The Anbu is a violent organization directly under the Hokage; the Hokage is too busy and generally delegates management and command to the Anbu Captain.
With the Hokage present, Night Light only needed to follow Hiruzen Sarutobi at all times, which was much more comfortable than following Danzo.
Hiruzen Sarutobi patrolled inside and outside the cave several times, continuously asking for details.
Night Light answered what he could, and for what he couldn't, he offered some conjectures and suggestions.
Too many mysteries surrounded Uchiha Madara.
The reconnaissance Ninja teams led by several clan heads returned.
The Hyuga Elder and clan heads like Inuzuka Hunter came to the Hokage's side, shaking their heads one after another.
Inuzuka Hunter took the lead and said,
"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Madara's retreat was very secretive, and with the heavy rain around, none of us found any trace of his departure.
I judge that the hundred-meter giant in the cave should be a Summoning Technique; otherwise, such a large giant's transfer couldn't be so concealed."
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Please wait at the cave entrance; I have some matters to discuss with the Senju and Uchiha Clan heads."
In the empty cave, only the Hokage's side and the two clan heads, Senju Flower Wood and Uchiha Zhong, remained.
Hiruzen Sarutobi first looked at Uchiha Zhong and asked, "Clan Head Zhong, do the Uchiha Clan and Uchiha Madara still have some form of contact channel?"
Uchiha Zhong shook his head repeatedly:
"Hokage-sama, when Uchiha Madara first betrayed the Village, we had already completely severed ties with him.
Please believe the Uchiha Clan; we are right here in the Village, how could we betray the Village? How could we have contact with a villain like Uchiha Madara?
I know nothing about Uchiha Madara's affairs.
What puzzles me even more is, even if it is Uchiha Madara, why does he possess Wood Release?"
Night Light thought, 'Here it comes, Uchiha Zhong is starting to shift blame.'
He had to shift it; if the blame for Uchiha Madara fell on them, the Uchiha Clan couldn't bear it.
Upon hearing this, Senju Flower Wood's expression was sorrowful and pained:
"That's what I want to ask you too, why would an Uchiha possess the most precious Kekkei Genkai in the history of our Senju Clan?
Uchiha Madara was from the Sengoku era; at that time, there was absolutely no possibility of intermarriage between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan.
Has the Uchiha Clan been secretly conducting human experiments all this time?
Were the missing geniuses of my Senju Clan put on your Uchiha Clan's experimental table?"
Just as the two were about to argue, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Stop! Don't dwell on matters from the Sengoku era!"
After some thought, he said:
"Uchiha Madara's matter is too important. Clan Head Flower Wood, Clan Head Zhong, you two are responsible for establishing an investigation squad, starting from here, to search for and investigate Uchiha Madara.
Uchiha Madara's desire to destroy my Konoha is not dead; we cannot let him go unaddressed.
I believe the Nine-Tailed's transfer and sealing riot was very likely done by Uchiha Madara.
The Nine-Tailed was once Uchiha Madara's Summoning Beast; he always wanted to reclaim it, but due to the large number of Konoha Ninja that night, he didn't find an opportunity to act."
Senju Flower Wood was unwilling to accept the Third Hokage' explanation, but she couldn't find a reasonable rebuttal in a short time.
The Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan were already at sharp odds due to the Nine-Tailed's transfer and sealing riot; now, making them form a joint investigation squad together was simply adding fuel to the fire.
Uchiha Madara came from the Uchiha Clan, and he mysteriously mastered the Senju Clan's Wood Release; besides the Senju and Uchiha Ninja clans, who else could investigate?
Senju Flower Wood and Uchiha Zhong had no choice but to agree; as for the escalation of conflicts between the two sides, it was inevitable.
When the two sides became embroiled in an intractable conflict, Hiruzen Sarutobi would timely mediate, which was Hiruzen Sarutobi's forte.
Senju Flower Wood closed her eyes in pain; Uchiha Madara was alive, and the Village would push the blame for the Nine-Tailed's transfer and sealing riot onto Uchiha Madara.
However, Senju Flower Wood always felt that things were not that simple.
After leaving the cave, Senju Flower Wood had two Senju guards collect the three bodies of the Senju Clan members.
Senju Flower Wood looked at the three bulging bags and murmured, "We'll inform Tsunade when they are buried, otherwise Tsunade won't be able to bear it..."
Soon after, a Senju guard suddenly said, "Clan Head! Dan has the First Hokage's necklace on him!"
The necklace was sturdy and had been preserved.
Senju Flower Wood took the necklace, put it away, and prepared to return it to Tsunade.
Night Light followed Hiruzen Sarutobi all the way back to Konoha Village.
Seven more days passed on the road; the next full moon was not far off.
Upon returning to Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi took Night Light directly into the Hokage Building.
Only Captain Huang Quan was waiting in the Hokage's office.
"Fox, tell me the true details in full."
Night Light understood that the Third Hokage wanted to know exactly what Danzo had done.
This time, Night Light recounted everything in meticulous detail.
He spoke of encountering the three Leaf Ninja controlled by Uchiha Madara, being pursued by Kato Dan, the deaths of Bai Yang, Leaf Monkey, and others, and using the Yamanaka secret technique to escape.
He mentioned meeting Danzo, Danzo leading him to Uchiha Madara, their battle, and Danzo using one Mangekyo to secure an escape opportunity.
"What? You mean that eye was destroyed?"
Night Light was stunned; had Danzo not told Hiruzen Sarutobi about this?
Had these two developed some sort of rift?
When Mt. Niuhe heavily damaged Iwagakure and Ōnoki, the Anbu had once promoted Danzo, claiming it was his top achievement, but the Third Hokage later called a halt to it.
Perhaps, these two already had some conflicts now.
He just didn't know when the Anbu and Root would split, with Danzo independently leading Root.
Night Light said, "Yes, Hokage-sama, that eye turned into a grayish-white dead eye."
"Continue."
Night Light then recounted how Danzo found Kato Dan and, at the cost of another Mangekyo, killed Kato Dan.
Following that was Night Light's suggestion to send Kato Dan's body into the Tree World Descent.
Anything related to Danzo, Night Light had to tell the truth.
If he concealed anything, and Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo cross-referenced their stories, he would be finished.
Hiruzen Sarutobi held his pipe in his mouth, smoking continuously.
Soon, the Hokage's office was filled with smoke, a bit choking.
Finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi said:
"Good, I know everything. Fox, your performance was excellent, exceeding my expectations.
Complete a mission report as soon as possible and have Yellow Dog transfer it to me."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Night Light went to the Anbu base to write the report.
After Fox left, Yellow Dog said, "Father, before this mission, the deceased Bai Yang once mentioned that he noticed Fox's Chakra was unusually depleted on the night of the Nine-Tailed's transfer and sealing. This time..."
"Address me by my title during work hours."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said:
"Yellow Dog, there's no need to dwell on those details. Fox being able to retreat unscathed from Danzo's hands is not a big problem.
If Fox had a problem, with Danzo's personality, he would have dealt with him long ago.
Fox is a talent, worth cultivating as a priority.
The Anbu is very short on skilled individuals; powerful Jonin all want to enter the Jonin Council, and Jonin like you, who are wholeheartedly dedicated to Konoha, are too few.
If you are worried, you can observe him further, but do not affect his important assignments.
If you want to take over the Anbu, you must have several capable Captains as subordinates. Fox's growth rate is astonishing; he is worth cultivating."
"I understand." Yellow Dog said, "It's just a pity that Fox is a civilian Ninja. It would be better if he were a Ninja from our Sarutobi Clan, or from the Ino–Shika–Chō three clans."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "Slowly cultivate the juniors of the Sarutobi Clan and the Ino–Shika–Chō three clans; there's no need to rush."
In the Anbu base, Otsu saw the returning Fox and turned to find Danzo.
Danzo said:
"It seems Hiruzen Sarutobi trusts Fox greatly. With Hiruzen Sarutobi's kind face and dark heart, if Fox had a problem, he would have killed him long ago.
Suspend the investigation into Fox; just observe him slightly in the future."
Night Light finished writing the mission report and personally handed it to Captain Huang Quan before leaving the Anbu base.
He returned to the Village alone; his squad was still at the front-line camp.
This full moon cycle was the most difficult and painful.
In the latter half of the night, Night Light entered the Crane Moon Izakaya, shouting, "Boss, bring me your best sake!"
When Qiao Yi saw that Mi Qu had returned, she quickly walked over and whispered into Night Light's ear:
"Do you want spicy sake or salty sake?"
Night Light was confused:
"Sake can be salty? Oh! I understand. I won't drink salty sake, but I want you to repay me with a gushing spring!"
The two walked into the backyard.
Half an hour later, Night Light said, "Let's change the sheets; this isn't a gushing spring, this is clearly a fountain repayment!"