---
At this time, Sarutobi Hiruzen was in his office, meticulously sorting through the countless documents detailing Konoha Village's affairs.
The sudden arrival of Danzo interrupted his work. Danzo's anxious expression immediately caught Hiruzen's attention, and a trace of confusion crossed his aged, wrinkled face.
"What brings you here, Danzo?" he asked.
Danzo didn't waste any time. His tone was heavy with foreboding as he began, "You must have heard about the incident in the woods outside Konoha Village yesterday."
Hiruzen set his documents aside and lit the pipe at his side, his deep eyes meeting Danzo's. He responded calmly, "What's your perspective on the matter?"
Danzo's eyebrows twitched at the unexpected question, but he hid his surprise. Internally, he was pleased—Hiruzen had given him an opening.
"Well then," Danzo began, his face grim. "Kirito is a special jonin of Konoha Village, and he clearly possesses the strength to confront the S-rank rogue ninjas Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame, who infiltrated the village."
"Yet, he deliberately allowed those two threats to escape. Their return, after recovering from their injuries, would be catastrophic for Konoha. Such recklessness cannot go unpunished. If we don't act, the other ninjas in the village might follow his example. Hokage-sama, this requires decisive action."
Danzo's words were filled with malice as he piled accusations onto Kirito.
Hiruzen's expression darkened. He leaned back, puffing on his pipe as he mulled over the situation. Indeed, Kirito's recent actions had caused significant waves in Konoha. While his skill and bravery were undeniable, his casual disregard for protocol and authority irked the Hokage. Even as a special jonin, Kirito had failed to report directly to him, the Hokage—a slight Hiruzen could not ignore.
Kirito needed to be taught a lesson in respect. The thought brought a faint sense of resolve to Hiruzen's mind.
He exhaled a plume of smoke and fixed his gaze on Danzo. "What action would you suggest?"
Danzo's lips curled slightly into a hidden smirk. He had been waiting for this moment. Keeping his tone measured, he said, "I propose we demote Kirito to chunin. His authority must be curtailed to serve as an example to others."
After a moment's consideration, Hiruzen nodded. "Kirito's actions saved the Jinchūriki and repelled Akatsuki's threat, but letting Itachi and Kisame escape was a mistake. As Hokage, I will penalize him. His salary will be suspended for three months, and his authority will be temporarily reduced to that of a chunin. However, he will continue to lead Team 7, and his special jonin rank will be reinstated after three months, provided he shows improvement."
He turned to the shadowy corner of the room and ordered an Anbu operative to disseminate the punishment after the Chunin Exams concluded tomorrow.
Danzo concealed his satisfaction as he left the office. Though the punishment wasn't severe, it would still tarnish Kirito's standing. With Kirito temporarily stripped of power, Danzo would find opportunities to suppress him further and eventually expel him from Konoha entirely.
---
Elsewhere, under the bright forest canopy, a group of Sand Village ninjas moved stealthily through the woods, clearing the path for their leader, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, and his entourage. At the front of the convoy was a man with a short crop of brown hair, a Kazekage hat, and a dark ninja cape.
Unbeknownst to the group, this "Rasa" was none other than Orochimaru in disguise. Orochimaru had killed the real Rasa during a secret meeting and taken his place, part of his plan to launch a joint assault on Konoha alongside the Sound Village.
Even Rasa's children, including Gaara, had failed to notice anything amiss. As they traveled, Orochimaru, posing as Rasa, turned to Temari. "How much farther?"
Temari consulted her map. "We should reach Konoha early tomorrow morning, just in time for the final round of the Chunin Exams."
Orochimaru gave a small nod, satisfied. Though he already knew the timing, maintaining the facade of the Kazekage required careful attention to detail.
That night, the Sand Village convoy camped in a secluded clearing. In the dim interior of "Rasa's" tent, Orochimaru received an unexpected visitor. A masked man clad in Akatsuki's signature black cloak with red clouds appeared before him.
Orochimaru's face darkened as his sharp eyes appraised the intruder. He knew this man's identity all too well: Uchiha Obito, though the masked man claimed to be Madara. Regardless of the truth, Orochimaru was wary. Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan made him an unpredictable and dangerous figure.
"Don't be so tense, Orochimaru," Obito said, his voice calm but commanding. "I'm here to discuss a deal."
Orochimaru arched a brow, intrigued but cautious. "What kind of deal?"
"I know you're planning to destroy Konoha," Obito said. "But I need you to test someone for me. Or better yet, kill him."
Orochimaru's sly grin widened. "And who might that be?"
"Kirito," Obito replied. "The prodigy of Konoha. If you kill him, I'll lend my strength to ensure your Konoha Collapse Plan succeeds."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he considered the proposal. He was well aware of Kirito's strength—defeating him would be no small feat. Still, he couldn't dismiss the opportunity to test the boy.
"I'll consider it," Orochimaru said, a glint of calculation in his eyes. "But first, I need your support to weaken Konoha's leadership. When the time is right, I'll deal with Kirito."
Obito accepted the terms with a nod before vanishing into the shadows. Orochimaru chuckled to himself. He had no intention of playing anyone's pawn—not Obito's, not Danzo's, not even Sarutobi Hiruzen's. For now, he would let events unfold and decide how best to manipulate the situation to his advantage.
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed out of his window, unease gnawing at his heart. He couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was on the horizon, but the source of the danger remained elusive.
As the various players moved their pieces, Kirito remained unaware of the storm brewing around him.
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