force to restrain the Uchiha. Even during wartime, the Uchiha were only deployed on a small scale.
Because the Uchiha possessed the bloodline most adapted to war. Each time they experienced the tempering of war, a group of Uchiha would experience heart-wrenching separations and deaths, thereby awakening or enhancing their Sharingan.
This was a good thing for other ninja villages, and a good thing for Konoha, but not a good thing for the Hokage lineage.
Because the Uchiha, who once established Konoha with the Senju, also coveted the position of Hokage.
The stronger the Uchiha's strength, the less stable their Hokage position would be. If another Madara Uchiha appeared, they could simply retire.
Unless Konoha reached a point of life or death, they were unwilling to release this tiger in a cage.
"Actually, even without the Uchiha, we might not necessarily lose. Monkey, let me talk to those ninja clans, I can definitely pull out a batch of elites and then defeat Sunagakure!"
Danzo looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with burning eyes.
Afterwards, as long as he could defeat Sunagakure and Amegakure, he could rely on the battle merits and prestige brought by victory to challenge for the position of Hokage!
"No."
The Third Hokage shook his head decisively.
He knew his old partner's abilities better than anyone.
You couldn't even defeat Amegakure when you were the commander before, and now you want to fight Amegakure and Sunagakure?
"Orochimaru performed very well in Amegakure before, and later he also blocked the Third Kazekage when confronting Sunagakure. If the war really breaks out again, he is the most suitable to serve as the commander of a certain front."
"Jiraiya hasn't returned to the village yet, and Tsunade is not in the village either. Her current situation is suspected to have been learned by Sunagakure, so she is even less suitable to serve as a commander. Therefore, I choose to send Sakumo into battle. Danzo, those rumors you spread before can be quelled."
The Third Hokage thought for a moment and made arrangements.
Danzo was still a little unwilling: "Hiruzen, trust me, I have enough confidence to persuade those ninja clans to send out elites. I will definitely win then!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head faintly.
"Danzo, there's no need to say anymore. I will personally go to those ninja clans to negotiate."
He knew very well that if Danzo went to talk to those ninja clans, coercion and inducement would definitely be impossible. He would only coerce.
What if people didn't put in their full effort at that time?
Weakening the ninja clans wasn't done this way.
He had to offer some benefits to appease these ninja clans, and some things only the Hokage had the right to promise.
"Hiruzen!"
Danzo wanted to say something, but was interrupted by a hurried knock on the door.
"Come in."
The Third Hokage said faintly.
The person who came was an Anbu with dazzling golden hair.
Nothing wrong, first launch, first inside, first appearance, first content, first presence, first look!
"What's the matter?"
"Third Hokage, ten minutes ago, Hatake Sakumo was found to have committed suicide by seppuku at his home."
The young voice came from under the golden-haired Anbu's mask, with a hint of injustice in the voice.
The Third Hokage suddenly stood up from his chair.
"What did you say? Sakumo committed suicide?!"
"Yes, Third Hokage. The discoverer was Sakumo's son, Hatake Kakashi. I have already restricted all those who know about it. Third Hokage, should we immediately block the news?"
"You did very well, Minato. Immediately block the news. Also, I need you to go out and call Jiraiya back. The village needs him now."
"Yes!"
Namikaze Minato immediately disappeared in a flash.
"Danzo! Look at what you've done!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo in a rage.
"Hiruzen! This matter, my actions were approved by you!"
Danzo said in a deep voice.
They just wanted to suppress Hatake Sakumo, so that this powerful figure who was not of the Hokage lineage could obediently listen to them and be a knife in their hands.
It was just that the suppression was too much, and Hatake Sakumo's character was so unyielding that he died to prove his will.
Once his death spread, the negative impact would be great. Hatake Sakumo's old subordinates would definitely be dissatisfied. This kind of thing would be a huge blow to the Third Hokage's prestige. I don't know how much effort it would take to quell it.
"Sakumo committed suicide, Tsunade is ill, Kato Dan died in battle. In less than three years, the village has lost so many important combat forces. Alas..."
The Third Hokage didn't know how many times he had sighed today.
Clearly, a few years ago, White Fang shook the ninja world, and the name of the Sannin spread throughout the world. Konoha's position as the overlord of the ninja world was unshakable. That kind of vigorous vitality and the realm of all things competing to flourish was still before his eyes. How did it become like this after only a few years?
