The Hokage's order was urgent, so Simu and Jia arrived at the Hokage's office quickly to report for duty.
Before reaching the door, Simu could clearly sense numerous gazes hidden in the shadows monitoring him. These were likely the Anbu ninja responsible for guarding the Hokage's safety.
Ignoring these wary looks, Simu carelessly pushed open the office door. He immediately saw the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing his Hokage robes. His hair had turned completely white, and his face was dotted with many age spots.
A scent of decay is wafting right at me... Simu complained in his heart.
"Greetings, Lord Hokage," Jia said politely.
Since they were transferred to the Anbu for a mission, they had to act like subordinates to gain the other party's trust. At least, that was what Jia thought.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Jia, his sharp gaze seemingly trying to see through him.
Ordinary appearance, top-tier mindset, able to adapt quickly to sudden missions, and no redundant emotions in his heart... Seeing Jia like this, the Third couldn't help but feel emotional. This boy was truly a natural-born ninja, especially for roles like the Anbu or Root that required hiding in the darkness.
As for the other one...
After finished sizing up Jia, Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his gaze back to Simu. This fellow's hostility was practically overflowing. From the moment he entered the room, he had been staring at Hiruzen like a tiger watching its prey, as if the Hokage owed him a fortune!
Is it because of Danzo? Hiruzen Sarutobi easily made a judgment.
No one knew better than him how exaggerated Danzo's brainwashing techniques were. Nearly every member of Root was deathly loyal to him—they were the most elite of death soldiers! If necessary, these people would all lay down their lives for Danzo.
Given the Wood Style talent Yi had displayed, which was enough to contend with the Mangekyo Sharingan, the Third didn't believe Danzo would loosen his control over such a genius.
In other words, have both of these children already been brainwashed and controlled by Danzo... Hiruzen Sarutobi felt it was a pity. If such geniuses had been discovered by him first, how wonderful that would have been. If that were the case, he could have taught them the most authentic Will of Fire.
The Third quickly snapped back to reality and looked at Simu, a kind smile squeezing onto his aged face. "If I remember correctly, your codename is Yi, right?"
Simu stared at the Third's smile and frowned. "Yi is the name Lord Danzo bestowed upon me. You are not allowed to call me that!"
Hearing Simu's categorical answer, the Third's eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed this child had been deeply poisoned by Danzo.
He spoke again, asking, "You seem very hostile toward me?"
Simu crossed his arms and tilted his chin up slightly. "Of course I am!"
The Third was amused by Simu's childlike actions. "Then why do you harbor such hostility toward me?"
Simu replied without a second thought, "Because you stole Lord Danzo's position."
The moment these words were spoken, the entire Hokage's office fell into a terrifying silence. Even the Anbu ninja hidden in the shadows grew tense, fearing a horrific battle would erupt in the next second.
Even Jia, who was familiar with Simu's personality, was stunned at this moment. He knew Simu was brave, but he didn't expect him to be this brave! Good grief, he just launched a direct verbal assault right in front of the Hokage.
Just as Jia was frantically burning through brain cells trying to find a way to fix this, the Third finally displayed the poise and stature of a veteran politician. He smiled faintly and asked in return, "Are you saying the position of Hokage should belong to Danzo?"
Simu spoke without any hesitation. "Naturally! Lord Danzo is the best candidate to serve as Hokage!"
A playful look appeared on the Third's face. "Is this your idea, or Danzo's?"
Hearing this question, Jia hurriedly covered Simu's mouth. If he kept talking, something terrible was going to happen!
But Simu clearly wasn't going to be silenced so easily. Without even using hand signs, he directly split a clone from his back and said as a matter of course, "This isn't anyone's idea; it's a fact! Do you understand facts? Lord Danzo is the greatest person in this world. Only he can lead the development of Konoha!"
Jia pressed a hand to his forehead. He was tired. There was no saving this. Just let the world end.
Surprisingly, even after hearing such treasonous words, the Third didn't get angry. Instead, he continued asking, "Then how do you think Danzo should become Hokage? To become the Hokage, one needs the consent of the villagers."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was slowly guiding Simu, like an adult teasing a child, wanting to catch a glimpse of his truest thoughts.
Sure enough, Simu spoke without any psychological defenses. "Kill!"
"Kill?" This time, the Third was somewhat stunned.
Simu's tone grew excited. He spread his arms, and his expression began to turn crazed. "That's right, kill! As long as everyone who opposes Lord Danzo is killed, then Lord Danzo can become the Hokage!"
The fingers Jia had pressed against his forehead tightened slightly. He wasn't considering how to stop Simu anymore; he was thinking about how to break through the layers of Anbu to seize a slim chance of survival.
Should I try to take the Hokage hostage while he's off guard? Jia used his peripheral vision to size up the Third Hokage sitting in his chair. He noticed the man's expression had shifted from kind to slightly stern.
A layer of frost seemed to cover the deep wrinkles on his face. This boy's thoughts were far too extreme!
Is it because of Danzo? The darkness he carried seemed even more terrifying than Danzo's.
However, flames were the best way to dispel the darkness. As long as the Will of Fire could be planted in their hearts, even the darkness left by Danzo would surely vanish without a trace. And to make them feel the scorching heat of the Will of Fire, the most important thing was to establish bonds. Only when they had bonds would they develop the desire to protect their comrades and the village. By then, the radical thinking Danzo had instilled in them would naturally fade away.
Thinking of this, Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to skip the topic. "Since you have left Root, do not use the Root codenames anymore. How about this? I will give each of you a new name. Jia, you shall be called Tenzo. Yi, you shall be called Jizo. What do you think?"
"I don't think much of it at all!" Simu immediately expressed his opposition. He said righteously, "As long as I still have a breath in me, it is absolutely impossible for me to abandon the name Lord Danzo gave me!"
Looking at the stubborn fellow before him, even someone with a good temper like the Third couldn't help but have a headache. But given the value Simu had demonstrated, he still said patiently, "Then forget it. You two may step down and wait for orders."
"Yes," Jia hurried to agree. Simu looked like he wanted to say more, but he was quickly dragged away by Jia.