Chapter 101
Haneda discreetly observed the Third Hokage's reaction. When he noticed the slight furrow in his brow, Haneda knew that Hiruzen was beginning to suspect Danzo. This was exactly the response Haneda wanted.
He was confident that with Black Zetsu and White Zetsu's manipulative skills, framing Danzo would be an easy task. As long as the Third Hokage sent someone to investigate, they would surely find traces of the shady activities of Root. These clues had been deliberately left by Madara and Black Zetsu to avoid arousing Haneda's suspicion.
Now, Haneda planned to use these suspicions to his advantage.
At that moment, Asuma spoke up, delivering an unexpected but perfect assist.
"Old man, it's that inherently evil Danzo again, isn't it?" Asuma said, his tone filled with contempt. "You've been way too lenient with that relic of the old times, whose body and mind are both utterly rotten!"
Asuma was clearly frustrated. In his eyes, Haneda, someone who would rather fight strong enemies himself than let his comrades sacrifice themselves needlessly, truly embodied the Will of Fire. Haneda was a shinobi with the mindset of a Hokage and a heart full of compassion. How could such a person be backstabbed by someone like Danzo, who still sat in a high position of power?
Incensed, Asuma continued, "Haneda is the true inheritor of the Will of Fire! He's Konoha's most gifted, most energetic, and most forward-thinking ninja of the new generation! Old man, how can you keep letting Danzo run wild like this? Do you even deserve the title of Hokage?!"
Hiruzen couldn't believe what he was hearing. He stared at Asuma, shocked. His own son, a key member of the Hokage faction, was now siding with the Uchiha clan and openly opposing him!
Especially that last sentence, which was practically calling him unfit to be Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen unworthy of the title!
Did Asuma not understand that, no matter what Danzo had done to Haneda, he, as Hokage, had to protect Danzo? How could Hiruzen possibly admit that one of his own, Danzo, had attempted to harm Uchiha Haneda? How would the Uchiha clan react? How would Sakumo, Duy, Minato, or Kushina perceive it?
This rebellious son of his, Asuma, was practically putting him on the hot seat!
Meanwhile, Sakumo, Minato, and even Kakashi had already started exchanging suspicious glances with Hiruzen. With their positions and the information they were privy to, it was clear to them that Danzo, head of Root, had once again committed one of his "deeds."
Haneda was Sakumo's student and Kakashi's close friend. There was no way Sakumo would let Haneda suffer such injustice. Minato, with his own bond with Haneda—part student, part life-debt—also felt uneasy, both for moral reasons and due to personal concern.
As for Kakashi, having experienced the political maneuverings five years ago, he was well aware of the situation. While his rank and position didn't allow him to intervene directly, he silently stood behind Haneda, tugging on his father's sleeve, indicating his firm stance.
Meanwhile, Obito, Rin, and Kurenai stood there, utterly bewildered. What on earth had just happened to cause such tension in the office? Haneda hadn't mentioned anything specific, so why was Asuma so furious? And who was this "inherently evil" Danzo? Why were Sakumo-sensei and Minato-sensei now standing protectively behind Haneda, seemingly at odds with the Third Hokage?
Wait… wasn't the Third Hokage supposed to be the highest authority in the village?
*Cough, cough…*
The Third Hokage cleared his throat, watching as Sakumo and Minato subtly positioned themselves between him and Haneda. He finally spoke, "I understand. I will assign someone to investigate and verify the truth of the matter."
Trying to brush it aside again? Hoping to let the issue slide?
Haneda had already planned to use Madara and Black Zetsu's schemes to turn this situation to his advantage. His earlier interactions with Yahiko and the others were all part of his plan to build goodwill and reap rewards. Now, by raising this issue, he sought to gain even more.
There was no way he would allow the Third Hokage to dismiss the matter with just a few words. Moreover, Haneda was no longer the insignificant boy from five years ago, easily manipulated. His current strength was on par with elite jonin, capable of sparring with Kage-level shinobi. Within Konoha, his connections ran deep.
Haneda immediately spoke up, "Hokage-sama, I escaped thanks to Sakumo-san's sacrifice, only to be confronted by Root ninjas. They kept saying that Danzo-sama wanted my eyes and that I needed to die!" Haneda said through gritted teeth, deliberately leaking his chakra.
The surge of chakra was overwhelming, equivalent to more than ten Kakashis combined, far exceeding the typical jonin level. This caught the Third Hokage's attention. Reflecting on Haneda's past achievements, Hiruzen's eyes dimmed slightly.
At five years old, Haneda had killed a Root jonin alongside Kakashi. By age ten, he was capable of defeating a Kirigakure jonin with just a genjutsu. Not only that, but a month ago, Haneda and Kakashi nearly killed a powerful ninja who possessed two Kekkei Genkai abilities. And more recently, he had battled a mysterious puppet master who had turned the Third Kazekage into a puppet, holding his ground in the fight.
These accomplishments all demonstrated Haneda's exceptional strength. Furthermore, Haneda had the Uchiha clan, Sakumo, and the brightest young shinobi in the village backing him.
The Third Hokage finally said, "I will assign the Anbu captain to conduct a thorough investigation, alongside Uchiha Yashiro, a squad leader, to ensure transparency. Until the investigation is concluded, Danzo will be temporarily suspended from all duties."
Hearing this, Sakumo and Minato both realized the Third Hokage was taking the matter seriously this time. Assigning both the Uchiha clan and the Anbu to investigate indicated that the Hokage was determined to handle this matter impartially, without showing favoritism toward Danzo. This was a satisfactory resolution for Sakumo and Minato.
However, Haneda was not content.
The Third Hokage's decision might embarrass Danzo, but it brought Haneda no tangible benefits. What Haneda needed was concrete compensation.
"Hokage-sama, Sakumo-san and I discovered the reason behind Sunagakure's large-scale movements. This should count as an S-rank mission," Haneda hinted.
Five years ago, in an attempt to compensate Haneda, the Third Hokage had rewarded him with a jutsu from the Scroll of Seals, disguising it as an S-rank mission reward. Haneda intended to replicate that reward now.
The Third Hokage glanced at Haneda, and Haneda, facing his gaze, remained calm and composed, showing neither excessive respect nor anger.
Seeing this, the Third Hokage roughly understood what Haneda was truly after. He then turned his gaze to Asuma, who was staring defiantly at the ceiling, ignoring him. Next, he looked at Sakumo and Minato, who stood silently but conveyed their expectations clearly.
The Hokage finally said, "The intelligence gathered regarding the death of the Third Kazekage is indeed worthy of an S-rank mission. For this mission, Sakumo, Haneda, Asuma, and Kurenai may each select a jutsu from the Scroll of Seals."
It was a well-balanced decision. By spreading the rewards evenly, he ensured fairness.
Sakumo didn't need anything from the Scroll of Seals. While Asuma had opposed him, he was still Hiruzen's son, and Kurenai was practically his daughter-in-law. The Third Hokage wouldn't lose much by including them.
But Haneda pressed further, "Hokage-sama, there aren't any suitable jutsu left for me in the Scroll of Seals. I'd like to borrow the full scroll for a while, to study the Second Hokage's approach to ninjutsu innovation."
The Hokage considered this for a moment before agreeing. He knew Haneda had already learned the Flying Raijin from Kakashi in private. Minato and Kushina were also teaching him Uzumaki clan sealing techniques, so there was no point in hiding that. Haneda and his peers were unaware of the Reanimation Jutsu, and Water and Earth Style jutsu weren't particularly relevant to the Uchiha clan.
As for the First Hokage's Wood Style, the Uchiha couldn't possibly master it.
There was little in the scroll that could benefit Haneda, making his request reasonable.
The Hokage nodded, "Alright, but you can only study it here in the Hokage's office, and only for one day."
…
After Haneda and the others had left, the Third Hokage took several deep drags from his pipe before summoning several Anbu.
"Tell Danzo to come and see me!" he ordered.