I know your 1 cut
Sarutobi Hiruzen took in everything Xu Fan had done, but he did not give an immediate response.
The current situation was not suitable for a direct rebuttal.
More importantly, he was completely immersed in the joy of regaining the power of Mokuton (Wood Release).
Unlike the results produced by human experiments like Yamato, Xu Fan had inherited the power of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, naturally.
Especially when he executed the technique Shin Suusenju: Arrival of a Thousand Hands.
His breathing was steady, his tactics sharp, his thinking quick—perfectly suited for offensive maneuvers.
He had merely halted the actions of the Hyuga clan without causing unnecessary harm.
From Sarutobi Hiruzen's perspective, Xu Fan's proficiency with Mokuton was as natural as breathing itself.
It was difficult to believe that he had only recently awakened this Kekkei Genkai.
Could it be that...
In the past five years, while living in the Senju clan's residence, he had been secretly training in Wood Release?
But how could that be possible?
Although his sensory perception was not as refined as Tobirama Senju's, the release of Mokuton would have caused massive chakra fluctuations.
Danzo would have noticed, even if he himself had overlooked it.
"Danzo..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brows, another thought forming in his mind.
Could Danzo have been nurturing Xu Fan in the same way he had experimented on Yamato?
Had Xu Fan, like Yamato, been a subject of Root's secret projects?
And now that Xu Fan had chosen to uphold the Will of Fire, did Danzo send his operatives to eliminate him?
Just how much had Danzo done behind his back?
"Let's head back."
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally spoke, his tone calm but firm. This matter required careful deliberation.
After all, this was not a game between children—it was a political power struggle between great nations.
Once back, it would not be too late to convene Konoha's top officials and discuss the best course of action.
Without another word, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned away, paying no attention to the reactions of the Hyuga clan, and started toward the ruined entrance.
Koharu Utatane exchanged glances with Homura Mitokado before silently following Sarutobi Hiruzen, their expressions unreadable.
"Senju."
But as he reached the doorway, Sarutobi Hiruzen called out Xu Fan's name specifically.
"Yes."
Xu Fan responded, expecting that his display would make Sarutobi acknowledge him.
Unexpectedly, the Hokage had chosen to retreat instead.
More concerningly, his sign-in assistant had not responded either.
It seemed that his assistant had yet to confirm whether this situation would yield any benefits.
To prevent the Hyuga clan from acting against him in secret, Xu Fan turned his head at the doorway.
"Next time I come here, I expect to see Hiashi Hyuga's brother, Hizashi, alive."
Then, Xu Fan released a surge of chakra.
Boom!
With a thunderous explosion, the ceiling, walls, and floor cracked apart instantly.
Even the elder of the Hyuga clan was momentarily shaken by the sheer force.
If his raw chakra alone had such destructive power, what would happen if Xu Fan fought at full strength?
More terrifyingly, the amount of chakra in his body was comparable to a tailed beast's.
This man...
He was unfathomable.
The Hyuga clan members stood frozen, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
However, for the Hyuga branch members, the reaction was different.
They did not fear Xu Fan—on the contrary, they admired him.
Due to the Caged Bird seal and the oppressive nature of the Hyuga main family, very few branch members genuinely respected their superiors.
Most were forced into submission out of fear of brain damage or death.
Many of them had even begun questioning whether they were merely slaves to the main family.
Xu Fan seemed to be standing up for Hizashi Hyuga, but in truth, he was challenging the oppressive Hyuga clan system itself.
Even the Konoha leadership had never openly opposed the Hyuga clan's practices.
For the first time, some branch members started to believe that if Xu Fan ever became Hokage, he might abolish the Caged Bird system.
Hyuga Hiashi stood in silence, watching Xu Fan disappear into the distance.
If Xu Fan could one day inherit the title of the Fifth Hokage, perhaps the fate of the Hyuga clan would change.
"Neji..."
Hiashi clenched his fists, hoping that day would come soon.
However, Xu Fan remained unaware of the thoughts swirling in their minds.
"Those Hyuga clan members must hate me now. I didn't hold back at all."
Xu Fan muttered to himself as he walked away.
"But damn, that felt good. If only I could do it again."
No wonder the protagonists of web novels loved making flashy entrances.
"Xu Fan."
Just as he left the Hyuga compound, Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly called his name, gesturing for him to come closer.
Koharu and Homura followed behind silently, observing him carefully.
The group walked through a narrow alleyway, a secluded path that few villagers used.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice was low but firm.
"How did you know the Hyuga clan planned to sacrifice Hizashi?"
This was a critical question. Although Hizashi was a branch family member, he was still a trained ninja.
For shinobi, intelligence gathering was just as vital as protecting sensitive information.
If Xu Fan were a spy from Kumogakure, this would mean that he had exposed Konoha's internal politics to an enemy nation.
Such a breach was no trivial matter.
But Xu Fan had anticipated this question from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
To the outside world, he was merely a thirteen-year-old boy, but in reality, he understood the Third Hokage all too well.
Yes, Sarutobi Hiruzen was kind and loved Konoha, but he also valued his political standing.
He was, after all, a politician.
Take his teaching of Konohamaru, for example. He truly believed that his methods were the best path for his grandson to become Hokage.
Or consider his students—Asuma Sarutobi mentored Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka.
All of them were heirs to powerful clans.
Even after Naruto Uzumaki became the Seventh Hokage, which of them did not hold a high-ranking position in Konoha?
Could someone as politically astute as Sarutobi Hiruzen have made these choices at random?
Whether others believed it or not, Xu Fan did not buy it.
This was just how things worked.
Hokage was not just a title—it was a political position that required far more than raw strength.
After all, it was a role of leadership, not just combat prowess.
During his reign, Hiruzen had effectively kept Koharu, Homura, and Danzo in check, making them the scapegoats while preserving his own image.
Would such a man truly rule Konoha with only kindness and ideology?
Not a chance.
"I guessed."
Xu Fan took a deep breath before speaking calmly.
"But when I saw the Hyuga elder's reaction change, I knew I was right."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You speculated? How?"