"Stop!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had clearly been running to get here, panting slightly as he came to a halt. But without missing a beat, he declared his purpose: "Miss Uchiha Hikari, I swear, as the Third Hokage, that I'll handle the matter of *Root*'s assassination attempt properly. Please, stand down now!"
"…"
Uchiha Hikari stood still, merely tilting her head to look at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
She didn't say a word, and her expression remained neutral, but the aura radiating from her made Hiruzen unconsciously clench his fists, sweat beading down his back.
Beside him, the two advisors and the *Anbu* operatives fanned out slightly, subtly preparing for combat while quickly assessing the surroundings.
"Lord Third…"
An *Anbu* member, likely from the Hyūga clan, activated their *Byakugan* and glanced toward Danzō's direction. Leaning in, they whispered to Hiruzen: "Lord Danzō is over there. He's alive, but gravely injured…"
"What?!"
Hiruzen's pupils contracted at the words. "You said… he's alive?!"
From the moment he received Uzuki Yūgao's report, Hiruzen had braced himself for the worst. He'd issued an emergency summons, gathering all nearby *Anbu* and rushing over with his two advisors in tow. But everything he'd witnessed since arriving at the *Root* base left even this battle-hardened Hokage reeling.
Especially now, standing in this corridor and facing Uchiha Hikari, Hiruzen felt an indescribable pang of fear.
"She defeated Danzō and wrecked the entire *Root* base like this… and she's not even injured?!"
"No, her arms—there are a few cuts from *Fūton* (Wind Release), but only her sleeves are torn. The skin underneath is completely unharmed… Could it be that Danzō didn't even have a chance to fight back?"
"If that's the case, we might have to resort to *Shiki Fūjin* (Dead Demon Consuming Seal)…"
But even with *Shiki Fūjin*, Hiruzen wasn't confident he could win.
If the worst came to pass and all of Konoha's leadership perished in this sunless cavern, the village would be left leaderless. The consequences were too dire to even imagine…
Along the way, Hiruzen had weighed every possible outcome, mentally preparing to strike first if needed.
But…
"Danzō's not dead?"
This sudden news actually brought a flicker of relief to Hiruzen.
On the other side, Uchiha Hikari's lips curved into a bright, almost neighborly smile. "Lord Third, you're overthinking this. Why would I do something so bloody and cruel? After all… have you ever seen an adult get serious with a kid?!"
"?!"
In that instant, Hiruzen and his advisors' faces shifted dramatically.
Since the passing of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, no one had dared speak to them in such a tone.
And yet…
They couldn't exactly argue back.
Sure, Uchiha Hikari looked like the "kid" here. But if you counted from her birth, she was over a hundred years old. Not just their generation—even the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, would be her junior.
So, what sounded like a taunt was, in fact, a statement of truth.
Still…
(*That tone… it's eerily reminiscent of Uchiha Madara back then…*)
"You're too kind, Miss Hikari," Hiruzen said with a wry smile, his gaze flickering toward Danzō in the smoky distance. Carefully choosing his words, he continued, "I've already been informed about Shimura Danzō and *Root*'s unauthorized plot to assassinate you. I suspended Danzō from his duties as soon as I learned of it, but I haven't had the chance to explain things to you… This was all a misunderstanding. *Root* acted on incomplete intelligence. Once this is resolved, I'll give you a full accounting."
That much was true.
When he first learned of *Root*'s assassination attempt, Hiruzen had intended to explain things to Uchiha Hikari—while secretly mobilizing the Sealing Corps and Barrier Corps, preparing to seal her again if necessary.
But after the assassination attempt, Uchiha Hikari had vanished, presumed dead, and the matter was left unresolved.
If she had reappeared two months earlier, Hiruzen would've had more confidence—whether to negotiate peace, seal her, or eliminate her. But now, with all preparations long abandoned, her sudden return caught him off guard.
Thankfully, she hadn't killed Danzō on the spot. That gave Hiruzen a sliver of reassurance.
"Heh."
Uchiha Hikari let out a cold chuckle, casually saying, "No need for an accounting. Let's talk compensation instead."
"Compensation?" Hiruzen's brow furrowed slightly.
"I hear Konoha has a scroll called the *Fūin no Sho* (Scroll of Seals), filled with powerful forbidden techniques. I'm curious about it. As compensation for that 'misunderstanding,' how about lending it to me for a look? Don't worry, I'll return it afterward."
Her tone was light, almost flippant.
Before Hiruzen could respond, Koharu Utatane cut in, unable to hold back: "That's impossible! The *Fūin no Sho* was sealed by order of the Second Hokage, Lord Tobirama himself. Only the Hokage are permitted to view it. How could an Uchiha—"
"Koharu!" Hiruzen coughed sharply, cutting her off. Measuring his words, he said, "Miss Hikari, the *Fūin no Sho* is a vital asset to Konoha. It can only be lent to those who've performed extraordinary services for the village. Perhaps we could discuss this further after we've handled things here?"
Their eyes met.
"…Fine."
Uchiha Hikari nodded calmly.
Hiruzen hadn't outright refused to lend the scroll.
As the Hokage, he couldn't afford to concede too easily in front of his subordinates and peers—it would undermine his authority. For now, Hikari was willing to give him some face.
But if Hiruzen decided later that he didn't want to keep that face…
She wouldn't mind exercising her "elder" privileges to teach these youngsters a lesson or two.
With the "mark" she'd left from her previous use of *Tsukuyomi*, she could pull Hiruzen into an illusion space at any moment. If it came to a fight… it probably wouldn't be much harder than dealing with Danzō.
(*End of Chapter*)