C30 The Current Situation of Konoha
"Sarutobi, you always second-guess yourself!" Danzou Shimura said with a frosty look, his tone brimming with irritation. "Had that incompetent Hanzo not failed to completely eradicate this organization, would we be in this predicament now?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's thoughts were in turmoil as he reflected on the intelligence report Itachi Uchiha had given him. His emotions were complex. Beyond his once-beloved pupil Orochimaru, the other names on the list sent him into deep thought. They were all S-grade renegade ninjas, infamous for causing headaches for the Tsuchikage, Raikage, Mizukage, and Kazekage.
Even though the organization had only revealed a sliver of its strength, Hiruzen could tell how terrifyingly powerful it was. What was the endgame for such a formidable group of ninjas? Could it be that they intended to challenge the authority of the five great nations? This possibility troubled Hiruzen deeply.
Yet, Konoha was not in a position to make a move against them. Any conflict, especially before resolving the Uchiha clan issue and solidifying Konoha's internal affairs, would lead to catastrophic consequences. The village's current military capacity was dangerously weak.
Apart from Hiruzen Sarutobi himself, there was no one in the village with comparable fighting skills. Orochimaru had turned traitor, Jiraiya was always traveling, and Tsunade had disappeared, debilitated by her fear of blood.
The disastrous night six years prior, when the Nine-Tails wreaked havoc, had cost the village the Fourth Hokage and dozens of Jonin. The impact on Konoha was severe, and its military power had been decimated. Six years later, the village was still struggling to recover from that night.
Now, the focus had to be on maintaining Konoha's internal peace and stability, while waiting for a new generation of Kage-level ninjas to emerge. Only then could Hiruzen Sarutobi think about retiring, something he had long considered.
After a moment of silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke to Danzou in a calm voice, "Danzou, please try to see things from my perspective. The Leaf Village needs time to heal; we must wait for the next generation of Leaf Ninjas to mature. As for the Akatsuki, our intelligence is still insufficient. I believe we should continue to rely on Itachi Uchiha as our inside source to obtain more detailed information. Once we have that, we can plan our next move."
Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's remarks, Danzou Shimura did not counter and agreed with his strategy.
"By the way, there's a promising youngster in the Leaf who's been delving into ninja tools. Recruiting him would greatly enhance the combat strength of our Shade division," Danzou proposed.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, immediately rejecting the idea, "No, Danzou, let go of that notion. Tenno isn't just some orphan left by the war. His father, Tensho, is a well-known merchant in the Fire Country. Our reliance on his supplies for ninja tools and strategic materials is critical. Given the Leaf's current precarious situation, I want to avoid any unexpected trouble."
A cold, calculating smile appeared on Danzou's face as he responded, "Alright, it was merely a suggestion."
Danzou had previously become aware of the special attributes of Tenno's ninja tools.
Without delay, he sent his subordinates to collect information on Tenno, obtaining details nearly identical to those known to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Upon examination, he found the idea of broadly enhancing ninja strength to be unfeasible.
Thus, Tenno's value to him was minimal.
His immediate focus was on resolving the Uchiha clan issue.
Success would grant him control over the Uchiha remains, leading to a trove of Sharingan eyes. This, combined with Orochimaru's earlier research and the legacy of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, could potentially allow him to attain the Mangekyo Sharingan, or even the eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, rivaling the power of Madara Uchiha.
Having lived through the Warring States Period, Danzou Shimura had seen Madara Uchiha's formidable power firsthand and knew its significance.
With such power at his disposal, whether facing Akatsuki or vying for the position of Hokage of the Leaf, everything seemed within reach.
"Understood. We'll leave this matter be for the time being. I'm off," Danzou Shimura said after a moment of silence, addressing Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"My Shade will handle everything that night, ensuring you won't have to deal with any repercussions," Danzou's voice, laced with a sneer, echoed through the office.
His tone, tinged with mockery, made Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze intensify. Elsewhere, Itachi Uchiha stood solemnly before the Uchiha clan's ancestral stone tablet, his eyes reflecting a deep, solemn weight. The Three Magatama Sharingan within them blazed a fierce scarlet, morphing into the shape of a triangular shuriken—the formidable Mangekyo Sharingan, the Uchiha's ultimate emblem.
Under the sway of the Mangekyo Sharingan, the script on the stone tablet—altered by Black Zetsu—was indelibly imprinted in Itachi's mind. Having committed every word to memory, his face took on a complex expression as he murmured, "Mugen Tsukuyomi." The name set off a cascade of thoughts. With the Mangekyo Sharingan's power, he could cast a unique genjutsu known as Tsukuyomi, trapping anyone who locked eyes with him in an illusion of his making. He could manipulate every element of this realm, including time and space, often using it to psychologically torment his enemies to the point of breaking. Or, he could craft the most serene of illusions.
If time permitted, he might even be able to establish a lasting peace—a peace that seemed genuine. But could such a peace ever truly be real? Itachi shook his head and smiled wryly. He couldn't agree. In his eyes, all illusions were transient, doomed to unravel. This was a truth Shisui Uchiha had once imparted to him.
