Danzo hadn't expected that Hanzo the Salamander, whom he thought he had firmly in his grasp, would turn against him over a seemingly trivial piece of intelligence.
"How did the information leak?"
Danzo Shimura was not particularly concerned about being arrested or locked up. He was confident that the Third Hokage wouldn't kill him; at most, he would be detained.
In his current situation, he was already as good as confined, so he might as well bide his time in peace. The Third Hokage needed him—the shadowy figure in the dark, the scapegoat to bear the blame, the sinister hand in the background. It was only a matter of time before he would re-emerge and reclaim power.
"Do you seriously have the nerve to ask?"
Akimichi Torifu was tempted to slap Danzo right then and there.
Koharu Utatane couldn't hold back any longer and stepped forward to scold him:
"Danzo, we've tolerated your underhanded deeds in the past, but why would you sell out the village's information and make a deal with Hanzo the Salamander?"
"The village just held an important meeting, and right after, the intelligence was sold off. You really don't hold back. And yet, you're blind as a bat!"
"???"
What did she mean?
Had he truly misjudged Hanzo?
"Hanzo captured your subordinates, interrogated them, and left them dead. Then, that venomous old man personally took the bodies to the gates of the border camp and exposed your entire operation in front of dozens of shinobi."
"…."
Had he really been blind?
Would Hanzo the Salamander truly do something like this?
Danzo couldn't understand. Wasn't Hanzo concerned about Amegakure and the Land of Rain? Didn't he fear dragging his country into war?
Even as the Anbu dragged him off and locked him in a dark cell, Danzo remained puzzled. And it wasn't just Danzo who was left bewildered; the Third Hokage himself was stunned.
Yet, however unbelievable it seemed, it had happened.
Hanzo claimed he had no intention of opposing Konoha, but was such a matter really something a few words could settle?
The entire village was thrown into an uproar when the latest announcement from the Hokage's office broke the peace.
"Why would Lord Danzo try to assassinate Konoha's own shinobi?"
"No idea! The announcement said he not only assassinated our shinobi but also leaked village secrets, betraying the village's interests."
"How could he do such a thing?"
With that announcement, Danzo became like a rat in the streets—reviled and despised. Konoha's citizens relished the scandal while heaping praise on the Third Hokage.
In the wake of the incident, Danzo had been captured and imprisoned immediately, thanks to the Hokage's decisive actions. As for Danzo's ultimate fate, few people truly cared. With him locked up, everyone believed the Hokage would impose a fitting and harsh punishment.
The prompt announcement and swift arrest helped dispel the anger and resentment among the villagers and shinobi. Without further escalation, the matter would gradually fade from most people's minds.
"So, does no one know why Hanzo turned on us?"
Sarutobi Santou nodded. "Yes, Lord Hokage. Hanzo didn't offer any explanation. He merely exposed Danzo's plot, threw down the bodies, and left. The bodies were verified to be members of the Shimura clan."
Sarutobi Santou, after returning to the village, reported every detail of the incident to the Third Hokage.
"Thank you, Santou. Rest for now, and then return to the camp to announce the village's decision. I won't allow Danzo's actions to discourage our comrades."
Barring any unforeseen events, this incident would be put to rest here.
In the near future, the Third Hokage would not allow Danzo to reappear or stir up trouble. When Danzo could walk free again would depend on when Sarutobi Hiruzen next needed his scapegoat or dark hand. And, of course, it also depended on the situation regarding the ancestral Senju residence.
As long as Uzumaki Mito remained, releasing Danzo would be unwise.
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
Having completed his task, Sarutobi Santou rested for the night in the village before setting off back to the camp.
Upon his return, Santou immediately relayed the Hokage's decision to the camp, sparking cheers from the shinobi who had felt uneasy. Waves of admiration for the Third Hokage filled the air.
Santou then visited the medical unit, where he informed Takashi of the announcement and said, "The Hokage takes this matter very seriously. For now, focus on recovering. The captain and I will manage things in the camp."
"Thank you, Deputy Captain."
Takashi responded courteously.
Indeed, the Third Hokage had played this move masterfully. Not only did he garner goodwill, but he also managed to protect Danzo, burying the incident and diverting attention.
With the villagers focused on the punishment announcement, few would question whether Danzo's punishment was genuinely severe or even carried out at all. The camp was already a testament to the effectiveness of this strategy.
When the story first broke, the resentment among the shinobi in the camp was palpable. Now, they were all smiles, singing praises of the Hokage. They were nearly ready to erect a shrine in his honor.
As dramatic as it seemed, with the situation now under control, Takashi could finally rest and await the completion of the Tenseigan's third phase of awakening.
The third phase had lasted longer than expected; what Takashi initially thought would take only half a month had stretched on for over a month.
Takashi suspected the prolonged awakening was due to his lack of Otsutsuki chakra and the dilution of his bloodline.
When the Tenseigan's awakening finally ended, Takashi unwrapped the white cloth covering his eyes and took a mirror from a sealing scroll to inspect himself.
Aside from slightly fairer skin, there wasn't much change.
Though there were no visible changes, internally, he had undergone a tremendous transformation.
Takashi's body had fully recovered.
To the camp's shinobi, this was great news—everyone finally felt a sense of relief.