Just as Hoshiyomi was admiring his new blade, Mikazuki Munechika, with great fondness, deep within the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi received two letters from the frontlines.
After reading the letter detailing Kumogakure's intent to negotiate a ceasefire, Hiruzen couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter—this was truly a double blessing.
Only this morning had Hoshiyomi and the others officially graduated, and now, by nightfall, a peace proposal had arrived. The old Hokage's already narrow eyes nearly disappeared into slits from his joyous smile.
He happily lit his beloved pipe—an old habit he had developed after becoming Hokage. Whether elated or burdened, he always took a deep puff, as though the pipe helped balance his heart.
After leisurely puffing clouds of smoke for a while, Hiruzen turned to the second letter. The moment he read it, his face scrunched into a deep frown.
It was a handwritten letter from Danzo. Its core message: If the enemy wants to surrender, fine—but the reparations must be significant. Too many of our villagers have died already; we cannot allow their sacrifices to be in vain.
Danzo's stance clearly clashed with Hiruzen's own. In Hiruzen's view, as long as peace could be restored, Konoha taking a minor loss was acceptable—anything to stop more shinobi from dying.
But Danzo's argument sowed doubt. He had a point. This war had dragged on for three years. Who knew how many Konoha shinobi had fallen?
Was Hiruzen rushing into peace negotiations too hastily? Would the villagers feel let down? Would they see him—the Third Hokage—as weak?
What would Tobirama-sensei have done? Hiruzen thought grimly, pulling on his pipe once more.
He sat silently for a long while, clouds of smoke curling around his troubled face. Eventually, he let out a long sigh, clapped his hands, and summoned a member of the ANBU.
"Bring Lady Mito, Koharu, Homura, and the other advisors. I have an urgent matter to discuss with them."
Not long after, the same group who had observed Hoshiyomi and the others' graduation exam that morning gathered once again in the Hokage's office.
Mito Uzumaki clearly looked weary from age. Fatigue was written all over her face.
"I apologize, Lady Mito," Hiruzen said sincerely, "for disturbing you at this hour, but tonight's matter is of grave importance—and I find myself at a crossroads."
"According to the letter from the front lines sent by Danzo, Kumogakure is showing signs of wanting to end the war. They've even sent a formal ceasefire proposal."
"Please, take a look at both letters first."
He handed the two documents to his advisors.
Mito perked up slightly at the mention of peace talks, but at the name Danzo, her brow twitched subtly.
She had a strong impression of that man. When Tobirama was still alive, he had privately assessed Danzo as "competent in ability, but lacking in character."
Beyond that, her own keen perception of good and evil had long marked Danzo as the one among the younger generation most likely to walk down a dark path. As such, she had always kept her distance from him.
In fact, Danzo being posted to the front lines had been at Mito's subtle urging. Her aim was to have him out of the village while internal problems were handled—keeping him from meddling where he shouldn't.
By the time he returned, with most issues resolved, even if Danzo tried to stir up trouble, he wouldn't have the opportunity.
Hearing his name again now put Mito on alert. She even reached first for Danzo's letter.
With just a few glances, a cold smile formed on her lips.
To someone like her, who had weathered decades of turmoil, Danzo's intentions were painfully transparent.
On the surface, Danzo's letter was all righteous fury—speaking of fallen villagers, saying their deaths must not be in vain.
He also argued that Kumogakure's forces were stretched thin, and a continued offensive could completely break them. The Third Raikage might even be forced to surrender publicly.
But Mito saw through him instantly.
Danzo simply couldn't accept peace—not without extracting his own gains.
For one, he was greedy. He wanted Konoha to squeeze Kumogakure for every possible advantage.
Second, Hiruzen and the others had stabilized the village in Danzo's absence. Danzo had achieved nothing, and feared that when it came time to distribute credit, he'd be left out.
So, he wanted Hiruzen to keep up the pressure on Kumogakure. If the enemy buckled under the strain, Danzo could claim the victory was thanks to his threats.
And if Kumogakure refused and the fighting continued, he hoped to break through their lines and earn accolades on the battlefield.
Even if he lost? He'd just return to where he started—perhaps with a bit of criticism, but the final orders hadn't come from him, after all.
No matter the outcome, Danzo stood to gain.
Mito glanced at Hiruzen's troubled expression and sneered inwardly. If I weren't still in the village, these young ones would never see through such schemes.
But with her, Uzumaki Mito, still watching over Konoha, Danzo's petty calculations were doomed to fail.
She waited patiently as the others finished reading the letters, then leaned back as if too tired to speak, silently listening to the younger generation's opinions.
Once everyone was done reading, Hiruzen spoke:
"What are your thoughts? I originally felt that if peace could be restored, a few concessions wouldn't matter—but after reading Danzo's letter, I've begun to doubt myself."
Koharu Utatane thought for a moment, then said, "I still believe that peace is what matters most. There's already growing war fatigue in the village. Prolonging the conflict will only deepen it."
"Our top priority should be restoring normal production. With Konoha's resources and manpower, any minor losses can be made up in three to five years. There's no need to waste more lives."
Homura Mitokado, however, seemed to agree with Danzo. "But I think we can push for more. The damage we've suffered in this war is real. And we are the victors—why should we be the ones to lose out?"
Mito could only shake her head. Too young, she thought. Their reasoning was too shallow. Not a single one had grasped the hidden agenda in Danzo's letter.
She gently clapped her hands, drawing their attention, then spoke calmly:
"Danzo's letter isn't the key issue. What matters is that Kumogakure has already asked for peace. Our immediate task is to end the war and soothe the hearts of the people."
"As for negotiating terms—we have plenty of time. We may offer some benefits, but that doesn't mean we'll be taken advantage of. Let Kumogakure try to bargain; if they're not sincere, we can always resume the fight."
"If it comes to that, do you really think the villagers won't support us?"
Hiruzen, Koharu, and Homura looked at one another, faces flushed. Suddenly, their earlier debate seemed terribly naïve.
Author's Note:
This chapter sets the stage and provides some critical background. The decisions here will impact the main character's future and mark the beginning of a major story arc.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin