"Who exactly was the killer?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked down at the scroll and said, "A Fire Style expert, especially one skilled in infiltration... Although Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yui were somewhat lacking in strength, anyone who could cleanly kill them and their guards must be at least at the level of a Jonin or even an Elite Jonin. Those guarding Sarutobi Yui were an Ino-Shika-Cho trio. That combination has excellent offense and defense, yet they were killed by Fire Style without even being able to react..."
After reflecting, Hiruzen said, "Among the Jonin of the Senju clan, there are no specialists in Fire Style; it doesn't seem like them. The Senju clan is currently focusing its work around the Hidden Leaf Hospital; in terms of combat power, they aren't as formidable as they once were."
"Hatake Sakumo's subordinates didn't have the time to commit the act; Kawa-Tora is at the base fortress in the direction of the Land of Waves, while Yamashiro-Ji and Gekko Munen are both in the village. Although Hatake Sakumo is ambitious and wants to implement his self-righteous policies, he wouldn't go as far as killing fellow villagers for his goals. Jonin of the Uchiha clan... could it be the Uchiha? First, check where the Uchiha Jonin have been recently."
After a second thought, Hiruzen said, "I will speak with Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, and Uchiha Atsushi in turn, demanding they prove their innocence. Meanwhile, the ANBU and Root will investigate in the shadows; not a single clue must be overlooked."
The death of Sarutobi Yui brought grief to Hiruzen's heart. That was his own nephew, a very promising young man, and an important assistant he intended to leave for his son.
Danzo asked again, "Should we kill a few more people? They are too arrogant, actually daring to strike back."
Hiruzen shook his head and said, "Investigate the truth first. Determine who the killer is first. Once the truth is found, use it to force them to back down. Killing people haphazardly at this time and letting someone catch a weakness will instead easily put us on the defensive. The struggle is long-term; do not be impatient."
Danzo felt disdain in his heart, though he did not speak out in opposition and turned to leave.
After Orochimaru left the Hokage Building, he did not return to the Root base but instead went to the Hidden Leaf Hospital. On the rooftop of the hospital's outpatient building, Orochimaru waited for Tsunade.
"Orochimaru, is there something you need? Speaking of which, after you returned to the village, it's like you disappeared; I never see you."
Seeing the playful look in Orochimaru's eyes, Tsunade looked down at herself; there was nothing unusual today. Looking down, she still couldn't see her shoes.
Orochimaru said, "Tsunade, I underestimated you. I didn't expect the counterattack to be so explosive."
"Counterattack? Who did I counterattack?"
Orochimaru said, "Whether you did it or not, they will conclude it was a counterattack from you, Hatake Sakumo, and Uchiha Atsushi."
"I don't understand. What did I counterattack?"
"Shimura Tan, Sarutobi Yui, two Special Jonin who were about to participate in the Jonin exam. One died in the Land of Grass, and one died in the Land of Hot Water."
"What does that have to do with me? The Jonin class is conducting round after round of exams. Why were they going to other countries instead of staying in the village?"
Orochimaru explained, "The Guardian Jonin for the Land of Rivers is from the Shimura clan, and the Guardian Jonin for the Land of Steam is from the Sarutobi clan. They went to help their clans stabilize the situation. In the Jonin exam, the Shimura and Sarutobi clans are scheduled last; they have plenty of time."
Tsunade frowned, immediately realizing the severity of the problem. "This is slander! I was indeed angry because the Third Hokage rejected the person I recommended, but how could I possibly assassinate people from my own village? Even if they are from the Sarutobi or Shimura clans, I wouldn't kill them."
"Could it be that the Sarutobi and Shimura clans offended someone else, and that person took the opportunity to strike while the Third and I were in conflict over the Jonin recommendations? Am I being used as a shield? No, I'm going to find the Third. This has absolutely nothing to do with me."
With that, Tsunade leaped directly from the rooftop toward the Hokage Building. Orochimaru shook his head repeatedly. Half an hour later, Tsunade returned in a huff.
"Anyway, I've explained it clearly enough. It wasn't me, and I'm not taking the blame for this."
Orochimaru thought to himself: 'Did you go there to explain? You went there to rub salt in the wound.' He could already imagine the scene of Tsunade and Hiruzen arguing.
Ignoring the matter of the Sarutobi clan being retaliated against, Orochimaru asked directly, "Tsunade, do you support me becoming the Fourth Hokage?"
"Who? You? You, Orochimaru? You want to be the Fourth Hokage?" Tsunade said in disbelief. "Forget it, it would be better to let Jiraiya be the Fourth Hokage."
"I'm asking if you support it or not."
"I can only say I don't oppose it."
"You don't oppose it?" Orochimaru said. "That's enough. Your not opposing it is the greatest support for me."
"You really want to be the Fourth Hokage?"
Orochimaru raised his hands and stared at them, saying, "I need power. I need secret techniques. Right now, the power and secret techniques of the village are held in the hands of Hiruzen. I have asked him for the Scroll of Seals several times, and I've been rejected every time."
"Hiruzen said the knowledge contained in the Scroll of Seals is too powerful for me to control and would lead me astray. I don't believe it. Is there any power I cannot control? Since Hiruzen wants to push me to be the Fourth Hokage, then I will do it. When the power is in my hands, I will make better use of it. In this world, there is absolutely no power I cannot control."
Tsunade knew that she must be the one with the fewest flaws among the Sannin. She looked at the slightly crazed Orochimaru and said, "The Third has held the Scroll of Seals for many years; have you seen him learn a single forbidden jutsu? Forbidden jutsu require talent and opportunity. Rashly learning them makes self-destruction the mildest outcome. Orochimaru, pursuing power is normal—you and I are both pursuing power. However, do not pursue power you cannot carry. Compared to learning unsuitable forbidden jutsu, it's better to develop abilities that suit yourself."
Orochimaru suddenly looked at the center of Tsunade's forehead, seeing the diamond-shaped seal there. "You... completed that jutsu?"
Tsunade nodded and said, "Yes. Sealing away ordinary chakra to use during battle—I've achieved it now."
As soon as Tsunade finished speaking, Orochimaru suddenly lunged. Their figures briefly crossed paths. The floor tiles on the rooftop shattered, cracked in pieces.
Tsunade stood with her back to Orochimaru as the Strength of a Hundred Seal slowly receded back into the diamond mark on her forehead. Orochimaru's eyes lowered, then he glanced at the Hokage Building and vanished from the hospital rooftop with a Body Flicker.
He felt an even greater sense of urgency in his heart. Tsunade's strength had received a qualitative improvement, yet he had not yet seen the dawn.
...
Shinma's footsteps were hurried as he rushed toward a training ground on the edge of the village. Inside the training ground, Hatake Sakumo was teaching Minato and Kakashi. Seeing Shinma waving to him from afar, Sakumo had Minato guide Kakashi and walked over to Shinma.
"Lord Sakumo! Something major has happened!" Shinma said urgently. "In the final round of the Jonin exam, two people were missing: Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yui. I heard they were both assassinated; they and their guards were turned into charred corpses."
Sakumo's first reaction was that the Sarutobi and Shimura clans had deep foundations, being able to arrange guards even for the Special Jonin of their families. Only then did he realize: 'Won't the village suspect it was me?'
Shinma said from the side, "Shirakumo Mai and I were recommended for Jonin by you, but both had our qualifications revoked by the village. Shirakumo Mai was questioned by the Shimura clan about whether his modified Vacuum Sword was stolen from them. I was almost killed; if Lord Gekko Munen hadn't arrived, I would be dead. Now that the sons and nephews of the village high-ranking officials have been murdered, haven't we become one of the suspect parties?"
Hatake Sakumo thought for a moment and said, "Shinma, go prepare an investigation report. The content should be the alibis for Gekko Munen, Yamashiro-Ji, you, Mai, and five other Special Jonin. Complete the report as soon as possible; I expect the village will ask for it sooner or later."
An ANBU suddenly landed in the training ground. "Lord White Fang, the Hokage summons you."
Hatake Sakumo said, "I understand. I'm going now."
Entering the Hokage office, Hatake Sakumo was questioned by the Hokage. After Sakumo said he had been inside the village the whole time, the Third Hokage demanded that Sakumo and his subordinates prove themselves by providing a report, and Sakumo agreed. It wasn't him, nor was it ordered by him; Sakumo did not panic in his heart.
Just as he walked out of the Hokage Building, Sakumo saw a mask—somewhat like, but not quite, Fox. He had originally been very firm in believing that he had no connection to the deaths of Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yu. But at this moment, he suddenly felt some hesitation. 'No... it's not him, is it...'
'If it is him...' Hatake Sakumo thought continuously. 'If it's Fox, then what should I do?' Assassinating comrades from the same village—was it really done by him?
After Shinma left the training ground, he went to find Shirakumo Mai. Shirakumo Mai was practicing the Vacuum Sword in his backyard. Through continuous hard practice, Shirakumo Mai had accidentally discovered the knack for releasing the Vacuum Sword with one hand.
The Vacuum Sword was simplified from three signs to half a sign with one hand; the palm of the hand holding the sword pressed against the hilt, the fingers formed the seal, and the wind blades flew out with the blade, greatly increasing flexibility. He was very suited for the Vacuum Sword jutsu.
For this reason, the Shimura clan had questioned him for a long time; if Lord Sakumo hadn't guaranteed him, he would still be under investigation. The Shimura clan is the great Wind Style clan of the village; they could not believe a commoner ninja could master such exquisite Wind Style.
Shinma came to Shirakumo Mai's home and told him the news of the deaths of Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yui. While practicing, Shirakumo Mai said, "There's such a thing. You didn't tell Lord Sakumo first, did you?"
"I did."
"You did? Then Lord Sakumo didn't reprimand you for gloating over the misfortune of village comrades?"
"I'm not stupid; how could I show a gloating expression in front of Lord Sakumo?" Shinma said. "Tell me where you were half a month ago and who can prove it. I need to write a report proving we weren't there."
"What? The village suspects it was us?"
When he was humiliated by the Shimura clan, Shirakumo Mai hated them to the core. It was as if Wind Style belonged exclusively to the Shimura clan and no one else in the Hidden Leaf could practice it. Now being suspected of being a killer made Shirakumo Mai even more annoyed.
They could harm their own compatriots, but could Shirakumo Mai do such a thing? He sighed and honestly stated where he was half a month ago and who could prove it. He had not left the village, so it was easy to clear himself of suspicion.
Shirakumo Mai thought for a moment and suddenly said, "Shinma, last time you encountered danger, it was because someone secretly warned Lord Sakumo. This time someone killed Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yui. Do you think... these two people are the same person?"
Shinma was stunned; he had never thought about it from that angle. 'Could it be?'
Shinma said, "Has Lord Sakumo cooperated with a certain force? That force is well-informed and ruthless in its actions?"
Shirakumo Mai nodded; he thought so too. He said, "It would be good if it were true. Lord Sakumo is good in every way, he's just a bit too gentle. I heard Yamashiro-Ji say that during the time of the Second Hokage, Lord Sakumo performed many extremely dangerous missions in the ANBU and sacrificed many comrades, so he values comrades extremely highly. But now things are different."
"In the ANBU of the Second Hokage's era, the ninja swords would not be turned inward. Can you still trust the current ANBU? I heard the current ANBU are extremely extreme, having long since violated the original intention of the Second Hokage establishing the ANBU. Especially one called Bronze Fox, who stands out for being extreme and savage. I once fought alongside him in the Land of Whirlpools, and he even saved me once."
"Initially, I thought Bronze Fox was just a powerful ANBU. When he interrogated Hozuki Suigetsu, I heard Hozuki Suigetsu's screams. My impression of Bronze Fox changed from gratitude to fear. That sound was like a malevolent ghost. I was terrified at the time; I'm already a Special Jonin, yet I had never heard a ninja scream so miserably."
If Yagami were here, he would definitely have defended himself with a few words. Back then, it was because he framed Hozuki Suigetsu for leaking the secret Water Gun jutsu that Hozuki Suigetsu wailed like that; it really wasn't that he used such extreme interrogation methods.
Shinma nodded repeatedly. He had heard the name Bronze Fox many times; he was indeed savage.
While Shinma was writing the report to prove his innocence, Uchiha Atsushi was in even greater trouble. The Senju clan and the White Fang factions had fewer people now, so it was easier to prove their innocence. The Uchiha clan was different; the Uchiha clan had over 900 clansmen. Investigating over 900 people and needing hard evidence was too difficult.
As soon as Uchiha Atsushi began his self-investigation, he found ANBU and Root investigating the Uchiha clan's tracks. For a time, everyone within the Uchiha clan territory felt in danger. They didn't know why the ANBU and Root had stopped pretending and were conducting all sorts of investigations into Uchiha ninja.
Especially the Jonin and Special Jonin of the Uchiha clan, who had to write self-accounts proving they were not in the Land of Grass or the Land of Steam half a month ago.
If it were just investigating these people, it would be one thing, but Root actually demanded Uchiha Atsushi provide a list of Uchiha ninja who had gone missing on the battlefield in the past ten years to prove they were not rogue ninja. Perhaps Uchiha ninja took advantage of disappearing on the battlefield to secretly become rogue ninja and turn to oppose the Hidden Leaf, assassinating their compatriots.
In the First and Second Great Ninja Wars, there were at least 50 Uchiha ninja whose remains could not be found—that is, missing ninja. How could it be possible to complete Root's demand? Looking at the way Root was acting, if a missing person could not be proven dead, they would definitely be considered a rogue ninja.
In Hatake Sakumo's home. Kakashi was very tired from playing; a child's energy is like a power cut when it runs out. He went upstairs to sleep. In the living room on the first floor, the ninja dog Pakkun stared at Hatake Sakumo across from him.
Hatake Sakumo had his eyes closed and his arms crossed in front of his chest, wondering what he was thinking. Pakkun waited quietly for half an hour without waiting for Hatake Sakumo's decision. Pakkun couldn't help but speak up.
"Sakumo, you can't hesitate anymore. Shinma was almost murdered; can't you see anything yet? As long as the Hidden Leaf high-ranking officials are willing, a single mission can send a Hidden Leaf ninja to their death. Whether or not you want me to go see Fox, and whether or not you want to break with him after seeing him—make a decision quickly."
***
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