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"Absolutely! Completely right! Definitely!"
Danzo nodded repeatedly. He had forgotten how long it had been since he last saw the First Hokage, but seeing him again now, he looked exactly the same as before.
Edo Tensei!
Danzo immediately realized Hashirama's unusual state.
As the head of the Root division of the Hidden Leaf's Anbu, Danzo had extensive information.
The Chunin Exam incident.
He knew all about it.
He just hadn't seen it firsthand and heard nothing afterward, so he hadn't paid much attention.
But now, seeing the First Hokage in his Edo Tensei state, Danzo's heart pounded wildly.
For a moment, Danzo didn't know if this was a good or bad thing.
Tobirama-sensei!
You really created an incredible jutsu!
At this thought, an image flashed in Danzo's mind.
Orochimaru!
That guy is a madman who loves experimenting with jutsu!
He actually brought the First Hokage back!
Danzo's feelings were extremely complex.
Damn it!
Danzo silently cursed Sarutobi Hiruzen for not giving him any warning, leaving him utterly unprepared.
Of course, he wasn't the only one silently cursing the Third Hokage.
There were also Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
These two elders were completely unprepared. When they saw Hashirama's face, they nearly had heart attacks.
As for Akimichi Torifu, his mind went completely blank, like a machine shutting down, unable to think at all.
"You are all Tobirama's disciples, and you have all survived these years to become leaders of the Hidden Leaf."
Hashirama nodded, his tone gentle and devoid of emotion.
With those words, everyone was stunned.
No one dared to speak.
They couldn't tell if Hashirama's words were praise or sarcasm, so they all listened quietly.
"It is because of your talents that the Hidden Leaf Village is what it is today. Your contributions are significant!"
Hashirama's gaze swept over each of them, finally resting on Akimichi Torifu.
"Torifu, what have you been up to lately?"
There was a hint of curiosity in Hashirama's voice, as he couldn't recall much about this person from his memories.
"I've been teaching the younger members of my clan..."
Akimichi Torifu, upon being addressed, felt a surge of nervousness, unable to explain why he was so tense.
"Not part of the village leadership anymore?" Hashirama asked further.
"No, after being severely injured during the Nine-Tails' attack, I stepped away from village affairs."
Akimichi Torifu felt a bit fearful, thinking his actions might have been too irresponsible.
I didn't prioritize the village!
But...
It was a choice he had no other option but to make.
He dared not deceive the First Hokage and could only speak honestly, his face showing clear signs of nervousness.
"Since you're no longer in the village leadership, you can leave. There's no need for you here today."
Hashirama waved his hand, indicating that Akimichi Torifu could go. The events after the Nine-Tails' attack were no longer relevant to him.
"Yes!"
Akimichi Torifu felt an immense sense of relief, quickly standing up and exiting. At his age, he couldn't handle such stress.
He hurried out of the Hokage's office.
Once outside, he took several deep breaths and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"That was terrifying!"
Akimichi Torifu felt even more that the atmosphere inside had been frightening. Having been out of the high-level positions for so long and not involved with village affairs, he now thought that retiring early had been a wise decision.
Back in the Hokage's office, only Hashirama and the two remaining people were left.
"Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, you are now the village's advisors, correct?"
Hashirama's gaze settled on the two elders, his eyes calm and his tone indifferent. No one could tell what he was thinking.
"Yes!"
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both nodded in unison, beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.
"Thank you for your hard work over the years."
Hashirama's eyes swept over them, his voice still devoid of any emotional fluctuation, making it hard for them to gauge his feelings.
"Not at all."
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu answered in unison, both keeping their heads bowed, unable to meet the First Hokage's gaze.
"In my memory, you were still children, and now you've grown old."
Hashirama began reminiscing, recalling that, based on his perception of time, these people seemed to be teenagers before he died.
"Danzo."
Hashirama's gaze shifted to Danzo. He didn't press the two advisors further, as they had continued to contribute to the village over the years.
"What happened to your arm? Explain it to me."
Hashirama adopted a meaningful expression, uttering a statement that puzzled the two advisors but left Danzo in a state of utter panic.
"W-what... my arm?"
Danzo's breathing became rapid, and he swallowed nervously, his entire demeanor showing extreme anxiety.
"Do you need me to explain it for you?"
Hashirama tilted his head, his smile fading as he adopted a notably serious demeanor.
"I... I... I..."
Danzo's face turned pale, his expression collapsing. It was as if he had been caught in a compromising situation, his mind going blank.
"What is it?"
Hashirama's words carried an authoritative tone. As he spoke, his chakra began to surge, causing the two advisors beside him to tremble with fear.
"First Hokage, everything I've done has been for the village!"
Danzo suddenly looked up to defend himself, never having seen himself as at fault. He believed he was executing a dark justice.
It wasn't that darkness existed because of him.
It was because darkness existed in the world, and he happened to walk through it.
Light alone couldn't save the world!
Someone had to remain in the shadows!
So, it had to be him!
Danzo believed the problem was not with himself but with the world. This was a distorted world, and he was merely using this distortion to correct it.
"Self-deception!"
Hashirama's voice was stern, though not loud, his tone heavy and coupled with a powerful chakra that created an immense pressure.
The air in the Hokage's office grew dense.
"Danzo!"
"You've been shouting that slogan of 'for the village' for many years, haven't you?"
"But what you've actually done..."
"Is often more for yourself!"
Hashirama narrowed his eyes, feeling that Danzo had been using the name of the village to justify his actions. Take Root, for example—it was essentially Danzo's private army.
(End of Chapter)