The Third Hokage entered the prison worried and left in a fit of anger.
Even though it was late at night, he had no intention of going home to rest.
Back in the Hokage's office, his frustration only grew. He immediately summoned Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Hamura.
Why should he bear this burden alone when it concerned them all?
The two advisors of the Elders' Council, already half-asleep, were roused and hurriedly made their way to the Hokage's office.
"Hiruzen, did something happen on the frontlines?" Utatane Koharu asked, her voice laced with concern as they entered.
Despite their exhaustion, both elders rushed over, fearing a crisis.
"Sit down," the Third Hokage said, rubbing his tired face. The two elders looked equally weary, but Sarutobi Hiruzen had even more on his plate.
Once they were seated, the Third Hokage sighed heavily.
"The front line holds firm, and the village's position remains secure. Sand Village's supplies are dwindling, and in a war of attrition, they cannot outlast Konoha."
"Then why summon us in the middle of the night?" Mitokado Hamura asked hesitantly.
"Hiruzen, if there's something to say, say it. Don't drag this out," Koharu said bluntly, making the Third Hokage's eye twitch.
Koharu, watch your words.
Mitokado Hamura shot Koharu a warning glance, but she looked puzzled. What did I say wrong? If the battlefield situation hadn't changed, why were they being called here so late?
The Third Hokage met her confused gaze and sighed again, closing his eyes. When he reopened them, he spoke slowly.
"I visited Danzo. He's angry about being sidelined and has threatened to reveal the truth about Uchiha Kagami unless he's released within a year."
Not tired now, are you? The Third Hokage thought grimly.
"What?"
"No! That's impossible!"
Both Koharu and Hamura stood up, shock and disbelief etched on their faces.
Was Danzo insane? How could he make such a threat? If word got out, the consequences would be catastrophic, especially in wartime.
It would devastate the morale of the village.
The Third Hokage was pleased with their reactions. If they were this alarmed, perhaps they would understand the severity of the situation.
"I know Danzo. If he gives us a year, he means exactly that. If we don't meet his demands by then..."
Hiruzen left the sentence unfinished; he didn't need to spell out the consequences. Koharu and Hamura understood perfectly.
"No, I'll go talk to him," Koharu said, heading for the door.
Hamura grabbed her arm. "Koharu, confronting Danzo will only make him angrier!"
Danzo was already unstable, and Koharu's presence would only add fuel to the fire. Did she not see that?
"Oh..." Koharu paused, realizing the truth in Hamura's words. "Then what do we do? We can't just release him. Tsunade and Hyuga Shinki won't allow it. If Danzo is freed, who knows how they'll react."
"And what right does Danzo have to threaten us? He caused this mess himself."
Each person had their own perspective.
Koharu believed Danzo deserved his imprisonment, but Danzo felt that Sarutobi Hiruzen's bias toward the Elders was unjust. Both sides had their reasons, and neither would budge.
Which left the Third Hokage caught in the middle.
"Enough, Koharu," Hiruzen interrupted, irritation evident in his voice. "We need to find a way to release Danzo. His presence could benefit our operations."
Since Danzo's imprisonment, the Third Hokage had come to realize how much he relied on Danzo's covert activities. Without him, Hiruzen hesitated to take certain actions.
"Then we need to find a way to convince Tsunade and Shinki. Especially Shinki. If he agrees, Tsunade will follow," Hamura said, cutting off any further outbursts from Koharu.
But how could they persuade Shinki?
Recalling their past conflict over the puppets, all three felt a collective headache.
If only they hadn't tried to take the puppets for free and had cooperated with Shinki from the start. Now, everything was a tangled mess.
The trio discussed solutions until dawn but couldn't find a viable approach.
Exhausted, they reluctantly adjourned, agreeing to reconvene later.
The years had weighed on them, bringing stress and sleepless nights. By morning, the Third Hokage felt lightheaded with fatigue.
As he was about to head home for some rest, his work secretary entered the office.
"Hokage-sama, these are the documents for today's meeting. Should I place them in the conference room?"
"..."
A meeting today? The Third Hokage's already foggy mind grew more muddled.
"Yes, put them there. I'll be there shortly," he said, stifling a groan.
If it were a routine meeting, he might have taken a break. But if it was important, he had no choice but to attend.
Koharu and Hamura experienced the same misfortune. Having been up all night discussing Danzo's potential release, they had just returned home when they were summoned for the meeting.
Koharu nearly swore aloud.
Hamura wore a look of resignation.
Meanwhile, Shinki, refreshed from a good night's sleep, took his time strolling to the Hokage's office for the meeting. When he arrived, he immediately sensed that something was off.
What's going on? He glanced at the front of the room and saw the village's three senior leaders looking utterly worn out.
Am I seeing this right? They look like they're on the verge of collapse.
Saying nothing, Shinki sat down and elbowed Akimichi Tofu beside him.
"Senior, what's up with those three? They look like they're about to keel over."
"..."
Although true, couldn't you be a bit more subtle?
Akimichi Tofu stifled a laugh. He too was curious about what had left the Third Hokage, Koharu, and Hamura so exhausted.
An expression of near-death fatigue? Hilarious. Shinki's bluntness was unmatched.
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Up to Chapter 330 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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