Naruto: Growing Stronger Through Healing

Ever since Sarutobi Hiruzen had ordered Danzō imprisoned within the Konoha Military Police Force Jail, Homura and Koharu had been relentlessly trying to plead for his release.

As high-ranking officials of Konoha themselves, they found the situation deeply unsettling—utterly unacceptable.

After all, if Danzō could be thrown into prison, then what was to stop the same fate from befalling them one day?

This was the true source of their anxiety.

They were not concerned about justice, nor about right and wrong. What truly frightened them was precedent.

If one Elder could be imprisoned, then the authority and immunity of their own positions were no longer absolute.

And that, to them, was intolerable.

How could two esteemed Konoha Elders—figures who had stood at the village's pinnacle for decades—allow themselves to be stained by scandal?

Thus, time and again, they had gone to Sarutobi Hiruzen to plead Danzō's case.

Yet every attempt ended in failure.

Just a few days prior, when they had once again raised the matter, Sarutobi Hiruzen had finally lost his patience and scolded them harshly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Seeing the Hokage's unwavering resolve, Homura and Koharu had no choice but to tacitly agree to halt their pleas—for now.

And yet…Unexpectedly, Danzō himself had sought them out today.

"Instead of staying quietly in prison, what exactly is Danzō trying to pull now?"

Homura and Koharu exchanged glances, each seeing the same confusion reflected in the other's eyes.

However, neither of them chose to report this directly to Sarutobi Hiruzen. Instead, after a brief discussion, they agreed to meet Danzō at the Root base.

After all, it had been a very long time since the three of them had last met in person.

Perhaps—so they reasoned—Danzō simply missed his old friends and wanted to talk.

With that thought, the two temporarily set aside their duties in the Hokage's Office and departed together.

Before long, they arrived at the Root base.

There, they met Danzō—or rather, the being that now wore his face: Rinne Path–White Zetsu.

"Danzō," Homura Mitokado spoke first, his brow furrowed. "How did you get out of prison? Aren't you afraid Sarutobi will come after you?"

Koharu Utatane said nothing, but her sharp gaze remained fixed on him, silently demanding an explanation.

Not once did either of them suspect that the man before them was an impostor.

"I've been locked up for over two years," Rinne Path–White Zetsu replied calmly, perfectly mimicking Danzō's tone. "Am I not allowed to find someone to stand in for me and come out for a bit of fresh air?"

As he spoke, he gestured for the two to sit, leading them deeper inside.

Now was not the time to act.

He needed to wait—wait until Sarutobi Hiruzen dealt with the assassination attempt by the Root shinobi and personally arrived here.

Neither Homura nor Koharu commented on Danzō's explanation.

Koharu lifted her teacup, took a small sip, and then spoke bluntly. "Enough pretense, Danzō. Get straight to the point. You didn't call us here just to drink tea."

Ironically, that was exactly the case. But of course, Rinne Path–White Zetsu could never admit that.

If he did, the two would leave immediately. Thus, he deliberately darkened his expression and began in a low, serious tone.

"Actually, I called you here today to discuss the matter of the next Hokage."

At those words, Homura and Koharu instantly exchanged another glance.

"I trust you've already noticed," Rinne Path–White Zetsu continued, "that Sarutobi intends to pass the title of Hokage to Hirakawa Aoshi."

"Danzō," Homura Mitokado interrupted sharply, "don't tell me you're still clinging to the idea of becoming Hokage yourself?"

"If that's all you called us here for, then you're wasting our time." Koharu shared the same stance, her expression equally dismissive.

They had known Danzō for decades. They were well aware of his obsession with the Hokage position.

And just like Sarutobi Hiruzen, they held the same conclusion:

Danzō could be the leader of Root. He could be the Hokage's advisor. But he could never be Hokage.

Rinne Path–White Zetsu glanced at the two and continued unhurriedly.

"I do want to be Hokage," he admitted plainly. "But I know you would never allow it."

"What I'm saying is this: Hirakawa Aoshi is too young—and too impulsive. Handing Konoha over to him may not be a wise decision."

Then, after a brief pause, he added casually,

"Moreover… aren't you worried that once he takes office, he'll remove both of you from your Elder positions?"

The first few sentences barely stirred them. But the last one landed like a blade.

Their expressions shifted almost imperceptibly.

For Homura and Koharu, nothing mattered more than the power they had accumulated over decades—power they were utterly unwilling to relinquish.

Rinne Path–White Zetsu observed every subtle reaction, his face calm, his mind filled with cold disdain.

They truly were rotten to the core.

"We are Elders who have dedicated our lives to Konoha," Koharu Utatane snapped, forcing a stern tone. "How dare Hirakawa Aoshi even think of such a thing?"

Yet the lack of confidence beneath her words betrayed her.

They were not unfamiliar with Hirakawa Aoshi.

They knew his temperament. They knew his decisiveness.

And they knew—deep down—that Danzō's words were not baseless speculation.

"Danzō," Homura Mitokado finally asked, maintaining his composure better than Koharu, "what exactly are you implying?"

Rinne Path–White Zetsu let out a cold laugh.

"My meaning is simple," he said. "I do not want Hirakawa Aoshi to become Hokage."

"After all, he and I are already mortal enemies. If he ascends to that position, my fate will be…" He left the sentence unfinished.

But neither Homura nor Koharu needed it spelled out.

Silence fell.

After a long moment, Homura Mitokado finally spoke again. "Then… what do you propose we do?"

At the very same time, deep within Konoha, the Root shinobi tasked with assassinating Sarutobi Hiruzen completed their preparations and launched their attack.

Inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was buried in paperwork.

He took a slow puff from his pipe, about to set it aside, when his ears caught several sharp whistling sounds slicing through the air.

Shuriken.

And not just one—multiple shuriken, coming from all directions, sealing every possible route of escape.

Someone is attacking the Hokage at the Hokage Office! How Audacious!

The realization flashed through his mind in an instant, and his body moved just as fast.

By the time the shuriken struck, the Anbu hidden in the shadows revealed themselves a heartbeat too late.

"Lord Hokage!"

"I'm fine."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's calm voice rang out clearly.

The figure struck by the shuriken collapsed into a pile of mud, while Sarutobi himself reappeared beside the Anbu, fully alert.

Earth Release: Substitution Jutsu.

Seeing that the Hokage was unharmed, the Anbu finally exhaled in relief. They immediately turned toward the surrounding shadows.

"Who are you?" one demanded loudly. "How dare you attempt to assassinate the Hokage?"

There was no reply. Instead, an overwhelmingly fierce Fire Release technique erupted.

The confined Hokage office was instantly engulfed in raging flames, furniture and documents disintegrating in seconds.

The Anbu's pupils shrank—but it was already too late to form defensive jutsu.

At the critical moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward.

He led the Anbu out of the office in one swift motion, emerging onto the rooftop of the Hokage Tower.

The open space gave them room to maneuver.

Then—

"It's a barrier!" One Anbu shouted in alarm.

Only then did everyone realize the truth. The entire Hokage Tower was encased within a massive purple barrier.

Four Violet Flames Formation.

The attackers had no intention of letting them escape.

No one could leave. No one outside could intervene.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened as he surveyed the barrier.

"…Damn it," one Anbu muttered. "Who exactly are these people?"

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