Mitokado Homura originally wanted to say something more forceful, but considering Kawaki Aoba's infamous temper—especially his boldness in opposing Danzo directly—he lacked the confidence to escalate the situation. He could only issue a more euphemistic reminder.
However, the fact that he stood beside Utatane Koharu already made his position clear. At this point, the weight of his words no longer held much sway.
"Heh, since the two elders have offered your guidance, I assume you must have a brilliant solution. So, how do you intend to handle the issue of the Hyuga clan's Byakugan potentially leaking to enemy nations?" Kawaki Aoba said with a cold sneer.
Koharu and Homura exchanged glances, a flicker of hope flashing in their eyes.
There was a chance. Kawaki Aoba was backing down slightly, which meant he was open to negotiation. As long as negotiations were possible, the situation was still manageable.
Homura thought to himself: Seems this brat isn't entirely reckless. There are still things that make him cautious.
"The matter of the Hyuga clan's kekkei genkai is indeed of grave importance," Homura said seriously. "It can't be resolved hastily. We need to consult both Lord Hiruzen and Lord Minato."
He paused, adjusting his tone to that of an elder advisor. "After all, they are the Hokage. Our role as their advisors is to offer counsel, not to interfere in every decision. Aoba, I hope you understand that."
Once again, Homura took on the air of a seasoned statesman, trying to lecture Kawaki Aoba.
"Tch. Spare me the lecture," Aoba scoffed. "I know the responsibilities of a Hokage advisor better than you do. But I hope you also understand that my current authority, granted by Minato-sama himself, outweighs yours—at least for the duration of this year."
It was a bold declaration. Within the scope of his special appointment, Kawaki Aoba essentially treated all the senior advisors as subordinates. His words were practically engraved with the phrase: I look down on all of you.
Homura's face darkened with anger.
But then, Aoba suddenly softened his tone. "Still, what you said isn't without merit. I admit I was too hasty in dealing with the Hyuga situation. But it was all for Konoha's sake—you can understand that, can't you?"
Though clearly displeased, Homura gave a slow nod, reluctantly acknowledging Aoba's point.
But the most visibly relieved person in the room was Hyuga Hizashi.
Until now, he had been bracing himself for the worst, repeatedly pressured by Aoba's aggressive stance. Yet the situation had suddenly eased, and Koharu had even extended unexpected support.
He understood this might be due to internal discord among the advisors and not concern for him personally—but he was grateful nonetheless.
"In that case, we'll leave it here for now," Aoba concluded. "However, I ask the Hyuga clan to begin working on a solution to this issue immediately. Some matters can be delayed, but not forever."
He turned and strode out of the conference room without looking back.
Compared to his earlier aggressive stance, he now seemed like a young man whose newfound power gave him the urge to retaliate—yet who knew when to retreat under pressure.
Even his parting words sounded more like a face-saving threat than a real warning.
Most in the room concluded that Aoba wasn't merely bluster and ego—he knew how to pick his battles.
Once everyone else had left, only the three elders remained in the room.
"This brat is getting out of hand," Homura said bitterly. "Does he really think he can run the village just because Hiruzen isn't here? Who does he think he is?"
After a brief silence, Koharu turned toward Danzo.
"Danzo, what's wrong with you?" she asked pointedly. "Why did you let him push you around like that? This isn't like you. Are you hiding something from us?"
Danzo remained silent for a moment. Hiding something? he mused. Which part do you mean?
He knew exactly what Koharu was referring to: Why did you bow your head to that boy?
But Danzo had his reasons—reasons he couldn't reveal.
Just a few days earlier, all Root operatives he had sent to the Land of Rain to contact Hanzo the Salamander had gone missing. The same had happened to those investigating the Akatsuki.
Even follow-up operatives had disappeared without a trace, like stones sinking into the sea.
Danzo knew something major had happened in Amegakure, but he was now powerless to act.
Root's strength had been gutted. Within Konoha, only a handful of his operatives remained.
That was why he had kept quiet. He no longer had the strength to challenge Kawaki Aoba openly.
Still, he wasn't about to admit that to Homura and Koharu. Losing face was one thing—but if either of them reported the extent of Root's weakness to Hiruzen, it could be catastrophic.
Danzo knew all too well how Hiruzen operated. He would seize any opportunity to infiltrate or dismantle Root—just as Danzo had been trying to do with Hiruzen's Anbu.
More importantly, Hiruzen valued Danzo for his ability to handle the village's dirty work. But if Root was crippled, Hiruzen might decide he was no longer useful.
And that, Danzo could not allow.l
There was also that boy — Minato Namikaze. If he knew that Root had suffered a serious blow, he certainly wouldn't let the opportunity slip by.
"Koharu, Homura," said Shimura Danzō calmly, "I have my own reasons for handling things this way. You don't need to say more. That brat, Kawaki Aoba, is just being arrogant for the moment. Let him overstep his bounds for a few more days — it might serve as a convenient excuse to suppress the Hyūga clan."
Mitokado Homura frowned, sensing something was off, but he held his tongue. Reluctantly, he nodded.
In his mind, with Hiruzen Sarutobi currently absent, only Danzō among the three advisors had the power and initiative to put someone like Kawaki Aoba in his place.
However, Utatane Koharu silently sighed. As expected...
The conversation ended in mutual silence. The three elders departed, though Homura was the only one without secret plans of his own.
When Koharu returned to her residence, someone was already waiting for her.
"Elder Koharu, how was it? Do you believe me now?" asked Kawaki Aoba, seated calmly, confidence practically radiating from his posture — as if he already knew what her answer would be.
Indeed, it was Kawaki Aoba. The previous afternoon, after the Fire Country's intelligence reached Konoha, he had immediately approached Koharu — hoping to win over one of Hiruzen's most trusted aides.
If he could secure Utatane Koharu's cooperation, everything he planned would proceed more smoothly.
> [Note: Kawaki is a character from Boruto, not part of the original Naruto era, and not associated with the Akatsuki or Hyūga clans. If this is an original AU character, it should be clarified earlier.]
Koharu studied his youthful face — too bold, too clever. With a heavy sigh, she said:
"Ah, we've grown old. The new era belongs to you — the younger generation.
I've confirmed that Danzō's Root has suffered serious damage. He's trying his best to conceal it, but while he may deceive Hiruzen… he can't fool me."
Her voice grew quiet, tinged with melancholy. Yet her eyes sharpened as she continued:
"You're a remarkable young man. Your tactics… more subtle than even Danzō's or Hiruzen's. But remember this — you're still a shinobi of Konohagakure. I don't know how you caused Root's failure, but you were wrong to do it this way. However flawed Danzō's methods may be, Root was a vital part of the village's stability. Actions like yours worry this old woman."
Kawaki Aoba sneered inwardly. You're already at the negotiation table with me — do you really still care about principles? You're just trying to ease your own conscience.
But outwardly, he kept a polite smile.
"Elder Koharu, I think you've misunderstood. Whatever happened to Danzō — it wasn't my doing. No matter how reckless I am, I wouldn't sacrifice my own men just to take down Root.
Besides, if I had to guess… I'd say Danzō's failure came from something that happened in Amegakure."
"Amegakure?" Koharu repeated, skeptical.
"I'm almost certain there was a major incident there that we've all overlooked. Danzō sent most of Root's elite operatives to the Land of Rain. I don't know exactly what his plan was, but I also sent scouts to investigate — and none of them returned. I followed up with several more teams. Same result — no contact."
He revealed this freely, confident there was no need to hide the matter. If necessary, he was even prepared to invoke the name of Madara to add weight.
"…Is that really so?" Koharu asked, clearly uncertain.
"There's no reason for me to lie to you about this. You can confirm it yourself — send a few trusted ninjas to the Land of Rain."
Koharu waved a hand weakly. "The shinobi world grows stranger with each passing year. I'm tired… But if you truly weren't responsible for attacking Danzō, I'm relieved."
She sighed, then continued with resolution. "I'll personally speak with the Hyūga clan for you. You are a good child — don't let hatred consume your heart. But… the Hyūga—"
"Elder Koharu," Kawaki Aoba cut in, "I'm not trying to destroy the Hyūga clan. I only want justice — the immediate family of the Hyūga's Third Elder. That's all."
Koharu paused… then nodded. She understood.
"Very well. I will go."
Kawaki Aoba stood and smiled. "Then I'll wait for your good news. Farewell."
With a puff of smoke, his shadow clone vanished.
He was cautious. Even if he was confident in his stealth, one could never be too careful — especially with the Byakugan's powers in play.
Koharu exhaled sharply as soon as he disappeared, her body sagging with the weight of the decision she had made. In that moment, she seemed to age a decade.
Kawaki Aoba's power wasn't the cause — it was the guilt. Betraying an old comrade like Danzō weighed heavily on her.
She cursed her useless descendants. If only they had been competent… she would never have had to ally with someone like Aoba.
Meanwhile, the real Kawaki Aoba received the memories from his clone and smiled with satisfaction.
"It seems the negotiations went well — just as you planned," commented a voice.
Across from him sat Yūhi Kurenai — not his real father-in-law, but someone who had taken that role informally.
He glanced at the handful of documents on the table. "It's hard to believe something so simple could convince a Hokage Advisor."
"That's where you're mistaken, Teacher Kurenai," Kawaki replied. "These documents are useful, yes — but the real power lies here."
He tapped a newspaper beside him.
"This… is public opinion. Control the media, control the narrative. It's not the evidence that scares Koharu — it's the fear of being disgraced, of her family losing honor."
He smiled coldly.
"Every clan has skeletons. Even if they don't, we can make some. That's how the White Fang was brought down. A hero, destroyed by whispers."
He leaned back.
"To someone like Uchiha Madara, none of this would matter. But how many Madaras exist in this world? People like Koharu — loyal, flawed, proud — all they want is a legacy. That's what makes them vulnerable."
Kurenai watched him in silence.
Finally, he said, "Aoba… Compared to Hiruzen or even Minato Namikaze, you might be the one best suited to become Hokage."
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