20 advance ahead chapter.....🥷🥷
"I'm really sorry, our store is full."
The owner of a snack bar dismissed Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo with a standard, insincere smile.
This was the fourth establishment they tried, and this owner was relatively polite compared to the last, who had cursed and spat at their feet. If Hiruzen hadn't stopped him, Danzo would have retaliated.
"Isn't there still a seat over there?" Danzo angrily pointed at an empty spot.
He was a respected senior ninja of Konoha and a Hokage's shadow guard, yet they were turned away for a meal.
Even a patient person would be upset, let alone someone who brought business to these places. Only ninja elites could afford to eat out regularly; ordinary people couldn't indulge like this.
"It's reserved; the guests will arrive soon," the owner replied impatiently. To him, these two had abandoned the Hokage, leading to his sacrifice. They were cowards, deserters, unworthy of Konoha's name.
Want to eat here? Go eat dirt!
"I'll wait here and see when your guests arrive!" Danzo pushed past Hiruzen, determined to demand justice.
"Enough! Do you need it spelled out?"
"I don't want your business!"
"You're all deserters, cowards, unworthy of being Konoha's ninjas!"
"You killed the Hokage!"
"Get out!"
The owner no longer wanted to engage and started yelling.
"What did you say?"
"I'll teach you a lesson today!" Danzo was infuriated, bouncing with anger. These civilians, sheltered by Konoha, didn't understand the peril they faced or Senju Tobirama's noble Will of Fire.
Hiruzen quickly restrained Danzo. In Konoha, ninjas couldn't use force against civilians without cause.
Breaking this rule meant facing the Uchiha Security Department, known for their strictness. Getting out without a hitch was unlikely.
Especially now, with tensions high, entering Uchiha territory could mean not getting out.
Hiruzen couldn't let Danzo make a scene.
"Do you still want to hit someone?" the owner shouted, seeing Danzo's aggression.
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo were conspicuous. People kept an eye on them, quickly drawing a crowd of onlookers.
Indignant villagers began criticizing them.
Coward!
Traitor!
Deserter!
The words echoed, some even insulting their families, confident in their numbers against Danzo's anger.
Uchiha had given clear instructions: if they acted out, arrest them. Once in the Uchiha Security Department, they wouldn't easily get out, and there'd be no fear of retaliation.
Danzo was furious, his eyes red with rage. Hiruzen wasn't much better, his face ashen but still rational.
Engaging with the villagers would only embarrass Uzumaki Mito and lower her esteem.
They were just villagers swayed by public opinion; there was no need for anger.
Hiruzen held Danzo's arm tightly, afraid he'd unleash a Wind Release jutsu in his fury.
"Let's go, Danzo, don't engage with them." Hiruzen pulled Danzo from the crowd, retreating to an open space.
"Damn it, damn it!"
"These peasants!"
Danzo vented his fury by whipping weeds with a branch, finally calming after dozens of strikes.
"Hiruzen, aren't you angry?" Danzo asked, looking at Hiruzen. Hiruzen had endured the villagers' insults silently, while Danzo had argued in vain.
Angry?
Of course, he was. Being insulted, having one's family mocked—anyone would be.
But anger was pointless. The more you argued, the more they thought you were anxious!
Hiruzen wasn't naive. Uzumaki Mito had warned him that Uchiha would use public opinion against him.
Forewarned, Hiruzen wouldn't fall for Uchiha's trap, getting riled by ignorant villagers.
There might be Uchiha ninjas among the crowd, waiting to capture them for the Uchiha Guard.
Hiruzen's suspicions were correct. Uchiha had indeed hired people to watch them, but they weren't alone.
Senju, Hyuga, Ino-Shika-Cho—all had their eyes on them.
"Now isn't the time for anger."
"I have more important things to focus on. A village's Kage won't be defeated by this."
Hiruzen was already adopting a Hokage mindset. To be a qualified Hokage, he needed to think like one.
Mere insults wouldn't deter him from his goal.
Danzo looked at Hiruzen's confident demeanor, feeling a burning jealousy.
Was the gap between them so vast?
Strength could be improved with effort, but a mindset gap couldn't be bridged easily.
A thick barrier already lay between Danzo and Hiruzen.
Hiruzen, I won't lose to you!
Seeing Hiruzen's mental lead, Danzo wouldn't give up easily.
He believed he was no lesser than Hiruzen, thinking the only thing missing was opportunity.
If Senju Tobirama had chosen him, he'd be no worse than Hiruzen.
Regret and resentment filled his heart.
"Danzo, let's train."
"Don't waste any time."
Hiruzen remembered Uzumaki Mito's advice. She could help deal with Uchiha, but Senju Momoma awaited him.
He needed to train hard, improving as much as possible during this period. Uzumaki Mito was buying him time. When Tobirama's body returned to Konoha, the real test would begin.
He couldn't let Tobirama down, Hiruzen vowed silently.
At this moment, a young man stood at Konoha's gate.
His black hair and handsome features bore a striking resemblance to Hashirama Senju.
Momoma Senju gazed at Konoha's gate. He should have felt happy returning, but unease clouded him, sensing a great disaster had befallen Konoha.
What had happened to make his mother so urgently call him back?
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