Root Office.
Even in his fifties, Shimura Danzo maintained an active, hands-on approach to everything.
"Ryoma."
While flipping through a scroll, Danzo asked, "Has the Uchiha clan's relocation been completed?"
The Nine-Tails Incident brought chaos, and when the beast's eyes showed the Mangekyo Sharingan, suspicion fell upon the Uchiha.
At the Konoha Reformation meeting, Danzo had proposed moving the Uchiha out of the village center to the southwest corner, with ANBU monitoring them around the clock.
This meant the Uchiha not only lost their place of power but also Konoha's trust.
While Danzo's prejudice was a factor, forcing the Uchiha to move was a decision by all village leaders—including Hiruzen Sarutobi. Danzo couldn't have managed it alone.
Aburame Ryoma, dressed in a black coat, flashed in and reported, "It's basically done."
"How did the Uchiha react?"
"They were furious; everyone was unwilling, and several conflicts broke out, but Clan Head Fugaku stopped them."
Danzo, usually stone-faced, revealed an ugly smile.
His plan had gone perfectly.
In fact, he should thank the mysterious man who controlled the Nine-Tails. Without that chaos, there was no way he could have pushed the Uchiha to the village's edge.
"The Uchiha are now a powder keg. I look forward to the day it explodes."
Danzo touched his right arm. He had already transplanted Hashirama's cells and gained Wood Release. Once he obtained the Sharingan, he'd be invincible—even Sarutobi would be no match.
At that point, the Hokage seat would be his for the taking.
Danzo's suppression of the Uchiha was partly to continue Tobirama's policies, but also because he coveted the Sharingan—this bloodline limit that he'd long desired.
Wood Release and Sharingan represented Hashirama and Madara—their power far above all other shinobi.
"But why?"
Danzo subconsciously gripped the scroll.
The Nine-Tails Incident had pushed the Uchiha away from the center. The young Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze had died. Two great things at once. So why did things feel so off?
Danzo never imagined he'd live to see Hiruzen Sarutobi become Hokage a second time. Infuriating!
"Well, Sarutobi won't last long. As long as I get the Sharingan before the Fifth Hokage takes office, there's still time."
Danzo exhaled.
Sarutobi was basically a retiree called back to work, due to the village's crisis. Once things stabilized, a new Hokage would be chosen.
How long could Sarutobi last? Maybe not even a year. He was old; who knows when he'd die.
This thought improved Danzo's mood.
"Lord Danzo."
Another Root member flashed in and reported, "Tenzō is missing. We can't find him anywhere."
Danzo's smile froze, his face darkening.
Tenzō—Yamato—the sole survivor of the Wood Release experiments, was extremely valuable. Not only would he be a loyal Wood Release subordinate, but he'd also be a shocking trump card against Sarutobi.
The thought excited Danzo, but now all that was gone.
Yamato's disappearance was a serious risk. If he fell into Sarutobi's hands, Danzo's and Orochimaru's secret Wood Release experiments would be exposed—handing Sarutobi a weapon against him.
"Say that again!" Danzo barked.
"Tenzō vanished last night. All Root members searched all night and found nothing. It's very likely he's left Konoha," the Root ninja elaborated.
"A grown man disappeared right under your noses?!" Danzo finally lost it, furiously shouting, "Useless! All of you are useless!"
He'd kept Yamato at the training base, both for his Wood Release training and because other Root members could constantly watch him. Danzo thought it was safe—but now there was a problem.
Danzo was left raging in his powerlessness.
Root members, trained into emotionless shadows, felt nothing. His anger was meaningless.
"And Orochimaru?"
Danzo calmed himself, gripping his cane. Currently, Orochimaru was nominally part of Root, serving as a personal guard alongside Ryoma. But today, he wasn't here.
"Orochimaru is at home, conducting experiments," Ryoma replied.
"Go check his place. See if there's any trace of Tenzō."
Danzo wasn't accusing Orochimaru without reason. In Konoha, there were only a few who could hide someone from Root, and Orochimaru was one.
Ryoma, of the Aburame clan, was a top tracker—if anyone could investigate Orochimaru without being noticed, it was him.
…
Ninja Academy.
Natsume yawned.
He didn't mind the practical ninja classes, but theory was boring—mostly about past Hokage and the Will of Fire, with Hiruzen Sarutobi as the central figure. Natsume suspected Sarutobi had written the textbook himself, painting himself as the greatest Hokage.
As Sarutobi had been Tobirama's student, why would he accept the title of "strongest Hokage"? Only to solidify his own power, Natsume reasoned.
He glanced at Uchiha Itachi, who listened intently. Maybe this was the beginning of Itachi's devotion to the Will of Fire.
According to canon, Itachi's life was legendary: on the battlefield at four, graduated at seven, awakened his Sharingan at eight, joined ANBU and awakened Mangekyo at eleven, massacred his clan at thirteen.
Natsume wasn't interested in recruiting Itachi—he was too dangerous, having even killed his own parents. But Itachi was valuable for Fate Points.
Still, while Natsume wouldn't keep him close, someone else would—like Orochimaru, who loved orphaned geniuses.
Not out of kindness, of course. After awakening the Mangekyo, Itachi would be Orochimaru's nemesis. Their clash was bound to be interesting.
"What's wrong?" Itachi suddenly shivered and looked at Natsume.
"Nothing," Natsume smiled. "Want to grab dinner after school?"
"No thanks."
Itachi remained distant and aloof—mature for his age, withdrawn, and not much for chatting. He'd rather talk to Shisui about adult topics—like the Will of Fire.