Part Time Employee in Konoha

Chapter 76: Reaction of Hiruzen and Danzo

On the seas.

Two ships gradually approached each other.

Akihara Kagura gazed at the deck of the other ship and saw a group of familiar ninjas. They wore masks on their faces and were dressed in the standard attire of the Konoha Anbu.

These people were ninjas from the Root division.

This group of Root ninjas, following the orders of Shimura Danzo, had been trailing Hatake Kakashi and Akihara Kagura, attempting to establish a communication channel with Akihara Kagura.

"Those from the Root division..."

Hatake Kakashi didn't have a good impression of the Root division and frowned, saying, "Are they coming over at this time to take over as the Mizukage?"

"Wait for me a moment."

Akihara Kagura quickly jumped onto the ship of the Root ninjas. Before a tall man leading them could even speak, he was scolded fiercely.

"What are you even doing!"

"What were you doing when I was fighting!"

"Did you come to the Land of Water for a sightseeing tour, taking photos and buying souvenirs?"

"Lord Danzo mentioned that someone would be in contact with me at any time, and this is when you contact me? After I've finished everything, you guys show up?"

"You're even worse than Captain Kakashi and Itachi; at least they could cheer me on from the sidelines!"

"A bunch of useless people!"

"I really don't know why Lord Danzo keeps you around!"

...

These Root ninjas were scolded by Akihara Kagura to the point where they couldn't lift their heads.

However, Akihara Kagura, who also originated from the Root division, was so unruly during his time there that most of these Root ninjas were used to his arrogance and didn't think of retorting.

The leader of the Root squad waited until Akihara Kagura finished scolding before cautiously speaking: "As per Lord Danzo's orders, we have been following Lord Kagura, ready to receive your commands and contact Lord Danzo at any time..."

As a result...

It was difficult for them to keep up with Hatake Kakashi's team along the way, and they found no opportunity to contact Akihara Kagura alone.

"When we return to the Land of Fire, send someone ahead to rush back to Konoha and inform Lord Danzo of the situation here first. The rest will continue to move with us."

Akihara Kagura imperiously instructed the Root ninja, "I haven't found the rogue ninja Uchiha Obito, but I've captured the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, from the Mist Village. He still has the Three-Tails inside him. We are on our way back."

"Understood!"

The leader of the Root squad quickly nodded in agreement.

"..."

Hatake Kakashi saw for the first time someone daring to treat the Root ninja this way.

Relying on Danzo's power, the Root members in Konoha refused to obey anyone's orders, even being somewhat presumptuous towards the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

No one wanted to deal with the Root ninja; these people were always lawless. It was unexpected that they would be so docile in front of Akihara Kagura...

"..."

Uchiha Itachi was also stunned.

Uchiha Itachi had clashed with the Root, having witnessed these people kill a comrade in the village right in front of him and Uchiha Shisui.

The tall and robust leader of the Root squad, who had brazenly clashed with him and Uchiha Shisui, was now being scolded by Akihara Kagura, bowing his head without daring to make a sound.

After Akihara Kagura finished scolding the Root ninja, he returned to his own ship and saw the somewhat silent Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi.

"So they can become obedient too..."

Hatake Kakashi sighed deeply.

Initially, Hatake Kakashi had clashed with the Root to rescue Tenzo and had personally witnessed how rampant these people could be.

"They were not obedient to begin with."

Akihara Kagura nonchalantly spread his hands, casually explaining: "As long as you put a little effort into them and teach them how to interact with you properly, that's enough. Everyone is working for Lord Danzo. No one is inferior to anyone else."

"It seems your way of teaching them is somewhat unexpected..." Hatake Kakashi looked at him with a strange expression.

"Do you want to join the Root?"

Akihara Kagura warmly invited Hatake Kakashi: "If you join the Root, you'll find one thing - all the Root ninjas are a bunch of waste."

"..."

Then why should I join the Root!

Hatake Kakashi's gaze became even more bizarre.

Two ships arrived at the port of the Land of Fire one after the other, with one of the Root ninjas rushing ahead, while the remaining Root ninjas gathered around Akihara Kagura.

Realizing that Shimura Danzo might interfere with the Mizukage's affairs, Hatake Kakashi left Akihara Kagura and Uchiha Itachi behind, hurrying ahead alone to report to the Third Hokage about the Mist Village. If the ordinary ninjas at the Konoha Village outpost were to report it, they might be intercepted and killed by Danzo.

Akihara Kagura was indifferent to these high-level disputes.

A group of Root ninjas gathered around him, helping to solve the problems of survival in the wild, enjoying their rare holiday on the road.

Inside the Konoha Village.

Both Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen received the news.

The Konoha ninjas capturing the Mizukage of the Mist Village was more exciting for them than capturing the rogue ninja Uchiha Obito!

This time, both elders, coincidentally, planned to personally go to retrieve the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, fearing any unexpected incidents in between.

Shimura Danzo wanted to control the Fourth Mizukage Yagura, the leader of the Mist Village. The amount of information about the Mist Village in Yagura's mind and the benefits that could be extracted from it were immense. He even considered forcing the Mist Village to become a vassal of the Konoha Village!

Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that the political significance of the Fourth Mizukage Yagura entering the Konoha Village would be greater than the short-term benefits of the information. If handled properly, it could become a groundbreaking journey of reconciliation between the Konoha and the Mist Village, leading to an alliance between them.

After the Third Great Ninja War, the Konoha Village had formed an alliance with the Sand Village. By also forming an alliance with the Mist Village, the three major ninja villages would become allies, effectively suppressing the restless Cloud Village and the powerful Rock Village.

"The Mizukage of the Mist Village is still the Three-Tails Jinchuriki"

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt somewhat regretful about this trouble and sighed, "If the Mizukage is really willing to stay in Konoha temporarily, it would assure the alliance we can form with the Mist Village. However, arranging his accommodation is a big problem!"

"Never mind."

Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't ask for too much.

For Konoha, this was ultimately a good thing.

As long as they find a way to endure for a while, until the alliance between Konoha and the Mist Village is stable and the external threats from the Rock Village and the Cloud Village are completely suppressed, they can then return the Mizukage to the Mist Village.

"Yes, there is another matter."

Hatake Kakashi specifically mentioned to Sarutobi Hiruzen about the Anbu from the Root following their team, The Root ninjas have been following our squad, and now Danzo, the Hokage's assistant, should have also received the message.

"I understand."

Sarutobi Hiruzen thought for less than a second before instructing one of his Anbu, "Go and convey the Hokage's orders to Shimura Danzo. Have him lead the Root to guard against enemies from the Rock and Cloud Villages infiltrating the Land of Fire, and ensure that there are no mistakes in my meeting with the Mizukage."

"Yes!"

An Anbu ninja immediately went to convey the orders.

"Alright, Kakashi, let's set off."

Sarutobi Hiruzen put on his Hokage hat, adjusted his official robe, and said, "If we delay any further, Danzo will come to the Hokage's office."

"..."

Hatake Kakashi silently nodded.

Everything was as Sarutobi Hiruzen had anticipated.

The orders issued by Sarutobi Hiruzen greatly angered Danzo.

At this critical juncture, Danzo, already aware of Sarutobi Hiruzen's weak mindset, hurried to the Hokage's office to confront Sarutobi Hiruzen, only to find it already empty.