Starting with Naruto, I'll become stronger through my own efforts.

The monk Shimura Danzo escaped, but the Root Temple cannot escape.

The Konoha ninjas gathered together, exchanged information, and quickly gathered all the information about Root.

The locations of many secret strongholds, unknown even to the Third Hokage, have been identified by the Konoha ninja.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was dumbfounded and learned firsthand what it meant for the eyes of the people to be discerning.

Without the Third Hokage issuing orders, the Konoha ninja spontaneously organized themselves, forming highly combat-effective ninja units by clan or department, and immediately rushed towards the various Root strongholds.

What angered the Konoha ninjas was that the Root ninjas used to use the Hokage's orders and the elders' orders to pressure them, forcibly taking away resources and even talented children.

Today, the Konoha ninjas were carrying out the Third Hokage's orders, but they were met with armed resistance from the Root ninjas.

The Konoha ninjas retaliated without hesitation, making the Root ninjas realize their true level.

A bunch of rats roaming in the sewers, a pack of mutton dogs pretending to be powerful, do they really think they can beat a tiger?

Undeniably, there are indeed many very strong ninjas among the Root members.

However, their numbers were too small, and their power was developed to an extreme degree. Faced with a well-equipped Jonin squad, they were simply powerless to fight back.

In particular, elite ninjas who were not yet adults, such as Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune, were quickly suppressed by their respective parents and taken home.

Tonight, the ninja clan found many children and countless corpses in one go.

As the strongholds of the roots were breached one by one, the evil hidden in the darkness was exposed, and its bloody cruelty was truly shocking.

The anger of the Konoha ninjas grew stronger and stronger. Even the Third Hokage had not expected that the number of Konoha ninjas, civilians, and orphans harmed by Root would reach such a terrifying level.

Hiruzen Sarutobi could read the unbearable carnage in the report, so much so that he dared not go to the scene to investigate.

The Third Hokage returned to the Hokage Building dejectedly, and unsurprisingly found Danzo Shimura in his office. The two remained silent.

After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke up: "Let's go, Danzo. There's no place for you in Konoha anymore."

Danzo Shimura asked, "Why is this happening? We were the ones who wiped out the evil Uchiha clan, so why am I the one forced to flee Konoha?"

"Today should have been a historic day, an anniversary of Konoha Village finally rid itself of the Uchiha clan, this scourge. How did it turn into the day of Root's destruction?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, "It's not your fault. No one would have expected that the Senju clan ninjas would suddenly stand up and fight to protect the Uchiha clan."

"Your plan will be completely ruined when the Tree World descends and covers the Uchiha clan's territory."

Danzo asked venomously, "What was that Senju ninja's name? Why was I completely unaware of such a Wood Release ninja before?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, "I just found out too. His name is Natsusa, and he's a genin who graduated from the Ninja Academy last year..."

Danzo Shimura stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi in disbelief, his angry gaze forcing Hiruzen to speak in a lower and lower voice until he finally couldn't continue.

Yes, this information is too outrageous; it sounds extremely unreliable.

But it's real!

Danzo Shimura ultimately believed that his old classmate wouldn't lie about something so easily verifiable, and accepted this outrageous information.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Xia Zuo! Genin! I won't let him get away with this!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took out his pipe, lit it, took a puff, and said again, "Danzo, be careful. Natsu no Sasuke isn't alone. The Senju clan, which has disappeared, might be behind him."

Danzo Shimura scoffed, "So what if they're the Senju clan? We can wipe them out..."

"shut up!"

Danzo's words were interrupted sharply by Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Even if you become a rogue ninja, you must not reveal that matter, otherwise I will have no choice but to hunt you down myself!"

"Danzo, you know how well I know you. I will definitely find and kill you!"

Danzo Shimura took a deep breath and shut his mouth.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "When can I come back?"

The Third Hokage extinguished his pipe and replied, "Danzo, you can't come back."

Danzo was dumbfounded: "What?"

The Third Hokage explained regretfully, "Your Root organization harbors too much darkness, bloodshed, and sin. From tonight onward, Root and you will become taboo in Konoha. Mentioning it will incite public outrage."

"I'm sorry, Danzo, there's nothing I can do for you either."

Danzo was furious. He was already 64 years old. How could he become a hopeless rogue ninja?

He roared, "You can't treat me like this! I'm the Hokage's support, I'm your classmate!"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, I've shielded you from kunai, I've shed blood for you! My Shimura clan has sacrificed our lives for Konoha, you can't do this to me!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded: "I will not forget Danzo's sacrifice, and I will remember the sacrifice of the Shimura clan. I will take good care of your family, so please rest assured."

Danzo Shimura was speechless and could no longer utter a word.

Taking care of family members doesn't just mean taking care of them; it also carries a threat.

The Third Hokage was warning Danzo that if he didn't obediently take the blame and run away, his family and clan would suffer.

As everyone knows, Danzo Shimura was a heartless man who didn't care about the life or death of the Shimura clan.

But now the situation is different; the Shimura family is very important to Danzo.

After Danzo Shimura became a rogue ninja, he could only obtain financial and material support from the Third Hokage through the Shimura clan.

Not all rogue ninja can be like Orochimaru, able to rebuild their village through their own efforts.

Most rogue ninja lived a life of irregular hunger, and those like Zabuza Momochi, who accepted employment with merchants, were considered to have a relatively good life.

Danzo Shimura stopped arguing. He took out his Konoha headband, which he hadn't worn in a long time, from his pocket, slashed the Konoha emblem horizontally with a kunai, and then threw it on the office floor.

Danzo strode towards the office door. After opening it, he turned to look at Hiruzen Sarutobi and said with hatred, "You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"

The Third Hokage, at some point, put on the Hokage hat and stood by the window, looking at the eastern sunrise.

Upon hearing Danzo's words, he replied without turning his head, "I am the Hokage, Danzo."

Silence fell between them again.

They both had a feeling that this was the last time they would talk like this, and that this parting might very well be their last.

Finally, Danzo Shimura left the office, but he did not close the office door.