However, Aomi unexpectedly refused directly, even demanding that all members of the Uchiha Guard Department be on duty, allowing only underage ninjas to participate.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was somewhat moved at the time, but the more he pondered after returning home, the more something felt off.
With Aomi's gentle nature and sincere Will of Fire, he would never treat his clan in such a way. Sarutobi Hiruzen had never seen Aomi bear malice to any Konoha ninja.
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen himself hadn't thought of making the entire Konoha Security Department be on duty and not attend Mito's funeral with such an idea...
This must be Sensei's doing!
This overly extreme taste was very familiar to Sarutobi Hiruzen, and in an instant, he realized it.
Is Aomi truly Aomi?
Sarutobi Hiruzen's answer was: As is.
Aomi might be Aomi today, and might be Aomi tomorrow as well.
But next year, the year after, or some other day, Sarutobi Hiruzen was already mentally prepared to see Aomi with those incredibly familiar sharp eyes, then slowly call him——
"Monkey."
Under this mindset, Sarutobi Hiruzen's attitude towards Aomi was also changing.
Not to mention carrying the coffin for Uzumaki Mito, nowadays he seldom used the Telescope Jutsu to observe Aomi...
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt very conflicted, he really liked Aomi.
But his own teacher did this kind of thing, and moreover, it was for Konoha, Sarutobi Hiruzen could only shake his head and say there's no choice.
Shimura Danzo stared closely at the profile of Sarutobi Hiruzen, his anger growing even stronger.
What a sanctimonious monkey!
Looking at the photo of Sensei, you're still unfazed, do you not have the Will of Fire in your heart?
"Hiruzen, letting an Uchiha enter the village's master-apprentice succession line, you've already gone too far!"
Shimura Danzo slapped the table, his inner rage boiling.
If it weren't for Sarutobi Hiruzen arriving then, Aomi would have been his student, the despicable Hiruzen took the opportunity to imprison him for three months, and specially took Aomi as his own disciple.
Shimura Danzo recalled past events regarding Aomi, his emotions growing more intense, he said sternly:
"Did you really think I didn't know what you did?"
"The day the training ground was sealed, I had already rushed over, Uchiha Aomi, did he have Sensei's Chakra in him?"
At that moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression suddenly changed.
Shimura Danzo watched Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression and smiled triumphantly, continuing, "On one hand, you won't let me conduct human experiments, yet you study vigorously yourself?"
"Monkey, you're digging your own grave, you're injecting Sensei Tobirama's cells into Uchiha Aomi to cultivate your own lackey, it's downright insane."
"I've already guessed it, you're doing this to extend your power, forcibly elevating Uchiha Aomi's status using Lady Mito's funeral to make all the village's ninjas think he's one of the Hokage candidates..."
"I ask you, how many cursed seals did you place on Uchiha Aomi to be so sure you can control him?"
Shimura Danzo watched Sarutobi Hiruzen's increasingly darkening face and shook his head:
"Using Sensei's cells to strengthen the Uchiha, then using cursed seals to control him to support a puppet Hokage, you've really done it..."
"Homura, Koharu dare not defy you, your disciples indulge you, but Konoha still has me, this Hokage Assistant!"
"No one can be a Hokage for life, Hiruzen."
"It's still not too late to turn back now!"
At that moment, Shimura Danzo seemed possessed by the light of righteousness, his whole being swept away the shadowy aura, exuding an overwhelming momentum!
But internally, he admired Sarutobi Hiruzen's brainwork.
You bet, pretty impressive...
As expected of Hiruzen, effortlessly pulling off such a black-hearted act, even making him, the Dark Ninja, secretly click his tongue.
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly stood up, his gaze turning icy.
Shimura Danzo's extremely insidious brainwork had already pushed his patience to the limit.
What kind of nonsense is all this?
Even Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't hold it in any longer.
And what worried Sarutobi Hiruzen the most was the actions Shimura Danzo might take under this kind of thinking...
Uzumaki Mito had repeatedly stressed in her lifetime that only he, the Hokage, and Tsunade should know the real situation about Aomi!
If the matter of Aomi being the product of Senju Tobirama's Kinjutsu were exposed, it would cause a catastrophic blow to the reputation of the Hokage line, potentially shaking the very foundation of the Will of Fire, leading to consequences more terrifying than a war.
Sarutobi Hiruzen deeply agreed.
And although Shimura Danzo pinned all the blame on him, without mentioning Senju Tobirama's part...
But that wouldn't do either, would it?
The reputation of him as Hokage had always been good in Konoha, but it couldn't withstand Shimura Danzo's slander.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression became exceptionally cold, recalling the words Tsunade had once told him——
"Grandma Mito asked me to tell you, old man, if anyone inquires about Aomi, eliminate them, no matter who it is!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly left his desk, walked up to Shimura Danzo, faced him, and said in a deep voice: "Danzo, I can only describe your guesses as nonsense..."
"I'll tell you, the matter of Uchiha Aomi involves the top secrets of Sensei Tobirama and Lady Mito, no one has the right to inquire except me, the Hokage, including you, the Hokage Assistant..."
"Danzo, if you continue to probe into Aomi's matters, don't blame me for disregarding old affections and cleaning up the house!!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen warned slowly, enunciating each word: "This is Lady Mito's intention, do you understand?"