Konoha, Hokage Tower~
Danzo stood to the side, observing the complex mix of shock and anger on the Third Hokage's face with a sense of satisfaction.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held a thick report in his hand. He pulled out a list of ninja names from the report, his composure slipping in a rare display as he roared, "Has the promotion mechanism for the village's ninja become this corrupt?!"
"And there is a substantial involvement from the Anbu. What is going on here? I need an explanation!"
"Summon the head of the Anbu to see me immediately!"
In the shadows, an Anbu member heard the Third Hokage's order and swiftly disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique.
But no one noticed that the face behind the Anbu's mask was already drenched in cold sweat.
"Has the power-leveling issue finally been exposed?"
Danzo watched the furious Third Hokage beside him, secretly sneering in his heart as he began to calculate how to extract the maximum benefit from this incident.
At the moment, Danzo, though still the actual controller of the Root division, had been stripped of his position as the Hokage's advisor due to forging orders in the Hokage's name.
Danzo needed the position of Hokage's advisor to ensure he remained the closest person to the Hokage seat at critical moments.
"Hiruzen, we have clearly underestimated Uchiha Fuma. To use such a vicious method to disrupt the village's operations."
"As for Uchiha Fuma's actions, I believe we must take decisive measures!"
Danzo watched the Third Hokage's expression closely, speaking in a low voice.
After the recent war, the Third Hokage had immediately tasked Danzo with investigating why Konoha's ninja forces were underperforming.
As Hokage, he was deeply concerned and sensitive about this issue.
The Third Hokage vaguely sensed that there was a massive cover-up within the village, but he was being kept in the dark.
Danzo swiftly acted, using past mission reports to capture a large number of suspect ninjas, even employing genjutsu to conduct interrogations.
Soon, the entire underground power-leveling network was uncovered by Danzo, compiled into a detailed report, along with a list of involved ninjas, and delivered to the Third Hokage's desk.
"What is it, Father?"
"Slap!"
Sarutobi Shinnosuke stormed in, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he was met with a resounding slap from the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage angrily pressed the list against Shinnosuke's face and demanded, "Tell me, what is the meaning of this?!"
The Third Hokage was unusually furious. To him, this matter was as severe as if the Uchiha clan were openly rebelling.
This was a direct challenge to the Will of Fire, an attempt to uproot Konoha, a vicious plan to cause internal collapse and disintegration.
Shinnosuke took the list and, after a quick glance, immediately understood, falling silent.
"I made you the head of Anbu to protect the village, not to deliver money to the Uchiha clan!"
"Do you understand what the Anbu is? The Anbu is a unit directly under the Hokage's command, the only weapon I can wield to counterbalance the other ninja clans!"
"As the head of the Anbu, I think you might as well go be an elder of the Uchiha clan. How could you hide this from me for five years?"
Shinnosuke remained silent, and the Third Hokage's fury intensified, kicking him to the ground.
"What do you think the Anbu is? The daimyo's court? This is Konoha, the ninja village founded by Lords Hashirama and Tobirama!"
"Tell me, why did you do this? What is this all about?"
Shinnosuke, looking at the furious Third Hokage, surprisingly smiled in relief. Slowly getting up, he said, "I have a question of my own that I've wanted to ask you for a long time, Lord Third."
"Could you tell me, what exactly is the Will of Fire?"
The Third Hokage was taken aback, not expecting Shinnosuke to ask such a fundamental question.
But before the Third Hokage could say anything, Shinnosuke answered his own question:
"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns eternally."
"In other words, the young are the future's hope, and the older generation should trust and protect them. The sacrifices of the older generation are not in vain; they inspire the young to become the pillars of the future."
Seeing Shinnosuke's unusual reaction, the Third Hokage exchanged a glance with Danzo, and both saw confusion in each other's eyes.
A faintly mocking smile appeared on Shinnosuke's lips as he continued, "So, when Uchiha Fuma sacrificed himself and transferred the merits he earned to the younger ninjas, wasn't that an embodiment of the Will of Fire?"
The Third Hokage became enraged, a hint of murderous intent flickering in his eyes toward his son.
However, Shinnosuke remained unfazed.
"Although Uchiha Fuma sold his merits to others, there was no falsification involved. All were genuine achievements."
"And why did he do this? I think both Lord Third and Lord Danzo know the reason, don't you?"
"As the head of the Anbu, how should I appease a subordinate who is exceptionally strong, has countless merits, yet does not receive the recognition he deserves?"
"Should I tell him, based on the Will of Fire, that as a Uchiha, he should selflessly burn himself to illuminate the village's leaves?"
The Third Hokage was left speechless, staring blankly at Shinnosuke, while Danzo was equally shocked.
They had never expected that the Third Hokage's own son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, would speak such rebellious words.
Shinnosuke gave a relaxed smile and continued, "I was raised with the education of the Will of Fire and took it as my life motto, but I became confused because of it."
"If it weren't for Asuma, I might still be lost in my confusion."
The Third Hokage frowned. Asuma was his younger son, merely a child who had just entered the ninja academy.
"Asuma told me that the Will of Fire means that those with merit should be rewarded, those who make mistakes should be punished, the strong should help the weak, and the weak should also assist the strong."
"I think what Asuma said is very right. What do you think, Lord Third?"
The Third Hokage's face darkened, and he said in a stern voice, "You still don't understand the matters of the village; your thoughts are too naive."
Before the Third Hokage could finish, Shinnosuke tore the Anbu commander insignia off his shoulder and gently placed it on the Third Hokage's desk.
"Lord Third, I will take full responsibility for the mistakes. I will leave Konoha and go to the Land of Fire to join the Twelve Guardian Ninja. I hope that there, I can truly understand what the Will of Fire is."
After speaking, Shinnosuke bowed deeply to the Third Hokage and left without looking back.
Watching his son's departing figure, the Third Hokage fell back into his chair, overwhelmed and his mind in chaos.
He never expected that even his own son would question the Will of Fire and go to the daimyo's palace to seek the truth.
Danzo, seeing the Third Hokage's weakened state, handed over another intelligence report and mockingly said, "Orochimaru's situation is also quite serious. He has embezzled a large amount of research funding for his personal experiments."
In this war, Fuma, Sakumo Hatake, and Orochimaru were the three brightest rising stars.
But Danzo knew very well that among these three, only Orochimaru had the potential to inherit the position of Hokage.
As long as Orochimaru could be brought down, the Hokage's hat would be one step closer to him.
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