บท 100: 100. Truth
But even as the thought crossed his mind, Kakashi knew he couldn't do it. It went against everything he believed in, everything his father and Minato-sensei had taught him about honour and doing what was right.
Moreover, he couldn't shake the image of Sora's face as the boy handed over the scroll. The determination in those young eyes, the risk the child had taken to bring this information to light - Kakashi couldn't betray that trust.
Still, the question remained: what to do with the information? Taking it directly to the Hokage was the obvious choice, but Kakashi hesitated. Lord Third was a wise and just leader, but he was also old, and his relationship with Danzo was complicated. There was a risk, however small, that the information might be suppressed or acted upon in secret.
No, Kakashi decided, this needed to be brought into the open. The rot that had taken hold in Konoha's roots needed to be exposed to the light.
The Jounin meeting, scheduled for that evening to discuss the upcoming Chunin exams, suddenly seemed like the perfect opportunity. All of Konoha's elite Jounin and Jounin would be there, as well as the Hokage and his advisors. It would force immediate action and ensure that the information couldn't be easily buried.
Yet, as Kakashi resumed his journey towards the Hokage Tower, doubt gnawed at him. Was he making the right choice? The revelation would undoubtedly cause chaos in the village. It could potentially weaken Konoha in the eyes of other nations, maybe even invite attack.
But then, unbidden, an image of Obito came to his mind. His long-lost teammate, who had taught him the importance of comrades and standing up for what's right. "Those who break the rules are scum," Kakashi whispered, "but those who abandon their comrades are worse than scum."
By allowing Danzo's actions to continue unchecked, wasn't he abandoning the very people he was sworn to protect? The villagers who might fall victim to Root's shadowy operations, the children who could be taken for Danzo's experiments - they were all his comrades too.
As the Hokage Tower came into view, Kakashi made his final decision. He would present the information at the meeting. Whatever came after, he would face it head-on. It was time for Konoha to confront its shadows and forge a new path forward.
With renewed determination, Kakashi picked up his pace. The future of the village now rested in his hands, and he wouldn't let the will of fire that burned in Konoha be extinguished by the darkness that had taken root.
Later that day, in a secure meeting room within the Hokage Tower, Konoha's elite Jounin and Jounin gathered for what they believed would be a routine pre-Chunin Exam briefing. The room buzzed with quiet conversation as a ninja from various clans and specialities exchanged greetings and discussed their potential students' chances in the upcoming exams.
The chatter died down as the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, entered the room, followed closely by his advisors. The aged leader's face was set in its usual benevolent expression, but those who knew him well could detect a hint of weariness in his eyes.
"Thank you all for coming," Hiruzen began, his voice carrying easily through the room despite its softness. "As you know, the Chunin Exams are fast approaching, and we have much to discuss regarding security measures and—"
He was interrupted by a puff of smoke as Kakashi Hatake appeared in the centre of the room, his usual laid-back demeanour replaced by an uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Forgive my interruption, Lord Hokage," Kakashi said, bowing slightly. "But I'm afraid I have some information that cannot wait."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded for Kakashi to continue. The copy ninja pulled out a scroll - the one Sora had given him earlier - and began to speak.
"Earlier today, this scroll came into my possession," Kakashi explained, his voice steady but with an undercurrent of tension. "Its contents detail covert operations carried out within Konoha, operations that I believe many here will find... disturbing."
A murmur ran through the gathered Jounin as Kakashi began to read from the scroll. As he spoke of assassinations, political manipulations, and human experiments, the room's atmosphere grew increasingly heavy. Shocked gasps and angry mutters punctuated Kakashi's recitation.
Hiruzen's face had grown pale, his hands gripping the edges of the podium before him. When Kakashi finished, a heavy silence fell over the room.
It was Might Guy who broke the silence, his usual boisterous demeanour subdued. "Kakashi, my eternal rival," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "are you certain of the authenticity of this information?"
Kakashi nodded grimly. "I've verified it as best I could in the short time I've had. The seals, the coding - it's all consistent with Root's known methodologies."
"Root?" Kurenai Yuhi interjected, her red eyes wide with disbelief. "But I thought that organization was disbanded years ago."
"Apparently," Kakashi replied, his eye flicking briefly towards the Hokage, "that was not entirely accurate."
All eyes turned to Hiruzen, who seemed to have aged a decade in the span of minutes. The old leader took a deep breath before addressing the room.
"I... I had my suspicions," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But I never imagined the extent of these activities. Danzo always insisted that his methods, while extreme, were necessary for the village's protection. I allowed him too much leeway, it seems."
The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense, a stark contrast to the usual camaraderie that characterized gatherings of Konoha's elite Jounin. Kakashi's revelations had landed like an explosive tag in their midst, shattering preconceptions and igniting a firestorm of emotions.
Might Guy, usually the embodiment of exuberant energy, stood rigid, his face uncharacteristically grim. "These unyouthful actions," he began, his voice low and intense, "they go against everything we stand for as shinobi of the Leaf. How could this have happened under our very noses?"
Kurenai Yuhi, her crimson eyes flashing with anger, spoke up. "We've been blind," she said, her tone bitter. "So focused on external threats that we failed to see the rot within our own ranks. How many innocents have suffered because of our negligence?"
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room. The guilt was palpable - each Jounin feeling the weight of their unknowing complicity in Danzo's schemes.
Asuma Sarutobi, standing near his father, the Third Hokage, took a long drag on his cigarette before speaking. "We can't change the past," he said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "But we can damn well make sure nothing like this ever happens again. The question is, how do we proceed?"
This sparked a heated debate. Voices rose as various Jounin offered their opinions and suggestions.
"We need to apprehend Danzo immediately," Genma Shiranui asserted, the senbon in his mouth twitching as he spoke. "Every moment we delay gives him more time to cover his tracks or escape."
Anko Mitarashi, her face twisted in a snarl, slammed her fist on the table. "Apprehend? We should execute the bastard on sight! After what he's done, he doesn't deserve a trial!"
"And sink to his level?" Ibiki Morino countered, his scarred face impassive. "No, we need to do this by the book. Arrest him, interrogate him, and make sure we root out every last one of his collaborators."
The debate raged on, with opinions divided between immediate action and more cautious approaches. Some argued for keeping the information secret to prevent panic, while others insisted on full transparency with the village.
Throughout it all, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained silent, his aged face etched with lines of sorrow and regret. Finally, as the arguments began to circle back on themselves, he raised a hand, instantly commanding the attention of every ninja in the room.
"My friends," he began, his voice carrying the weight of his years and the burden of his office, "I bear the ultimate responsibility for this tragedy. In my desire to believe the best of an old comrade, I allowed Danzo too much freedom and too much unsupervised power. For that, I can only ask your forgiveness and the forgiveness of every citizen of Konoha."
A respectful silence fell over the room as the Hokage continued. "However, now is not the time for recriminations or regrets. We must act, and act decisively, to excise this cancer from our village."
He turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, I'm entrusting you with leading a team to apprehend Danzo. Choose your comrades wisely - you'll be facing a dangerous and cunning opponent."
Next, he addressed Ibiki. "Ibiki, I want you to prepare for Danzo's interrogation. We need to uncover every detail of his operations, every conspirator, every hidden agenda."
To Shikaku Nara, he said, "Shikaku, I need you to start working on the political and structural reforms we'll need to implement to prevent something like this from ever happening again. We need to rebuild trust, both within our ranks and with our civilians."
Finally, he turned to address the room at large. "As for the rest of you, I need you to be prepared. Once this information becomes public - and it will - there will be chaos. Our enemies may see this as an opportunity to strike. We must be vigilant, united, and above all, we must show the people of Konoha that their faith in us is not misplaced."
***
Guys, We are 100 Chapters in! I never thought this day would come. Thank you everyone for your support which kept me motivated to keep this story going!
Look forward to the next arc. I am really cooking there, You might have got some hints from the titles of the latest chapters on Patreon.
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Thank you to Timothy cordelle for joining my Patreon.
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Latest Chapter on Patreon - 119. Are you Guys from Future?
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