Chapter 78: A Blight—Just Get Rid of Him
Even though he had already guessed what the outcome would be, hearing the answer come directly from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, still left Nara Shikaku deeply surprised.
He glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, then at Namikaze Minato, and finally at Uchiha Dali.
Judging by the peaceful atmosphere in the office at this very moment, it didn't look like there had ever been any argument or internal conflict at all.
Even with Shikaku's intelligence and insight, he simply couldn't imagine what had happened here.
He couldn't understand what kind of charm Uchiha Dali possessed that could get Namikaze Minato, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and even the two senior advisors of the village to agree to him becoming Hokage.
But smart people know when to advance and when to retreat—they understand the times and adapt accordingly.
Shikaku didn't ask unnecessary questions. He nodded and said, "Understood, Lord Third."
"By the way, inform everyone that tomorrow morning, there will be a friendly match between Minato and Dali."
"A friendly match?"
"That's right. It will be held together with the inauguration ceremony. You're in charge of notifying and publicizing it."
Upon hearing this, Shikaku's eyes flicked back and forth as he looked questioningly at Uchiha Dali and Namikaze Minato.
It only took a few seconds for him to realize the real purpose behind this so-called match.
"So, the Uchiha clan plans to win the village's respect from the ground up…"
"But to think they'd dump such a troublesome task on me."
He grumbled inwardly.
But Shikaku didn't refuse. He nodded immediately and accepted the assignment.
At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked over at Uchiha Shisui, then glanced at Uchiha Dali.
"Go back and tell Fugaku and the others to focus on their responsibilities, Shisui," Uchiha Dali reminded him.
"Understood."
Uchiha Shisui nodded without hesitation and vanished in a flash.
Once both Uchiha Shisui and Nara Shikaku had left, Koharu Utatane finally spoke in a cold, indifferent tone, "What about Danzo?"
"He's probably still waiting for you all to tear each other apart," Homura Mitokado added.
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen silently stuffed a bit of tobacco into his pipe.
Then he lifted his gaze toward Uchiha Dali and Namikaze Minato.
These two were now the leading figures among Konoha's rising generation.
One was the Fourth Hokage, and the other had already been designated by Uchiha Dali as his Hokage assistant.
It was time to speak more frankly with them.
"Until now, you've had no contact with the day-to-day operations of the Hokage's office, so there's a lot you're probably unfamiliar with. We need to use the remaining time to help you thoroughly understand the village's current state."
"Danzo and his Root organization are publicly tasked with training and cultivating elite Anbu for the village."
"But in reality, their existence serves another purpose—Root is the root buried deep beneath the surface. They are the ones who bear the darkness on behalf of Konoha and protect the village's interests from the shadows."
"Now that you'll be taking over the management of the entire village, learning how to properly utilize Root—to turn this hidden blade into a powerful tool—is a lesson you must take to heart."
Sarutobi Hiruzen began by providing a detailed explanation of Root and Shimura Danzo to Uchiha Dali.
At the same time, he also introduced the elite Anbu that were directly under his own command.
After all, from this point forward, they would no longer be loyal solely to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. They would also bear the responsibility of protecting the new Fourth Hokage, Uchiha Dali.
What Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't know was that Uchiha Dali was already intimately familiar with all of this.
When he finished speaking and looked over at Uchiha Dali, he noticed the young man showed no particular reaction—he seemed to have already digested the information completely.
So, Hiruzen continued, "Root is a double-edged sword. If wielded well, it can help you govern the village more effectively. But you must never let your guard down. Danzo is a man of enormous ambition."
"This time, regarding the issue with your Uchiha clan, I was not informed beforehand. It shows that Danzo acted on his own while I was away from the village, abusing the power in his hands."
"And that is precisely why, all these years, I have never been able to entrust the village's future to him. His dissatisfaction stems from this…"
It was rare for Hiruzen to openly criticize Shimura Danzo right in front of Uchiha Dali and Namikaze Minato.
He laid bare Danzo's darker side without reservation.
Clearly, Hiruzen had always known full well what kind of person Danzo truly was.
But because he needed the power of Root, he had turned a blind eye to Danzo's actions for years.
Uchiha Dali feigned interest as he listened, nodding occasionally to indicate he understood.
Once Sarutobi Hiruzen had completely finished, Dali smiled faintly.
"If you all already know so clearly that Danzo is a ticking time bomb, a safety hazard, a blight—then why do you keep letting him exist?"
"We can just find a reason and take him out."
The moment this shocking statement was uttered, the expressions of Hiruzen, Minato, Koharu, and Homura all changed dramatically on the spot.
The four of them stared wide-eyed at Uchiha Dali, unable to believe he had actually said such a thing.
Especially the three elders—Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura—who immediately grew wary.
"That's absolutely not an option."
"No matter what, even though Danzo is overly ambitious, he has made considerable sacrifices for this village. He's borne the burden of the darkness and suffered countless grievances, while also achieving a lot."
"Besides, Danzo's strength is not to be underestimated. Using him and his Root organization wisely would help you far more than it would harm you."
Koharu said gravely.
In the eyes of Koharu, Homura, and Hiruzen, whether Uchiha Dali had been testing the waters or was genuinely serious, they had all clearly sensed an intense feeling of danger.
Although they didn't always see eye to eye with Danzo, the four of them were still Konoha's most senior veterans.
Not only were they powerful, they were also considered venerable figures. More importantly, they were the true power behind Konoha's leadership.
If someone were to go after Danzo relentlessly, it would essentially be a threat to the rest of them as well.
Think about it—if Uchiha Dali could so casually say he'd get rid of a key elder like Shimura Danzo…
Then what reason would he have to treat the rest of them any differently?
If this precedent was set—agreeing to let Uchiha Dali take action against Danzo—it would be no different from digging their own graves. They'd have to be out of their minds to allow it!
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