Chapter 120: Hiruzen Sarutobi Still Finds No Peace After Death
"Danzo! Naruto is not someone you can lay your hands on!" Jiraiya didn't care whether the sky was colluding with Danzo Shimura, but Naruto was the apple of his eye. "Hand Naruto over, and there is still room for maneuver. Otherwise..."
"What? Trying to shift the blame?" Danzo Shimurabit back. "The village is currently beset by internal and external troubles. Naruto is safest staying in the Root, and as for Kakashi Hatake's testimony, aside from the matter concerning Naruto being true, everything else is pure nonsense!"
Seeing Danzo Shimura like this, everyone was gnashing their teeth in hatred, but no one felt more stifled than Asuma Sarutobi. This group of people hadn't even mentioned his late father yet. Although Danzo Shimura was part of the reason, this treatment of being forgotten as soon as one's influence faded was still something Asuma Sarutobi could not accept.
"That's enough!" Asuma Sarutobi roared. "My father's body is still lying there! Can't you wait until everything is handled before discussing these things?!"
The roar from Asuma Sarutobi once again extinguished the gunpowder-filled confrontation. Everyone, except for Danzo Shimura's faction, revealed expressions of sadness in unison.
"I am also very saddened by Hiruzen's sacrifice, but to me, personal sacrifice and honor mean nothing; the stability of Konoha is what is most important." Danzo Shimura launched into another long-winded speech, before eventually showing his true colors. "Based on this reason, Jiraiya must still be suspended from all duties and undergo investigation. As for the aftermath, it brooks no delay. Other matters can wait until everything has calmed down!"
After finishing his speech, Danzo Shimura stared directly at Ibiki Morino, his meaning self-evident.
Ibiki Morino felt quite helpless. After remaining silent for a while, he still led Jiraiya away, followed by two Root Ninja, walking step by step toward the Anbu interrogation room where Ibiki Morinoworked.
"Before Jiraiya clears himself of suspicion, and before Kakashi Hatake's testimony is verified, all affairs of Konoha will be temporarily handled by the two Konoha Advisors. Do you have any objections?"
Danzo Shimura's move of retreating to advance was played very beautifully. He personally stripped himself and Jiraiya of the power to become acting Hokage, but then handed that power to Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado. After this series of maneuvers, he not only silenced the masses but also, in substance, did not lose much.
The Ninja of the Hokage faction were naturally very unconvinced, but the disadvantage in their positions truly became apparent at this moment. Indeed, there was no one among them who could temporarily take charge of the leaderless Konohabased on seniority. Even if they were unwilling, they could only grit their teeth and accept it.
"Ibiki, we haven't had much interaction, but I know you don't want to hand Konoha over to a schemer like Danzo Shimura. So, I beg you, please bring back Tsunade, who is still wandering outside!"
Jiraiya had no intention of serving as the Fifth Hokage to begin with, but now he was unable to spare himself to go out and find Tsunade, so he could only entrust this to Ibiki Morino, who was escorting him to the Anbu interrogation room.
"Rest assured, Lady Tsunade is indeed qualified to inherit the position of the Fifth Hokage. Even if you didn't ask me, I believe someone would go looking for her."
Ibiki Morino did not shy away at all from the two Root Ninja following by his side, speaking to Jiraiyaas if no one else was there. "Moreover, the suspicion against you is baseless. After everything settles down, the heavy responsibility of finding Lady Tsunade will still require you to carry it out."
...
Hokage Building, Hokage Office.
In the currently somewhat empty office, the usual annoying, lingering smoke was gone. Without the permeation of tobacco scent, it naturally lacked a bit of human presence.
At this moment, the three elders of Konoha—Danzo Shimura, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado—occupied the Hokage Office. While discussing how to usurp the Hokage's power, they simultaneously turned their heads to look out the window.
"Hiruzen's funeral has begun!"
"Yes, a former close friend has passed away after all..."
"Hiruzen died as he should have!" Danzo Shimurastood vaguely at the head of the two, his sinister demeanor hidden quite a bit at this moment. "But these are not his merits. His past wrong decisions will not be buried with his death."
"After all, he is already dead... Past matters... let's not drag them out." Koharu Utatane was a bit reluctant, and also a bit worried. "Leave him some dignity, and leave us some retreat."
"We've reached this point, do you think we will have a good ending if we lose?!" Homura Mitokadowas much more decisive. "If we fail, I don't think they will leave us any final dignity either!"
"Homura is quite right. We have reached the point of burning our bridges." Danzo Shimura greatly appreciated his former partner Homura Mitokado, but when it came to the late Hiruzen Sarutobi, he showed no mercy. "It is time to make Hiruzen's past mistakes public. This will not only increase our chances of winning but also alienate the Third Hokage's faction. It can be said to be killing two birds with one stone."
"You... Sigh!" Koharu Utatane still wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed it back. After a sigh, it counted as acquiescence.
Soon, after the three finished their discussion, they attended Hiruzen Sarutobi's grand funeral together. However, the very next day after the funeral ended, copies of secret missions signed by Hiruzen Sarutobi were, under the instruction of the three, blatantly published, downplaying the serious while focusing on the trivial.
"Judgment on Sakumo Hatake's Mission Failure"
Hashirama cells Cultivation and Research Report"
Konoha Forbidden Jutsu Research Report"
Sharingan Research Report"
Byakugan Research Report and Caged Bird Seal
scroll of seals Borrowing Access List"
A series of reports that could have a negative impact on Hiruzen Sarutobi were made public. This not only brought many conspiracies that had been hidden behind the scenes to the surface, but also exposed some research that had long since begun during the reign of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, such as human experimentation, forbidden jutsu research, and research targeting Bloodline Limit families.
This not only dealt a huge blow to Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation, but many documents also hinted that much of Orochimaru's research was conducted under the instruction of Hiruzen Sarutobi. The reason Orochimaru betrayed the village and fled was, after being discovered by that "wholeheartedly" devoted Root leader, Danzo Shimura, a move by Hiruzen Sarutobi to sacrifice a pawn to save the rook.
Furthermore, Danzo Shimura and the others exposed how Hiruzen Sarutobi held onto the power of Konoha during the reign of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, wantonly interfering in government decisions, and various actions of wantonly treating Minato Namikaze as a Puppet.
Although there were elements of wanton exaggeration and deliberate concealment, flies don't bite seamless eggs. After verification by many Ninja who learned the news, the spearhead still pointed to the late Hiruzen Sarutobi.
With the concentrated outbreak of various scandals, Hiruzen Sarutobi's reputation became severely polarized. Some believed his contributions outweighed his faults, after all, he had fought to the death to defend Konoha in the end; but more people were misled by the scandals thrown out by Danzo Shimura and the others, showing signs of leaning toward Danzo Shimura's faction.
As Danzo Shimura's offensive became increasingly fierce, Hiruzen Sarutobi's posthumous reputation nearly collapsed. At this juncture, Jiraiya, through the operations of Ibiki Morino, finally saw Danzo Shimura hold his nose and announce that Jiraiyawas cleared of suspicion of colluding with Orochimaru.
However, the development of events was not smooth sailing. Just when Danzo Shimura felt that victory was in his grasp and the position of the Fifth Hokage was beckoning to him, news from Aburame Torune poured a bucket of cold water on Danzo Shimura!
"What?! There is no Nine-Tailed inside Naruto? That's impossible!"
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