Naruto: Deidara’s Struggle

Today, the sun shone brightly, a gentle breeze blew, and the weather was splendid.

Yet, Konoha was shrouded in an oppressive and sorrowful atmosphere.

The sudden loss of over a thousand ninja in a single day was unimaginable in this era of peace. After all, the Third Great Ninja War had ended years ago, and people had long forgotten the horrors of war. To be so abruptly reminded, how could anyone bear it?

In the Hokage's office, the same six individuals from before were gathered. The air was heavy, and no one spoke first.

Hiruzen Sarutobi held his pipe, smoking continuously, his aged face marked with sorrow and guilt.

"No matter how you look at it, such a massive failure is ultimately my responsibility as Hokage," he said after a long silence.

"I will take the blame and resign. A new leader must be chosen to take on the role of Hokage," Hiruzen declared.

"This is unacceptable, Lord Hokage!"

"There is no one in the village right now who can take over as Hokage," Nara Shikaku protested, his tone unusually emotional.

Whether Hiruzen's intention to step down was genuine or a mere gesture, his statement was factual. Over the years, Konoha's talent pool had dwindled. Among the legendary Sannin, Jiraiya and Tsunade were nowhere to be found, making it impossible to select a suitable successor for the position of Hokage.

Shimura Danzo's half-closed left eye flashed with a cold light. What did they mean by saying there was no one else in the village capable of taking the position of Hokage? Were they pretending he didn't exist?

Of course, Danzo was always deeply calculating. Outwardly, he showed no sign of displeasure.

"Indeed, Hiruzen," one of the Hokage's advisors chimed in. "Let's not talk about stepping down for now. We should focus on discussing how to handle this situation."

"I will personally oversee the funeral ceremony for the fallen Konoha heroes tomorrow. Additionally, the village must ensure that all appropriate compensations are provided. These matters must be handled immediately. Understood?"

"And for the orphaned children of these heroes, arrange for them to enter the Ninja Academy if possible. As for their parents..."

Although the scale of this tragedy was immense, the procedures for handling such situations were well-practiced, honed during the war years. Hiruzen Sarutobi issued these orders with calm precision.

"Understood!" Nara Shikaku responded after Hiruzen finished speaking.

The group discussed the situation for a while, addressing various aspects of the aftermath. Eventually, Danzo opened his half-closed left eye and tapped his cane against the floor, producing a sharp "click" that drew everyone's attention.

As the second most powerful figure in Konoha, it was clear he had something to say.

"Although this battle ended in defeat, it did bring forth some remarkable individuals. That is something to take solace in."

With those words, everyone understood who Danzo was referring to.

"However... the fact that the enemy released our people simply because of a few words, and even begged for a ceasefire, is highly suspicious," Mitokado Homura voiced his doubts.

When the group had first learned of this, they were utterly baffled. What kind of situation was this? How could events unfold in such a bizarre manner?

"Hmph! Only the shallow-minded would fail to comprehend the power contained within the Will of Fire," Danzo sneered before continuing.

"I've already had this matter investigated. None of the individuals involved were under any form of manipulation, and their accounts are genuine."

Someone as suspicious as Danzo had, of course, been skeptical at first. But no matter how thoroughly he investigated, he had to admit the truth of the matter.

Aside from Shimura Kiyoto's memories being temporarily sealed by Memory-Concealing Manipulating Sand, none of the others were under any form of control. Even Kiyoto himself, during the investigation, believed his words to be genuine.

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he looked toward Nara Shikaku.

"There were no signs of manipulation, confirmed by Yamanaka Inoichi and his team," Shikaku replied.

A faint smile appeared on Hiruzen's aged face. Amidst the overwhelming bad news, this was a rare piece of good news.

Seeing the growth of Konoha's younger generation was the greatest joy for him as Hokage.

"Where is Shimura Kiyoto? Bring him here immediately."

"Yes!" An ANBU operative appeared and disappeared as swiftly as a shadow.

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his pipe again and stood by the large window, gazing outside. Despite the heavy blow Konoha had suffered, the village still exuded vitality, and a new generation of Will of Fire inheritors had emerged.

Konoha remained Konoha.

Soon, Shimura Kiyoto was brought into the room.

Hiruzen turned to greet him, but before he could say anything, Kiyoto suddenly dropped to one knee and declared in a resolute voice:

"Lord Hokage, I request that you step down!"

What?!

What?!

WHAT?!

The six people in the room were stunned into silence. Even Hiruzen's hand trembled slightly as he held his pipe. This was the first time someone had openly requested his resignation.

Though naturally kind-hearted, Hiruzen was more surprised than angry. Had it been Danzo in his place, Kiyoto would likely have been executed on the spot.

"Oh? Tell me, why do you think I should step down?" Hiruzen asked, curious.

"Lord Hokage, I deeply respect and acknowledge your contributions to Konoha. They are undeniable!"

"But you are far too conservative! What Konoha needs now is a strong and decisive Hokage to lead the village to an even brighter future!" Kiyoto explained passionately.

"Ah..." Hiruzen sighed in disappointment. While Kiyoto's Will of Fire was undeniable, his thinking was far too radical, much like his clan leader, Danzo. Such an approach would not bode well for Konoha.

"Shimura Kiyoto, excessive force will only lead to more wars. That is not what's best for the village," Hiruzen tried to reason with the young man.

"But what has weakness ever achieved?"

"The Hidden Cloud's theft of the Byakugan, this failed ambush against the Mist defectors—these are the results of weakness!"

"I've heard that Lord Danzo advocated for a full-scale offensive before the battle and even requested that you personally lead the charge."

"If you hadn't been so conservative and ignored Lord Danzo's advice, how could the village have suffered such a defeat today?" Kiyoto's voice grew louder, his emotions surging, like a hot-blooded youth unable to accept the murky realities of politics.

Well said!

Danzo could barely contain his urge to applaud. Who would have thought there was someone in the village who understood him so well?

As expected of my clan! Such a strong Will of Fire!

Of course, Danzo wasn't entirely without fault for the defeat. After all, Tobi had warned him about three Kage-level enemies, but he had refused to believe it.

Still, he didn't think the blame lay with him. His decisions were based on rational analysis, and he had been deceived.

After all, had the mysterious informant downplayed the enemy's strength, Danzo would have suspected something was amiss. But by revealing the enemy's true power, the informant had cleverly exploited reverse psychology to outmaneuver him.

Clever indeed!

"Enough, Kiyoto! How can you be so disrespectful to Lord Hokage?" Danzo reprimanded, though his tone betrayed a protective affection.

"Lord Danzo, I speak from the depths of my heart! Even if I must face punishment, I must say it!"

"Because this is all for Konoha!" Kiyoto replied righteously, his expression one of self-sacrifice.

Danzo, who was actually Kiyoto's uncle, was well-known for prioritizing work over personal relationships, forbidding anyone from publicly acknowledging their familial ties.

"Very well! Since you claim to act for Konoha, I will give you a test!"

"Ever since the Uchiha Clan's downfall, the Konoha Police Force has been disbanded. The village's law enforcement has been left in disarray. You will be responsible for rebuilding the Police Force!"

"Let's see if you truly love this village and are willing to dedicate yourself to its people!"

You call this a punishment?

The others in the room exchanged glances but dared not question Danzo. Even Hiruzen, perhaps out of guilt for his conservatism leading to this defeat, did not object.

"Phew..."

Shimura Kiyoto left the Hokage's office with slightly shaky legs. To have said something so audacious without facing consequences from the Third Hokage was a stroke of luck.

But he had no choice. If he hadn't acted as he did, those two devils would have used Memory-Concealing Manipulating Sand to eliminate him!

Despite the lingering exhaustion of narrowly escaping death, a surge of excitement welled up within him.

He was now a department head!

Even if it was just a reestablished division, from this day forward, Shimura Kiyoto was part of Konoha's leadership!

Lord Hokage, please don't blame me!

This is all for Konoha!

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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