Chapter 129: Fishing
"Hiruzen, you've misunderstood! We only came here to gather information!"
"That's right! Homura and I were only trying to find out where Uchiha Shisui's body was hidden. We never intended to let Danzō escape!"
The two advisors hurriedly explained themselves, but the Third Hokage remained unmoved.
He merely raised a hand.
A group of masked Anbu instantly appeared behind him.
"Heh heh..."
Danzō looked at the Third Hokage leading the squad and at his two former colleagues who were still desperately trying to defend themselves.
A mocking smile spread across his face.
"So I'm the bait?"
"Hiruzen, you're really planning to kill all of us?"
"W-What are you doing?! Release us immediately!"
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane watched as Hiruzen walked past them without so much as a glance.
Meanwhile, the Anbu behind him moved directly to restrain them, completely ignoring their status as Konoha's highest-ranking advisors.
"Hiruzen, what are you doing?!"
"Hiruzen, don't tell me you're planning to drag us down with him—"
Both advisors were furious and alarmed.
Yet no matter how loudly they shouted at the figure in the Hokage's robes, it was as though he couldn't hear them at all.
Like Hiruzen, they had once served as members of the Second Hokage's personal guard.
But after enjoying decades of peace and authority, they had long since lost the instincts of frontline shinobi.
Instead of resisting the Anbu, they could only rely on words.
After all, ever since becoming village advisors, when had they ever been treated like this?
Hiruzen slowly stopped before Danzō's cell.
Looking at his old friend, he calmly answered the question.
"Not all of you."
"All of us."
Danzō's eyes narrowed.
As he stared into Hiruzen's eyes, understanding gradually dawned on him.
Suddenly, he lunged toward the prison bars.
His expression twisted with fury.
"You've already chosen the next Hokage, haven't you?!"
"Who is it?"
"Who exactly are you paving the way for?"
"Is it Sarutobi Asuma?"
"Or Hatake Kakashi?"
"Who are you planning to raise up by sacrificing yourself and the rest of us?!"
At last, Hiruzen smiled.
"Just as I thought."
"The one who understands me best is still you."
"The next Hokage?"
The two advisors froze.
Hiruzen had never mentioned anything of the sort to them.
"I see."
"I see!"
Danzō suddenly burst into manic laughter.
"So that's it!"
"Not just me. Not just them."
"You're planning to sacrifice yourself as well!"
"The mistakes we've committed deserve punishment."
Hiruzen let out a weary sigh.
"And Danzō..."
"I discovered something else in your base."
"The truth about the Nine-Tails Incident."
His expression darkened.
"So it was you."
"You were the one who ordered Fugaku to keep the Uchiha Clan from joining the battle."
"I did it to prevent the Nine-Tails from falling under Uchiha control!"
"I understand your reasoning."
Hiruzen nodded.
"I never cared about the Uchiha's role in that matter."
"What I care about..."
His chakra suddenly erupted.
For the first time in years, Danzō saw genuine fury on Hiruzen's aged face.
The sheer pressure forced him to take several steps backward.
"You ultimately caused Minato's death."
The realization that he had actually retreated in fear made Danzō's expression twist with embarrassment and rage.
"Pathetic!"
"You actually became Hokage, yet you're still willing to throw yourself away for others!"
"You really are the same useless Sarutobi Hiruzen you've always been!"
"I only want..."
Hiruzen looked at the three old companions before him.
Yet what he saw wasn't the present.
It was the past.
The days when they had stood together beneath the Second Hokage.
The days when they had been willing to die for Konoha.
But those days were gone.
Now they were merely rotten roots buried beneath the great tree known as Konoha.
And he was no different.
"I only want to do what Lord Second once did..."
His voice grew softer.
"But that no longer concerns any of you."
With a wave of his hand, the Anbu applied sealing restraints to the two advisors and escorted them away.
Soon, Hiruzen returned to the Hokage's office.
Now, only he remained.
Silence filled the room.
Slowly, his gaze drifted toward the portraits hanging on the wall.
The faces of the Hokage.
Eventually, his eyes settled on one photograph.
A blond young man.
"Once I publicly reveal our crimes to the village..."
"A storm of condemnation will follow."
"My best outcome will likely be stepping down."
His voice was quiet.
Almost wistful.
"When that time comes..."
"Minato."
"You'll be willing to return and lead Konoha again, won't you?"
"After all..."
"You are Konoha's Hokage."
Hiruzen stared at the portrait.
"If you truly saved the surviving Uchiha clan members..."
"And if you want them to return to Konoha..."
"Someone must bear responsibility."
"I'll bear it all."
"Let this old man clear the road for you."
At that moment, Hiruzen's resolve was absolute.
Unfortunately for him—
The man he was thinking about was currently occupied with something completely different.
Inside Naruto's mental world, Minato and Kurama were engaged in an extremely serious discussion.
"Kurama-sama."
Minato looked curious.
"How was Naruto's love life in the future?"
"Pretty good."
Kurama yawned.
"The biggest problem was that the kid never stayed home."
"In the previous timeline, he and Hinata only got together after the Fourth Great Ninja War."
"Unlike now."
Minato blinked.
"After the war?"
"Yes."
"Actually, it happened on the moon."
"The moon?"
"Oh."
Kurama scratched his chin.
"I forgot I never told you about that."
"Let's see... where should I start?"
And so, Naruto's two fathers launched into a highly serious discussion regarding Naruto's future romantic life.
Neither of them had the slightest idea that Hiruzen was practically driving himself insane trying to lure Minato into appearing.
The truth was simple.
Minato genuinely couldn't come out.
Meanwhile, under Mei's guidance, Naruto's group spent considerable time searching before finally locating a bounty station near the Land of Water.
With Hinata's Byakugan, finding a place became much easier once they knew the general area.
When they were still some distance away, Kakashi suddenly halted the group.
"You all stay here and provide support."
"I'll go ahead alone."
As a veteran shinobi, Kakashi decided this was the perfect opportunity to teach his students another lesson.
Under everyone's gaze, he formed a series of hand seals.
"Transformation Technique."
A puff of smoke appeared.
The moment Sasuke saw the transformed figure, his expression changed dramatically.
Standing before them was a man wearing a black cloak decorated with red clouds.
Long black hair.
Cold expression.
Handsome features.
And unmistakable tear troughs beneath his eyes.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
Despite a few differences, Sasuke recognized him immediately.
The older brother he had once admired.
The man he hated most in the world.
The murderer of the Uchiha Clan.
Mei also recognized the figure.
One of the Akatsuki members who had once attacked her charge.
"I see."
She smiled.
"That's actually a clever idea."
"Strictly speaking, I got the idea from Naruto."
Kakashi—now transformed into Itachi—looked toward Naruto.
Naruto stared blankly.
"Huh?"
Hinata, however, immediately understood.
She leaned closer and whispered in his ear.
"Kakashi-sensei means when you transformed into Princess Koyuki during the Land of Snow mission..."
"Oh!"
Naruto slapped his forehead.
Realization finally struck.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"You copied my idea!"
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