In the Hokage Office inside the Konoha Administration Building, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, sat at his desk. He lit his pipe, took a slow puff, and exhaled a lazy ring of smoke.
Kneeling before him was Kakashi, giving a detailed report on the events of the day.
Outwardly calm, Sarutobi's heart was far from tranquil.
According to Kakashi's account, Senju Haruto had utterly crushed and eliminated the elite Root members that Danzo had spent years cultivating.
Such overwhelming strength was far beyond what an ordinary jōnin could possess.
In other words, it confirmed that Senju Haruto truly possessed the power to kill Cloud ninja and devastate the border forest.
And if Haruto also had access to Wood Release…
Sarutobi couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath, shaken by the realization that Haruto might be even stronger than he'd imagined.
On top of that, he never expected that Danzo would go so far as to form a ten-man assassination squad to eliminate Haruto.
Had he lost his mind?
Haruto wasn't just any shinobi — he was a member of the Senju clan, a once-glorious lineage, and a rare prodigy.
With proper guidance, Haruto could easily surpass Uchiha Itachi, becoming a peerless shinobi and a powerful protector of the village.
"No wonder Danzo suddenly came to me earlier, asking for additional surveillance on the Uchiha Clan…"
Sarutobi muttered inwardly, still unable to grasp Danzo's motive for targeting Haruto.
After all, Haruto wasn't even from the Uchiha.
Could it be…
Danzo had no tolerance for the Senju either?
For a moment, Sarutobi's mind drifted to the past.
He still harbored deep regret over the death of Nawaki. If Nawaki hadn't died, Tsunade wouldn't have developed hemophobia or left Konoha.
So every time Sarutobi looked at Haruto, he couldn't help but be reminded of Tsunade and Nawaki.
But Konoha today was no longer the same village it once was.
No one could have predicted that Orochimaru would conduct inhumane human experiments and eventually defect.
Or that Namikaze Minato would sacrifice himself on that chaotic night.
Even though Konoha was still regarded as a major power, its economic development lagged behind the other Five Great Nations. Outside, the Hidden Cloud loomed with growing hostility. Inside, the Uchiha Clan simmered with unrest.
To put it plainly, Konoha was beset by crises on all fronts.
"Kakashi," Sarutobi said, setting down his pipe, "I want you to protect him—quietly, from the shadows."
This time, he wouldn't allow Danzo to pull any stunts. Not now.
With a silent hand sign, Sarutobi dismissed him.
"Yes, Lord Hokage," Kakashi replied crisply. He turned, opened the office door, and left for the Senju compound.
As the door closed, Sarutobi's gaze deepened, and he muttered meaningfully under his breath,"Danzo… Danzo…"
Meanwhile, Haruto had already escorted Naruto home and left him some money with a reminder to buy breakfast tomorrow.
He remembered a particular scene from the Naruto series in his previous life — a young Naruto standing outside Ichiraku Ramen, stomach growling, only to find a few lonely coins in his pocket. He ended up foraging mushrooms in the back mountain just to fill his belly.
That scene had always felt off to Haruto.
Namikaze Minato was not only the Fourth Hokage but a hero of the Third Great Ninja War. How could someone of that stature leave behind no savings?
Don't tell him Minato was like adult Sakura, constantly stressed over mortgage payments.
He was the leader of the village — are you saying he didn't even get a decent house?
Even the excuse of "treating everyone equally" felt like a stretch.
Look at Konohamaru's childhood — he had a personal tutor following him everywhere, patiently guiding him.
And Minato and Kushina Uzumaki had died protecting the village. Even if they didn't leave an inheritance, couldn't the Third Hokage assign Naruto a caretaker?
A private tutor? A housekeeper? Someone to make sure he didn't drink expired milk?
Then there was Nawaki's death…
Lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, Haruto's mind spun with thoughts.
He understood Danzo's methods, but an assassination attempt? That still caught him off guard.
Then again, from another angle, it showed just how little regard Danzo had for the Senju name.
Could Nawaki's death… have also been Danzo's doing?
"If I recall correctly, among Sarutobi's students, his favorite was Orochimaru. Even after Orochimaru started human experimentation, Sarutobi's initial response was oddly soft."
"Not just Sarutobi. Danzo admired Orochimaru too."
"Even after he defected, Danzo still maintained secret ties with him."
"And during that time, Tsunade was Orochimaru's strongest rival."
The more he thought about it, the more Haruto felt like Konoha's leadership was steeped in something sinister.
He began to suspect that Sarutobi had used Danzo's hand to purge his enemies.
Especially during Orochimaru's invasion of Konoha — Danzo, Koharu, Homura… all of them conveniently disappeared.
When Orochimaru unleashed the Four Violet Flames Formation, not a single high-ranking elder showed up to help.
Sarutobi may have been dubbed the "God of Shinobi" in his youth, but by then, he was far too old.
Did anyone really believe Orochimaru — someone capable of killing a Kazekage — had no trump cards and couldn't beat an old man?
Jiraiya was out hunting snakes…
Might Guy wanted to open the Eight Gates to help, but Kakashi stopped him…
Were they not afraid of Sarutobi dying?
"Rather than say Danzo was the root of Konoha, maybe it's more accurate to say that all of Konoha's upper echelon was its root."
Haruto shook his head. He wasn't fond of conspiracy theories, but he couldn't find a better explanation.
Was he supposed to believe the manga just started falling apart after a certain point?
Maybe that made sense when he was just a reader. But now…
He wasn't reading a story. He was living in this world.
Even if the original manga had plot holes, this world should have its own internal logic.
As Haruto pondered all this, a familiar system voice echoed in his mind.
New Sign-In Task Issued!
You have 3 days to complete it.
Target: Hokage's Office
Sign in successfully to receive your reward!
Haruto instinctively furrowed his brow. "Three-day time limit?"
"Hokage's Office?"
This was the first time he had encountered a time-limited task.
Then again, a limited-time mission likely meant a higher difficulty — but also a better reward.
"Alright then," he murmured. "Let's use that situation as my excuse."