บท 69: Chapter 69
In the Konoha Hokage Building's meeting room, the two elders Koharu, and Homura and Sarutobi Hiruzen had gathered. However, one of the four positions remained vacant. Sarutobi Hiruzen's mood appeared sombre as he held a small scroll.
"This is an urgent letter sent back by Nara Shikaku, the deputy commander of the northern front," he announced, his expression growing even more grave.
Koharu and Homura quickly read the letter, their faces clouding with concern. Koharu's tone turned cold as she remarked, "Is this his attitude? Is he mocking our elders' decision-making mistakes?"
Nara Shikaku's letter, though not as harsh as the criticisms like Nawaki or Tatsuya, still carried a certain bluntness. It detailed the disastrous outcome of Konoha's first battle against the Cloud Shinobi under the leadership of Commander-in-Chief Danzo, with a shocking number of casualties and injuries. The letter didn't mince words, and it blamed the elders for their choices.
Koharu, a seasoned high-ranking figure, was naturally irritated by such a direct critique. "Danzo's situation is dire; he's severely injured. It seems inappropriate for him to remain on the front line."
Homura, more composed than Koharu, turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen and asked, "Should we replace him?"
Hiruzen didn't respond immediately, lost in deep contemplation. The war had only just begun, but he had already made two significant mistakes. First, he had failed to anticipate the Cloud Shinobi's covert tactics, allowing them to advance into the Land of Fire border zone effortlessly. Second, his decision to put Danzo in charge led to a devastating defeat in their first battle.
Hiruzen also knew that Tatsuya's Tsunade had her eyes on the position of the Fourth Hokage and could attack him at any time. Titles were not merely for show in their world, and he was acutely aware of that. At this moment, his frustration weighed heavily on his heart.
"Hiruzen, Hiruzen!" Homura called out repeatedly, trying to bring Hiruzen back from his thoughts.
Startled, Hiruzen finally responded with a puzzled "Um?"
Homura pressed on, "With Danzo's current physical condition, he can't continue as the frontline commander, isn't he?"
Koharu immediately interjected, "Then who will replace him?"
Homura was quick to provide an answer, "Konoha's strongest, the White Fang, Hatake Sakumo."
This proposition wasn't up for debate. Initially, their group of elders had decided to split up the Hatake brothers and have them act independently, which led to Danzo taking the front line. The hope had been to eliminate Hatake Tatsuya during the chaos of war. However, Danzo's quick defeat had caught them off guard.
"Hiruzen, what do you think?" Homura asked, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen with hesitation in his eyes.
Though he didn't vocalize the words, Hiruzen could discern the other person's intentions as their eyes met. It was a desire he felt deep within the urge to head to the front lines himself.
Subconsciously, Hiruzen placed a hand on his chest. The ageing process has become increasingly apparent over the years, accompanied by intermittent bodily discomfort. Facing formidable foes like the Third Raikage, his son and the Jinchuruki of the Eight-Tails was daunting.
After much contemplation, Hiruzen finally arrived at a decision. "Let Sakumo take over Danzo's position and instruct him to head to the front lines immediately." He knew he couldn't venture to the front lines personally.
While two significant mistakes had marred the early stages of the war, the situation was not beyond repair. As long as they avoided further errors, Tatsuya and Tsunade would have no opportunity to wrest the Hokage position from them.
As for the question of who bore responsibility for the initial blunders, Danzo had to step up and take responsibility for his actions.
A few days later, Danzo awoke from surgery finding his right arm missing. Following an order from Hiruzen to return to Konoha immediately, Hatake Sakumo took over the position of commander-in-chief. Danzo felt deeply moved for a moment. The image of A, the Third Raikage's son, effortlessly severing his right arm haunted his thoughts for days. Escaping from this nightmare was indeed a relief.
However, his return to the battlefield resulted in him being disarmed by the enemy within a month, leading to his withdrawal from the front lines. Danzo's title as commander-in-chief in Konoha's history was now marred by shame.
"Thank you, Master Danzo; I'll take it from here," Sakumo said as he handed over the Hokage's signed transfer order, which felt like a cruel mockery to Danzo.
"Damn it!" Danzo muttered under his breath. His broken body left him no choice but to retreat with a small group of escorts.
"It seems like this is more suited to Danzo's style, a job filled with shame," Nawaki, a reinforcement who had rushed from Konoha to the northern border, sneered and taunted Danzo as he passed by.
Danzo shot him a vicious glare, but Nawaki responded with an unyielding smile. "If you have time for staring contests, why don't you hurry back to Konoha and hand over your post?"
Tatsuya arrived leisurely, forcing Danzo to avert his gaze prematurely. "The latest news from Konoha is spreading throughout the village. It's because of Lord Danzo's mistakes that Konoha suffered heavy casualties. The families of the deceased...no, the entire village is now criticizing you," Tatsuya said with a smile.
Danzo's eyes widened as he realized that it was Hiruzen who had orchestrated the rumours and public view against him. He gritted his teeth and quickly departed with his group of root shinobi.
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