"Mangekyo Sharingan?!"
In the Hokage Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen smoked his pipe all night, the smoke billowing and thick to the point of being pungent and suffocating.
After hearing Uchiha Shisui's report, his expression changed drastically!
As a disciple of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, Sarutobi Hiruzen naturally understood the terror of the Mangekyo Sharingan!
Back then, the Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna brothers were able to fight the Senju Clan, who had two generations of Lord Hokage, to a standstill precisely because they had both awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked coldly at Uchiha Shisui.
"Shisui, I won't blame you for not killing him."
"But I want to ask you one thing…"
Uchiha Shisui knelt on the ground, not daring to lift his head at all.
"Lord Hokage, please ask."
"If you and Uchiha Yagami truly fight…"
"How much of a chance of winning do you have?!"
Uchiha Shisui breathed a sigh of relief; if he had been asked about something else, he would have felt a bit guilty.
But in terms of strength…
"Lord Hokage, please rest assured!"
"Uchiha Yagami's Mangekyo Sharingan has only just been awakened, and the power of his eyes is far inferior to mine, not to mention…"
"No one can match the eye techniques of my Mangekyo Sharingan."
"Moreover, I also have the ultimate secret technique that exists within the Mangekyo Sharingan…"
"Susanoo!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen also nodded, his face looking much better.
"Susanoo, you say?"
"That is indeed a legendary existence…"
"I remember my teacher saying that it is the third power that can only be finally mastered after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan and subsequently awakening the eye techniques of both eyes…"
Uchiha Shisui couldn't help but admire him greatly.
"Lord Hokage, you are indeed worthy of being called the Professor of Ninjutsu."
"Even within the Uchiha Clan, not many people know these secrets."
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head indifferently.
"These are all the research results my teacher had on the Uchiha Clan."
Although Uchiha Shisui was absolutely confident, the anxiety in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart was still difficult to dispel.
At this time.
It was already bright outside.
While discussing with Uchiha Shisui, the door to the Hokage Office was suddenly knocked on again.
"Lord Hokage."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart stirred.
"Is it Kakashi?"
"Come in."
Hatake Kakashi, wearing a fox-like mask, pushed the door open and entered.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at his eyes beneath the mask, as if wanting to see through him completely.
"So, Kakashi, have you gotten the results of your investigation?"
Hatake Kakashi nodded heavily.
"Yes, this is the report I, Inoichi, and Ibiki compiled after our joint investigation."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took it from his hand and frowned after just a quick glance.
"This is…"
Hatake Kakashi sighed, "Lord Hokage, I'm afraid…"
"What Uchiha Yagami said is the truth…"
"Captain… I mean, Captain Sarutobi Asuma, I'm afraid he did indeed order the setting of a trap and ambush to retaliate against Uchiha Yagami, severely injuring Uchiha Aoki and Uchiha Yamagaze, two members of the Police Force."
Sarutobi Hiruzen and Uchiha Shisui exchanged glances.
Neither of them was surprised, of course.
Because they already knew this was the truth.
What truly surprised Sarutobi Hiruzen was…
Hatake Kakashi's attitude and stance.
"Is that so…"
"Kakashi, do you mean that Sarutobi Asuma really deserves to die?"
Hatake Kakashi quickly said, "No, Lord Hokage, I have never thought that."
"Although… I do not agree with Captain Sarutobi Asuma actions, however…"
"I also absolutely do not agree with Uchiha Yagami's extreme methods."
Sarutobi Hiruzen said, "If you were Uchiha Yagami, what would you do?"
Hatake Kakashi was startled, but still answered honestly.
"I would probably also try my best to uphold justice for my subordinates…"
"However, the methods would not be so extreme."
The scene that appeared in his mind…
It was Uchiha Obito's resolute face and the words he had once said to him.
"In the Shinobi World, those who break the rules are called scum."
"However, those who don't value their comrades…"
"Are even worse than scum!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at him meaningfully.
"Then, what do you think is the best way to deal with Uchiha Yagami?"
"That should be Lord Hokage's decision…"
"I'm asking for your opinion."
"I… I think he can be imprisoned for a period of time to reflect on his sins."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pressed, "Not kill him?"
Hatake Kakashi remained silent.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed.
"I understand."
What he understood was Hatake Kakashi's stance.
Although he was still loyal to Konoha, like Uchiha Yagami, he was a person with his own principles and sense of justice…
Such a person, unlike Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi, was difficult to manipulate and control at will.
Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Kakashi both had their own thoughts.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen had not truly made a decision.
Just then, the door was knocked on for the third time.
"Lord Hokage."
"Is that Zō? Come in."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's personal Anbu guard, "Zō", walked in.
"Lord Hokage, the Hidden Cloud Village envoy delegation has arrived in the village."
"Is that so? They came so quickly?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression changed.
Although a full-scale war had not erupted at this time, localized battles between Konoha Village and Hidden Cloud Village continued incessantly.
This was the aftermath of the Third Great Shinobi War.
It was also the inevitable consequence of Konoha Village's talent depletion and heavy casualties after the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox incident.
However, under Sarutobi Hiruzen's "efforts", Hidden Cloud Village finally intended to sign a ceasefire agreement with Konoha recently.
For Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was simultaneously facing internal and external troubles…
This was a great piece of good news.
After all, to repel external threats, one must first pacify internal unrest.
What he most wanted to deal with now was not Hidden Cloud Village, but the long-standing internal threat within the village that had existed since its founding…
The Uchiha Clan!
To this end, he did not hesitate to cede countless powers and sacrifice countless interests in the negotiations with Hidden Cloud Village, all to secure this ceasefire agreement.
As for the reputation of being weak?
He didn't care.
To the outside world, he always claimed this was for peace, for stability, and for development.
I am not weak, merely benevolent.
For a time, various matters piled up, and Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but become increasingly overwhelmed.
But he was a generation's hero after all, and he quickly forced himself to cheer up.
"Uchiha Yagami will be temporarily imprisoned. There is no need to harm him, but he cannot be allowed to act recklessly either!"
"Currently, the negotiations with Hidden Cloud Village are the top priority."
"After this matter is over, then we will resolve the issue with him and the Uchiha Clan."
Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui exchanged glances.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly stood up, as if he had regained his vitality, and even, compared to his usual kind and amiable self, he possessed a few more points of authority and dominance.
"Let's go, you two will come with me to meet the Hidden Cloud Village envoys!"
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
…
"The Hidden Cloud Village envoy delegation?"
Yagami heard about this from the returning Uchiha Yamakaze and couldn't help but feel a slight stir in his heart.
Of course, he knew the true purpose of the Hidden Cloud Village envoy delegation.
What he knew even more was…
What disgusting and dirty things Sarutobi Hiruzen would do!
In his previous life, what he found most incomprehensible, besides the two born villains Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito…
Was Sarutobi Hiruzen's bizarre maneuvers, which is to say…
The Hinata Hizashi incident!
(End of Chapter)