"What are you trying to imply, Hiruzen?!"
As soon as Shikaku Nara, with a look of nonchalance, left the room and closed the door behind him, Danzo's roar echoed through the room.
"Hiruzen, you're the Hokage. In front of the village's shinobi, we couldn't openly contradict you to avoid undermining your authority. But you were far too autocratic just now," spoke Konoha's advisor, Mitokado Homura, turning his stern gaze towards Hiruzen. "How could you decide to send Kakashi Hatake to the Hidden Mist Village at this time…?"
"Alright, alright, calm down, my old friends," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, pressing his hands downward to quiet them. Once the room settled, he continued slowly, "I understand your concerns. The Hidden Mist Village is one of the great shinobi villages. They have undoubtedly received word of the Uchiha clan's downfall by now."
"That may be true, but I still don't understand why you chose to send Kakashi at this moment. He possesses a Sharingan as well. Aren't you worried this might provoke them?" Koharu Utatane, another advisor, immediately added, "Considering Konoha has just lost a major clan, we cannot afford to irritate the Hidden Mist Village in our current weakened state."
Hiruzen took a deep puff from his pipe, filling the room with smoke as he paused, perhaps to let everyone cool down a bit.
Danzo, however, was clearly fuming. He saw this as Hiruzen's way of humiliating him after the Shisui incident. Moreover, his men had failed to retrieve many of the Uchiha bodies, leaving him even more aggrieved. What puzzled Danzo most was where Hiruzen's confidence was coming from.
"I get what both of you are saying," Hiruzen finally nodded, his face still obscured by smoke. He then turned his gaze to Danzo. "So, what do you think, Danzo, as my trusted advisor?"
Homura and Koharu exchanged glances. Hiruzen's sarcastic tone made it clear there was underlying tension between him and Danzo.
Danzo cursed Hiruzen inwardly, gripping his cane tightly to restrain his anger before speaking, "After the Third Shinobi War, we formed an alliance with the Hidden Sand Village. Meanwhile, the Hidden Mist has remained isolated due to its internal conflicts. This is a rare chance for us. I intended to leverage this opportunity to see if we could form an alliance with them as well. If successful, it would shift the balance of power in the shinobi world, forcing the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone Villages into a defensive stance, reducing their threats to Konoha."
Danzo's analysis was logical and precise. Although he often had his own agenda, his proposal to ally with two of the great shinobi villages could potentially place Konoha in a position of strength, alleviating the pressure from its adversaries. Even the two advisors nodded in agreement.
Hiruzen listened carefully and gestured for Danzo to continue.
"So, given the current situation, aiding the Hidden Mist with reparations could demonstrate our goodwill. I have someone capable of handling this task effectively. We can still send him to replace Kakashi—"
"I see. If the Hidden Mist is open to an alliance, that would be beneficial. But there's no need to replace Kakashi. I trust his judgment," Hiruzen interrupted, staring directly at Danzo. "This mission is merely to deliver a rogue-nin alert, not a diplomatic negotiation."
"Sending someone with a Sharingan, like Kakashi, might seem provocative. Don't you think that's inappropriate?" Koharu remarked.
They couldn't help but recall the cold, sharp aura that Kakashi exuded when he entered earlier. It was so intense that anyone unaware might have thought Konoha was sending him to challenge the Hidden Mist, not just to deliver a message.
"Kakashi is capable. He won't cause any unnecessary friction with the Hidden Mist. If they interpret his presence as a threat, it only means they were never interested in an alliance to begin with," Hiruzen replied, tapping his pipe to knock out the ash. "He knows his boundaries. You don't need to worry."
"But—"
"No 'but.'"
"However—"
"No 'however.'"
Hiruzen cut Danzo off sharply, a rare decisiveness flashing across his face. "Kakashi is the best choice for this mission. There will be no further discussion."
"You...!" Danzo was so infuriated he nearly lost his breath. It was clear to everyone that Hiruzen, who usually preferred to resolve conflicts through compromise, was unusually firm this time. The two advisors, realizing the matter was settled, chose to remain silent.
"Your decision is beyond foolish. I—"
"Mind your tone, Danzo!" Hiruzen's sudden outburst shocked everyone in the room. "Right now, I am still the Hokage!"
This declaration was not a rational argument but a direct exertion of his authority. Hiruzen had never been this forceful before, leaving the two onlooking advisors visibly stunned.
"You... Fine! You will regret this decision sooner or later!" Danzo's body trembled with rage as he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving Shikaku, who was outside, startled by his outburst.
When was the last time anyone had seen Hiruzen this resolute?
The two advisors, sensing the futility of further debate, also stood up to leave, offering their formal farewells. Any advice they gave now would only fall on deaf ears.
Alone in the office, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that Danzo's analysis was not without merit. His reasoning and intentions were sound. But that did not change Hiruzen's decision.
There was one overriding reason he chose Kakashi for this mission:
Kakashi was the student of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaz