"I have risked life and limb for Konoha, bearing countless slanders and grievances!"
"Hiruzen, you disregard our past friendship and seek to judge me based on mere speculation!"
"You have chilled me to the bone!"
Danzo, filled with indignant sorrow, staggered forward a couple of steps as if losing his balance.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, bearing in mind Orochimaru's instructions, narrowed his eyes and eyed Shimura Danzo warily, then spoke in a low voice:
"You were gravely injured during the mission to retrieve Teacher Tobirama's remains, even losing an eye. I have felt guilty towards you all these years, hence my constant indulgence and tolerance!"
"But that is no excuse for you to recklessly harm villagers and covet power that does not belong to you!"
"Danzo, if you truly want me to believe you are solely devoted to Konoha, then remove the bandage from your eye."
Shimura Danzo's expression shifted; his previous indignation froze on his face.
"I lost an eye for the village, and yet you suspect me?"
"Fine!"
Danzo put on a show of utter despair, shaking his head and sighing.
"If you wish to see, then see!"
"Since you have negated all my contributions over the years, then take my life!"
"To die at the hands of you, the Third Hokage, I have no regrets!"
Hiruzen's eyes flickered, completely unfazed by Danzo's clumsy act. Seeing Danzo standing still, with his eyes closed as if awaiting death, Hiruzen waved his hand.
"Restrain all Root shinobi and have the Sealing Force seal their chakra."
"If there is any resistance, kill them without mercy!"
The cold words made Danzo's body tremble slightly, yet he merely watched his subordinates being apprehended by the ravenous Anbu without making any further move.
Several Anbu were dispatched to the surface to find the sealing ninja, while the remaining Anbu, under Hiruzen's command, surrounded Shimura Danzo, adopting a vigilant stance.
Hiruzen tore off his Hokage robe and, to Tsunade's slight surprise, handed it to her before slowly walking towards Shimura Danzo.
"Danzo, as Hokage, I must place the village in the highest regard."
"You, I, Koharu, Homura, Mirror, Shikafu..."
"All of us, since our youth, have followed Teacher Tobirama's side and received his teachings."
Hiruzen's gaze became vacant as he looked at Danzo, his thoughts drifting back decades.
"All manner of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and most importantly, the Will of Fire!"
"These... I have never dared to forget even for a moment!"
"With Teacher Tobirama's passing, though I felt undeserving of the Hokage title, I have strived diligently all these years, never slacking even slightly."
"Shikafu, due to the severe injuries from back then, rarely appears in public now."
"Mirror is dead..."
"Koharu and Homura have become Konoha's elder advisors. Although they have shed some of the ninja skills honed over the years, they are still diligent in their duties."
"And finally, there is you..."
Hiruzen reached Danzo and slowly raised his right hand, moving towards the bandage on his right eye.
"You, as a Konoha elder, took over the Root organization left by Teacher Tobirama."
"You often told me that if I was a leaf bathed in sunlight, then you were the root buried deep underground."
"Without the leaves, the roots unexposed to sunlight would slowly decay; without the roots, the leaves deprived of nourishment would wither and fall..."
"The roots and leaves complement each other. Without either, this great tree of Konoha would fall."
"Therefore, I have always trusted you!"
Hiruzen's voice grew calmer as he continued to carefully unwind the bandage around Danzo's head, as if tending to an injured comrade in their youth, afraid of aggravating his friend's wound.
As Hiruzen rambled on, Danzo felt an inexplicable irritation within him.
"Hiruzen, Hiruzen!"
"But you don't know, even roots buried deep underground yearn for the sun and dew!"
"As fellow disciples of Teacher Tobirama, why must all the glory surround you, while I can only watch you from the shadows..."
Shimura Danzo suppressed the annoyance stirred by Hiruzen's words, and his longing for power and authority resurfaced.
"I originally thought I could prove through my actions that I too could be a capable Hokage."
"But I was wrong!"
"Your eyes are only for Orochimaru..."
"Therefore, you wronged me first!"
Even the longest bandage eventually comes to an end.
As the last loop fell to the ground, Hiruzen looked at Danzo's closed right eye, holding onto a sliver of hope, and whispered softly.
"Danzo, open your eye and let me see!"
"If the truth is not as I imagine, I will discuss with Orochimaru how to decide your future attitude towards you with a relatively gentler method."
The mention of Orochimaru's name once again reached Shimura Danzo's ears, and the last shred of reason in his heart completely dissolved into naked killing intent.
"Then, as you wish!"
His tightly shut right eye snapped open. The scarlet eyeball bore a strange black pattern, and immense ocular power was immediately unleashed, blasting into Hiruzen's eyes, who was staring directly at him.
"Genjutsu – Kagin no Jutsu!"
With a fierce shout, Hiruzen's eyes glazed over, and he froze in place.
Danzo's fingers formed a claw and seized Hiruzen's neck. Dark sealing patterns rapidly spread across Hiruzen's body.
"Fuinjutsu – Jigo Jūin!"
Hiruzen's body was completely enveloped by the black markings. Unable to see or speak, he was held like a puppet by Shimura Danzo.
The sudden turn of events shocked the surrounding Anbu, their eyes wide with disbelief. Who could have imagined Shimura Danzo would dare to launch an attack on the Third Hokage in full view of everyone?
Greatly alarmed, they began to shout sternly.
"Release the Hokage!"
"Elder Danzo, do you intend to become a rogue ninja of Konoha?"
Danzo let out a cold laugh, his fingers gripping Hiruzen's neck tightening slightly. Hiruzen's face immediately turned a ghastly shade of red from lack of oxygen.
"Drop your weapons and come to me obediently to accept my Fūinjutsu – Gofū Jūin!"
"Otherwise, I will kill him immediately!"
The Anbu were thrown into disarray. Compared to being controlled by the Gofū Jūin, the Hokage's safety was clearly more important to the village.
But to let Danzo have his way...
Torn and helpless, the Anbu turned their gazes to Tsunade, who remained unmoved. As a disciple of the Third Hokage, she surely had more authority than them.
Danzo followed their gaze to Tsunade, his eyes flickering for a moment before he let out a cold laugh.
"Tsunade, you come here too!"
"As a member of the Senju clan, you can provide immense convenience to my actions."
"If you don't want to witness your teacher die before your eyes, come here obediently and accept my seal!"
Tsunade's lips curved into a sneer, her eyes filled with mockery. She tossed the Hokage robe from her arm towards Danzo and muttered with disgust.
"Old man, stop pretending!"
"Are you completely disheartened now?"