stonecrandall Chapter 169 Danzo, I am no longer the Hokage!
Chapter 169 Danzo, I am no longer the Hokage!
Chapter 169 Danzo, I am no longer the Hokage!
The Sarutobi clan's residence.
A dark shadow silently swept over the wall and landed in the courtyard with a soft whoosh.
Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee, cautiously looking around.
The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and grass, and the yard was quiet except for the distant chirping of birds.
There was no one in the courtyard at the moment, but the sound of arguing could be heard coming from deep inside the house.
He held his breath and leaned closer to the eaves. Through the open window, he heard a muffled voice: "I absolutely disagree!"
A thought flashed through my mind: This voice—Danzo?
A weary voice came from inside the room: "It's no use telling me this now, Danzo. I'm no longer the Hokage!"
Before the words were finished, a loud "bang!" was heard.
They followed the footsteps toward the door.
Itachi quickly concealed himself, only to see the door suddenly pulled open from the inside. An old man with one eye wrapped in bandages angrily stepped out of the doorway, slammed his cane on the wooden floor, snorted coldly, and swept away.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood inside the door, watching Danzo's departing figure, and sighed helplessly.
"That Tsunade is always causing me trouble."
Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head, the pipe in his mouth still unlit, clearly disturbed by the argument.
He was wearing a loose-fitting kimono, and looked like an elderly man from an ordinary village.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to step outside for a stroll, he suddenly stopped and his gaze swept sharply across the courtyard.
someone! ?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted slightly, alarm bells ringing in his mind: How could someone have managed to sneak into my house without being seen by so many guards outside?
What are those secret agents on guard duty doing?!
His right hand swiftly reached into the ninja tool pouch at his waist, his fingertips already touching the cold touch of several shuriken. A cold glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes: "Who are you, sir? What are your intentions in daring to intrude into the Sarutobi clan's residence without a sound?!"
Upon hearing this, the weasel emerged from behind the tree.
Hiruzen Sarutobi then saw clearly that the other party was an ordinary middle-aged man, wearing an inconspicuous gray-brown robe, with an unfamiliar and indifferent face.
However, anyone who could evade the secret agents and infiltrate this place could not possibly be an "ordinary person".
Hiruzen Sarutobi had already gripped his shuriken tightly, ready to strike without hesitation at the slightest sign of movement from his opponent.
Without hesitation, Itachi removed his disguise, revealing a pale and handsome young face.
Her long, jet-black hair shimmered slightly in the morning light, and her deep, dark eyes were filled with solemnity and urgency.
He knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "Third Hokage! It is I."
He lowered his head slightly, his voice earnest and firm, "I have important matters to report, so I apologize for coming here without prior notice!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was startled when he heard the familiar voice.
He stared intently and carefully examined the person, confirming their identity.
Uchiha Itachi?
At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was very surprised to see Itachi appear in Konoha.
The situation in the village remains very sensitive. Although the Chunin Exams have subsided and Konoha has gradually returned to calm after the war, undercurrents have never ceased.
Especially since the Akatsuki leader, who claimed to be Pain in the "dream," has not yet appeared in reality, the entire village is on high alert, ready to guard against a possible attack by the Akatsuki.
At this critical juncture, Itachi, who had been lurking in the Akatsuki organization for many years, suddenly appeared in Konoha—what exactly was his purpose?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind raced, countless possibilities flashing through his thoughts: Could Itachi have obtained intelligence that Akatsuki was preparing to attack Konoha?
So they rushed back to warn us?
Or perhaps he had already betrayed the village and had other plans for sneaking back into Konoha?
After all, Itachi had never sent back any truly valuable information in the past few years. On the contrary, he had recently sneaked into the village and tried to kill Naruto!
The thought of this ignited a surge of anger in Hiruzen Sarutobi's chest, and his face immediately darkened.
"You still have the nerve to come back?!" Hiruzen Sarutobi sneered. "I thought you'd become a complete traitor to Konoha and would never show your face again!"
His gaze was sharp as a knife as he stared at the young man kneeling in the courtyard.
Past disappointments, anger, and confusion intertwined at this moment, causing the old man's voice to tremble slightly.
Itachi remained kneeling on one knee, but upon hearing this, he raised his head without hesitation to meet Sarutobi's gaze.
His expression was solemn, calm yet resolute: "Third Hokage, I have never forgotten that I am a Konoha ninja, and I have never betrayed my loyalty to the village!"
Bathed in sunlight, his pale face showed weariness, yet he showed no sign of flinching or backing down.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was momentarily stunned by the unwavering determination in Itachi's eyes.
He certainly knew that Itachi was extremely loyal to Konoha when he was young. It was precisely because of this that the Konoha leadership entrusted him with that extremely cruel mission. But ever since Itachi faked and slaughtered his clan and left the village bearing the name of a rogue ninja, he had been missing for seven whole years. His actions had become unpredictable.
Hearing Itachi so firmly declare that he was still loyal to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a slight sense of relief.
But recalling Itachi's actions during his infiltration of the village, he suppressed his hesitation and questioned him with a stern face: "Hmph! Since you keep saying you haven't forgotten you're a Miyazaki ninja, then why did you infiltrate Miyazaki and attack the Jinchuriki? Aren't the Akatsuki's own tailed beasts? How do you explain your ruthless attack on Naruto that time?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's question was like a stone thrown into water, stirring up ripples in Itachi's heart.
He lowered his head, a hint of guilt on his face: "It was my oversight."
"That time, I was worried about Sasuke's safety, so I secretly sneaked back to Konoha to catch a glimpse of him from afar. Unfortunately, Sasuke noticed me, and he kept pestering me, so I had no choice but to fight back, otherwise my identity would be exposed. Under those circumstances, I had to make myself look like I was really there to capture Naruto in order to ensure that my identity wouldn't be exposed."
"But I had no intention of harming Naruto. I know that with Jiraiya present, Naruto's life is not in danger. But in any case, it was my fault, and I am willing to accept the punishment."
Itachi spoke with utmost sincerity in every word.
It's hard to imagine that Itachi Uchiha, who is usually calm and collected in front of everyone, would show such a submissive side when facing Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi listened quietly without responding immediately, but his brows remained furrowed.
He stared intently at Uchiha Itachi before him, as if trying to see through that calm face to the depths of his heart.
However, the Uchiha Itachi before him neither bowed his head and ran away, nor did he argue or say anything more.
His expression was calm and composed.
After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed almost imperceptibly, his tense doubts easing slightly.
The image of Uchiha Itachi before my eyes slowly overlapped with the image of the boy in my memory who was willing to bear the infamy to protect the village.
He recalled Itachi's performance when he served in the Anbu, and also the night of their tearful farewell amidst the blood mist. His heart was filled with complex emotions.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's last bit of doubt gradually dissipated.
"Alright—" Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression softened slightly, and he spoke calmly, "Get up and talk, Itachi."
He waved his hand, signaling Itachi Uchiha to stand up.
As Itachi stood up, Hiruzen Sarutobi stared intently into his eyes and asked, seemingly casually, "Speak, why did you suddenly return to Konoha this time?"
What important intelligence do you have to report? Is the Akatsuki preparing a major attack on Konoha?
"what?"
Itachi was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Hiruzen Sarutobi to suddenly say such a thing.
A hint of confusion flashed across his face: "I haven't heard anything about the Akatsuki planning an attack on Konoha anytime soon."
Hiruzen Sarutobi took in Itachi's reaction in that instant and nodded slightly.
It seems that this wasn't the reason he came back, otherwise he wouldn't have made that expression.
His concerns eased somewhat, and his expression softened: "Since it wasn't about that, then what intelligence did you rush back to the village for?"
Upon hearing this, Itachi's expression turned solemn again.
"Third Hokage, it's about the Akatsuki organization—and that 'man with the mask'."
After confirming that Itachi's return was not hostile and that he had brought back information about the masked man, they found out.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's first thought was to call Kakashi over.
After all, the masked man was Obito, and Kakashi knew the information from that dream the most.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment: "Wait a minute. We'll discuss the details later—I'll call someone over first."
Uchiha Itachi was slightly taken aback, somewhat confused, but then he saw that Sarutobi Hiruzen had already turned and walked out of the courtyard.
He quickly stopped talking and stood still.
Hiruzen Sarutobi arrived at the porch and gently clapped his hands.
Almost instantly, a dark figure appeared beside him like a phantom; it was a Konoha ANBU member who was guarding the vicinity.
The secret agent knelt on one knee, respectfully awaiting orders.
Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned down and whispered a few instructions to the ANBU member.
The secret agents nodded repeatedly, accepting the order: "Yes!"
Before he finished speaking, he vanished into the darkness with a teleportation technique.
A short while later, Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to his side. "Come with me."
After saying that, he took the lead and walked into the house.
Itachi nodded and silently followed.
The two walked through the corridor one after the other and soon entered a small study.
The room was simply furnished, with an old-fashioned wooden desk in the center and several low cabinets placed against the walls around it. The cabinet doors were half-open, revealing the scrolls and documents stacked inside.
A dim oil lamp sat on the table, casting flickering light and shadows in the room, adding to the tranquility.
"Have a seat." Hiruzen Sarutobi walked behind his desk, sat down slowly, and casually took out his usual pipe from the drawer.
He skillfully loaded the tobacco, lit it with a "click," and took two deep drags. His aged face appeared even more serene behind the bluish-white smoke of the tobacco.
He didn't sit down, but stood half a step in front of the table, waiting silently.
He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi had summoned people because he wanted a key figure to listen to his intelligence.
Who could it be?
Fifth Hokage Tsunade?
Or is it Danzo who just left?
Just as Itachi was pondering, there was a sudden knock on the study door.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, with a pipe in his mouth, looked up and said, "Come in."
The door opened with a click, and a tall, slender figure stepped into the room: "Third Hokage, you wanted to see me—"
Before Kakashi could finish speaking, he saw Itachi Uchiha.
"!!!"
Kakashi felt a jolt in his heart, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
He could hardly believe his eyes—Uchiha Itachi, how could he be here?!
Kakashi instinctively became alert, his right hand reaching towards his headband, while his other hand gripped the kunai pouch on his trouser leg, his fingertips trembling slightly, poised to strike.
The atmosphere inside the room suddenly became tense.
Itachi Uchiha sensed the hostility of the newcomer and slowly turned to face Kakashi, his expression remaining calm.
As the two faced off, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained seated behind the table, calmly smoking his pipe, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere.
Kakashi glanced at his old leader out of the corner of his eye and paused slightly.
Suppress the urge to take action.
He blinked, gently lowered his right hand, and slowly walked to the table.
"What exactly is going on, Third Hokage?"
Kakashi asked in a low voice, somewhat bewildered, his eyes darting back and forth between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Itachi Uchiha, his mind filled with disbelief and confusion.
This scene caught him completely off guard.
What's even more outrageous is that, judging from Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression, he doesn't seem worried at all that the talks might fall apart or a fight might break out!
Countless thoughts flashed through Kakashi's mind.
Regarding the tragedy that befell Itachi Uchiha, the Konoha leadership has always remained tight-lipped about it, and there are no official records. Apart from a very small number of people involved in the decision-making process, almost no one knows the truth.
Even he, a Jonin from the Anbu, didn't know much more about this than Sasuke, but he didn't believe, like Sasuke, that the real Itachi Uchiha was a fake.
In fact, when Itachi Uchiha first joined the Anbu, he joined a team under his command.
He knew a fair amount about Itachi Uchiha.
Upon seeing him, Kakashi instantly realized that the person standing before him was the real Itachi Uchiha, not some genjutsu clone or someone else in disguise.
Itachi's eyes, so cold and lifeless as if they were frozen solid for a thousand years, cannot be faked by just anything!
Moreover, compared to when they parted years ago, Itachi Uchiha now has dark circles under his eyes, his face is as pale as paper, and he exudes an undeniable aura of weakness and death.
Kakashi couldn't understand why Itachi Uchiha, a rogue ninja of Konoha, would suddenly appear before the Third Hokage. And the Third Hokage seemed to have anticipated this, even summoning him specifically. Could there be some hidden reason behind this?
Two light coughs from Hiruzen Sarutobi brought Kakashi back to reality.
The old man pointed at Uchiha Itachi and said slowly to Kakashi, "Don't be nervous, Kakashi. He's not the enemy—Itachi's true identity is actually a spy planted by Konoha within Akatsuki."
"An undercover agent?!"
The tense atmosphere suddenly turned eerie.
Kakashi turned to look at the serious-looking Hiruzen Sarutobi, then turned to look at the silent Itachi Uchiha standing beside him, and felt as if a thunderbolt had struck his mind.
Itachi Uchiha, who murdered his entire clan and defected from the village, was actually a Konoha spy?!
Seeing the lingering shock on Kakashi's face, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly.
He originally intended to tell Kakashi some of the secrets from back then—
After all, Kakashi is not only an elite Jonin of Konoha, but now, because of the dream, his importance is extraordinary, and he has the right to know the inside story.
However, when the words were about to come out, he suddenly paused, unsure of how to begin.
You can't just say outright, "Itachi killed his entire clan on orders from the Konoha higher-ups, and then he was put in charge of infiltrating the village," can you?
Faced with such a bloody truth, even with his thick skin, he simply couldn't bring himself to say it for a moment.
What's more, the person in front of him is the son of Miyabi Hyakuya.
After a moment's deliberation, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to retain the most brutal details for the time being and only briefly state Itachi Uchiha's position.
Seeing Kakashi struggling with his thoughts, Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly to draw his attention back to the present: "Ahem, Kakashi, now is not the time to dwell on the past. Itachi has returned with extremely important information—related to that 'masked man'!"
Upon hearing the mention of the masked man, Kakashi's expression changed drastically. He couldn't help but step forward and stand in front of Itachi: "The masked man? That man with the tiger-striped mask?"
Itachi actually brought back information about Obito?
Seeing Kakashi's solemn expression, Itachi nodded seriously and said in a deep voice, "That's right. And that masked man is actually the true leader of the Akatsuki organization!"
"What?!"