67 Ripple

* Puff *

Hiruzen was smoking his pipe for a while now, there was silence in the office as the Hokage was thinking.

Meanwhile the Hokage advisors aka the eternal elders were sitting on their laurels, looking thoughtful while achieving nothing to value, like always.

And Danzo was looking at Hiruzen with so much intensity that you can write an entire drama with these emotions alone.

And drama he was surely orchestrating, having grown tired of waiting for Hiruzen, Danzo banged the floor with his cane.

" Hiruzen, there isn't much to think about, what Mizuki Senju did is going to provoke war, we must get rid of him at once.. "

Right after Danzo spoke, the results of nepotism, the two elders nodded.

The elder, Homura Mitokado decided to speak his mind.

" Yes, this foolish boy went ahead and did something so drastic, he was told to keep it under wraps, not show his involvement to the whole world. "

Koharu Utatane continued her partner's words as she agreed with him.

" Yes, Mist will start asking for his head as soon as they know he is a Konoha Shinobi, a random Shinobi out of village saving their village is bad enough, but the saviour being of another great nation, that is just asking for trouble. "

Finished with their case, all three elders quieted down, giving Hiruzen his time.

But the Hokage just kept smoking as his thoughts wandered off to beautiful bathhouses, why? Because currently he wasn't very worried, he was made aware of the changes and recent activities of the mist, Mizuki was fighting for three days and nights, this was enough time to send a message.

' Mizuki truly outdid himself, and Danzo, you do say all this, but all you really want is to remove Mizuki from the picture. '

Shaking his head internally, Hokage chuckled.

' Sadly, with Mizuki having this much reputation, old friend, you have no chance.. '

Hokage and Mizuki had made real time plans, current Mist's leader wasn't a petty woman, she would not overreact, Mizuki had given a full analysis of her personality a day ago, Hokage himself approved it, and let Mizuki continue his fight against the beast.

But Hiruzen didn't have absolute authority, he had to listen to his old friend's opinions, tapping his pipe against the desk, Hokage finally spoke.

" Danzo, what is it you want of do? "

Danzo looked at Hiruzen as he said slowly.

" Eliminate Mizuki Senju, his actions are personal and have nothing to do with chunin exams, he is a dangerous careerist who wants to start a war. "

* Tok *

" Konoha doesn't tolerate traitors like him, we Konoha never start a war, we have a reputation to maintain, and besides, removing him will eliminate any reason for Mist to be antagonist towards us. "

The Hokage advisors nodded as well.

The old man amongst them spoke.

" Yes, Mist might even form an alliance with us in good faith, them taking down the fool after he helped them is bad reputation, but us doing that for them will be a showing of good faith. "

The old woman added.

" Precisely, Mist can't afford to have Konoha Shinobi free them, they will be in our debt with that, no village would want that, it will just provoke a war. "

Hiruzen interjected.

" Mist taking down their savior is bad, and us taking down a member of ours isn't? "

Danzo humped as he growled.

"You are too soft Hiruzen, killing him will do Konoha only good, he is a Konoha Shinobi, he should be proud to sacrifice himself if it brings about an alliance and peace. "

* Tok *

" Konoha nurtured him, it's his time to pay back. If the boy has any shame at all, he will see sacrificing one person can bring peace, he should be the one volunteering to die, everything is for Konoha. "

Hiruzen didn't talk, he was thinking and smoking.

Danzo though had enough, he was about to lay down facts.

" There is nothing to think about Hiruzen, Mist wouldn't want to see a Konoha Shinobi save them, we will let the world know he acted on his own and wanted to provoke a war. Mist will keep their reputation in bright and will be thankful to us in the dark. "

* Tok *

" We will form a stable alliance with Mist like this, all it would take is one Konoha Shinobi to sacrifice himself, there is nothing to think about Hiruzen! "

Hiruzen was currently in a pickle, he didn't want to do this, but his friends weren't wrong, and he couldn't just go against the elders without a solid reason.

' But I had promised Mizuki.. is it really the best way to eliminate one innocent Mizuki for the village..? '

Hokage looked at the paper before him.

It was the conversation records with Mizuki.

Just one ember from his pipe and it will become ashes. Mizuki will have nothing to prove his innocence. Should he do that and listen to Dazno for a better Konoha..

Or should he keep his promise to Mizuki and risk a potential war..?

Choices choices..