Chapter 40

The last thing Danzo expected was Hanzo turning against him over a seemingly trivial piece of information.

"How did the news get out?" Danzo wondered, though he wasn't overly concerned about being arrested or imprisoned. He believed that the Third Hokage would never execute him—imprisonment would be the worst outcome. His current position was akin to being imprisoned already, so a few years of confinement didn't faze him. The Third Hokage needed him as a scapegoat, a shadow in the dark—a black glove. It was only a matter of time before he made his return to power.

"Do you even dare to ask?" Akimichi Torufu's hand itched to slap Danzo. Koharu Utatane couldn't hold back and stepped forward, scolding him:

"Danzo, we've overlooked many of your shameful acts, but why did you leak village intelligence to trade with Hanzo?"

"The village had just concluded an important meeting, and you sold our secrets. It's shameful! You're blind to your actions!"

"???"

What did she mean? Had he misjudged Hanzo?

"Hanzo captured your operatives and tortured them. They died under interrogation, and then that old poisoner himself brought their bodies to the border camp and revealed everything about your schemes in front of dozens of ninjas."

"…?"

Am I truly blind? Why would Hanzo betray me? Doesn't he care about the Rain Village and the Land of Rain? Isn't he afraid of plunging his country into war?

Danzo couldn't make sense of it. Even as the Anbu led him away and imprisoned him, he remained baffled. The Third Hokage was equally puzzled. Yet, the betrayal had happened, and it was real.

Hanzo claimed he bore no ill will toward Konoha. But could a declaration like that make the situation disappear? The village's consensus was to keep the Rain Village entangled in the conflict.

A once-peaceful day erupted into chaos with the release of an announcement from the Hokage's office. The whole village was in an uproar.

"Why did Danzo assassinate the village's ninja?"

"I don't know. The notice said he not only assassinated a comrade but also leaked intelligence and betrayed the village's interests."

"How could he do such a thing?"

The announcement turned Danzo into a pariah overnight, reviled throughout Konoha. Amid the uproar, villagers praised the Third Hokage for swiftly arresting and imprisoning Danzo, trusting he would administer due punishment. The operation successfully defused the anger and suspicion that had built up among both civilians and shinobi.

As time passed, the issue would fade from memory, buried under the weight of new events.

"No one knows why Hanzo turned on us?" the Third Hokage asked.

Sarutobi Mishima nodded. "No, Hokage-sama. He said nothing beyond exposing Danzo's actions and leaving the corpse. We verified it as a member of the Shimura clan."

"Thank you, Mishima. Rest, then return to the camp to inform everyone of the village's response. I must show that Danzo's betrayal won't dampen our resolve."

With that, the Hokage put the issue to rest. Danzo would remain in the shadows until Sarutobi Hiruzen needed his scapegoat and enforcer again. Releasing Danzo before Uzumaki Mito's passing was out of the question.

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi Mishima took a brief rest before returning to camp to relay the news. The announcement was met with cheers from discontented ninjas, who now praised the Third Hokage.

At the medical division, Mishima conveyed the news to Shinki. "Hokage-sama values this matter highly. Rest for now; the captain and I will handle camp duties."

"Thank you, Deputy Captain," Shinki replied politely.

The Third Hokage's maneuver was effective. He earned admiration while discreetly shielding Danzo. Few questioned the severity of the punishment; most were satisfied with the appearance of justice. The camp atmosphere shifted from resentment to trust and enthusiasm.

With the incident now closed, Shinki felt at ease, focusing on the progression of his Tenseigan transformation. He hadn't expected it to take more than a month—it was longer than anticipated, likely due to the dilution of his Otsutsuki bloodline.

When it was complete, Shinki removed the white cloth covering his eyes and used a small mirror from his sealing scroll to check his reflection. His appearance hadn't changed much aside from paler skin, but he felt a surge of power within.

The sight of Shinki's recovery brought relief to the camp. The tension eased, and for the first time in a while, everyone's spirits lifted.

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