The conference room in the Hokage Building was once again filled with people.
Unlike the last time, which had been lively and full of discussion, this time, the atmosphere was suffocating—like the calm before a violent storm.
"What did you just say, Sarutobi Hiruzen?!"
Danzo sat at the long table, directly across from the Hokage himself.
He slowly lifted his head, his eyes filled with an indescribable, terrifying fury.
It was extremely rare for Danzo to call the Hokage by his full name in public.
This meant that the man who bore Konoha's sin—the darkness of the shinobi—was truly enraged.
Because just now, his order to mobilize forces had been denied by Hiruzen.
Sensing the tense situation, Koharu Utatane, who had originally wanted to criticize Danzo, hesitated and instead stepped forward to mediate.
"Danzo, calm down. A military decision of this magnitude requires careful deliberation."
But Danzo ignored her completely, his sharp gaze fixed solely on the Hokage.
Finally, Hiruzen spoke.
"Danzo, it's not that I don't want to rescue Kakashi and Ryoma, but Konoha has only recently entered a period of brief peace. No one wants to reignite the flames of war."
"As Hokage, I have a responsibility—not just to the village, but to the entire Land of Fire."
"I cannot justify launching a large-scale military operation over the lives of two shinobi. That would only lead to more unnecessary casualties."
Hiruzen's words earned nods of approval from many of the clan representatives present.
As beneficiaries of the last war, they were currently busy consolidating their gains in the Lands of Wind and Water.
Starting another war with the Land of Lightning now? That would only disrupt their profits.
Besides, Konoha had fought enough wars over the years. No one wanted to continue sacrificing their people for an uncertain victory.
Danzo closed his eyes and, in the calmest voice he could muster, reminded them:
"Root's intelligence clearly states that Kumo and Iwa have already formed an alliance. Their invasion of the Land of Fire is imminent."
"And you're planning to just stick your heads in the sand?"
Hiruzen's response was—
"I will ask the Daimyō to negotiate with the Daimyōs of those two nations. We can even make certain concessions in exchange for peace."
"As long as we can maintain the current stability, we are willing to make sacrifices."
"Danzo, Konoha has already suffered too many casualties over the years. We must not provoke another war!"
Hiruzen declared righteously.
In truth, beyond his desire to avoid another conflict, he was also wary of Danzo's growing influence.
If Danzo, the leader of Konoha's militant faction, were to gain too much power, he would become a force beyond control.
After Hiruzen finished speaking, all eyes turned toward Danzo.
What would he do?
Would he compromise for the so-called greater good?
Or would he continue to resist, regardless of the consequences?
The tension in the room was palpable, suffocating.
Even Minato, who had remained silent in the crowd, turned his gaze toward Danzo.
After a long silence, Danzo finally spoke.
"Heh…"
A scoff, almost like a sigh.
Then, his eyes, which had been calm for too long, suddenly snapped open—
His Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly, releasing an overwhelming pressure that filled the entire conference room!
"It seems all of you have forgotten something."
Danzo's deep, hoarse, yet commanding voice echoed through the room.
"Konoha's peace was not achieved through negotiations—it was forged with the lives of the shinobi whose names are engraved on the Memorial Stone!"
The moment he finished speaking, his eyes gleaming with a crimson fury, Danzo suddenly sprang into action.
His bandaged fist slammed down onto the long table before him.
With a piercing crack, spiderweb-like fractures spread rapidly from his hand, covering the entire surface.
And then, under the stunned gazes of everyone present—
Boom!
With a thunderous explosion, the table shattered into countless splinters.
The moment the table was destroyed, several masked ANBU swiftly appeared, positioning themselves protectively in front of the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Their stances were tense, prepared for combat, shielding their leader from any threat.
Behind them, Hiruzen's expression was dark and stormy.
"Danzo! Do you even realize what you're doing?!"
Despite their many years of camaraderie, Hiruzen was still the Hokage—he could not tolerate such blatant defiance and humiliation.
Not only Hiruzen, but also the clan leaders and Jōnin commanders on both sides of the room were utterly shocked.
None of them had expected Danzo, a Konoha elder, to go this far.
At this point, this was no different from openly declaring hostility toward the Hokage.
Danzo, however, merely scoffed in disdain.
"The Second Hokage entrusted me with assisting the Hokage so that Konoha would grow stronger—
Not so I could sit here and watch you grovel and surrender!"
"Everything you have on your dinner tables today—was won through blood, through battles I led!"
"Seeking peace by offering sacrifices?"
Danzo let out a cold laugh.
"What an absolute joke!"
"If you couldn't take it on the battlefield, you think you can win it at the negotiation table?!"
He rose to his feet, and with the help of his Root shinobi, draped his cloak over his shoulders.
His Sharingan gleamed as he swept his gaze across the room.
"Let me remind you all—"
"The Second Hokage once led Konoha to stand against the Four Great Nations alone. And I, Danzo, can do the same!"
"Let me remind you once more—"
"I defeated Kirigakure. I defeated Sunagakure. And now, even if every single one of you votes against me—
I will still defeat Iwagakure and Kumogakure!"
"Even if I die in battle—it's still better than rotting away in this village like the rest of you!"
"So choose—
Do you want to die standing, or live kneeling?"
Without waiting for a response, Danzo turned and walked away, his parting words echoing through the silent conference room.
The silence was absolute.
A silence like death itself.
Several seconds passed before someone finally stepped forward.
It was Namikaze Minato, the newly appointed Jōnin squad captain.
His voice was calm and unwavering, but loud enough for all to hear—
"I speak only for myself—but I support Elder Danzo's decision to go to war."
He stood firm, his expression resolute.
"Kakashi—I will save you this time, no matter what."
Minato's stance immediately caused an uproar.
Though he claimed to be speaking only for himself, he was currently the symbol of the civilian shinobi class in Konoha.
His decision would inevitably shift public opinion and influence the final outcome.
The other factions in the room began to reassess the weight of this decision.
One man in particular was struggling internally—Uchiha Fugaku, head of the Uchiha Clan.
This was a man often criticized for his indecisiveness.
But today, for the first time in his life, he made the boldest decision he ever had.
Following Minato's declaration, he immediately stepped forward.
"I, Uchiha Fugaku, on behalf of the Uchiha Clan—
support Elder Danzo's decision to go to war."
His sharp gaze challenged the rest of the room.
"Everyone, do not forget who led us to victory against the powerful Sunagakure and Kirigakure."
"Konoha's honor is not built on submission and humiliation."
"Honor and dignity exist only at the edge of our blades!"
Minato and Fugaku's decision was like a depth charge, detonating the suppressed emotions within the crowd.
"I also support Elder Danzo!"
"Count me in!"
One by one, numerous civilian Jōnin stood up.
With every additional supporter, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened further.
Meanwhile, the various clan leaders and representatives fell into deep contemplation.
Would they choose negotiation?
Or would they choose war?
The Aburame Clan was the first to decide.
"Our Aburame Clan supports Lord Danzo's decision."
The old patriarch of the Aburame Clan stood up.
"No matter what, we must seek justice for Ryoma."
That was the Aburame Clan's justification.
Next, the former Jōnin commander, Nara Shikasa, let out a light chuckle.
"Seeing these young ones so full of passion, it wouldn't be right for an old man like me to sit idly by."
"The Nara Clan will also lend its strength."
Shikasa was renowned for his intelligence.
His statement acted like an anchor, stabilizing the volatile situation.
At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly calmed himself, carefully weighing the pros and cons of both choices.
In truth, he never expected Danzo to react so violently, almost to the point of breaking ties completely.
In his view, these were merely two Root shinobi—insignificant in the grand scheme of Konoha.
Even now, he could not comprehend why Danzo had chosen to turn against him so suddenly.
But one thing was clear—if he continued to reject military action, it would mean a complete and irreversible rupture with Danzo.
Even worse, if the clans standing with Danzo grew stronger, the village could face an irreparable divide—
A schism within Konoha itself.
And that would be a catastrophe.
It was already bad enough that the Uchiha Clan and Danzo were joining forces.
But to make matters worse, Minato Namikaze, the figurehead of Konoha's civilian shinobi, was siding with him as well.
As for the other clans—after all the years Danzo had spent cultivating support, who could say how many more would stand by his side?
This was likely the true reason why Nara Shikasa chose to support Danzo—
To remind Hiruzen not to let a moment of stubborn pride lead to irreversible disaster.
Slowly, Sarutobi let go of his anger and came to his final decision.
"Everyone, begin preparations."
"We go to war."
——————
Danzo strode out of the Hokage Building, his face as cold as ice.
Unbeknownst to many, autumn had already arrived in Konoha.
The chilling winds swept away the lifeless leaves, painting the village in an ominous and foreboding atmosphere.
Behind him, the voices of support continued to rise and echo.
Before him, a path paved with bones led into the underworld of darkness.
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