The moment the clan heads learned what had happened to Danzō, shock spread through the entire room.
No one had expected Sarutobi Hiruzen to act so decisively.
For decades, the Third Hokage had tolerated Danzō's countless schemes, conspiracies, and abuses of power. Every time Danzō crossed the line, Hiruzen would publicly reprimand him, announce punishment, and then quietly let the matter fade away.
Those punishments had always been more performance than justice.
That was why today's decision stunned everyone.
This time, there was no leniency.
No second chance.
No secret compromise.
Danzō Shimura had officially become an S-rank rogue ninja.
Once the shock faded, another emotion quickly replaced it.
Joy.
For many within Konoha, Danzō had long been a shadow hanging over the village. His Root organization operated in secrecy, his methods were ruthless, and countless clans had suffered because of him.
Now that shadow was gone.
Many of the clan heads felt as if the sky above Konoha had suddenly become brighter.
If they had not been summoned for an urgent conference, some of them might have hosted banquets on the spot.
The fall of Danzō was worth celebrating.
Inside the Hokage conference chamber, the atmosphere was solemn but charged with anticipation.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at the head of the room in the Hokage's seat.
Below him, positioned prominently on either side, sat Tsunade and Hirakawa Seisui.
No one objected to their placement.
Both possessed immense strength, high prestige, and had become central figures in the village.
Further down the hall were the leaders of Konoha's various clans.
At the front sat Uchiha Fugaku and Hyūga Hiashi.
As heads of the two most influential noble clans in the Hidden Leaf, they naturally held the highest standing among those present.
Behind them were the heads of the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance:
Inoichi Yamanaka
Shikaku Nara
Chōza Akimichi
Then came the leaders of other respected clans such as the Inuzuka, Aburame, and Kurama.
At the rear were the jōnin who had managed to return in time for the emergency meeting.
Among them were Mikoto and Nonō.
Every person gathered in this room held influence over the future direction of Konohagakure.
This was the true core of the village's power.
Sarutobi Hiruzen slowly looked across the room before speaking.
"I believe all of you understand why I have gathered you here today."
His voice was calm, but the anger hidden beneath it was unmistakable.
"This is one of the most unforgivable incidents since the founding of Konoha. Its consequences are severe, and its damage to the village cannot be ignored."
The room instantly became serious.
No one doubted the Hokage's fury.
"Danzō Shimura is now classified as an S-rank rogue ninja."
Murmurs spread through the chamber.
"I have already dispatched Hatake Sakumo to hunt him down. If any of you encounter Danzō in the future, you are authorized to kill him immediately."
Those words carried enormous weight.
A kill order was not issued lightly—especially not against a former village elder.
But by saying them openly, Hiruzen made one thing clear:
Whatever bond he once shared with Danzō was now severed forever.
After a brief pause, Hiruzen continued.
"With the deaths of the two Elder Advisors, we must immediately appoint replacements so village affairs may continue without disruption. You may now present candidates."
The room erupted into discussion.
The position of Elder Advisor was no ordinary office.
If becoming a jōnin meant entering Konoha's political structure, then becoming an advisor meant standing at the summit of power.
Only the Hokage ranked above them.
Their authority extended over military decisions, administration, finances, and internal policy.
Naturally, everyone desired influence.
But no one was foolish enough to nominate someone unqualified.
Without strength, prestige, accomplishments, and seniority, no candidate would be accepted.
After a lengthy debate, two names emerged.
Tsunade Senju.
And Akimichi Torifu.
No one questioned Tsunade's qualifications.
She was one of the Legendary Sannin, granddaughter of the First Hokage, and the greatest medical ninja in the village.
Her reputation alone made her suitable.
As for Akimichi Torifu, he was the current head of the Akimichi clan and one of the Second Hokage's former students.
He had fought for Konoha for decades and possessed both wisdom and respect.
The decision was unanimous.
Tsunade, however, nearly cursed aloud.
She had only recently begun taking responsibility again because of Seisui's influence.
That did not mean she wanted endless paperwork and council meetings.
Worse, Jiraiya had mysteriously vanished beforehand.
That shameless fool had clearly predicted this outcome and escaped in advance.
Tsunade clenched her fists but forced herself to remain silent.
She had no way to refuse in front of the entire village leadership.
Torifu, in contrast, accepted quietly.
Though saddened by the deaths of his old comrades, he also felt deep anger toward Danzō's betrayal.
The next matter concerned the Medical Department.
Since Tsunade had become an Elder Advisor, the department required a new leader.
The chosen successor was Yakushi Nonō.
There were no objections.
Her mastery of medical ninjutsu was widely recognized, and her years of service made her an obvious candidate.
Even Deputy Head Fukada Minako accepted the decision readily.
She knew perfectly well that in terms of healing ability, she was inferior to Nonō.
Thus, Nonō was officially promoted to Head of the Medical Department.
Mikoto smiled warmly from the side.
Few people deserved recognition more than Nonō.
Then came the most shocking announcement of the day.
"Hirakawa Seisui," Hiruzen said, "will assume the position of Hokage Guard."
The room went silent.
Everyone understood what that title meant.
On paper, the duty of the Hokage Guard was simple:
Protect the Hokage directly.
In reality, the title carried far greater significance.
It was an unwritten tradition in Konoha.
The Second Hokage had once served as guard to the First Hokage.
The Third Hokage had served the Second.
And now, the Third Hokage had personally selected Seisui.
The meaning was unmistakable.
Seisui had been a rising star before.
Now, he was the designated successor.
The future Fourth Hokage.
Many eyes turned toward him.
Some were amazed.
Some were envious.
Some were calculating.
Tsunade, Mikoto, and Nonō all looked genuinely pleased.
Uchiha Fugaku was equally delighted.
He firmly believed that if the Uchiha clan aligned themselves with Seisui, their current political isolation could finally be broken.
As long as they followed him, the clan's future could change.
Seisui himself remained calm.
He had already expected this possibility.
But inwardly, he knew the road ahead would not be easy.
If Konoha had a problem called Danzō, then the Uchiha had a problem of their own.
The clan's internal hawks.
Those hardliners constantly shouted about seizing the Hokage position and restoring Uchiha dominance.
They filled younger clan members with pride, resentment, and hostility.
They blamed outsiders for every setback.
They refused compromise.
And worst of all, they did not realize they were poisoning their own future.
Because of those extremists, Sarutobi Hiruzen had never fully trusted the Uchiha clan.
Seisui understood this clearly.
If he truly wished to improve the Uchiha clan's standing, he first needed to deal with the hawkish faction within it.
Only then could trust be rebuilt.
He glanced toward Fugaku and gave the clan head a subtle nod.
They would discuss this matter privately later.
The promotions continued.
Uchiha Mikoto was elevated to Deputy Head of the Police Force.
Given her strength, reputation, and experience, no one objected.
Since the Konoha Police Force was almost entirely managed by the Uchiha clan, such internal appointments normally required no Hokage approval.
Fugaku had intentionally announced it here as a gesture of goodwill toward both Seisui and the Hokage faction.
It was a signal.
The Uchiha were willing to cooperate.
Several others also received promotions or new assignments, though none were as significant as the earlier announcements.
Eventually, the major matters had been settled.
Sarutobi Hiruzen surveyed the room.
"Does anyone have anything further to discuss?"
"If not, today's meeting will be adjourned."
Meetings of this scale were rare.
When they happened, every important issue had to be addressed at once.
Before silence could settle, Tsunade suddenly raised her hand.
She nearly called him "old man" out of habit, then caught herself.
"Hokage-sama…"
A few people suppressed smiles.
Even in a formal chamber, Tsunade was still Tsunade.
She folded her arms and asked directly:
"What do you intend to do with Root?"
The room instantly became tense again.
Everyone knew Root had been Danzō's private army.
Its members were trained in secrecy, stripped of emotion, and loyal only to him.
Even with Danzō gone, Root still existed.
And that made it dangerous.
Many of those present had suffered losses because of that organization.
Others feared what might happen if its remnants acted independently.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened.
This was not a simple question.
Destroy Root?
Absorb it into Anbu?
Purge its members?
Watch them carefully and wait?
Whatever choice he made would shape Konoha's future.
The room fell silent, all eyes fixed upon the Hokage.
The matter of Danzō had ended.
But the matter of Root had only just begun.
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