23 Chapter 23

"Ah, it's little Naruto and his friends, and the second-best chef of Konoha, my favorite little brother Kazuki himself!" Ayame was delighted to see her favourite customers and started animatedly entertaining the trio.

"Big brother, big brother, I want to sit on the counter too!" As Kazuki was enjoying the ramen, he heard a little kid's voice from the shop's entrance.

"Alright, if that's where you want to sit," replied a much more mature but childish voice.

Kazuki didn't have to turn to know who had entered the shop, and he simply continued enjoying his ramen.

Teuchi, noticing the new customers, excused himself to serve them. After having a hearty meal, the trio returned to a large compound near the park. This was a house owned by the Senju family. After knowing Naruto's condition, Tsunade took it upon herself to take care of Naruto and be his guardian. Although it was Shizune who was taking care of both her master and the little Naruto, for someone like Naruto, who didn't have anyone, living with the Senju Princess was a blessing. And with the Senju by his side, the hatred of the villagers had mellowed down to a large degree, as no one wanted to openly antagonise her, and everyone in the village feared and respected her.

"Big sister Shizune, I am back!" screamed Naruto. The trio, having reached the compound entrance, started running in, as they were familiar with the place.

"Kid, where did you go all this time? I have been looking for you all this time." Tsunade walked in from inside the house and questioned Naruto, who was rushing in.

"Ah, Tsunade baachan, I was out with big brother Kazuki. Look, he looks completely different in his new outfit!" Before he could continue, Tsunade boinked him on the head and growled in frustration.

"Kid, I have asked you not to call me Grandma. I'm still young, you pipsqueak." However, before she could finish, Kazuki entered, and Tsunade was surprised by her student's new look. Even Shizune was surprised because Kazuki looked like little Kakashi, as they were from the same age group.

As they were happily discussing the new choice of Kazuki's outfit, Tsunade got to know that it was a personal design from Kazuki. She literally ordered Kazuki to make a few designs for her, and after looking at the excellence of the designs, Shizune asked for a design for herself. This continued until Kazuki had to give each of the trio one as well. Finally, Shizune collected all the designs to be custom-made after taking the trio's measurements.

Just then, an ANBU member arrived at the entrance of the compound and informed the Sannin that a council meeting had been called for by the Hokage, and the invitation had been extended to all the clan heads. It had already been a week since Kazuki's meeting with the Hokage, and if Kazuki was right, then this meeting should lead to major changes within the village.

The Hokage Council meeting room was a grand and dignified chamber located within the heart of the Hokage building in Konohagakure. The room was designed to exude a sense of authority and tradition, reflective of the village's status as a major ninja village. The room was large and spacious, with a high ceiling that gave it an airy feel. The design allowed for a circular arrangement of seats, emphasising equality and open communication among the meeting members.

The serene atmosphere within the room was palpable as it played host to the assembly of various clan heads from the village. Even a modest clan, boasting only a handful of Shinobi, had been extended an invitation to participate in this crucial council meeting. Soft murmurs of discussion wafted through the air, creating a symphony of deliberation.

Fugaku, the esteemed leader of the Uchiha clan, found himself situated directly opposite the Hokage's imposing position. The seating arrangements had been meticulously predetermined by the council members, establishing a hierarchy reflective of the village's power dynamics. However, amidst this structured order, one individual boldly flouted protocol. Seating themselves next to the Uchiha clan head, this mysterious figure's audacious move went unquestioned. It wasn't just a breach of seating etiquette; it was a challenge to the established norms. No one within the room possessed the courage or prestige necessary to confront the enigmatic personality who had dared to sidestep convention—a person whose authority was such that it went unchallenged, even by the most influential clan heads.

Even the venerable Leaf elders exhibited patience, their seasoned presence adding gravity to the proceedings. The room, pregnant with anticipation, held its collective breath as the door swung open. In walked Danzo, his discerning eyes quickly noting Hiruzen's absence. Narrowing his gaze, he registered the inconvenience of waiting for the Hokage. Nevertheless, he proceeded to take his assigned seat with calculated poise, positioning himself next to the vacant Hokage's chair—an unspoken acknowledgment of his own standing within the intricate tapestry of the village's political landscape.

After a brief pause, the door swung open once more, and Hiruzen entered the room with deliberate steps, adorned in his official Hokage robe. With measured composure, he took his place in the Hokage's seat, signifying the commencement of the meeting.

"Thank you, everyone, for attending this meeting at such short notice," Hiruzen began, his polite words belying the gravity of the impending discussion. "I have called you all here today to address important matters that will shape the direction of our village's progress in the coming years."

However, before Hiruzen could delve into the heart of the matter, Danzo interjected. With a swift motion, he produced a scroll and placed it on the table.

"Hiruzen, before we discuss anything else, we must address a crucial matter related to the village's safety. There seems to be a clan."

Without a word, Hiruzen calmly picked up the scroll and incinerated it, leaving everyone in the room stunned. Only Tsunade, seated opposite Danzo, couldn't help but smirk, privy to the unspoken dynamics at play.

"Danzo, I haven't finished speaking, nor have I given you permission to interrupt me," Hiruzen declared. The abruptness of his reaction left even the council elders bewildered.

"As I was saying, we are here to discuss several important matters regarding the future of the village. Firstly, a personal apology from me, as the Hokage, to the Senju clan head."

Hiruzen then provided a concise account of the human experiments conducted voluntarily at the end of the first Konoha War. He ensured to include Danzo and the other council elders collectively, preventing Danzo from exploiting the situation to his advantage. The room buzzed with animated discussions, yet none dared to voice concerns, particularly as the key figure involved maintained her stoic silence.

With an unspoken agreement, Hiruzen proceeded with the meeting, finally addressing a long-standing burden.

"Next on today's agenda, as of today, Root will be officially disbanded. Any further activities under the name will be illegal, and all root duties will be transferred to the ANBU department. Root members will undergo thorough screening and once cleared will be integrated into existing departments."

Hiruzen pressed on, disregarding the sudden silence that settled over the room.

"Hiruzen, how dare you do this? Root has been working for the village's benefit!" Danzo erupted in anger, rising from his seat and releasing his aura.

"Bang."

Hiruzen slammed his hand on the table, his own aura overwhelming Danzo's. "Danzo, this is the final warning. Interrupt me once more, and be prepared for the consequences," Hiruzen stated, his tone unchanged but the underlying intent unmistakable. Under Hiruzen's pressure, Danzo reluctantly sat back, seething with anger.

The other two council elders attempted to interject, but Hiruzen silenced them with a raised hand.

"As I was saying earlier, there will be no more Root. Elder Danzo will remain an elder on the council; however, all his other departmental powers will be revoked. A suitable department will be assigned to him at a later date."

The news delivered by the Hokage left everyone in the meeting room dumbstruck. Danzo, regarded as the second-most powerful figure in Konoha, was being publicly stripped of his authority. The prospect of him being assigned to a suitable department seemed more like a political manoeuvre than a genuine change in responsibilities. The abruptness of the decision hinted at something significant that had transpired, and the realization dawned that, from this point forward, Danzo would merely hold a titular elder position with no real power.

The majority of clan elders, who had long felt suppressed by Danzo's influence, couldn't hide their delight. The varied reactions within the hall coalesced into a shared satisfaction over the removal of Danzo's power.

"The next item on the agenda is that, from today onwards, the Uchiha clan will not hold a monopoly on the village police force. The department will be recreated from scratch, and eligible ninjas with suitable skills will be added to the roster."

The announcement initially brought a brief smile to Danzo's face, but Hiruzen's next words turned that smile into disbelief. "In return, the original elder position held by Kagami Uchiha will be reopened and assigned to the Uchiha family. Elder Kenji will take up this position with immediate effect, and the department handled by Uchiha Kagami will be reassigned to Elder Kenji."

The reshuffling of power within the Uchiha clan stirred a significant reaction. Hiashi Hyuga, who had maintained his silence until now, questioned the decision, prompting the head of the Hyuga clan to voice the concerns shared by many.

"Hokage-sama, I believe it's unwise to grant such power to the Uchiha clan. The scars from the incident with the Nine Tails still weigh heavily on the village."

Many clan heads nodded in agreement, echoing the sentiment that the Uchiha clan might have been responsible for the Nine Tails attack in retaliation for Fugaku not being considered for the position of Fourth Hokage.

"Is the Hyuga clan head implying that the Uchiha clan was responsible for the Nine Tails attack?" Fugaku countered, visibly angered by the accusation.

"Uchiha clan head, you don't have to deny it. Everyone who fought against the Nine Tails on that fateful night knew that the Kyuubi was under the Sharingan's control. Can you deny that, Uchiha clan head? And where were the Uchiha clan members during the village's time of need? If the Uchiha were not responsible, why did they not help the Yondaime in subduing the Nine Tails?"

Before Fugaku could respond, Tsunade intervened. "The Uchiha clan had explicit orders not to intervene. Denying the order would have meant rebellion. However, what the Uchiha clan didn't know was that the order was passed down by a village elder under the Hokage's name, without the Hokage's consent."

The revelation sparked murmurs within the meeting hall, and no one questioned the authenticity of the information shared by Tsunade. Danzo's face turned ugly, realizing that the exposed information left him with no viable defence.

"So I have decided to reintegrate the Uchiha clan into the village entirely, like the other clans," Hiruzen announced, revealing more shocking information with each statement.

"Hokage-sama, forgive me for the interruption. Even though it explains why the Uchiha clan was not present on that day, no one can deny the fact that the Kyuubi was controlled by the Sharingan. Personally, as the Hyuga clan head, I am not comfortable with granting the Uchiha such privilege when they were directly involved in the Nine Tails incident."

Hiashi Hyuga, as the Hyuga clan head, couldn't allow the Uchiha clan to regain its status. This would mean a resurgence of Uchiha dominance within the Leaf, and for the benefit of his clan, he had to oppose this action by the Hokage.

"The Hyuga clan leader is right. With the Uchiha still under suspicion, we cannot give them power; it would only disrupt the village's balance," Danzo interjected, his anger still evident.

"Hiashi, is that how things in the Hyuga clan work? Do you blame an entire clan without proper evidence? The Sharingan may be a trait of the Uchiha clan, but that doesn't mean it cannot be acquired by others. Elder Danzo here should be aware of such a possibility, isn't that right?" Tsunade's words cut through the meeting hall, showing no deference to those holding high positions within the village.