After the meeting, Konoha's Wheelchair F4 were ordered to compile a list of compensations for the allied daimyo and ninja villages. Hashirama and Tobirama, on the other hand, led their men to deal with the interrupted Chunin Exams. The allied daimyo and ninja villages, shaken by the day's events, needed to be appeased. Of course, the Sand Village and Sound Village, the instigators of the attack, would face Konoha's retaliation.
After Hiruzen Sarutobi was given a sharp rebuke by Danzo and his two companions, they went to their separate clan territories. Danzo didn't plan to return to his clan territory; he headed straight for the Root Base. As for compensation, he was usually the one receiving it, not giving it. As for the First and Second Hokage, in his eyes, they were just two reanimated corpses, and he'd have plenty of opportunities to deal with them.
Originally, Danzo had planned to use this incident to become Hokage and turn against Orochimaru. But now, it seemed Orochimaru was still useful, and he needed to make further plans. At the very least, he needed to find a way to regain control of the Impure World Reincarnation from Orochimaru. If all else failed, he planned to use his trump card: Shisui's Kotoamatsukami.
The situation was worse than before. He didn't want to be completely ostracized from the power structure and forever lose his chance at the Hokage position.
Just as Danzo was pondering his next move, a Root ninja appeared before him.
"Lord Danzo, something's happened with the Shimura Clan. They're asking you to take charge."
"Something happened?" Danzo frowned, a bad premonition rising in his heart. "Could it be Minato...?"
Previously, Danzo had gloated over the Sarutobi Clan being massacred by Minato. He never expected his own Shimura Clan might also be targeted.
Without another word, Danzo quickened his pace, his men scrambling to keep up. Soon, he returned to the Shimura Clan's territory.
But as soon as he approached, he heard a deafening cry and smelled a thick stench of blood. As he stepped into the clan grounds, his eyes fell upon the walls of the clan head's mansion.
Multiple corpses of Shimura ninja lay impaled on the walls, their deaths gruesome, pinned by iron rods. The ground was covered with numerous blood-drawn circular runes, left undisguised. It looked as if some cult had held a bloody party there.
"This is the work of that traitorous ninja from the Land of Hot Springs! It's the Four-Star Village!"
Danzo quickly searched his memory for relevant information. It now seemed certain that the powerful figure behind the Four-Star Village had joined forces with Minato. Even the appearance of Minato's remaining chakra might have been the work of that powerful figure.
The Shimura Clan members saw Danzo return. Suddenly, as if they'd found their pillar of support, they crowded around him.
"Lord Danzo, you must avenge our Shimura Clan!"
"They're all dead, including the clan head. All the ninjas in the clan head's house are dead. Not even the genin were spared!"
"Fortunately, their target was only the clan head's house. They didn't care about the ninjas outside."
"But the ninjutsu scrolls and large sums of cash that we prepared for you to take with you were all taken by the attackers!"
Hearing this, Danzo finally lost his temper and crushed his cane. His bases had been repeatedly wiped out, suffering devastating losses. Therefore, he'd planned to have the Shimura Clan support Root. He had them spend several days preparing a large amount of money and scrolls for training new ninjas. But before he could take them, they were wiped out again.
Moreover, the ninjas serving at the clan head's residence were the elite of the clan; even he wouldn't part with them for Root. Now, aside from those on missions, at least half of them had been lost.
"Minato, and the Four-Star Village. Good. You're all very good!"
Suppressing the urge to vomit blood, Danzo managed to utter these words through gritted teeth. The Shimura ninjas nearby sensed his rage. Because many ninjas, including the clan head, were dead, numerous positions were vacant. So, some quick-witted individuals stepped forward with flattery and suggestions.
"Lord Danzo, I heard that Iruka Umino and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki are on good terms. I think we can retaliate by assassinating him..."
Slap!
This scheming Shimura ninja clearly made a terrible mistake. Before he could finish speaking, Danzo slapped him hard across the face.
"You bastard! Do I need you to teach me how to do things?!"
"How did I end up raising a bunch of brainless idiots like you?!"
It was as if he'd found a punching bag. Danzo kicked and punched him for a while before returning to the base with a dark expression.
---
Meanwhile, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Asuma looked at the Sarutobi compound, which was just as devastated as the Shimura mansion. Both wore gloomy expressions.
After a long while, Hiruzen finally let out a long sigh.
"Minato is no longer the Fourth Hokage he once was."
Asuma took a drag of his cigarette, then threw it to the ground and crushed it.
"Father, consider this retribution. Don't provoke Menma and the others again."
"Did these elite ninjas of my Sarutobi Clan die in vain?" Hiruzen felt a sharp pain in his heart. The ninjas he'd placed in the manor to guard the secret chamber were at least elite chunin!
"They only killed those guarding ninjas for evidence. They didn't harm the children or ordinary people, nor did they touch any clan members outside the manor."
"Father, this is, after all, a debt we owe the Fourth Hokage..."
"You..." Hiruzen coughed violently, angered by Asuma.
But before he could catch his breath, Asuma suddenly pulled him back quickly, dodging. Then, where they'd just stood, several shuriken appeared on the ground.
"Kakashi!"
"What do you want to do?" Asuma, recognizing the approaching figure, wore a complex expression.
"You should understand what I want to do." Kakashi Hatake pulled up his headband without hesitation, revealing his Sharingan. "All the people I cherished, the important people, died for the village, for that will. They are noble, and I will not allow anyone to tarnish that nobility, not even the Hokage."
As he spoke, Asuma suddenly turned around and swung his kunai.
Clang!
Kakashi appeared behind them, seemingly out of nowhere. His kunai was blocked by Asuma just a short distance from Hiruzen's neck.
"Kakashi, I'm sorry, but he is, after all, my father. And I don't want you to be punished for this. Stop."
Kakashi smiled nonchalantly. "Punishment? Living alone is no different from punishment."
"Since you won't move aside, let me experience the power of the Twelve Guardian Ninja."
Kakashi abruptly retreated a large distance, his hands rapidly forming hand seals. A piercing crackling sound followed. A tingling electric current filled the surrounding air.
"Raikiri!"
---
This translation project relies on your active support to succeed. Please take a moment to vote with Power Stones and leave a review to boost our ranking.