"When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."

— Thomas Jefferson

--

The office door opened again—without a knock and without even hesitation.

Danzo Shimura strolled in as if the place belonged to him, his eyes already scanning the room with predatory sharpness. He didn't bother bowing and didn't even greet the Hokage—just announced himself like he was delivering a verdict.

"Hiruzen," he said, voice gravelled, sharp, "I hear there is an enemy shinobi inside this office. Hand him over to me. I'll interrogate him and pull every ounce of information necessary."

Hikari froze for a moment, then turned slowly, her expression already twisting into annoyance.

"Oy, geezer!" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is this your house? Did someone invite you? No? Then why the hell are you walking in here like you own the place? And more importantly—how do you even know there's an enemy ninja in here? Don't tell me you've got your little spies crawling around this office like roaches."

Danzo's eyes narrowed, his voice carrying the patience of a man who believed himself above everyone else. "You will address me with respect. I am an elder of this village. I don't know how you developed such insolence, but Hiruzen—" he turned slightly, as if she wasn't even in the room anymore—"teach this brat some manners, will you?"

Hiruzen didn't move. If anything, there was a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he watched them clash like oil and fire. He puffed his pipe silently, letting the smoke curl between them like a barrier.

Hikari folded her arms, tilting her head mockingly. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Elder Danzō. Please forgive me for not bowing and kissing your wrinkled toes. Maybe next time bring a bell so I can ring it whenever you enter."

Danzō's nostrils flared, but he turned back to Hiruzen, dismissing her. "That man should not be left in your custody. I will conduct a full investigation of his background. You don't need to trouble yourself."

Hiruzen exhaled, voice calm but firm. "No, Danzo. I'll assign my own ANBU to investigate. You'll keep your hands off him."

But even as he spoke, unease coiled in his chest. Danzō's insistence wasn't mere protocol—it reeked of desperation. Why press so hard? Unless… he already has ties to this incident. Unless the leak didn't come from outside, but from within.

Hiruzen's eyes lingered on his old comrade a moment longer.

Danzo's foot struck the floor sharply. His voice rose a fraction, enough to carry the weight of command. "You can't be serious. This is an enemy ninja. You can't just tell me you'll 'conduct a thorough investigation' as if this is paperwork. It is not your work. He belongs in my headquarters. And he's going there—now."

The tension snapped.

Hikari's chair screeched as she stood so fast it toppled backward. Her eyes burned with fire, her hand pointing directly at Danzo like she was about to incinerate him on the spot.

"OY, fossil!" she barked. "Did you not hear the Hokage say ANBU will handle it? Or are your ears rotting along with your brain? What part of 'stay out of it' sounds like 'Danzo gets a free toy to torture'?"

Danzo's visible eye twitched. His voice dripped with disdain.

"You will not speak to me that way, girl. You forget your place. I say the boy is an enemy, and I will prove it. In fact—" his eyes slid toward her, sharp and calculating, "—why stop there? If anything, you should be investigated as well. You're not even from this village. We know nothing about your bloodline, your origins, your family. For all we know, you're a spy yourself. And now—you bring in another outsider. Perhaps you are building your own network."

Hikari froze. The office went cold, the silence thick enough to choke on.

For once, even Hiruzen's smirk faded. His pipe hovered mid-air, his eyes narrowing slightly, 

"Hikari…" he began, warning in his tone.

But she wasn't listening.

Hikari stood perfectly still, her lips curling slowly into a dangerous smile. 

"Say that again."

Danzō sneered. "You heard me. You are no child of this village. You've manipulated Hiruzen into treating you like one, but blood is blood. We don't know where you came from, or why. You should be treated as a suspect."

Danzo's lips curled faintly as the thought took root. Yes… it was a good plan. The more he thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. One less obstacle. One more step toward the Hokage's seat. The more he turned it over in his mind, the more certain he became—removing her would not just be convenient, it would be necessary. She was too dangerous and too unpredictable. For the village to survive

His footsteps echoed against the floor as he stepped closer to Hikari, his voice rising. "You are a risk to Konoha. And I will not let your presence corrupt our village any longer. That man you brought? He is just the start. I say—"

The sound came so fast it barely registered.

SLAP!

Hikari's palm connected with the side of Danzō's face, snapping his head to the left.

Danzo's sentence cut off as his head snapped to the side. Blood flecked from his lips. Hikari's palm was still on his cheek, her fingers dug in his face like a vice.

Hiruzen's eyes widened, the pipe falling from his mouth. Even the shadows in the corners seemed to recoil.

"You… little—" Danzō rasped—

—but Hikari wasn't finished.

With startling strength, she slammed his skull down onto the Hokage's desk with a thunderous crack. Papers scattered, ink splattered, the wood itself groaned under the impact.

"Listen here, you rotten stump," she hissed, her voice low and vicious.

Blood smeared across the polished wood. Danzō let out a guttural grunt, but before he could push back, Hikari yanked his head up again—forcing his face into the light, her nails digging into his skin.

"Say I'm a spy again. Do it. I dare you."

Danzō's face was already streaked with blood from his nose. His eyes rolled, dazed, slipping toward unconsciousness, but his lips still twisted with defiance.

"Y-You… whore—"

BANG!

She slammed his skull into the desk again. This time, the wood cracked.

Danzō went limp, his body dangling from her grip like a puppet with its strings cut, blood dripping down his chin. 

For a heartbeat, the world was silent.

--

(A/N)

Give me hearts and leave a review

Get advance chapters by joining my Patreon! 

/pacifist01