The dim candlelight kept swaying, casting long and twisted black shadows on the wall, revealing a hint of gloom. The gray-white solid stone wall was slightly rough, but had a cold architectural style.
A man wears a tan windbreaker with a one-piece hood covering his head. The pure white mask is outlined with several patterns of red paint, which match the bulges on the mask to form a slightly abstract fox mask.
.
This man dressed as an ANBU captain was kneeling on one knee, reporting something to an old man sitting on a tall wooden chair in front of him.
The old man sitting on the wooden chair had his back straight, holding the crutches in front of him with both hands. He tapped his right index finger unconsciously when the other party reported the situation. His right eye was covered with gauze, and his left eye was slightly squinted. Occasionally, he would
A few rays of light were reflected under the firelight, which was far less turbid than the eyes of an ordinary old man.
This old man wearing a simple kimono, but exuding a tough style from his simple sitting posture, is none other than Shimura Danzo, one of the three remaining elder advisors in Konoha Village. At this time, he was listening expressionlessly.
A report from a subordinate, and the subordinate reporting the situation in front of him was the member of the "Gen" who went to the ward of Konoha Hospital not long ago with the intention of arresting Nara Shikamaru!
The ninja wearing a fox mask told the whole process of the failure to capture Shikamaru, including Nara Heisuke's statement clearly, without daring to add any fuel to the fire, and presented the incident to Shimura Danzo in a calm tone, including the last one.
He and two other subordinates were forced to take off their masks and reveal their true faces to Nara Shikamaru and others.
After the ninja wearing a fox mask finished narrating the incident, he waited uneasily for Danzo Shimura to speak.
Danzo Shimura did not think about the thoughts of the subordinate in front of him. He was just thinking about some things. He unconsciously tapped the cane with the index finger of his right hand. The entire dark room was silent for a moment with only the sound of weak breathing and the tapping of the index finger on the wood.
sound.
"You mean they know the appearance of the three of you?" After a long time, Danzo Shimura seemed to finally come to his senses and asked the ninja in front of him.
"Yes." After hearing Shimura Danzo's question, the ninja wearing a fox mask bowed his head in response.
"It doesn't matter, even if you are the leader of the Nara clan, do you still dare to take revenge on you?" Shimura Danzo twitched the corner of his mouth, showing a sneer, and said slowly: "Inaba and Aoho rarely show up in the village. As for the
You, as the captain of the ANBU team, the information is not accessible to the Nara clan."
This man wearing the uniform of the ANBU captain is actually an ANBU member!
Danzo Shimura, as the leader of "Root", who has cultivated countless ANBU ninja organizations, and is also a careerist who aims at the throne of Hokage, how could he not insert his own pawn in this!?
It's just that when Sarutobi Hiruzen was alive, even Shimura Danzo didn't have the slightest chance, and these chess pieces and informants didn't have much effect for the time being.
"Stand down first!" Danzo Shimura said, waving to this spy who was an ANBU member directly affiliated with the Hokage but had taken refuge under an elder advisor, and signaled him to leave.
The ANBU captain wearing a fox mask couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when he heard this, but because of the mask, Shimura Danzo couldn't see the other person's face clearly.
After the ANBU captain wearing a fox mask respectfully exited the room, Shimura Danzo breathed a sigh of relief, his eyebrows deeply furrowed, his calm mask suddenly shattered, replaced by a gloomy look on his face.
"Sannin..." Shimura Danzo murmured to himself. In fact, what worried him most was not Nara Heisuke's performance. The two had had contact before. The insidiousness and cunning were what Shimura Danzo said about Nara Heisuke. The other party had
Such a choice did not surprise him, but he did not expect it to be so soon.
What really concerned Danzo Shimura was Gen Chiba's performance.
It can be seen from this that although Jiraiya became the Fifth Hokage, although it cannot be said to be popular, in the hearts of most people in the village, he is more qualified than Danzo Shimura.
If he wants to become the Fifth Hokage, Shimura Danzo must find a way to get rid of Jiraiya. Not only Jiraiya, Chiba Gen's attitude makes Shimura Danzo understand that even if Jiraiya is no longer in the village, if one day, the same "
Tsunade, one of the "Three Ninjas", returned to the village and still had a reputation that could overwhelm him.
Danzo Shimura couldn't help but think deeply when he thought of Yamato's report about Orochimaru to Koharu and Mito Kaden who were transferred to another dormitory.
…………
Sarutobi Hiruzen's funeral was held on the top floor of the Hokage Building in the early morning of the third day after the war ended.
The venue for the funeral can be said to be perfect. Hiruzen Sarutobi served as Hokage for the longest time in history and spent a lot of time in this building. The Hokage Rock above the building, including Hiruzen Sarutobi's
The past Hokages inside seem to be silently gazing at the people attending the funeral, which can also add a solemn and solemn atmosphere.
Although Shikamaru's injury has not yet healed, he no longer needs to be hospitalized, so he also came to attend the funeral. The pure black dress was custom-made not long ago. The well-tailored clothes set off Shikamaru's tall and straight figure, and the simple decoration only
More solemn.
Ninjas kept coming out of their homes, wearing pure black dresses, or holding flowers, walking silently on the road, gathering with other people. Looking from the sky, countless people dressed in black gathered together, like a torrent, leading to the Hokage.
building.
Ino and Choji also followed their parents. When the two families met the Shikamaru family who followed Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino, they just said hello and did not talk much.
This silent and depressing atmosphere has infected everyone present.
The crowd gathered on the roof of the Hokage Building under the guidance, and consciously formed two neat black squares in front of the portrait of Sarutobi Hiruzen. Everything was silent and silent during this period.
A sound of sobs passed into Shikamaru's ears. The people who arrived were all ninjas who were good at hiding their emotions. Even if they were sad inside, they would not show it here, so he couldn't help but turn his head and look at the place where the sound came from.
Not far ahead, a short figure lowered his head and hunched his shoulders. He was suppressing his sobs sadly, but in vain. This child, who seemed extremely immature among many ninjas, was the grandson of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
, Sarutobi Konohamaru was only eight years old at this time.
The one who knelt down next to him and whispered comfort to Konohamaru was not Sarutobi Asuma, but Umino Iruka.
Although Sarutobi Asuma is already a Jonin, he still feels uncomfortable at this moment. He is not even in the mood to comfort Konohamaru, or he himself is not ready to comfort Konohamaru. Although cruel, eight years old, many
Talented ninjas have already entered the battlefield.
Facing pain can make people grow, but too much relief may not be a good thing.
The weather suddenly changed in the middle of the funeral, and the bright sunshine was shrouded by dark clouds that suddenly appeared. However, in the blink of an eye, a steady drizzle fell from the sky, pouring on the heads of the crowd, and also wet the altar.
bouquets of flowers.
Coldness and gloom permeated the faces of everyone present, and this atmosphere even infected Shikamaru. Although he had not had much contact with Sarutobi Hiruzen, it also made him feel a little gloomy.
After the funeral was over and he said goodbye to his parents, Ino, and Choji, Shikamaru prepared to return home alone to sort out his thoughts. However, on his way back, he unexpectedly spotted Little Tails following him.
With red and swollen eyes and slightly trembling shoulders, the thin figure looked very helpless in the drizzle. When Shikamaru turned around and looked back, he found that Konohamaru was slowly following him, with his body
The thin dress had been soaked by the rain, but compared to Shikamaru's strong body, the mental shock and the fragility of his young body, Konohamaru was already shivering.
Despite this, Konohamaru's eyes were surprisingly firm, his mouth was pursed tightly, trying to stop his tears, and he looked at Shikamaru with a strong expression.
Seeing this, Shikamaru sighed, walked towards Konohamaru, and asked softly: "Konohamaru, why are you following me?"
Konohamaru's lips trembled, and the tears that he tried to stop still poured out of his eyes involuntarily. The strong demeanor he had managed to show before was gone, but he still looked into Shikamaru's eyes, and his words were broken by sobs.
, but this does not prevent Shikamaru from realizing the persistence: "Brother Shikamaru, I want to learn ninjutsu from you..., I want to avenge my grandfather!"