Chapter 33: Aburame Shibi, you're here too?

Shimura Danzo is a troublemaker!

If this guy is left at the scene, he will inevitably spout nonsense and provoke the emotions of the victims.

If another conflict is stirred up, it will be difficult to wrap things up today.

If he were forced into a position of "weeping as he executes Ma Su," wouldn't Sarutobi Hiruzen be in a real bind?

Sarutobi Hiruzen is reluctant to kill Danzo, and he cannot bring himself to do it.

He only has a few classmates left, and there are no better candidates for a "black glove."

But if he doesn't kill Danzo, Sarutobi Hiruzen will lose the support of four staunch ninja clans.

Without the support of the Ino-Shika-Cho-Aburame, he would have to pull out the Sarutobi Clan to fill the manpower gap.

But if that happens, the true size of the Sarutobi Clan will be completely exposed, seen by everyone in Konohagakure...

That would be even worse!

Many things weigh only four taels when not on the scale, but once on the scale, even a thousand catties won't hold them down!

Therefore, it is better for Danzo to stay far away.

Sarutobi Hiruzen habitually chose to cover things up, delaying the explosion of issues rather than solving them, hoping that the conflict would slowly shrink from a major issue to a minor one, and eventually disappear.

Seeing this scene, Yamanaka Chujiu knew that Sarutobi Hiruzen's feelings for Shimura Danzo could not be shaken, at least not today.

He had already reached the limit of his own capabilities; it was time for his older brother Inoichi to step forward and demand guarantees.

He quietly shifted his steps, shielding the others in front of him.

Then, through the Mind Severing Realm, he grasped the relaxed emotions of everyone, lowered his own presence bit by bit, and completely withdrew from the center of the stage.

The result was not unexpected: Sarutobi Hiruzen promised to restrain Shimura Danzo, apologized for this offense, and provided tangible compensation.

The four clans of the Ino-Shika-Cho-Aburame all squeezed out smiles, indicating that the past was in the past and that they were still loyal subordinates of the Third Hokage.

Both sides exchanged laughter, but the awkwardness of the atmosphere could still not be concealed.

Regardless, it was a time of war with a great enemy at the gates; everyone needed to band together to resist the foreign enemy and could not ignite the flames of civil war in Konohagakure.

Nara Shikaku quietly reminded the Third Hokage: "Lord Third Hokage, you, you need to confirm the Fifth as soon as possible, otherwise Danzo he..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to be suddenly startled; he gasped in front of Nara Shikaku and said with a gloomy face: "I know, I will handle it."

After the Third Hokage left, Yamanaka Inoichi asked: "Shikaku, do you think Lord Third Hokage will handle Danzo?"

Nara Shikaku shook his head and said: "How is that possible?"

"If he were capable of making up his mind, Shimura Danzo's name would have been on the Memorial Stone long ago."

"My proposal is for the Third to hurry and confirm the candidate for the Fifth; whether it is Lord Orochimaru, Lady Tsunade, or the unreliable Lord Jiraiya, any one of them is better than having no Hokage in office!"

Yamanaka Inoichi said: "Chujiu told me that Orochimaru believes the Third Hokage might take the position himself."

Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza were both shocked: "The Third Hokage restoring his rule? How is that possible?"

Nara Shikaku suddenly jumped up: "Damn it!!"

"Lord Orochimaru is right, it is truly possible that the Third might restore his rule!"

"That's right, Lord Orochimaru is right! There's no mistake!!"

"The things the Third has done these past few days, and those personnel arrangements—I was wondering why things were so messy, and if the Third had gone senile."

"If what the Third wants is to restore his rule, then it all makes sense!"

Yamanaka Inoichi said: "The Third Hokage restoring his rule is not a good thing for Konohagakure; this is just muddling through, caring only for the present and ignoring the future!"

Akimichi Torifu sighed: "You all are likely correct; Sarutobi Hiruzen's personality is just like that, and he doesn't have any long-term vision."

"If he really had vision and decisiveness, he wouldn't have let Danzo establish that Root, making it impossible to manage now."

Yamanaka Inoichi asked: "Shikaku, what should we do?"

Nara Shikaku said: "The only advice I can give now is that the Ino-Shika-Cho should always follow the Hokage; it doesn't matter who the Hokage is."

Yamanaka Inoichi said: "In other words, it depends on Lord Orochimaru's attitude next."

"If he is willing to contend for it, we Ino-Shika-Cho will support him. If he is obsessed with experiments and unwilling to be the Fifth Hokage, we can only follow the Third Hokage wholeheartedly."

Akimichi Torifu nodded with satisfaction: "Very good, this generation of Ino-Shika-Cho has Inoichi and Shikaku, which is enough to protect the three families' safety."

Aburame Shibi agreed: "Nara Shikaku is truly clever, Yamanaka Inoichi is truly wise! My Aburame Clan will follow your lead and stay in alignment."

Yamanaka Inoichi: "..."

Akimichi Choza: "..."

Nara Shikaku: "..."

Akimichi Torifu: "... Ah? Aburame Shibi, you haven't left?"

Aburame Shibi sighed deeply: "Yes, Senior Akimichi Torifu, I have been by your side the whole time."

"Should I not have listened..."

Nara Shikaku waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, it is best that Senior Shibi is here; if our four families stay in alignment, we can better handle the future changes!"

Yamanaka Inoichi and Akimichi Choza were covered in sweat, nodding in agreement: "Yes, that's right, exactly!"

Having agreed that the Ino-Shika-Cho and the Aburame would stay in alignment, the three clan heads very politely sent Aburame Shibi away.

After repeatedly confirming that he had indeed left, Yamanaka Inoichi let out a long sigh of relief: "Thank goodness, we didn't say anything fatal this time."

Nara Shikaku wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve: "We must be doubly careful in the future; even though I was thinking about confirming Senior Shibi's departure, I still ignored him without realizing it."

Akimichi Choza pressed his chest and pulled out a braised chicken leg to comfort his startled heart with food.

While eating, he muttered: "The talent for low presence is truly terrifying, truly scary!"

Akimichi Torifu laughed: "It's fine, the relationship between the Aburame Clan and us is quite good; it doesn't matter if some intelligence was overheard by Shibi."

"Of course, we must be doubly careful in the future."

"Let's leave it at that; I don't think that old fellow Nara Shikak would have a better idea."

"Inoichi, the kid Chujiu has become Orochimaru's student; this is a good thing for us. Have him observe Orochimaru's reactions and determine his true thoughts."

Yamanaka Inoichi stood up and bowed, saying, "Yes, Senior Torifu, I will instruct Yamanaka Chujiu."

Once everyone had completely dispersed, Yamanaka Chujiu finally walked out from the shadows of the courtyard wall, dispelled the effects of the Mind Severing Realm, and then gave a big stretch.

He was very satisfied with his performance today: "Very good, I am already able to be even less noticeable than Senior Aburame Shibi."

The effect of the Mind Severing Realm has become even stronger; one could even say it has been reborn.