Konoha Village, Root Headquarters.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh~
Figure after figure flickered into existence, continuously appearing in the vast, shadowy assembly hall. At the head of the hall, Danzo Shimura sat silently, an imposing figure on his seat of authority. Two minutes later, over two hundred Root ninja had gathered in the hall.
"Lord Danzo, all personnel have arrived." After all the Root ninja had entered the hall, they arranged themselves in neat rows, kneeling on one knee. The one leading the assembled operatives, after confirming everyone was present, reported respectfully to Danzo.
"Good." Hearing the report, Danzo slowly rose to his feet. His gaze swept over the sea of kneeling Root ninja below him, a chilling intensity in his one visible eye.
Finally, Danzo's gaze came to rest on a man in a hooded cloak standing beside the lead Root ninja. This cloaked figure was none other than Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru's spy embedded within Konoha.
Danzo looked at Kabuto coldly and asked, his voice devoid of inflection, "Kabuto, has the information from Orochimaru's side been confirmed?"
Kabuto replied with utmost deference, "Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru has already sent word. The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, has suffered grievous injuries. If not for the timely arrival of Tsunade and Shizune, Lord Orochimaru would have succeeded in his objective. However, even so, it is highly unlikely that the Third Hokage will have the ability to continue serving as Hokage after this. His remaining time… is very limited."
Danzo's eye narrowed slightly. "Is this information confirmed to be accurate?"
Kabuto affirmed, "The message came directly from Lord Orochimaru himself. There is no mistake."
Hearing this, Danzo fell silent for several tens of seconds, his mind clearly working. Then, he finally said, "Good! Proceed according to plan." As he spoke, Danzo's figure flickered and vanished from the assembly hall.
In the hall, the assembled Root ninja also, in unison, flickered and disappeared from their spots, melting back into the shadows from whence they came.
Hokage Tower.
In the Hokage's office, Nara Shikaku, who had been appointed by the Third Hokage to manage village affairs in his absence, was diligently processing official documents at a large desk. Suddenly, several Konoha ninja burst into the office in a rush, their expressions urgent. "Lord Shikaku, it's terrible! All of Root's forces have mobilized! They are currently heading towards the Hokage Tower!"
"Quick! Immediately notify the Jonin Squad Leaders and all the major clans!" Hearing this alarming news, Nara Shikaku's expression changed drastically. He quickly issued urgent orders to the ninja who had brought the report. After the Third Hokage's departure, Nara Shikaku, fearing that Root might cause trouble, had specifically arranged for personnel to constantly monitor Root's activities.
"Yes, sir!" The Konoha ninja quickly acknowledged the orders and rushed off to carry them out.
A few minutes later, Nara Shikaku had gathered several dozen Konoha ninja within the Hokage Tower. He then led them out, heading towards the direction of the Root headquarters, intending to intercept Danzo's forces.
Uchiha Clan Compound.
"Clan Head, it's bad! Shisui and Misuke have taken a large number of clan members and are following Tatsuya Akimichi towards the Root headquarters!" Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Tekka rushed into Clan Head Fugaku's home, their voices filled with anxiety as they shouted the news.
Upon entering the main hall, however, they were surprised to find Fugaku sitting alone and quietly by a table, calmly sipping tea. Seeing Fugaku's composed demeanor at such a critical moment, both Inabi and Tekka were momentarily stunned. They instinctively bowed and greeted him, "Clan Head."
Fugaku glanced at the two of them, then said softly, "Both of you, sit."
"Yes, sir," Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi replied respectfully. But very quickly, Uchiha Tekka realized something was amiss with this calm reception. He hurriedly repeated his earlier urgent report, "Clan Head, Shisui and Misuke, they've taken a large number of our clan members and are following Tatsuya Akimichi towards the Root headquarters!"
Fugaku merely let out a soft "Oh?" and then asked, his tone still surprisingly calm, "And what reason did they give for this action?"
Uchiha Tekka's expression was somewhat strange as he replied, "They said that Root is staging a coup d'état, and they are going to help the village suppress the rebellion." The Uchiha clan helping the village suppress a coup—the very idea sounded incredibly peculiar, almost ironic. Just a few years ago, staging a coup was something the Uchiha clan itself had been seriously contemplating. The clan's situation, its very standing within the village, had somehow completely reversed itself without anyone fully realizing when or how.
Fugaku said indifferently, "Let them go."
"Huh?" Hearing Fugaku's dismissive words, both Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi were utterly dumbfounded. They couldn't understand Clan Head Fugaku's current attitude at all. Such a momentous event was unfolding, and the Clan Head wasn't going to intervene?
Seeing their bewildered expressions, Fugaku added, his voice carrying a hint of resignation, "Just let them handle this matter. The future of the clan… from now on, it will rest on their shoulders."
"Clan Head!" Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi exclaimed in shock, opening their mouths as if to say more, to protest or question further.
Fugaku, however, raised his hand, cutting them off. "You two need not get involved in this. Let them do what they feel they must."
A short while later, Uchiha Tekka and Uchiha Inabi left Fugaku's home, their faces filled with confusion and a sense of helpless resignation.
On a forest path not far from the Root headquarters within Konoha Village, Danzo, leading a large contingent of Root ninja, was marching purposefully towards the Hokage Tower.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh~
A series of sharp sounds cut through the air as Nara Shikaku, accompanied by several dozen ANBU Black Ops ninja, arrived, intercepting Danzo's force.
"Lord Danzo, what is the meaning of this?" Nara Shikaku stared at Danzo, his expression grave, as he asked, his voice slow and deliberate, each word heavy with implication.
"Shikaku," Danzo began, his voice cold and authoritative, "the Third Hokage was ambushed by the Divine Court on his way to the Five Kage Summit. He is no longer capable of presiding over the upcoming summit. To preserve the dignity and authority of the Land of Fire and Konoha, the Daimyo has already issued an order appointing me to handle this matter and to temporarily assume the position of Hokage until the Third recovers." As he spoke, Danzo took out the official appointment letter from within his robes and unfurled it for Nara Shikaku to see.
Looking at the appointment letter in Danzo's hand, Nara Shikaku's expression changed subtly. For a long time, the political maneuvering and power struggle between the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and Konoha's Hokage lineage had never truly ceased. During the time of the First and Second Hokage, due to the overwhelming strength and authority of the Hokage, this underlying tension was not as apparent. However, after the Third Hokage ascended to the position, the covert power struggles between the two factions had become increasingly frequent and intense.
Now, it seemed the Daimyo, leveraging Danzo's influence and ambition, was directly extending his hand into Konoha's internal affairs. If Danzo successfully ascended to the position of Hokage this time, under the direct appointment of the Land of Fire's Daimyo, then it would be very difficult for future Hokage of Konoha Village to remain unaffected by the Daimyo's influence and political machinations.
Moreover, and more critically, the fact that Danzo could produce an official appointment letter from the Land of Fire's Daimyo at this precise moment clearly indicated that this entire affair was premeditated, a carefully orchestrated plot.
Right now, Nara Shikaku was even more worried about the safety and well-being of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. In Konoha, Danzo, who had long been in charge of the shadowy Root organization, wielded considerable influence among the village elders and various clan heads. With the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, present and in power, he might still be able to prevent Danzo from seizing the position of Hokage. But if something truly disastrous had happened to the Third Hokage, then Nara Shikaku and those loyal to Hiruzen would be unable to stop Danzo.
Nara Shikaku's mind raced with anxiety, but his outward expression remained carefully neutral, betraying none of his inner turmoil.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh~
Just as he was desperately trying to think of a countermeasure, two more figures flickered through the air and landed beside them. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, the two Konoha Council Elders, had arrived, surprisingly ahead of most others.
"Shikaku," Mitokado Homura said gravely, his voice stern, the moment they arrived, "the Third Hokage encountered an attack by the Divine Court on his journey. His current status is unknown, possibly deceased. To maintain the stability and operation of the village, and to promptly dispatch someone to represent Konoha at the Five Kage Summit, we must quickly confirm a new acting Hokage to handle these urgent matters. Danzo has the Daimyo's official letter of appointment here. Why are you still blocking his path?"
It was blatantly obvious from Homura's words that Danzo had already communicated with these two elders before making his move. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were clearly supporting Danzo's bid for power.