"Fourth Hokage-sama, Gojo Kaigetsu rep as ordered."

  "...Enter."

  Gojo Kaigetsu pushed the door open, and a pu smell of smoke wafted out from the room.

  As the smoke dissipated, the interior was revealed.

  Minato Namikaze, his Hokage robes, stood by the window, a rare expression of displeasure on his usually gentle face.

  And in the chairs before the Hokage's desk, ign the special envoy, Koyama...

  'Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado...'

  'Those old geezers.'

  Gojo Kaigetsu frowned.

  If there was anyone he despised even more than Danzo Shimura iire Hokage series...

  It would undoubtedly be Homura Mitokado.

  Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane possessed "equal" strength and wisdom to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

  However, uhe scrutiny of his Six Eyes, chakra quality could not be cealed. Homura Mitokado? Just an old, washed-up workhorse!

  While Danzo was repulsive, he was at least a powerful ninja. What about Homura?

  Not only did he frequently introduce policies that reduced prosperity, but there were also signs that he had beely involved in orchestrating policies reted to the Uchiha.

  Seeing Gojo Kaigetsu's arrival, Ichiro Koyama, who had just been reting his grievances against Gojo Kaigetsu in this very room, shrank his neck.

  As his anger subsided, his cowardly nature was revealed.

  "Well then... since everyone is here, Elder Danzo, I'll excuse myself."

  *Thump, thump, thump-*

  The battle between the old and new powers of Konohagakure once agaied within the Hokage Tower.

  Homura Mitokado was the first to un atta Gojo Kaigetsu: "Advisojo! Do you even realize what you're doing?!"

  "Hmm? What did I do?"

  Gojo Kaigetsu acted as if he were in his own home, casually pulling up a chair and sitting beside the Hokage's desk.

  Seeing his nont attitude, Homura Mitokado felt even more irritated.

  He had opposed Gojo Kaigetsu's appoi as Hokage advisor from the very beginning.

  This guy... had no sense of propriety, he was far too radical.

  Every proposal he made was like throwing a kunai directly at the hearts of their servative old guard, the Konoha F4.

  Homura Mitokado sneered, "Do you know that Konohagakure is the military branch of the Land of Fire, a system established by the First Hokage-sama and the Daimyo, uhe principle of One Vilge, One try?"

  "Of course, the First Hokage-sama was wise."

  Gojo Kaigetsu bowed respectfully in the dire of the Hokage Rock.

  Wise, my ass!

  Gojo Kaigetsu always believed that Hashirama Senju traded his political IQ for his bat prowess.

  If he, Gojo Kaigetsu, were in charge back then, he would have let those Daimyos know… what the hell "Imperial authority bestowed by the shadows" truly meant!

  Of course, such rebellious thoughts could only be voiced and acted upon when he possessed the power to carry Konoha on his bad remain ued in the world.

  "Then do you knoecial Envoy Koyama represents the is of the Daimyo, the is of the Land of Fire?"

  "How dare you threaten the life of such a distinguished individual, secretly withholding the Daimyhtful share?!"

  Homura Mitokado's voice grew louder. He dared to smoke indoors in front of his direct superior, the powerful Hokage, Minato Namikaze. Yet, he acted like a loyal guard dog in front of the mundane Daimyo...

  Looking at his bespectacled old face, Gojo Kaigetsu felt an increasing urge to eliminate him.

  "Oh? Is that so? So what? What happehen?"

  "Then?"

  "Return the embezzled funds to Special Envoy Koyama immediately and apologize. Then, this matter will be sidered settled."

  "Regarding this matter, I must first apologize. As the child of a Genin, I grew up poor, which is why I withheld a signifit sum. However, I haven't spent a single ryō of it to this day."

  Gojo Kaigetsu straightened his posture, as if beginning a fession of his remorse.

  "Elder Mitokado, you know me. I'm an immigrant from the small Land of Flowers."

  "My homend has nothing remarkable, but there's a proverb I've always kept close to my heart."

  "What is it?"

  The three individuals in the room were captivated by Gojo Kaigetsu's words.

  "People experience joys and sorrows, Genin add spice to life. When life bees dull, corpses py human."

  Gojo Kaigetsu spoke with a serious expression. "I suspect… Koyama-kun is a corpse pying human."

  Danzo Shimura's eyes widened, and Homura Mitokado's face was filled with shock. "Gojo Kaigetsu! What are y to do?!"

  "It takes about three days to travel from Konohagakure to the Land of Fire's capital. Perhaps Koyama-kun will reveal his true form during the journey."

  "And, one more thing."

  Gojo Kaigetsu leaned forward, pg his hands on the Hokage's desk:

  "I will certainly return the money as ordered, but… even the Daimyo himself 't take this money away. I said so!"

  His threatening words echoed through the Hokage's office, lingering in the air.

  While seemingly ay threat, the three individuals present uood the underlying message.

  "Are you insane? Gojo Kaigetsu!"

  Looking at the t figure of Gojo Kaigetsu, Homura Mitokado felt a surge of inexplicable fear. No longer daring to front him directly, he turned his attention to the good-natured Minato Namikaze.

  "Fourth Hokage, this is the advisor you reended!"

  "He's bee so brazen that he pns to assassihe Land of Fire's envoy on his way back!"

  "Impeat, I demand the impeat of Gojo Kaigetsu!"

  "Danzo, say something, Danzo!"

  Homura Mitokado roared, but receiving no response from his old friend, he grew even mitated.

  "Hey, hey, Elder Mitokado, you 't falsely accuse an i man! When did I ever say I was going to assassinate Koyama-kun?"

  "He and I are the closest of friends, like brothers!"

  Gojo Kaigetsu spread his hands, feigning innoce.

  Minato rubbed his forehead in exasperation, finally uo bear it any longer.

  He disliked the old guard's politid was angered by Koyama Ichiro's shady dealings. However, the special envoy represehe Daimyo's face. If he were to die within the Land of Fire, it might affect the quarter's financial support for Konoha.

  "Alright, alright, I trust Advisojo's character. The embezzlement accusation is based solely on Special Envoy Koyama's testimony. Let's have the ANBU iigate further before reag a clusion."

  "I think... Kakashi would be suitable for this iigation."

  With a single sentence, Minato skillfully sidestepped the issue of Gojo Kaigetsu challenging the Daimyo's authority:

  "As for the impeat Elder Mitokado mentioned..." Minato paused. "Acc to Konoha's regutions, crete evidence is required."

  "Evidence? Of course, I have it."

  Homura Mitokado sneered, f hand seals and summoning a scroll with a space-time ninjutsu. From the scroll, he retrieved a thick stack of intelligence reports.

  "This is the iigation I ordered the Root ninjas to du Gojo Kaigetsu."

  "It taiailed evidence of Gojo Kaigetsu bribing high-ranking officials and nobles of the Freat Nations."

  "The amount involved is in the hundreds of millions of ryō."

  "Undoubtedly, this is irrefutable proof of Gojo Kaigetsu aiding the enemy!"

  ....

  To Be tinued...

  ....