"Danzo-sama."
"What is it?"
Danzo frowned.
The rumors about Rasa were not spreading smoothly, leaving Danzo in a poor mood.
The Third Kazekage had disappeared too suddenly. There had been no obvious incidents before or after it. Using this point to fabricate a rumor was actually extremely difficult.
On top of that, Rasa's reputation in Sunagakure and the Land of Wind was now extremely high.
Aside from the disappearance of the Third Kazekage, there was nothing about Rasa worth turning into a rumor.
Danzo thought seriously for a while.
"It's very difficult to find points in Sunagakure that can be used for rumors. Iwagakure is the same. Kirigakure and Kumogakure don't have many either. It seems only our Konoha's rumors are easy to fabricate. Where exactly is the problem?"
"The Uchiha. The Hyuga. And now Konoha's White Fang."
After thinking for a long time, Danzo found a reason.
"It's all because I never became Hokage."
"Hiruzen's ability is insufficient."
"If I were Hokage, Konoha would not be like this."
The ANBU shinobi lowered his head. His attitude was very respectful, but inwardly, he was somewhat displeased.
That was because bringing Kakashi back to Konoha had been the mission Hiruzen Sarutobi had given him.
But after he reached the battlefield, he had not seen Kakashi.
Unable to complete the mission, he had been harshly reprimanded.
Now, just like Hiruzen Sarutobi, the ANBU shinobi was certain that Kakashi had definitely been dealt with one step ahead of him by Danzo.
In other words, the reason he had failed his mission was entirely because of Danzo.
"Danzo-sama, Hokage-sama has ordered you to return to Konoha immediately."
"Return to Konoha? Immediately?"
"Correct."
"Did Hiruzen say what it was about?"
The ANBU shinobi shook his head.
"No."
Danzo refused.
"Go back and tell Hiruzen that the rumors targeting Sunagakure are at a critical stage. I cannot leave. If I leave now, the effect will be greatly reduced. I will not return for the time being."
"If there is something to be done, have someone else handle it first."
Danzo's answer made the ANBU shinobi even more certain of his guess.
In his view, Danzo did not want to return to Konoha because he was guilty.
"Danzo-sama, this is Hokage-sama's order."
"Hmm?"
Danzo frowned, somewhat displeased.
The ANBU shinobi insisted.
"Danzo-sama, Hokage-sama said personally that you must return. No other matter is more important than this."
Danzo fell silent.
The ANBU shinobi lowered his head but did not retreat even half a step.
Finally, the word Hokage gained the upper hand.
"I understand."
Danzo practically spat those words through gritted teeth.
Then he looked deeply at the ANBU shinobi, as if trying to memorize his appearance so he could retaliate afterward.
But because the mask blocked his face, Danzo could not see what this ANBU shinobi looked like.
After arranging the matters in his hands, Danzo turned and headed toward Konoha.
Upon returning to the village, Danzo immediately went to the Hokage Building.
"Hiruzen, I need to confirm one thing with you. Do you truly have something that only I can do? Something no one else besides me can handle?"
"Or did that ANBU shinobi falsely pass on your message?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.
"Danzo, what are you talking about?"
Danzo said angrily, "I was in the Land of Wind, diligently spreading rumors about Rasa. The difficulty was high, and it took great effort. That ANBU shinobi suddenly invoked your order, Hiruzen, and forced me to stop and return to the village."
"I want to ask you—what exactly is so important that I alone must handle it?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened.
"Danzo, are you dissatisfied with me?"
"I wouldn't dare."
"You wouldn't dare? That means you are indeed dissatisfied? You're dissatisfied with me, but I haven't even expressed my dissatisfaction with you yet!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi snorted coldly.
"Speak. Where exactly is Kakashi now? Why did you take action against Kakashi without my order? What exactly are you trying to do? Do you still have me, the Hokage, in your eyes at all?"
Danzo froze.
Immediately afterward, his eyes widened.
"Hiruzen, what are you talking about? What does Kakashi's disappearance have to do with me? Don't tell me you think I did it?"
Danzo was furious.
His anger could not be suppressed at all.
His entire chest rose and fell rapidly.
In the matter of Kakashi, he had clearly done nothing.
Yet Hiruzen Sarutobi had called him back to Konoha, forcibly interrupting what he was doing, and then demanded that he reveal Kakashi's current whereabouts.
How was he supposed to answer?
He had done nothing.
He knew nothing.
Was this how the Hokage wronged people?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows furrowed even more tightly.
"Danzo, stop pretending. My people investigated and learned that before Kakashi disappeared, two ANBU shinobi approached him. After that, Kakashi vanished."
"And those two ANBU shinobi vanished as well."
"If this wasn't done by you, then who did it?"
"Who else would have the audacity to impersonate ANBU shinobi?"
"This isn't the first or second time you've done something like this."
"In the past, I didn't say anything. But this time, the matter involved is too critical."
"I will give you only one choice now. Hand over Kakashi."
Danzo was so angry he nearly coughed blood.
"Hiruzen, I said it already. It wasn't me. I didn't do it!"
Danzo lowered his voice and said, "Everything I have done has been for the village."
"Kakashi? I never even touched him."
"Because there were two ANBU shinobi, you're certain it was me? On what basis?"
"Can no one else impersonate them?"
"And why can't they be real ANBU shinobi?"
"I will admit to what I've done. But for something I didn't do, I absolutely will not admit it."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo, his face full of disappointment.
"Danzo, very good. Very good."
"Things have already reached this point, and you still refuse to admit it?"
"It seems you've made up your mind to trap me with this."
"Have you ever thought about the price of doing that?"
Danzo angrily retorted,
"Hiruzen, how do you expect me to admit to something I never did?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi sneered.
"Look at that. This is you, Danzo. No matter the situation, you still call me Hiruzen, Hiruzen. Are the four words Hokage-sama truly so difficult for you to say?"
Danzo clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes turning red.
"Hokage-sama, I can swear to the heavens. If Kakashi's disappearance has anything to do with me, then let me die a miserable death!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo deeply, then waved his hand in waning interest.
"If that is the case, then perhaps it wasn't you."
"By the way, regarding Root, I have thought it over seriously. This department has no need to continue existing. It was never something that should have existed in the first place. After all these decades, it should have been abolished long ago."
"You're no longer young either, Danzo. Return to the Shimura clan and spend your remaining years in peace."
"There is no need for you to trouble yourself over the village's affairs anymore."
Danzo's face suddenly turned deathly pale.