Chapter 339: Refusing to Cooperate
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's Residence.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who usually never let his pipe leave his hand, had set it aside. He stared intently at the old man in the white kimono before him—or rather, at the token in the old man's hand.
"The Ninshu Decree."
Having read the ancient texts since childhood, Hiruzen recognized it immediately. However, legend said the Ninshu had long since perished. If not for the terrifying aura emanating from the old man, Hiruzen would have certainly doubted the authenticity of the token.
Watching Hiruzen's fluctuating expression, the old man in the kimono leisurely raised his teacup, savoring the high-quality tea as if he didn't care whether Hiruzen accepted the Ninshu Decree or not.
In reality, the old man wasn't as calm as he appeared. His original plan had been to "borrow" the power of the Hyuga clan to coerce Konoha's leadership into handing over the target. But to his surprise, the current Hyuga clan had long since broken free from the shackles he had created.
Yes, this old man was none other than one of the ancestors of the Hyuga clan, and the inventor of the vicious "Caged Bird" curse seal.
Unfortunately, with the Caged Bird now a thing of history, the old man couldn't use the Hyuga clan. If his identity were exposed, his own descendants would likely be the first to try and kill him.
After all, the Hyuga clan was now ruled by the former branch family, who deeply despised the Caged Bird seal. It wouldn't be strange for them to attack the old man upon learning his identity... Thus, possessing some self-awareness, the old man chose not to seek help from the Hyuga but came directly to Hiruzen Sarutobi's residence.
Over the past few days, the old man had gathered a rough understanding of Konoha's situation. Being a cunning old fox, he also understood Hiruzen's character well. By threatening Konoha's safety, there was a high probability that Hiruzen would choose to accept the "Ninshu Decree."
And indeed, if Hiruzen had truly wanted to refuse, the old man would have been driven away by the Anbu long ago instead of sitting here leisurely drinking tea. The stalemate persisted only because Hiruzen was uncharacteristically hesitant.
Unsure of what to do, Hiruzen had sent for Danzo, believing he could find the answer he sought in Danzo's attitude.
Silently setting down his teacup, the old man looked at Danzo, who had been deep in thought since arriving, and a strange smile curled the corners of his mouth.
Knowing Danzo's reputation as the "Darkness of the Shinobi," the old man was confident that Danzo would not let this golden opportunity slip by.
"I believe Konoha will develop more healthily and steadily without the threat of Uchiha Kyosuke. Moreover, factions like the Cloud will no longer have a reason to be hostile toward Konoha," the old man said to the two, his tone half-reminder, half-threat.
Danzo's single eye swept over the leisurely old man, and he suddenly spoke in a cold voice, "If we refuse, will you choose to unite with other ninja to deal with Konoha?"
Hearing Danzo's somewhat aggressive words, the old man smiled faintly. "Konoha acts willfully and perversely, disregarding the safety of the entire ninja world. As the supervisor and enforcer of the ninja world, the Ninshu naturally has to intervene. It will also serve as a deterrent to those factions intent on starting wars."
Crack! Crushing the teacup in his hand, the furious Hiruzen was about to refute the old man's slander when Danzo suddenly uttered a decision that surprised both of them.
"Then try it. See if Konoha can once again repel the siege of the Four Great Nations," Danzo said, his aura sharp and unyielding.
"Danzo, you..." Hearing Danzo's words, Hiruzen was initially surprised. He knew Danzo had long wanted to deal with Kyosuke, or rather, the Uchiha clan behind him.
Hiruzen had expected Danzo to use this opportunity as a blade against Kyosuke. To his surprise, Danzo was uncharacteristically speaking in Kyosuke's defense.
But then he thought about it carefully. Wouldn't a war against the Four Great Nations be something Danzo would welcome? Always desiring to unite the entire ninja world, Danzo wouldn't let such a good opportunity pass... Understanding this, Hiruzen was no longer surprised by Danzo's reaction.
Of course, this didn't mean the old man opposite them could accept this unexpected turn of events.
When he heard Danzo's resolute words, his calm facade finally crumbled. The once-confident old man finally realized that today's events were going to exceed his expectations.
"Defying the Ninshu Decree—Konoha isn't the first, but do you know the fate of those factions before you?" The old man, dropping all pretense, directly threatened the two. However, his words only made Hiruzen, who had been frowning moments ago, relax slightly.
Sneering at the old man, Danzo said icily, "What bullshit Ninshu Decree? If your Ninshu is full of idiots like you, it's better off destroyed sooner rather than later."
"If you don't have the strength, admit it honestly. You keep emphasizing some scourge of the ninja world... if you're so eager to fulfill your duties, why don't you just attack and kill Kyosuke yourselves?"
"Isn't it just because your own strength is insufficient that you're wasting time talking here? Leaving aside whether you can gain the support of the other ninja villages, even if you could, do you really think Konoha would fear them?"
After a barrage of mockery and sharp words, Danzo left the old man speechless. After a long while, the old man stood up, furiously leaving a "just you wait" before turning to leave.
He feared that if he didn't leave now, he wouldn't be able to leave at all.
Suddenly, applause erupted from the main gate, and Kyosuke slowly walked in.
"Elder Danzo is right. Konoha lacked a sufficient reason to declare war on other countries. Now it's settled; we just have to wait quietly for the enemy to arrive. Speaking of which, we should thank you properly," Kyosuke said, though the three present could see no gratitude in his eyes. The old man knew the moment he saw Kyosuke that a fight was inevitable today.
"Arrogant brat! I'll see what qualifies you to make the Lord issue the Ninshu Decree! When I shook the ninja world, your grandfather wasn't even born!" The old man finished speaking and launched a palm strike at Kyosuke.
One Minute Later
Flicking the blood off his sword, Kyosuke handed the unconscious old man to his subordinates. He nodded to Hiruzen Sarutobi and then took his leave.
"...Barking loudly, but turned out to be nothing but a paper tiger," Danzo muttered disdainfully. He then turned to Hiruzen. "Hiruzen, when did you become so timid? Have you truly gotten old?"
"Sigh." Hiruzen could only sigh softly, staring blankly at Danzo's retreating back. Whether lamenting or mocking himself, he murmured, "I really have gotten old..."