Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou

Inside the Hokage's office:

"Lord Third, the Amegakure is publicly claiming that the last great war was a conspiracy by us, the Konohagakure."

"The Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind have formed an alliance and are jointly attacking our borders."

"The Kusagakure has responded to the call of the Iwagakure and has cut ties with us…"

"Lord Third, with all the rumors circulating in the ninja world, all the conflicts of this brewing war are pointing directly at the Konoha. Moreover, the spies from the major ninja villages within our village are…"

One after another, the ninjas from the Anbu and Intelligence Department reported bad news. Ever since the Suna and the Kumo declared war, not a single piece of good news had come through.

Sitting at the Hokage's desk was Hiruzen Sarutobi, his brow tightly furrowed ever since the sudden outbreak of war. His old face was filled with exhaustion and anger.

"First, we crush the Kazekage, then we crush the Raikage. The ninja world will bow before me, Sarutobi!"

At that moment, Danzo Shimura, leader of the Root, spoke this phrase—a phrase spreading through the ninja world—with a grim face. His gaze held a strange glint as he stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Seeing Danzo's look, Hiruzen angrily slammed his hand on the desk and shouted coldly, "Danzo, this is not my doing!"

He was being wronged!

But this statement, full of overwhelming ambition to dominate the ninja world, undeniably reflected his aura as a heroic leader.

Even Danzo couldn't help but have doubts. It was just too fitting. If this had been attributed to him, Danzo wouldn't even mind starting the war—at least the fame would have boosted his chances of competing for the Hokage position.

"Hiruzen, even if it wasn't you, could it be someone from your Sarutobi clan?"

Danzo hesitated for a moment, still harboring some suspicion. He then added gravely:

"The Kumo's racial conflict and their tailed beast rampage plan were within our expectations, but the sudden disappearance of the Third Kazekage and the emergence of Skoll were not."

Danzo couldn't help but suspect it. The timing and coordination were just too perfect.

Seeing the suspicion in Danzo's eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt even more aggrieved. This time, the enemy's scheme was simply too ruthless.

It was a conspiracy tailored perfectly for him, the so-called hero of the ninja world.

"Danzo! Orochimaru has already returned. The rampage of the Two-Tails and Skoll incident were all orchestrated by Orochimaru."

The so-called Skoll was a fabrication. Orochimaru's return had confirmed this, but they couldn't reveal it to the public.

No matter what the Kumo or the Suna claimed, the Konoha could never openly admit it; otherwise, it would truly ignite a full-scale ninja world war.

"But the disappearance or possible death of the Third Kazekage—this is the leader of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages. Even if it were just a Jonin who died, there should be intelligence. Are the ninjas of the Suna completely useless?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi could accept blame for many things, but the disappearance of the Third Kazekage? He refused to take responsibility for assassinating the leader of one of the Five Great Villages.

"Hiruzen, if it wasn't us, then who else in the ninja world has the capability?"

Danzo's serious tone made Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who were standing nearby, frown as well.

"Hiruzen, Danzo makes a good point. Could it be that someone within the Sarutobi clan, unwilling to see you lose your position as Hokage, acted behind the scenes using information from the Anbu?"

It wasn't that they wanted to doubt him, but the disappearance of one of the Five Kage wasn't a trivial matter. The Sunagakure wouldn't make such a claim lightly because of how humiliating it was.

For a moment, the suspicions of his three old comrades only made Hiruzen Sarutobi feel even more stifled.

"Danzo, Homura, Koharu, back when we decided to develop our clans, it was to counter the pressure from the great noble families. That's why we needed to strengthen our families to maintain balance.

Although the Sarutobi clan has grown rapidly over the years, it's only because of their already large numbers that they've gained certain advantages. I admit I've been lenient with them, but it was all to counteract clans like the Uchiha and Hyuga!"

This was indeed the original intention behind developing their clans. Facing so many powerful families simultaneously, only they could understand the pressure.

When the discussion turned to family development, Danzo's face looked a little awkward. Of the four of them, he was the only one who had secretly diverted resources meant for his family to strengthen the Root.

Not only did he fail to develop his family, but he had secretly siphoned off its talents to strengthen the Root. Otherwise, how could the Root have grown to rival the Anbu in just over twenty years?

"Hiruzen, we understand your intentions, but what about the other ninjas in the village? They won't understand."

Mitokado Homura sighed deeply, speaking helplessly, while Utatane Koharu shook her head and added:

"Hiruzen, your excessive indulgence of the Sarutobi clan over the years has given others a chance to exploit it. Now, not only are there spies from other villages within the Konoha, but even the noble clans won't let this opportunity slip by.

After all, over the years, Sarutobi clan jonin have been allowed to come and go freely from the Hokage's office. There are even rumors that your son has unrestricted access to the Hokage's archives…"

This wasn't an exaggeration. Even in the original story, after the Third Hokage's death and a regime change, Konohamaru could still casually enter the archives, while the Anbu turned a blind eye. This kind of indulgence had become absurd.

What was even more ridiculous was that the entire Konohagakure and the Anbu had normalized this behavior as if it were acceptable.

For those in power, such minor issues didn't seem important. But at critical moments, they could be fatal.

"The Sunagakure's mobilization of 5,000 ninjas was swift, but we discovered it in time. Reinforcements are already being sent to the border of the Land of Rivers. Fortunately, Jiraiya happens to be nearby on a mission.

With a force of 3,000 ninjas, Jiraiya leading them, and reinforcements continuously arriving, we aren't at a significant disadvantage in terms of numbers."

Mitokado Homura shook his head as he calmly explained the situation on the front lines.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply, staring at the defensive map of the Land of Fire, and nodded as he said gravely:

"Although the Kumogakure has declared war on us and is claiming an alliance with the Sunagakure, the discord between the villages is clear. They're likely hoping the Sunagakure will wear us down. The Kumo's posture is aggressive, but it's mostly bluster…"

"Our real concern should be the Iwa and the Kiri in the background. While the Kiri has remained silent, Onoki of the Iwagakure will certainly seize this opportunity."

The situation was overwhelming. Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had maintained a calm and heroic aura earlier, now felt as though he was walking on thin ice. The borders of the ninja world were rife with the potential for war.

Even Danzo, usually reserved, was unusually solemn as he looked at Hiruzen and said in a rare display of concern:

"Hiruzen, we survived the First Ninja War like this, but now the village is riddled with rumors. The most urgent matter is restoring your authority as Hokage!"

If Hiruzen Sarutobi's prestige had peaked after winning the Second Ninja War, it had now plunged into chaos.

Especially after the White Fang incident, they had loudly proclaimed that if Hiruzen truly desired the Hokage position, he could simply start a war rather than scheming against his fellow villagers.

Now, less than half a year later, the ninja world war had erupted—and all the blame was pointed at the hero of the ninja world.

Once hailed as the strongest Hokage, his previous reputation now served as a double-edged sword, leaving him battered and humiliated.

"Hiruzen!"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu both wore heavy expressions. It was truly a turbulent time.

Externally, the ninja world war had begun, and the Konoha faced two great villages right from the start. Internally, rumors were rampant, and the Sarutobi clan's reputation, along with Hiruzen's image of ambition and conspiracy, seemed to have taken root in people's minds.

"Fight!"

Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen Sarutobi, under immense internal and external pressure, let his eyes blaze with unyielding determination. This sudden burst of fighting spirit startled Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and even Danzo.

Faced with overwhelming pressure, Hiruzen Sarutobi lived up to his title as the hero of the ninja world. At his peak, he was far from the resigned and downtrodden figure he would later become.

With an overwhelming presence, Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed calmly at the border defense map on the table and shouted coldly:

"Since war is now unavoidable, then let's fight! Amidst the open and covert struggles among the four great ninja villages, everyone is trying to use others to wear us down first. Well, that gives us the perfect opportunity.

Tonight, we'll hold a jōnin meeting. I've decided that Konoha will deploy its strongest forces directly. We'll concentrate our power to strike hard, strike fear, and utterly crush one ninja village. Even if the other villages join forces against us afterward, so what?"

This bold and resolute decision by Hiruzen Sarutobi inspired Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who nodded and said with determination:

"Indeed! Hiruzen is right. If we're going to fight, then let's knock one of them out first. Not only will that intimidate the other villages, but it will also reduce our enemies by one."

"However…" At this point, Utatane Koharu frowned with hesitation.

"Hiruzen, the incident with White Fang has already caused resentment among the major clans. On top of that, the promises we made after the First Shinobi World War twenty years ago have yet to be fulfilled. This time, I'm afraid..."

During the First Shinobi World War, many major clans had rushed to join the battle, under the premise of a certain agreement.

However, after the war was won, the major clans suffered heavy losses. Although goodwill was initially extended to them, and their strength was gradually reinforced, the final agreements were never fully honored. This left the clans deeply dissatisfied, eventually leading to the collective push to elevate White Fang.

In the recent White Fang incident, the major clans had grown even more resentful.

Faced with Koharu's concerns, Danzo Shimura grew furious, slamming the table as he roared:

"Those greedy clans, sucking the blood of Konoha like parasites!"

Their anger stemmed from the belief that everything they did was for Konoha's growth, from their perspective.

Among Konoha's elders, only Danzo Shimura dared to speak so brazenly, as he was the only one who hadn't sought to strengthen his clan.

In fact, for the sake of the Root division, the Shimura clan had suffered greatly, with their leader draining his own clan to sustain Root.

It could be said that in all of Konoha, Danzo Shimura was a unique anomaly.

Faced with Danzo's anger, Homura and Koharu felt somewhat awkward. They had secretly benefited quite a bit from the deals they'd struck with the major clans back then.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, lived up to his reputation as the Third Hokage. His expression remained calm and composed as he declared:

"The major clans are nothing to worry about. All they want is profit. Right now, our focus must be on winning this war!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, might have his contradictions, but one thing was undeniable: he firmly believed in Konoha's Will of Fire.

Homura and Koharu might worry about losing power if the Third Hokage stepped down, while Danzo purely believed that if the Monkey fell, only he was fit to take the Hokage position.

Yet, amidst the swirling rumors and pressures from all sides of the ninja world, Hiruzen Sarutobi was growing increasingly anxious. Having enjoyed a lifetime of glory, he would not allow his reputation to be ruined in his final moments, nor could he bear to see Konoha fall from its pedestal.

Thus, whether Hiruzen Sarutobi could hold onto the Hokage position was a matter deeply tied to everyone involved.

"Currently, both Sunagakure and Kumogakure have declared war on us. Between the two, Kumogakure is dealing with the greatest internal conflicts..."

Danzo's sinister eyes gleamed coldly as Homura and Koharu nodded gravely.

"Exactly. Of the two, we have the most intelligence on Kumogakure. Although Kumogakure appears stronger than Sunagakure, their internal conflicts can only be resolved if one side is eliminated."

Surprisingly, they all chose to target the seemingly stronger Kumogakure.

This was because Kumogakure's internal struggles were an unsolvable open secret. From the nobility of the Land of Lightning to its upper-tier ninja, even its Raikage—all were firmly aligned with one faction.

How could such a conflict be resolved? Only by completely toppling one side.

...

...

...

When Shirou and his team returned to Konoha, they were greeted by an oppressive atmosphere.

When they had left for their mission, the village had been full of vitality, but now it was shrouded in the tension of impending war.

Countless ninjas were being mobilized.

"Damn it! Why would the Third Hokage initiate a war?"

"Shut up and think about how many Sarutobi clan members are in key roles across the village. For the Hokage position, even a ninja hero can turn ruthless."

"All this destruction just for the Hokage's seat!?"

"No! I refuse to believe it! I refuse to believe the Third Hokage would do this."

As they walked through the village, doubts and suspicions filled the air, reminiscent of the chaos that had erupted after White Fang's failed mission.

The difference this time was that the entire ninja world was involved. First, Suna and Kumo had simultaneously declared war on Konoha under the banner of vengeance.

Then, Iwagakure, unwilling to be left out, deployed a 3,000-strong ninja force to blockade the borders, claiming it had uncovered Konoha's schemes and was now acting to prevent them.

Only Kirigakure, far across the ocean, remained uninvolved. But among the great ninja villages, all others had united in sending a clear message to the ninja world:

Konoha was scheming to oppress the other villages.

The entire ninja world seemed entangled in a web of conspiracies spun by Konoha.

Previously, there had been no opportunity to act, but now that one had arisen, the other villages seized it mercilessly.

Rumors ran rampant. Claims that Hiruzen Sarutobi was power-hungry, that the Sarutobi clan had amassed an army of 3,000 ninja. The air was thick with slander, and Konoha was riddled with spies.

In just one sentence, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had been branded as an ambitious manipulator, a sinister puppet master. There was no clearing his name now.

"Lord Shirou, there's a jōnin meeting at the Hokage's office this evening."

No sooner had Shirou returned than an ANBU operative arrived with the message. The entire village was in a similar state of turmoil.

The sudden onset of war disrupted Konoha's development. Even within the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was overwhelmed, struggling to keep up with the relentless waves of crises.