"Lord Third, I request permission to resign from the Anbu."
Hiruzen paused, his eyes shifting between Shōgetsu and Tomou.
The office fell into a momentary silence.
Originally, Hiruzen had recruited Shōgetsu into the Anbu in a calculated move to draw the Uchiha Clan closer to him, especially with the shadow of a looming world war on the horizon.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
A complication involving his long-time friend had led to this unexpected turn of events, potentially derailing all his efforts.
Hiruzen studied Shōgetsu's expression closely and sighed, though it was unclear whether it came from regret or performance.
"Sigh…"
"Well, since you're resolute… have you decided where you'll go after leaving the Anbu?"
Shōgetsu kept his head bowed and answered quietly:
"Yes. I've already made up my mind."
The reason behind Shōgetsu's decision to leave the Anbu was simple, Tomou had offered him a deal too tempting to ignore. Compared to what the Anbu could provide, the benefits from his clan were not only greater but far more personal.
In pursuit of strength, Shōgetsu had agreed to join the Konoha Military Police Force under Tomou's recommendation.
Seeing that Hiruzen had agreed, Tomou stepped forward and added:
"If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave."
"…Very well, you may go."
Hiruzen gave a curt nod.
Tomou opened the office door and exited with Shōgetsu in tow.
Outside, the waiting secretary respectfully closed the door behind them.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Their footsteps gradually faded down the corridor.
Back in the office, the Third Hokage's expression remained composed. He turned to face Veigar Koshima.
"Veigar," he said, "tell me everything that happened."
"You were the one who set this in motion, weren't you?"
Veigar gave a small nod.
"Yes. But you're mistaken about one thing, it didn't start with me."
"It began with Lord Danzo."
Hiruzen waved a hand dismissively.
"That's not important. What matters now is understanding the full picture."
Veigar shook his head.
"No, it is important."
"The power of Root… it's beyond your imagination."
"Perhaps, Root may even become the decisive force in the Third Great Ninja War."
"Doesn't that tempt you, Lord Third?"
At that moment, the young boy standing before Hiruzen was no longer the modest child he had once known. Despite being only eight, Veigar exuded the aura of a seasoned schemer.
Hiruzen stared at him, took a deep breath, and slowly asked:
"Then what is it that you want?"
Veigar remained composed.
"Nothing much. I just believe the village doesn't need so much darkness."
"Root… should not exist."
His words struck a nerve, hitting Hiruzen's pressure point squarely.
"Chūnin Veigar," Hiruzen said sharply, "Root was created by the collective will of the village. It's not for any single person to abolish."
Veigar offered no reply, only silence.
Undeniably, Hiruzen had once been the greatest beneficiary of Root's creation. But now?
Heh…
Konoha had already transitioned into the era of the Third Hokage.
At the time of his succession, Hiruzen, though a hero in name, had not been warmly welcomed by many clans or individuals. If it hadn't been for the backing of Mito Uzumaki, he might never have secured his position as Hokage.
In particular, the opposition from the Senju Clan had been especially fierce.
Once Hiruzen secured Mito's support, he consolidated his power through the formation of the Anbu, his elite assassination unit.
But it hadn't been enough.
To further cement his authority, Hiruzen secretly established the Root division and handed its reins to Danzo Shimura.
Root was designed to cultivate operatives loyal only to Hiruzen, not to the previous Hokage.
However, with power in his hands, Danzo's ambitions began to surface. While he outwardly assisted Hiruzen, he gradually seized complete control over Root, using it as leverage to one day ascend to the Hokage seat himself.
To secure the political landscape and neutralize dissent, Hiruzen and Danzo quietly maneuvered against the Senju Clan, who had been the most vocal critics.
Heh…
And now? One of the founding clans of Konoha, the Senju, was little more than history.
Root had played a key role in their downfall.
To this day, Hiruzen had never considered disbanding Root. On the contrary, he aimed to wrest full control of it back from Danzo.
To Hiruzen, Root had to exist.
But to Veigar?
He saw it differently.
And that's why his words struck so deep.
Realizing his momentary loss of composure, Hiruzen collected himself and asked a new question:
"Veigar, have you ever thought about becoming a jōnin in this village?"
"Among your generation, your talent surpasses all others, even Kakashi."
Was this a genuine invitation? Or a veiled attempt to trap him?
Perhaps both.
Against a cunning political veteran like Hiruzen, Veigar's youthful tactics were still green.
If he accepted the offer, it would be seen as a gesture of loyalty, a token of submission.
But Veigar knew better than to think Hiruzen would trust him that easily.
After all, if he could betray Danzo, what guarantee was there he wouldn't betray Hiruzen someday?
To a ruler, loyalty always trumps talent.
In Hiruzen's eyes, Veigar, a defector from Root, already carried a blemish on his record.
Should he accept and become a jōnin at only eight years old, he would instantly become a figure of both admiration and suspicion.
A prodigy. A symbol.
To the outside world, he would represent Konoha's strength, its unstoppable genius.
But that fame… would also paint a target on his back.
After all, an untempered genius is just that, a genius and nothing more.
And yet… that might be exactly what Veigar wanted.
Let them come.
If the tree grows too tall and draws the wind, so be it.
Some trees bend to the storm.
Others remain unshaken.
And perhaps, this tree… could be Veigar.
"Lord Third," Veigar said calmly, "I would be honored to serve the village as a jōnin and protect it."
"But…"
Before he could finish, Hiruzen cut him off.
"As long as you're willing, that's all that matters."
"Accumulate the necessary merits, and I'll promote you without hesitation."
No joy, no sorrow, his expression betrayed nothing.
Seeing that Hiruzen had said his piece, Veigar simply nodded.
"I'll do so as quickly as possible. I'll earn the merits required to become a jōnin."
Hearing Veigar's firm response, Hiruzen finally allowed a faint smile to appear, one of quiet satisfaction.
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