After Mitsusuke left, the Hokage Office fell silent once more.
It wasn't until the tobacco in Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe had burned out that he finally spoke: "Danzo, for the sake of your hard work over the years, even if there was no glory in it, I'm warning you one last time. Don't provoke Mitsusuke. That child isn't as easy-going as I am."
"You saw his temper today. If I'm no longer around, he really will make a move against you. The same goes for the clans in Konoha, so you'd better start thinking about a way out!"
"As for the secrets of your body, if you don't want to talk, I won't ask. This is the last time I'll indulge you. You may go!"
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo looked like an aggrieved child, his emotions finally spinning out of control as he shrieked at the top of his lungs, "Hiruzen Sarutobi, you're so great, aren't you? So noble! You're the Hokage, living under the adoration of everyone in Konoha, while I... I..."
"I've been your shadow for decades, doing all the things you couldn't do. And now you're letting a child step all over my head? Do you really think you're so virtuous? If it weren't for Teacher's bias, I would definitely have done better than you. I would have led Konoha to a whole new height..."
...
Danzo rambled on for half an hour, pouring out everything he had kept bottled up in his heart.
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't interrupt Danzo's complaints, simply sitting there and listening.
Given their many years of friendship, Hiruzen Sarutobi gave Danzo enough respect.
It wasn't until Danzo's voice went hoarse that he finally slumped onto the floor.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and walked over to Danzo. "Danzo, I know you've always held a grudge over Teacher passing the position of Hokage to me, but that was Teacher's decision."
"But Teacher's decision was wrong," Danzo retorted in a raspy voice.
"Sigh!"
Looking at his old friend, Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a sigh. He suddenly felt that Danzo was quite pathetic.
"Since you say Teacher was wrong, if I were to abdicate right now, do you think anyone would support you?"
"You used the clan Ninjas like venomous insects in a jar, making them slaughter each other. There are only two left now, aren't there?"
"Those clans only tolerate you because of your status. The moment you lose your authority as hokage assistant, I guarantee you will die silently in some corner of Konoha."
"For the sake of our years of friendship, I'm warning you one last time: don't provoke Mitsusuke, and don't interfere in Uchiha affairs anymore. Don't think I don't know about those little tricks of yours."
"If anything goes wrong with the Uchiha situation this time, I won't show you favoritism again."
"Oh, and there's one more thing I should tell you. Mitsusuke is my chosen successor. He will become the Fifth Hokage."
"I'm telling you this to warn you not to be foolish. As long as you're obedient, I can guarantee he won't target you. Otherwise, even I won't be able to protect you."
After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi walked out of the office, simultaneously instructing the Anbu to escort Danzo back.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was now going to find Mitsusuke. He needed to discuss the matter of Danzo's settlement with him.
Judging from what had just happened, if he didn't intervene, Mitsusuke really intended to kill Danzo.
No matter how many problems Danzo had, Hiruzen Sarutobi still wanted to protect him.
There were only five of them left from the old comrades-in-arms. He didn't want the next generation's Hokage to make a move against them old-timers.
In Mitsusuke's home, Mitsusuke was currently considering how to take out Danzo.
As long as Danzo was around, the Village would never have peace. That guy was like a rat—he'd remember the food but never the beating.
Actually, if Danzo didn't mess with him, Mitsusuke really didn't want to bother with him. Danzo was, after all, Hiruzen Sarutobi's 'white moonlight' friend. For the sake of the Old Man, it wouldn't be impossible to let him live.
But that wasn't an option anymore. This guy actually had the nerve to target him. He couldn't be blamed for being ruthless now.
Besides, Danzo wasn't a good person to begin with, so Mitsusuke felt no psychological burden about taking him out.
Just as Mitsusuke was considering how to kill Danzo secretly, there was a knock on the door.
Knock, knock, knock!!!
Mitsusuke didn't even have to think to know it must be Hiruzen Sarutobi coming for him. The reason was undoubtedly to get him to get along harmoniously with Danzo.
He got up and opened the door, then went straight back to sit on the sofa.
Seeing that Mitsusuke was ignoring him, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't get angry. He followed Mitsusuke into the living room and sat down.
After sitting, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt the sofa and found it quite comfortable.
This was custom-made by Mitsusuke. Because he wasn't used to kneeling, he had this sofa built.
Pulling his thoughts back from the sofa, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "That kick of yours was really brutal. My hand still hurts! You really wanted to kill Danzo, didn't you?"
"Yeah! As for that scourge, if I kill him, then so be it. At worst, you'll kick me out of the clan grounds. If it really comes to that, being a Rogue Ninja wouldn't be bad either."
Hiruzen Sarutobi knew Mitsusuke was just talking out of anger. With this lazy fellow's personality, how could he ever become a Rogue Ninja?
Picking up the cigarettes on the coffee table, Hiruzen Sarutobi tossed one to Mitsusuke. "Have one. After you finish the smoke, go to sleep. Forget about today's events."
Taking the cigarette pack, Mitsusuke looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and asked, "Old Man, do you know what I was thinking about before you came?"
"What?"
"I was considering how to kill Danzo without leaving a trace."
Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't too surprised. Instead, he said, "Suke, you are my designated successor. I intend to have you take over my position."
"I came this time because I want a promise from you—a promise that after I die, you won't make things difficult for Danzo, Koharu, and the others."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi say he wanted him to be the Hokage, Mitsusuke jumped right off the sofa. "Old Man, are you senile? No matter how the Hokage position rotates, it would never fall to me. Besides, I don't want to be the Hokage. You'd better find someone more qualified!"
"As for those old comrades of yours, as long as they don't come to provoke me, I won't go looking for trouble with them."
"Alright, hurry up and go back!"
With that, Mitsusuke helped Hiruzen Sarutobi up and escorted him out of the house.
He was enjoying his life of slacking off perfectly well, and suddenly he was being told to be the Hokage? This was just ridiculous!
Seeing Mitsusuke's attitude toward the Hokage position, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled slightly. He was now even more determined to have him inherit the mantle.
A person who views power so lightly is the most suitable to wield it.
Another point was that Mitsusuke was a member of the Sarutobi Clan. At this time, the Sarutobi Clan had already become a behemoth. The Hokage had to be one of their own, or else the things he had done would eventually blow up!
Once Hiruzen Sarutobi left, Mitsusuke finally let out a sigh of relief. What was that all about? Making him the Hokage...
Waking up earlier than a rooster, sleeping later than a dog, and working harder than an ox—he wasn't doing that!
Only Danzo treated the Hokage position like a treasure. Mitsusuke really didn't have that ambition.