Even without Senju Tobirama inside Aomi, Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that Aomi's Will of Fire was enough to take on such a great responsibility.
Unfortunately, the true darkness of Konoha had already begun to consume Aomi's soul from within...
"Aomi, Shimura Danzo's Root Division is a critical military force of Konoha. As of now, there's no suitable successor to take over; you should help Uncle Hiruzen manage it temporarily..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke rather vaguely:
"Aomi, the Will of Fire is only part of being a Konoha Ninja. You also need to come into contact with the appropriate shadow to make a Ninja's heart more well-rounded. This is also a test for you."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was quite helpless; it was Lord Senju Tobirama's order for Aomi to engage with Root.
How could a mere Third Hokage defy it?
At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt the powerlessness that ordinary Konoha Ninja experienced when facing Root...
"Is this okay..."
"This is the Hokage's order, go ahead, Aomi!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen swiftly wrote a note, stamped the corresponding seal, and stuffed it into Aomi's arms, half deceiving and half coaxing Aomi to take the position.
After Aomi left, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally had time to wipe his sweat.
His back was as soaked as it felt within the Genjutsu Space.
Today's experience was somewhat overly stimulating for the old and heavily burdened heart of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Medical team, medical team!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted, calling for Medical Ninja to treat Shimura Danzo's injuries, and then promptly escorted him to prison.
Shimura Danzo was in a wretched state, his face caved in, one eye plucked out, and the arm with Hashirama's Cells removed, making him look like a broken puppet.
"Hiruzen, Uchiha Aomi must be severely punished, he must be!"
Upon waking, Shimura Danzo looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen beside him, shouting fiercely: "Assaulting the Hokage Assistant is a serious crime of village betrayal. The entire Uchiha Clan must be thoroughly isolated and investigated!"
"This time, you have no excuse, Hiruzen!!"
Shimura Danzo waved an arm only to find one was missing, and the other shackled by chains.
He glared hard with his remaining eye, only to find himself trapped in a cage, and when he tried to gather chakra, intense pain flared from his abdomen, as if his entire chakra flow had been stagnated.
Shimura Danzo pulled open his clothes, revealing two seals on his abdomen—
Five Elements Seal, Four Symbols Seal!
"Hiruzen, what are you doing, I'm the Hokage Assistant, I'm the victim!"
"Danzo, your deeds have concluded. Regarding your collusion with external village ninjas and using Root to persecute Hatake Sakumo, I've found sufficient evidence, thus, I'm issuing the following punishment—"
Sarutobi Hiruzen stated slowly: "You are stripped of your position as Hokage Assistant, and the role of Root Leader is rescinded, with a sentence of twenty years imprisonment."
Shimura Danzo was dumbfounded.
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head and said earnestly: "Danzo, I've done my utmost to secure this outcome for you; you must also understand my difficulties."
Feeling somewhat compassionate, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked around and whispered:
"Haven't you already guessed the secret behind Aomi? This isn't my decision; it's our teacher's command..."
"You still have a chance to atone for your sins; war is on the horizon. I'll assign you an elite Anbu squad then, ensuring you achieve some merit, and I'll plead for you later."
Sarutobi Hiruzen patted Shimura Danzo on the shoulder, looked at his friend sympathetically, and left the prison.
And Shimura Danzo, as if the sky had fallen, stood staring blankly at his cell.
Konoha, is there no justice left, no rule of law remaining!
To have the mighty Hokage Assistant, in front of the Hokage, be beaten half to death by a Uchiha and then imprisoned?
Such a sense of powerlessness, Shimura Danzo had never felt within Konoha since he took charge of Root.
And recalling Sarutobi Hiruzen's words, an electrical surge ran through Shimura Danzo's brain, recollecting Aomi's performances and the rumors within Konoha, he burst into madness with a wild laugh, resembling a deranged being.
"Hiruzen, you've done very well, very well indeed!"
"So, you haven't lost control of Uchiha Aomi, but rather, you have him completely under your control!"
"Turning a Uchiha brat into a tool for the teacher's experimental purposes to eliminate all obstacles in your path, including me, the Hokage Assistant, what a cunning scheme, what a ruthless heart!"
Shimura Danzo's eyes were filled with such malice it could almost materialize: "Sarutobi Hiruzen, you truly deserve to be Hokage, surpassing me even in darkness?"
"However, I will not give up!!"
Shimura Danzo shouted within his empty cage, and the only thing keeping his heart from collapsing was his obsession with the Hokage position...
But no response came to him.
#
"Aomi, how did it go!"
Uchiha Hachida prowled near the Hokage Building. Seeing Aomi emerge, he immediately rushed over.
Following Aomi's instructions, he and Asuma had captured nearly a hundred villagers or ninjas into Konoha's detention, all of whom had mocked Hatake Sakumo.
With Asuma leading, Uchiha Hachida was incredibly bold, slapping those who gossiped and then directly cuffing them to be taken away, basking in the aura of Root's power.
But after the thrill wore off, deep worry set in.
Knowing how Shimura Danzo's Root Division was treated, Uchiha Hachida was keenly aware of the old man's animosity towards the Uchiha Clan.
Therefore, Uchiha Hachida came over to see if he could help Aomi take the blame.
"Hmm... it's quite unexpected?"
Aomi, looking at the Hokage directive in his hand, contemplated: "Hachida, do you know how Root operates?"
Uchiha Hachida sneered: "With reckless abandon, tyrannizing; they act as if they have no brains, following only Root Leader Shimura Danzo's orders, sickening everyone."
"Why, Aomi, did Shimura Danzo give you a hard time?"
Uchiha Hachida's expression grew tense.
As suspected, Shimura Danzo wouldn't let Aomi off easily!
"Hard time, not exactly, I'd say?"
Remembering how Shimura Danzo was beaten by Senju Tobirama, Aomi laughed genuinely: "Mainly because from now on, I'll be responsible for Root, and I'm contemplating the best course of action."
"Good that there's no hard time, but regarding overseeing Root..."
Uchiha Hachida blinked: "Huh?"
He suspected he might have misheard something...