283. War!!

"Is he still not talking?" Danzo asked, looking at Hanzo, who was tightly bound with chains in the iron cell.

Hanzo had played a supporting role in the "Destroy Konoha" plan.

Obito had tasked him with secretly using summoning jutsu to call forth the salamanders.

By creating large-scale poison gas, he was to inflict greater damage on Konoha and further destabilize the already chaotic situation.

Of course, these salamanders were not the same ones he had previously contracted with.

The original salamander had died at Danzo's hands.

This time, Hanzo had prepared to summon newly contracted salamanders.

Although they were not as large as the original, they made up for it in numbers—there were four of them!

If Hanzo had succeeded in summoning them and releasing the poison gas, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

After all, during the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo had used this very tactic to fend off attacks from the Earth, Fire, and Wind nations. The threat he posed was absolutely not to be underestimated.

Fortunately, Danzo had anticipated this and sent Kakuzu and En Oyashiro to ambush Hanzo.

Under the combined assault of these two Root members, Hanzo was swiftly defeated and imprisoned in Root, where Danzo now stood.

If this had been Hanzo in his prime, such an outcome would have been almost unthinkable.

He was once a terrifying figure who had single-handedly taken on the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha.

But now? He was nothing more than a cowardly old man, worn down by time and consumed by hatred.

Hearing Danzo's question, Ibiki Morino, who stood nearby, shook his head. "No matter what torture we use, he refuses to reveal any more information. Yamanaka Fu also used the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques to probe his mind, but his brain has been sealed with a barrier. If we try to force our way in, he will most likely die."

Danzo's expression showed little surprise.

Since Obito and Black Zetsu had left Hanzo in Konoha, they must have taken thorough precautions.

In other words, Danzo didn't expect Hanzo to have access to any of Obito's secrets in such a short time. In fact, Hanzo might know less than Danzo, a transmigrator, did.

"In that case, hand him over to Hiruko along with the body of that Kumogakure shinobi for recycling," Danzo said.

The Kumogakure shinobi Danzo referred to was none other than the leader of the Kumogakure envoy, the "Storm Release" user, Darui.

As it happened, Hiruko was still short of several kekkei genkai, and Darui's body could be put to good use.

As for Hanzo, his toxins could be integrated into Hiruko's chimera beasts. In any case, these two were among the spoils Danzo had gained from this incident.

After quickly resolving matters in Root, Danzo turned his attention to the entire village.

Overnight, Konoha underwent a massive purge, from the highest levels of leadership down to every department.


Under the leadership of Yamanaka Inoichi, the investigation team followed the list provided by Root and uncovered a significant number of spies connected to Mitarashi Mayoi.

It had to be said, the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques were a godsend for counter-espionage—they caught every single one!

In no time, the spy network Kumogakure had painstakingly built in Konoha over the years was completely dismantled.

Although a few stragglers might have been missed, a couple of small flies wouldn't be able to cause much trouble.

However, when dawn broke the next day, the villagers paid little attention to the changes among the higher-ups. Instead, everyone was shocked by one piece of news—

"The Kumogakure envoy attempted to assassinate Konoha's hero, Shimura Danzo, but failed and was captured!!"

As soon as this news was reported by the *Shinobi World United News*, it caused an uproar throughout Konoha!

Who was Danzo? He was the Hokage's advisor, a high-ranking elder of Konoha, and a hero who had saved the village from disaster multiple times!

And now, those despicable Kumogakure shinobi had not only taken advantage of Konoha's vulnerability but also dared to assassinate Lord Danzo?

The villagers of Konoha were outraged.

Many young people climbed onto rooftops, raising their fists and shouting.

"Everyone, I'm sure you've all heard by now! Those damned mountain barbarians not only tried to force us into signing a humiliating treaty, but they also dared to assassinate our beloved Lord Danzo! Who is Lord Danzo? He is our respected elder, a hero of Konoha! He led us to victory in the Third Shinobi World War! He defeated the tailed beasts and quelled disasters! He drove away our enemies and brought us peace! And now, those mountain barbarians have dared to attack Lord Danzo! Everyone, this is intolerable! We cannot allow those damned barbarians to continue their arrogance!!"

Their impassioned cries quickly gained the support of the surrounding villagers.

"That's right! I've been fed up with those mountain barbarians for a long time!"

"Damn them! How dare they lay a hand on Lord Danzo! They must have a death wish!"

"My life was saved by Lord Danzo on the battlefield! If war breaks out, I'll be the first to fight!"

"Me too!" "War!" "We must go to war!!"

The villagers' voices rose in a chaotic roar, eventually coalescing into a unified will—

War!!

Guided by this fervor, Konoha witnessed its first-ever civilian protest since the village's founding. A sea of villagers, their faces dark with determination, marched through the ruined streets toward the Hokage Building at the center of the village. As they walked, they chanted slogans—

"Down with Kumogakure's aggression!" "Long live the Land of Fire!" "Long live Konohagakure!" "Long live Lord Danzo!!"

Standing at the window, the current Hokage, Minato Namikaze, watched this awe-inspiring scene with a sense of relief. "It seems the people's hearts are with us."

As the Hokage, he had been worried that the villagers might be weary from years of war.

But now, it seemed they were eager to go to war with Kumogakure.

Of course, this was largely due to Danzo's immense reputation.

Had it been anyone else who was targeted, the villagers' anger would not have reached this level. Not even the Hokage himself could have inspired such fury.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching the scene, also felt a complex mix of emotions.

He realized that Danzo's prestige among the people had far surpassed his own.

This kind of scene had never occurred during his decades in power.

And so, amidst the overwhelming cheers of the villagers, Danzo finally appeared atop the Hokage Building.

Looking down at the sea of people below, a genuine smile spread across his face. He didn't bother with lofty rhetoric.

Instead, he slowly and firmly raised his arm, meeting the crowd's gaze.

"Everyone..."

"War!!"