Hiruzen had to admit—he had underestimated this brat before.
Thankfully, for now, he hadn't fallen out with Uchiha Renzo.
Besides, Asuma and Renzo got along well, which made him feel like he still had some control over Renzo, at least to a certain extent.
So, he still hesitated.
Due to the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha had been fighting against four major forces at once. While they had managed to stabilize the situation, the losses were devastating.
Many shinobi perished, leaving countless families without their protectors or heirs. Some smaller clans were completely wiped out, losing both their lineage and hope for the future.
The villagers and clans' resentment toward him as Hokage only continued to grow.
With no one else to blame, they directed their anger at the one in charge.
It was his failure, wasn't it? He hadn't led them well enough. He hadn't governed Konoha properly. He hadn't protected the lives and interests of the people.
Hiruzen felt exhausted.
He could already foresee it—even if Konoha emerged victorious from this war, he would likely have to step down as Hokage.
Danzo had taken the blame for many things over the years, but this time, the burden was simply not suitable.
Only he, the Hokage, could carry it. At least, that's how he saw it.
Even though the war wasn't his fault. Within the village, numerous factions—including some shinobi clans, Danzo, and even Orochimaru—had their eyes on the Hokage's seat.
But Hiruzen still felt young. He believed he could lead for another twenty years. How could he just give up power so easily?
Power was a drug. It corroded the soul.
Hiruzen was already addicted beyond saving.
To ensure he could maintain control, he had prepared multiple backup plans.
Minato was one. Uchiha Renzo and Asuma were another.
Of course, Asuma was still too young. His eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, was his primary bet.
Unfortunately, Shinnosuke simply wasn't at the same level as Minato or Orochimaru.
Back to the matter at hand.
Danzo firmly stated, "Hand him over to me. I'll take him into Root. Don't you believe that I can discipline him properly?"
After thinking it through, Hiruzen shook his head. "I value him highly. If he needs to be watched, it will be done by me, the Hokage."
More importantly, Hiruzen didn't trust Danzo.
Danzo had always coveted the Hokage position—how could Hiruzen not be aware?
Especially recently, when Danzo had been stirring things up behind the scenes, fanning the flames of resentment toward him.
Handing Renzo over to Danzo? That would be like arming an enemy.
Besides, even if Hiruzen agreed, he doubted Renzo would submit so easily.
Asuma had spoken a lot about Renzo. Not that Hiruzen hadn't asked—he had been actively trying to understand the boy.
After all, over the past year, he had personally witnessed Asuma's growth.
He had to admit, assigning Asuma to Renzo's squad had been a good decision.
With Renzo's guidance, Asuma had matured a lot—both in strength and mindset. He was no longer as reckless as before.
As his father, Hiruzen felt gratified.
As for the Uchiha, he was wary of them, of course. But he still hoped to integrate them into the village.
Weaken them first, then bring them in.
That was his current plan.
Unlike Danzo, who simply wanted to eradicate them altogether.
Danzo scowled. "If you could control him, he wouldn't have grown so strong under your nose! That brat's power might already rival ours. Are you sure you can keep him in check, Hiruzen?"
Hiruzen had always been —always keeping the best things for himself, never sharing with Danzo.
And yet, Danzo had done so much for Konoha. For Hiruzen. He had made countless sacrifices.
"I believe I can. And besides, he hasn't lost control yet. He hasn't done anything to harm the village, has he? We can't punish someone who hasn't committed a crime."
Hiruzen refuted Danzo's words with righteousness.
In short, he wasn't handing Renzo over.
Danzo was momentarily speechless. He knew he couldn't take Renzo from Hiruzen now, so he changed his approach. "Then at the very least, he needs to be recalled from the front lines immediately. We can't let him keep gaining achievements out there!"
"If his reputation in the village grows too much, he might overshadow you as Hokage."
"If the people start rallying behind him as the next Hokage, it'll be too late!"
If the entire village was united in their will, even Hiruzen and Danzo wouldn't be able to stop it.
Renzo wasn't alone—he had the backing of the Uchiha, Konoha's strongest clan.
His squad leader was Yūhi Shinku, a well-respected jōnin with his own influence.
He also had good relationships with Kakashi and Namikaze Minato.
If Renzo gained enough merit and recognition, he could indeed become Hokage.
Hiruzen and Danzo both recognized this danger.
So, without hesitation, Hiruzen agreed. "That much is fine. I'll issue the order to recall his team. Besides, Yūhi Shinku is still injured—he needs time to recover."
"The Iwa front is stable. Minato's team is enough to handle things there."
He planned to sideline Renzo for a while—at least until he could fully control him.
Besides, keeping Asuma on the front lines was worrisome.
Last time, he had no choice due to lack of manpower. If Renzo was sent, he couldn't just keep Asuma back—that would've angered the villagers even more.
Now that Asuma had survived, Hiruzen could use him as proof of his dedication to the village.
See? Even my own son was sent to the most dangerous missions. What more do you want?
He believed this would help restore some of his tarnished reputation.
"Good. I'll take my leave then."
Danzo turned to go but paused at the door. "Are you sure you won't reconsider handing Renzo over to me?"
"Not happening. I trust that I can handle it." Hiruzen remained expressionless.
"Hmph! Hiruzen, You'll Regret This!"
Danzo snorted, slamming his cane against the floor as he left.
"Everyone wants me to step down… but none of them see how much I've done for Konoha."
After Danzo left, Hiruzen sighed wearily, then penned the recall order.
Within two days, Renzo's team received the summons.
"What does it say?" Asuma asked curiously.
"See for yourself," Renzo said, tossing him the letter.
Asuma read it and exploded. "What?! We're being recalled?! The front lines are still tense—what the hell is the old man thinking?!"
Yūhi Shinku patted his shoulder. "Orders are orders. Let's get moving."
He knew exactly what was going on.
He just didn't want Renzo and Asuma to get dragged into Konoha's political mess too soon.
They were still just kids, after all.