Kushimaru Kuriarare, one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, sat shackled by high-grade chakra bindings, now under heavy escort in the Hidden Leaf's top-secret interrogation chamber.
His hands still trembled from the battle with Satoru, but his cold golden eyes calmly scanned every face in the room.Even as a prisoner, he showed no fear.
At the center of the room sat Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, frowning slightly as he tapped his finger rhythmically on the wooden desk—each tap carrying a heavy weight of tension.
The room was stretched tight, like a bowstring pulled taut.
Surrounding Hiruzen were Konoha's most senior shinobi:
Mitokado Homura and Utata Koharu, his longtime comrades and trusted advisors.
Shimura Danzo, the cold-eyed head of Root, watching like a hawk sizing up its prey.
Aburame Torune, one of Danzo's elite—expressionless, still as death.
Ibiki Morino, master of interrogation, face like carved stone.
And of course—The man who had captured Kuriarare.
Hoshino Satoru, arms crossed, stared at the prisoner with a spark of intrigue in his eyes.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, smoke drifting upward, then spoke with the voice of a leader seasoned by war:
"Kushimaru Kuriarare. You have two choices. Cooperate—or be tortured until death."
But Kuriarare only chuckled, the flicker in his eyes unfazed.
"Sarutobi... do you think I fear death?"His voice was rough, but carried a chilling arrogance.
"If I talk, the Mist will hunt me to the ends of the earth.But if I die, at least I keep my pride."
He leaned back in his chair, shrugging with contempt.
"So go ahead—kill me.But know this: if I die, the Leaf... will pay a price."
That eerie calm silenced the room.
The Hokage's Proposal
Hiruzen was unmoved.
He had survived two great wars. He had faced monsters beyond imagination.One rogue Mist swordsman was nothing new.
"If we kill him, it could spark war.""If we release him, it'll show weakness."
He rubbed his temples and exhaled another stream of smoke, his tone turning deliberate:
"I want to use him as a bargaining chip.A pawn this valuable could buy us intel… or force a backdoor treaty."
Satoru nodded beside him.
"The Third is right. Killing him only gives the Mist a reason to retaliate.But if we keep him... we make them kneel first."
Murmurs of agreement spread through the jonin in the room.
But then—A voice cut through the air, cold and sharp.
Shimura Danzo – The Voice of the Shadows
"I object."
Everyone turned.
Danzo, mid-aged, one arm wrapped in bandages, glared across the table—his voice sharp as a blade.
"Sarutobi, have you forgotten the Leaf's glory?""Have you forgotten how the First and Second conquered the other villages?"
Silence fell—Not a single soul dared speak, but pressure filled the room like rising water.
Danzo's lips curled into a bitter smirk as he scanned the council.
"This man isn't worth bargaining with. He's trash.""Kill him. And kill the other five Mist brats too."
"They are the Mist's next generation—wipe them out, and we shatter their future.""Then, strike the Mist. Crush the Stone.Dominate the last two rising powers before they become threats."
Dead silence.
The Breath of Bloodlust
Everyone in the room inhaled sharply.
Not because they feared Danzo—But because he had dared to say aloud what no one else would.
And some agreed.
There were still those who clung to the illusion of the Leaf as the strongest hidden village,who believed it could still rule as it did in the era of the First Hokage.
A few jonin nodded silently, their eyes flickering with dangerous approval.
But then—
"Danzo… you're insane."
A cold voice sliced through the tension.
Satoru stepped forward, his gaze as sharp as a drawn blade.
"The First and Second were legends beyond compare.But those days are gone."
"We are no longer gods standing above the world.""If you think killing children will collapse an entire village…Then you're nothing but a fool."
The room's temperature dropped.
The Council Speaks
Homura and Koharu finally broke their silence.
"Danzo… We've supported you before. But this time—""You've gone too far."
Though old comrades of the Hokage, Satoru despised these two.
Rigid, political, obsessed with control—They were partly to blame for Naruto's isolation, for the Uchiha Clan's slow collapse into rebellion.
This time, they stood with the Third,but only for their own political survival.
Danzo's Slam — His True Ambition Revealed
SLAM!
Danzo pounded the table so hard, the wood cracked beneath his palm.
"You're all weak!"
"If you can't act, then let me.Give me clearance for experimental operations."
"Root needs manpower.We need soldiers.Let me rebuild the Leaf's dominance—my way."
Hiruzen stared into Danzo's eyes.
His gaze was calm, still as a lake—But the storm was building.
This meeting—had reached its boiling point.
🔥 END OF CHAPTER 108 🔥