Perhaps it was because Tsunade's explanation was too calm, delivered in a straightforward manner, that Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared extremely composed. However, his sudden and complete silence, sitting in his chair without uttering a word, already indicated the turmoil in his heart.
The silence stretched on for quite some time.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze kept shifting, his thoughts completely detached from concerns about White Fang's safety or the situation in the Land of Rain. Instead, he was thinking about Haruto Saito—the boy who had been shrouded in mystery ever since he joined Konoha, a boy full of suspicions and questions, yet one who had repeatedly performed astonishing feats.
In the previous meeting, Hiruzen Sarutobi still harbored doubts about Haruto Saito!
There were several points of suspicion. First, how did Haruto Saito, who had mastered the Black Martial Flash, get discovered by the ninja in the Shiraishi encampment? Was there a sensory-type ninja present? Even so, how did he manage to survive against dozens of enemy ninja?
Second, why did Haruto Saito insist on killing the Rain Falcon along the way? It was known that Rain Falcons shared a mental connection; if one was killed, the others would sense it, thereby exposing their location!
Third, during the final battle, why did Haruto Saito disappear for two to three hours only to reappear at the last moment? And when he did, he struck Terado away with a single slash. Was he trying to kill Terado or help him escape?
And the biggest question—why didn't Haruto Saito simply escape on his own? Why did he insist on staying with Tsunade and Jiraiya? If he had just removed his Black Martial Armor and left separately, it would have been extremely difficult to track him down. After all, throughout the entire escape, no one knew the true identity of the Black Warrior.
Smart people always think too much!
Once someone is suspected, everything they do can seem suspicious. Even if Haruto Saito said, "I'm skipping breakfast today," it could be interpreted as using that time to secretly meet with someone.
Haruto Saito was such a person, full of doubts.
But now, after hearing Tsunade's private report, Hiruzen Sarutobi's perception of Haruto Saito had undergone a complete 180-degree shift! He had initially thought that Terado's capture was an accident, that Terado himself had made a mistake and was defeated by the tenacity of Tsunade and Jiraiya. But the truth was the complete opposite—Tsunade and Jiraiya had lost, and it was Haruto Saito who had defeated Terado!
He used a unique hypnotic technique, one that drained an enormous amount of mental energy upon use, to put Terado under hypnosis at the critical moment!
Tsunade was right—Haruto Saito was the key to victory!
And this also proved that Haruto Saito was absolutely not a spy for the Rain Ninja. He was definitely not a pawn placed in Konoha by Hanzo!
Terado was the number one assassin of Amegakure!
It must be understood that Hanzo of the Salamander was not only the strongest ninja of Amegakure but also one of the few who stood at the very peak of the ninja world. However, even his assassination skills were inferior to Terado's! After all, direct combat and assassination were two entirely different skills.
Would Hanzo sacrifice his number one assassin just to ensure that Haruto Saito could continue functioning as his spy in Konoha?
The answer was no!
Impossible—completely impossible!
So Haruto Saito was not a spy!
He was someone who had sincerely pledged allegiance to Konoha, someone who was willing to fight to the death for Konoha, someone who refused to retreat even in the face of powerful enemies—a good child!
Hiruzen Sarutobi thought back on everything that had happened since Haruto Saito joined Konoha, recalling his words and actions. Now that his fundamental suspicions about Haruto Saito had been cleared, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that he had wronged a good child!
But despite everything, he suddenly felt that it had all been worth it!
Absolutely worth it!
Even though his poor decisions had led Tsunade and Jiraiya into a deadly crisis, even though the search-and-rescue missions had cost the lives of several highly skilled and esteemed ninjas, Hiruzen Sarutobi still believed it was worth it!
Because Haruto Saito possessed terrifying, unimaginable talent and unique abilities. He had an extraordinary sensory ability, he could seemingly predict the future, he could learn B-rank and even A-rank ninjutsu in a single day, he was fearless and determined, and, most importantly, he was a monstrous genius!
He had come to Konoha seeking refuge, but people had doubted him. His extraordinary talent had been a source of unease.
However, now that all doubts about him had been erased and Konoha fully trusted him, his immense talent would be nurtured, allowing him to grow rapidly and become stronger. This meant that Konoha would have another exceptional powerhouse in the future, an individual whose presence no one could ignore!
Decades from now, he might even be one of the strongest ninjas in Konoha.
Thus, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt it was all worth it! Those who had died, as tragic as it was, were ultimately not as important as a monstrous genius. Their deaths had helped Konoha verify whether Haruto Saito was a spy, whether he would truly be loyal to Konoha!
Hiruzen Sarutobi had received the best possible answer.
Therefore, they had died for a noble cause!
Such losses were acceptable to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He remained silent for a long time. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru stood respectfully in front of his desk, not daring to move. This was an important discussion, and even Tsunade, who often challenged Hiruzen Sarutobi, remained unusually quiet.
Swish!
A masked figure in a black cloak suddenly appeared by the window behind Hiruzen's desk.
It was Danzo!
His gaze swept over Tsunade and the others before completely disregarding them as if they were air.
"Everything is arranged. Only a few individuals in the Anbu are aware of his location," Danzo said as he walked to the side of the desk. "Shall we begin interrogating him immediately?"
The "him" Danzo referred to was, of course, Terado.
"Not yet," Hiruzen Sarutobi replied flatly, as if uninterested.
"There is another matter," Danzo continued, looking directly at Hiruzen. "Regarding the Black Martial Armor, I believe it should not be left in that kid's hands. I can retrieve it from him. The seals on the Black Martial Armor are worth studying. If necessary, I can seclude myself for a time to research its seals in depth."
With no outsiders present, Danzo made no effort to conceal his true intentions.
In fact, he had already spoken quite tactfully. If Tsunade and the others were not present, he would have outright told Hiruzen Sarutobi that he wanted the Black Martial Armor for himself! The armor was not suited for purely ninjutsu-based users; to maximize its effectiveness, the wearer needed to excel in close combat and assassination techniques.
In that regard, Danzo was a perfect fit!
Danzo was the leader of the Root organization, and many of its assassins had been personally trained by him. He not only specialized in Wind Release but also possessed numerous forbidden and secret techniques, as well as exceptional assassination skills.
Tsunade's expression darkened, her eyes glaring at Danzo.
This guy was planning to outright rob Haruto Saito! If Hiruzen Sarutobi permitted it, Danzo would immediately take action! And knowing Haruto Saito's personality, he would likely fight Danzo to the death!
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Danzo, shook his head slightly, and said, "No."
Danzo was stunned. How could Hiruzen reject him outright?
Without further explanation, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up and declared, "I will go see Haruto Saito myself!"