34 Calamity

An ANBU ninja beside Sandaime then proceeded to provide a detailed account of the events. As Sandaime, Mitokado, and others listened, they couldn't help but inwardly marvel at Mito's abilities.

The fact that Mito had effortlessly subdued the mysterious ninja group with sealing techniques and prevented them from using detonation charms left them in awe of her skills.

Mito's aging and struggle to control the Nine-Tails chakra only deepened their respect and admiration for her

"You still have some tricks up your sleeve," thought the Third Hokage, relieved that Mito had managed to regain control.

Once the Sandaime had a general understanding of the situation, he approached Momoka, suggesting politely, "Momoka, let me take custody of these individuals for interrogation. I promise to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Senju Clan and Mito-sama."

Although he is happy to watch Danzo suffer, but considering that Konoha still needs to use Danzo now, he naturally hopes that today's matter can be turned into a small matter

Danzo had clearly put the Sandaime in a difficult position.

as long as he can't help him a bit, he is sure to save his friend dog life.

However, Momoka, with a stern expression and a cold demeanor, flatly refused. "Sandaime-sama, Mito-sama has instructed that you are not to take these individuals. When she awakens, she will personally interrogate these criminals who dared to breach the Senju Clan's seal barrier."

Momoka's defiance and disrespect toward the Third Hokage were evident.

"Destruction of the Senju Clan's seal barrier? What is Danzo plotting?" The Sandaime wondered aloud, his face paling as he realized the gravity of the situation.

Danzo, you dog, Such an act amounted to a declaration of war against the prestigious Clan.

a total slap to their face.

If they allowed this incident to go unpunished, the Senju Clan's standing within Konoha would be severely compromised.

It would also send a message to other clans that their grievances might not be addressed either.

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of Uchiha Homura, Hyuga patriachs changed on the spot, and they all glared at Danzo, who had an extremely ugly face at this time.

No one who can become the patriarch is a fool.

They had already seen something from the eye contact between the Sandaime and Danzo, but they just didn't say anything.

It's just that they never expected that what Danzo did was so insane.

For a while, the two exchanged eye contact, and they walked to Momoka's side at the same time.

Their attitude is already very clear.

That is, this matter must be taken seriously.

If the Senju Clan can be forced to forgive being plotted against by their own people in Konoha, what will happen to the other ninjas in Konoha when they encounter such a thing?

The Hokage's advisors, Mitokado homura and Utatane Koharu, exchanged helpless looks and joined the clan heads in supporting Momoka's stance.

Danzo, this time, you kicked an iron plats, don't blame me.

The Third Hokage sighed inwardly, exhausted by the situation. He muttered angrily to himself, "Danzo, why must you make things so difficult?"

------------------------

"Very well, we will proceed as Mito-sama wishes," Sandaime replied with a forced smile.

A dead skinny camel is bigger than a horse.

Although the Senju Clan is now in decline, their prestige is even greater than before.

The blood that the Senju shed for Konoha, the people of Konoha remember it in their hearts.

Given the combined power of the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans, they represented over half of Konoha's political and martial strength. Even the remaining clans, primarily the deer pig butterfly, would not dare to oppose them. 

what else can he, The Hokage, say.

say no?

As the three major clans united, particularly with the Uchiha's support, the Hokage found himself in a dilemma. Should he oppose this powerful alliance? Or should he protect his loyal comrade-in-arms, a formidable expert in dark matters?

His desire to continue serving as Hokage for a few more years weighed heavily on him.

"The village cannot descend into chaos, Danzo. You may rest assured for your life, but blame must be assigned. it falls upon your actions for being excessively audacious this time," the Third Hokage declared firmly.

The Third Hokage harbored a deep resentment towards Danzo, simultaneously fearing the latter's boundless ruthlessness.

The destruction of the Senju Clan's sealing barrier had stunned everyone.

The audacity of such actions left him incredulous. Who had emboldened Danzo to undertake this act?

It certainly wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi himself.

Danzo seethed with resentment, thinking to himself, "Hiruzen, you are weak and unworthy of the Hokage title. You shall regret this."

Abandoned by the Third Hokage without hesitation, Danzo couldn't help but nurse his anger. His loyalty to the village was unwavering, and he had taken countless covert actions to benefit Konoha. Now, when trouble arose, he was cast aside.

Hiruzen, Isn't it just the combination of Senju, Uchiha and Hyuga? to think they were able to scare you.

It was so weak.

The teacher shouldn't have let you be Hokage back then.

Everything he did was for Konoha.

For Konoha, Even the death of the whole senju clan is no big deal.

At this moment, Danzo became more and more convinced that he was on the right path.

He was vexed by the collective response of the senju clan. They appeared self-serving, concerned solely with their own interests and indifferent to the village's needs.

Despite being related to Teacher Tobirama, they, too, seemed self-serving.

Mito, as the wife of the First Hokage, should have understood her duty to contribute her last ounce of value to the village.

Lowering his head, Danzo harbored resentment towards all those who opposed him. Seeing Sandaime's concession, Momoka nodded, casting a cold gaze at Sandaime and the others.

Though she didn't offer any parting words, the Third Hokage understood her unspoken message.

The situation was too grave.

Could he truly walk away as Hokage?

He needed to meet with Mito and resolve the misunderstanding between them and the Senju Clan. Mito might currently blame him, believing that he had orchestrated Danzo's actions behind her back.

He could not bear the brunt of this blame, especially as he had played no part in the events and had been kept in the dark throughout the entire ordeal.

The most crucial aspect was to minimize the impact of this incident and prevent news of it from spreading. The near loss of control over the Nine-Tails by Mito had already created a significant ripple, and Hiruzen was concerned that malicious individuals might exploit this information.

The Third Hokage remained in place, with Mitokado, Koharu, Uchiha Homura, and Hyuga nejiro choosing not to leave either. Danzo, who wished to leave, felt the collective gaze of those present upon him and was compelled to stay.

"Things have escalated," Kirito, who had turned invisible, observed the situation and couldn't help but feel a headach. He had initially anticipated drawing the attention of the ANBU patrolling nearby and perhaps the Third Hokage, but not a gathering of high-ranking Konoha officials.

Mito's reasoning for this action had become apparent to him. She was well aware of the strength these individuals possessed.

With the backing of Uchiha Homura and the hyuga, it was impossible for the Konoha F4 to exert their influence. In the presence of these two formidable figures, Sandaime and Danzo would be unable to act covertly.

Sharingan and Byakugan were not to be underestimated.

After some time, Momoka arrived once more, accompanied by her shadow clone. With one hand, she effortlessly lifted the Aburame root and addressed the Sandaime and the others.

"Master Hiruzen, Advisors Mitokado and Koharu, and the three Clan Heads, please follow me."

Six high-ranking Konoha officials were summoned, but Danzo was conspicuously omitted from the call.

Those summoned glanced at Danzo, their reactions varying. Sandaime, Mitokado, and Koharu offered sympathetic looks, while hyuga and Aburame remained impassive.

Uchiha Homura, on the other hand, couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"Mito, you've managed to humiliate me," Danzo seethed, his fists clenched. He felt deeply ashamed of his actions this time.

"Very well, as Mito-sama wishes," Sandaime conceded with a strained smile. The combined strength of the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyuga clans surpassed half of Konoha's power. 

While the Third Hokage wielded significant authority as the village leader, his power alone might not prevail against the combined might of the three major clans. Additionally, the Sarutobi and Inuzuka clans' support alone could not match the alliance formed by them

Danzo's actions had placed the Third Hokage in a precarious position, where he had little choice but to heed Mito's wishes and adhere to the alliance of the major clans

Momoka immediately turned around and left with the aburame root, Sandaime, Mitokado, Koharu and the hyuga quickly followed..

Uchiha Homura moved a step slower, but his reason for doing so was that he left a shadow clone behind. As soon as this shadow clone materialized, it activated its Sharingan and fixed its gaze on Danzo.

When considering which Konoha clan had the deepest conflict with Danzo, it had to be the Uchiha clan. The Root's secretive monitoring of the Uchiha clan had been ongoing for a considerable time. As the Uchiha clan's patriarch, Uchiha Homura relished the opportunity to confront Danzo.

Though the Sandaime and the others were aware of Homura's actions, they chose to feign ignorance and proceeded to follow Momoka as she led them away.

"Danzo, it appears you won't escape this calamity," the Third Hokage muttered to himself.

He sensed that Uchiha Homura wasn't only targeting Danzo; he had his sights on the Third Hokage as well.

Danzo harbored an intense hatred for Uchiha Homura, surpassing even his animosity towards Mito.

As the Sandaime and the others departed, Danzo believed he would have an opportunity to eliminate his enemies. However, he found himself thwarted by Uchiha Homura.

Nonetheless, he couldn't surrender without a fight.

Tatsuma possessed too many Root secrets, and Danzo couldn't allow him to fall into Mito's hands. Given Mito's mastery of sealing techniques, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't crack the Tongue Eradication Seal.

Rather than risk revealing all their secrets, Danzo opted to shoulder the blame for instructing the destruction of the Senju Clan's sealing barrier. It was the lesser of two evils.

As the Third Hokage and the others disappeared from Danzo's sight, he swiftly activated the Tongue Eradication Seal.

"Danzo, what are you doing?" Homura Uchiha shouted, attempting to intervene.

However, Danzo had planned this carefully, and his attack was too swift for Homura Uchiha to stop.

"Hahaha~" Danzo burst into laughter, gazing at the anger on Uchiha Homura's clone's face, but his mirth was short-lived, abruptly cutting off.

To Danzo's horror, the Root ninjas lying on the ground showed no reaction; the Tongue Eradication Seal had failed.

------------------

"The Tongue Eradication Seal of the Root? What a joke! Even I can undo a curse seal like that. How could it be challenging for the likes of the teacher?"

Kirito observed Danzo's despairing expression and felt inclined to laugh. The secret of the Root having the Tongue Eradication Seal was not very significant. Mito, with her intricate understanding of sealing techniques, would never overlook such a loophole and had sealed these Root ninjas along with it. 

In reality, while deciphering a curse seal was a time-consuming task, adding a seal to temporarily block its connection with the caster and render it inactive was not difficult. It was similar to how Kakashi sealed Orochimaru's curse seal with the Evil Sealing Method. 

As long as the two parties didn't actively engage the curse seal's power and let it grow, the Evil Sealing Method was sufficient to block Orochimaru's connection to the curse seal. However, for a curse seal at the level of the Bird in the Cage, it would require at least an S-level sealing technique to block its connection with the caster.

"Hahaha, Danzo, it seems you're done for this time," Uchiha Homura chimed in, relishing the situation.

Danzo's face turned ashen, but he quickly regained his composure. He shot Homura Uchiha a cold, unwavering stare.

He had weathered endless regret and agony after his aspiration to become Hokage was thwarted by a single decision. so Now that he was on the brink of losing his reputation and everything he had worked for, he didnt regret.

Reputation ? so what

he is the root of Konoha, the nameless person who silently guards Konoha.

"This man is incredibly dangerous. We must seize an opportunity to eliminate him," Homura Uchiha secretly resolved.

Homura had been seeking opportunities to eliminate Danzo ever since the latter became the leader of Root. Unfortunately, Danzo was exceedingly cautious, always accompanied by several jounin guards when venturing outside. His movements were shrouded in secrecy, making it challenging to find an opportune moment to strike.

However, circumstances had changed.

From this day forward, the powerful Root leader and Konoha's Hokage advisor would fall from grace. Following this incident, he might not die, but he would be sent to the most perilous battlefields to expend his remaining vitality.

At that point, many would be seeking his downfall.

"Keeping this man is a disaster. Why not suggest that my we execute him?" Kirito and Homura Uchiha's thoughts surprisingly aligned.

Danzo's indomitable spirit, akin to a cockroach, was not to be underestimated. Furthermore, he was a master tactician and a man of action, with a cadre of ninja who were willing to die for him. Retaining him would undoubtedly invite calamity.

Danzo recognized the gravity of the situation. The trap he had set was ineffective, and he could sense that the Third Hokage was going to make things goes his way.

With the current situation spiraling out of control, Danzo chose to depart with his subordinates. Kirito hesitated before following.

Knowing Danzo well, Kirito anticipated that he would make one final struggle. He believed that Danzo would do whatever it took to exact vengeance on Mito, even if it meant sacrificing himself.

Soon enough, Kirito found himself admiring the Third Hokage.

As Danzo prepared to leave with his subordinates, the Anbu surrounded him and the other Root ninjas. Sarutobi Takashi, the eldest son of the Third Hokage and the head of Anbu, boldly stepped forward.

"Danzo-sama, please stay here momentarily," Takashi Sarutobi said calmly.

"You dare to obstruct me?" Danzo's face turned icy as he glared at Sarutobi Takashi.

"The Third Hokage has issued an order to seal off the area. No one may enter or leave without his authorization," Sarutobi Takashi replied unflinchingly.

"you..."

Danzo was enraged by Sarutobi Takashi's audacity. He could not fathom how a mere Anbu minister would dare to defy him and wield the threat of deadly force.

Mito, the Sandaime, and Uchiha Homura are fine, he can't afford to offend these people for now, but now even the Sandaime's son dares to humiliate him.

He is a genuine shadow-level powerhouse, so now he has no face?

After releasing a chilling murderous intent, Danzo's demeanor shifted.

However, Takashi Sarutobi and the Anbu ninjas were undaunted; they unsheathed their ninja swords and confronted Danzo and his two Root ninjas, emanating an aura of death.

There were over 30 Anbu ninjas present, including ten Jonin.

Moreover, they were on Konoha's home turf. A signal could summon reinforcements in less than a minute.

Therefore, they felt no fear in confronting Danzo.

"Master Danzo, please reconsider your actions," Sarutobi Takashi admonished. 

Unlike his father, he harbored no affection for Danzo and was thoroughly displeased with him. Danzo perpetually cast disparaging glances his father way, creating the illusion that he was Hokage.

a stranger would think we owe him money

Moreover, Danzo always employed devious tactics.

Now that he had personally ordered the secret destruction of the Senju Clan's seal barrier, attempting to harm Mito-sama and the Senju Clan, he was undoubtedly a black sheep who had betrayed his own people. Sanctions were inevitable.

There was no way Danzo could leave now; the risk of him escaping was too great. As the leader of Root and Naruto's advisor, he held numerous Konoha secrets. His defection would be catastrophic for the village.

To be frank, Takashi was secretly hoping Danzo would attack him. If Danzo dared to make a move, he would not hesitate to eliminate him. Regardless of how magnanimous his father was, he would never let Danzo escape.

His mother, too, despised Danzo greatly.

"Very well, you're quite the character, just like your father back in the day," Danzo remarked, laughing breathlessly. He turned to Sarutobi Takashi with a half-hearted smile, retracting his murderous intent. 

He wasn't afraid of a confrontation with Anbu, because he was a powerful Kage-level ninja.

However, he had no intention of fighting them at this moment; it was unnecessary.

Danzo had no desire to die, and he remained steadfast in his loyalty to Konoha. He still harbored the dream of becoming Hokage.

Observing this, Takashi Sarutobi felt somewhat disappointed. He sheathed his ninja sword and responded neutrally, "Your actions are preposterous, Danzo-sama."

The brief standoff concluded.

Homura Uchiha commended Takashi Sarutobi, saying, "Well done, young man." He then looked at Danzo with regret.

Originally, Homura planned to signal the Uchiha clan to assist when Danzo attacked, then release his shadow clone to notify the main body, allowing him to return and openly deal with Danzo, ultimately killing him. However, Danzo, the cunning old fox, did not take the bait.

Kirito also expressed regret. He had hoped to wait for Danzo to signal his men for assistance, then release his shadow clone and notify his main body to return and deal with Danzo openly. However, Danzo was too cautious to be lured into such a trap.

"Black-hearted, thick-skinned, and unscrupulous, this man is indeed a scourge," Kirito commented, and his determination to eliminate Danzo grew stronger.

As the confrontation ended, Takashi Sarutobi and Anbu withdrew their fighting stances, but they remained vigilant and maintained their encirclement of Danzo and the Root ninjas.

Furthermore, more Anbu ninjas continued to arrive at the scene. These Anbu were proficient in stealth techniques. If it weren't for Kirito's soul perception, which allowed him to detect souls within a one-kilometer radius, it would have been challenging to detect their chakra signatures using natural energy alone.

As a shadow-level Kage powerhouse, Danzo had a keen sense for detecting ninjutsu. He recognized Takashi Sarutobi's attempt to secretly mobilize Anbu reinforcements, but he merely snorted in response. He turned his attention to the direction where the Sandaime and the others had departed, his gaze cold and inscrutable.

Danzo realized he couldn't leave with so many Anbu present. Even though he was a formidable Kage-level ninja, he couldn't afford to act rashly. Homura Uchiha had placed a shadow clone nearby, and an open confrontation would likely involve Uchiha clan ninjas.

Kirito watched Danzo reluctantly abandon his plans, satisfied with the outcome. He no longer needed to tail Danzo secretly, given the danger lurking at the Root's headquarters, where there might be sealing barriers capable of detecting souls or ninjas with soul detection abilities.

Without hesitation, Kirito directed his spirit body to return swiftly in the direction of Senju residence. His time for the nightly excursion was coming to an end.

After a minute, Kirito, in the basement of Nawaki's house, reopened his eyes. He rose stiffly and returned to his body.