The Third Hokage’s Helplessness (Fifth Update Complete)

Thunderbird!

Lightning Style Armor!

Looking at the two ninjutsu recorded on the scroll, along with their incredibly detailed training methods, Danzō finally realized just how astonishing the creativity and talent of the boy standing before him were.

Combined with the fact that, at such a young age, he already possessed the strength to easily execute jonin, Danzō subconsciously touched his right eye, hidden beneath bandages.

There was no need to ask. The old schemer had entertained the thought of using Shisui Uchiha’s Mangekyo Kotoamatsukami to brainwash and control him.

But in the end, he did not put it into action.

Because Allen had not shown any sign of wanting to betray him or disobey orders.

Quite the opposite!

Whether it was decisively cutting ties with the Third Hokage in public or straightforwardly handing over two powerful ninjutsu worthy of being classified as forbidden techniques, both were enough to prove his loyalty to Root.

Coupled with his cold and merciless treatment of enemies, he seemed to share Root’s ideals.

So Danzō decided to observe him for a while longer.

If Allen could truly become the sharpest blade in his hand, then he would not mind grooming him as his successor.

After all, by the time he was too old to continue working and retired, the other party should have grown up as well.

There was no possibility of the two turning against each other over power.

Having thought it through, Danzō’s gaze quickly softened. He carefully put away the scroll and promised in a low voice, "Don’t worry. I can give you whatever you want, even the position of Root Organization’s leader. But first, you must help me drive Hiruzen Sarutobi from office."

Allen nodded without hesitation. "Understood! So long as it is an order from you, I will carry it out immediately, even if it means assassinating the Hokage."

"Very good! I appreciate that attitude. Now, go report the mission at the Hokage Building first. Remember, do not believe anything Hiruzen Sarutobi tells you. His weakness has led to countless tragedies. Only Root can make Konoha’s decaying old tree flourish once more."

As he spoke, Danzō deliberately let half his body remain shrouded in darkness while displaying the other half in the firelight, creating an illusion that was both mysterious and resolute.

Unfortunately, Allen knew perfectly well what kind of person this old man was and had not the slightest interest in his performance.

After putting on a show of giving a respectful bow, he immediately turned and left the underground chamber beneath Konoha Village.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage had already received word that the first thing Allen did upon returning to the village was visit Danzō. With a grim expression, he asked, "Did he really say in front of all of you that he wanted to join Root?"

"Yes! And his attitude was extremely firm. He is full of disgust toward everything you have done," Kakashi answered cleanly and neatly.

"Alas, it seems Danzō has caused that child to misunderstand me greatly. Do you think there is still room to salvage this?" The Third Hokage took a deep draw from his pipe, hoping to calm his anger.

"It will be difficult. At least, it is impossible in the short term. I do not think he made this choice on impulse, but after careful consideration," Kakashi analyzed seriously.

"Could it be that my foreign policy really has been too weak?"

The Third Hokage removed the hat from his head and fell into self-doubt.

He knew very well that ever since the Fourth Hokage died during the Nine-Tails’ Rampage, his policy of recuperation and rebuilding had been opposed by a large number of hardliners.

After all, Konoha’s past military record had been far too glorious!

Whether during the First Shinobi World War, WWII, or the Third Shinobi World War, it had always stood at the very peak of the shinobi world, unafraid even when facing the combined siege of two nations.

But what happened after that?

The Sannin either defected or left, countless pillars of the village died in battle, and then came the Uchiha rebellion. In the end, Konoha had fallen so low that others could shit on its head.

The incident where Cloud Ninja envoys abducted the eldest daughter of the Hyuga Main Family in particular had made many ninja feel unprecedented humiliation.

And those unwilling to endure such humiliation were the greatest supporters of the hardliners led by Danzō.

What the Third Hokage had not expected, however, was that even someone like Allen, normally so gentle and sunny, would suddenly make a complete one-eighty. Not only did he fail to understand his good intentions, he had directly thrown himself into the arms of his political enemy.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the office grew oppressive to the extreme.

Just when everyone had lost the desire to speak, Allen suddenly walked in through the door. Expressionless, he placed the mission scroll on the desk. "Hokage-sama, I have completed the border patrol mission. I killed ten Stone Ninja who had not yet withdrawn from the Land of Grass."

"Hmm. Just put it there."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the genin before him with a complicated look. In the end, he merely sighed and said nothing more.

Instead, Kakashi, standing nearby, lowered his voice and probed, "What did Danzō say to you?"

"Nothing much. He merely asked about certain details of the battle. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave first," Allen replied without giving anything away.

"Details of the battle? Right! I almost forgot to ask! Where are the bodies of those dead Stone Ninja?" Kakashi asked with a frown.

You must know, afterward, he had conducted a comprehensive search of the entire battlefield.

Yet let alone corpses, he had not found even a single hair. Only the terrifying amount of blood on the ground proved that a brutal battle had indeed taken place there, and that the number of dead was certainly not small.

"As for that, I have already reported it to Lord Danzō. If you are interested, you can ask him directly."

Leaving those words behind, Allen turned and walked out of the Hokage’s office.

At this moment, the benefits of joining the Root Organization had finally become fully apparent.

He no longer needed to follow the complicated and tedious rules in the ninja handbook as he had before. Whenever there were details that could not be explained clearly, he could simply push them onto Danzō.

Anyway, if Danzō asked, he could just say that the bodies had been taken for experiments.

Watching Allen’s figure gradually disappear at the end of the corridor, Kakashi could not help rubbing his forehead. "That brat is really becoming less and less lovable! If this continues, I am afraid he will become trapped in slaughter and death, unable to pull himself free."

"You once fell into darkness as well! So help him when you have the time! I can sense that there is still hope of saving him. Above all, we absolutely cannot allow him to become the blade in Danzō’s hand. Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable," the Third Hokage instructed sternly, raising his head.

"I would do so even without you telling me. But I alone will not be enough. The little ones from Team Guy should join in too. As far as I know, Allen gets along well with Tenten, Rock Lee, and Neji. They are at least friends."

"Go ahead and do it! In any case, things cannot get any worse than they already are." A faint helplessness surfaced in the Third Hokage’s eyes.

After the Uchiha Clan Downfall, he had ordered Danzō stripped of his position and disbanded the Root Organization.

But what did that change?

Those ninja born from Root still preferred to quietly remain loyal to Danzō rather than obey the orders of him, the Hokage.

As a result, Root Organization rose from the ashes not long afterward, becoming even more united and more powerful than before.