Framing someone wasn't hard at all.
Think about how the leaders of Konoha had falsely accused the Uchiha clan.
Sarutobi Ryo could easily do the same to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
Appointing Orochimaru to a position of power was a small way of showing loyalty.
Handing over one of the higher-ups for Orochimaru to deal with would be another sign of allegiance.
The Root was meant to handle Konoha's dirty secrets.
It was a much darker organization than the regular Anbu.
----
Time passed.
Before they knew it, a few days had gone by.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were constantly worried.
Sarutobi Ryo's quick actions were the main reason they felt this way.
Even though they were important people in Konoha, they felt unsafe.
The news of Danzo's death kept spreading.
The heads of the different clans and departments were being careful, constantly saying how loyal they were.
The atmosphere in Konoha was very peaceful, almost too peaceful...
Perfecting the Impure World Reincarnation jutsu took time.
It couldn't be done all at once.
Sarutobi Ryo knew this.
So, he wasn't going to let things drag on for too long.
In the next few days, Sarutobi Ryo would strike with great force, removing the two advisors from their positions.
Just as the news of Danzo's suicide was causing a stir in the village...
That night.
Sarutobi Biwako found Sarutobi Ryo alone.
As Sarutobi Ryo's mother, and one of the first Anbu ninja, she understood the dark side of things better than her honest and straightforward husband, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Like mother, like son.
Compared to Sarutobi Hiruzen, she could sense what her son was planning.
Under the quiet moonlight, in the courtyard, with no one else around.
Sarutobi Biwako met her eldest son, who was waiting for her.
"Mother..."
Sarutobi Ryo walked over slowly, looking at his mother's back.
The fact that she came alone showed what she wanted to talk about.
"Ryo."
Biwako turned around, her face serious, and looked at her son.
"Are you planning to remove Koharu and Homura from power next?"
She could see right through his plans.
Anyone could tell that there was something strange about Danzo's death if they thought about it for a moment.
People were afraid to speak up, but they were definitely thinking about it.
Most people wouldn't think that Sarutobi Ryo, who always seemed so honest and good, would kill Danzo himself.
They would probably think that Orochimaru did it, eager to get rid of Danzo.
But Biwako, as a mother, had a feeling that her son was involved...
"Is there a problem, Mother?"
Sarutobi Ryo answered calmly, which was like admitting that he had something to do with Danzo's death...
The night was quiet.
Ruri and the others were already asleep.
This was a conversation just between mother and son.
The two looked at each other for a long time. Sarutobi Biwako sighed. "I just don't want you to become another Danzo..."
Dirty work and difficult tasks needed to be done, of course.
But why did it have to be her son doing them?
Danzo existed to take the blame for Konoha's actions.
Now, Orochimaru was taking on that role.
Sarutobi Ryo understood his mother's concern.
It's said that if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you.
Playing with fire all the time would eventually burn you.
That's why Sarutobi Hiruzen only took on the good side of Senju Tobirama.
It made sense.
But...
"The Second Hokage Senju Tobirama had both a light and a dark side. I can have both too..."
Sarutobi Ryo calmly shared some of his thoughts.
He was saying that just like Senju Tobirama could be honest and virtuous while also causing trouble, he could do the same.
You want to become the next Second Hokage?!
Sarutobi Biwako's eyes widened slightly.
She realized she had underestimated her son.
She knew what kind of person Senju Tobirama was.
She understood his dark side as well as Danzo did.
Senju Tobirama was skilled and politically clever.
No one could outsmart him.
The only problem was that he wasn't as strong as the First Hokage Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
If he had been as strong as them, he might have ruled the entire ninja world.
That was the biggest issue.
But Sarutobi Ryo was already strong enough to capture Danzo without getting hurt.
Even his father Hiruzen hadn't become that strong at that age.
If her son kept growing stronger, he would become a ninja just as powerful as the Second Hokage, if not more so.
In other words, the next Senju Tobirama would appear.
And he would be even better.
Is this the path he wants to take...?
Sarutobi Biwako didn't yet know what Sarutobi Ryo was really thinking.
Since everyone respected Senju Tobirama and believed he was honest and virtuous...
Then...
I will teach you a lesson in the way of Senju Tobirama!
As long as his methods were similar to, or the same as, Senju Tobirama's...
Then no one would dare to accuse him or say he was wrong.
Because...
Saying he was wrong would be like saying Senju Tobirama was wrong.
And that was a dangerous thing to do.
Senju Tobirama was honest and virtuous.
Senju Tobirama was the previous Hokage.
Senju Tobirama was the embodiment of the Will of Fire.
If you dared to say he wasn't, you were a traitor!
Using Senju Tobirama's reputation to protect himself was Sarutobi Ryo's greatest weapon at this point.
How much would people tolerate?
Would they keep enduring it silently?
Sarutobi Ryo would test everyone's limits, step by step.
Until someone couldn't take it anymore and dared to question him.
Then, it would be time to expose the truth and criticize Senju Tobirama!
Of course, if everyone completely agreed with him, that would be fine too.
He would still have a way to deal with Namikaze Minato and Senju Tobirama.
Konoha couldn't keep following Senju Tobirama's old path.
A brand new future, someone who truly carried out the Will of Fire... that was what Sarutobi Ryo really wanted!
"..."
Sarutobi Biwako looked into her son's eyes and took a deep breath.
The dark clouds in the sky began to move, covering the bright moon.
At that moment, the wind began to blow.
----
The next morning.
The sky was still dark.
Utatane Koharu went to Biwako's house.
As Biwako's close friend, their relationship was even closer than Kushina and Mikoto's.
Since neither of them was an Uchiha, they didn't need to worry about people being suspicious.
Utatane Koharu's visit so early in the morning was probably to complain.
But even Biwako, as a mother, couldn't stop Sarutobi Ryo.
Just as Biwako was hinting that she couldn't help...
Biwako's student Taji ran in, out of breath, to report something important.
"Lord Biwako, Lord Koharu..."
Her shocked expression made Utatane Koharu realize that something was wrong.
Biwako also knew that something was happening.
"Just now, Lord Orochimaru and Sarutobi Ryo led people to Elder Homura's house... They found a Sharingan eye from the Uchiha clan in Elder Homura's house, based on what was written in Lord Danzo's will!"
Utatane Koharu: "!"
Biwako: "!"
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[T/N:
Final Total Power Stone Collection : 353 PS
Goal : Reach +50 Total PS = +2 Bonus Chapters next day! 🚀
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]