[V2] - Chapter 131. Ambition... Still Not Extinguished
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After having a cup of milk tea with Minato, Yuto left.
Back home.
He looked around the surprisingly clean house in astonishment.
Who cleaned it?!
Even the tree at the door had been watered!
He hadn't arranged for anyone to clean the house!
But thinking about it… Boruto and the others had come over recently to play games. Could it be that they cleaned up before leaving?!
Such well-behaved kids!
Come to think of it, he was practically their grand-uncle!
When the New Year came, he absolutely had to give them a big red envelope!
And he'd do it right in front of Sasuke and Naruto!
Also, that guy Nagato… he was going to shoot a movie in a few days!
[The Days I Wanted to Become God!]
Stretching his waist and just about to lie down and continue examining his new abilities—
"Ding dong! Ding dong!"
The doorbell rang.
Yuto blinked in surprise, walked over, and opened the door. When he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen standing there, he froze.
Though Minato had said Hiruzen was coming to find him, he didn't expect… it'd be so soon. He had just gotten back, and here the man was.
The Third Hokage!
No matter what, he had once bought a piece of calligraphy from the guy.
It was still hanging in the milk tea shop!
Their relationship was good!
Very deep ties!
Eh, actually…
He had bought calligraphy from all three executives of the Root Group back in the day...
Of course.
That wasn't important now. What mattered was—why had the Third Hokage come to see him?
So, Yuto stepped aside and warmly said, "Third Hokage-sama, please come in!"
…
Meanwhile—
This was the Shimura household.
After Hiruzen had left a few days ago, Danzo continued living his retired life of sunbathing, flower viewing, and moon gazing. He hadn't concerned himself with Root Group business since.
From head to toe… the ambition and drive of his past seemed to have completely vanished.
Although he was the founder of the Root Group!
From when it was still a small studio—the Root Organization—he had worked hard to grow it big and strong. Even when he dumped tons of money into Orochimaru's failed research, he hadn't given up. Even when he was chased by debt collectors and forced to leave the ninja village, he didn't give up. Even when the store was smashed some time ago, he still didn't give up.
Until it became today's Root Group!
But now—
He truly felt like giving up in his heart.
Because… he couldn't see a future anymore!
His dream—
Broken!
Completely broken!
Even his heart was broken!
Who could understand how he felt in that moment when he stepped into the alternate ninja world for the first time, holding a Yuto Milk Tea in his hand?!
This—
It's better left unsaid!
Now he had more than enough money to live a comfortable life. Since the dream was dead, what was the point in struggling anymore?!
Danzo sat cross-legged on the veranda, looking out at the flowers and grass in the courtyard. Though he felt some regret in his heart, he had let go.
These past days—
He hadn't asked about the Root Group, nor had he stepped outside the house!
He just quietly sat there like this.
Thinking of nothing, knowing nothing!
A few days ago, he even chatted online with Bansai-sama from the Fire Temple.
At first, he'd said he wanted to go to the temple to practice, but was rejected. They said he had too many worldly entanglements and wasn't suitable for monastic practice.
But later, when he described how recently he could observe the grass and sunset without distraction, with a calm and peaceful mind, Bansai-sama responded that this was a sign of entering meditative insight and spiritual potential. He was very welcome to come practice.
Bansai-sama even promised to personally guide him, as he said he would be investing 100 million to renovate the Fire Temple… construction would start in a few days once the workers were found, so don't rush!
As expected.
He had become enlightened!
Danzo sat with no expression.
At that moment—
Just as he was about to drift off—cough cough, about to reflect on the world—
"Danzo! Danzo!"
His old friend arrived!
Running in hastily!
Danzo opened his eyes in displeasure, but remembering that he had already grasped the [Truth of Non-Contention], he calmly looked at the panting Sarutobi Hiruzen who had just run in.
But this time, Hiruzen was dripping with sweat, waving excitedly like he'd just encountered something great!
"Calm down! Calm down!" Danzo said expressionlessly. "Hiruzen! You should be like me! Learn to be calm, learn to be peaceful. We're old! Don't fight over things, or it'll lead to a heart attack!"
As the words fell—
"…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked helplessly at the now-peaceful, worldly-detached Danzo in front of him and sighed. "Aren't you even going to ask what the good news is? This time it's really good news! You'll definitely get excited once you hear it!"
"My heart is already calm as an ancient well! I was able to let go of even the Root Group—what could possibly excite me now?! Don't say it! Don't say it!" Danzo showed no concern at all, shaking his head. "If there's nothing else, then leave. Don't disturb my practice!"
"No, Danzo! Just listen to me! It really is good news!"
"Don't say it! Don't say it!"
"I will say it! I must say it!"
"I won't listen! I won't listen!"
"Danzo!"
"Hiruzen!"
The two glared at each other. For a moment, it felt like the old days had returned.
That ambitious Danzo, with fire in his eyes, who stuck to his own decisions even in disagreement!
But—
After a moment.
"I no longer concern myself with such matters," Danzo returned to calmness, turned his head, looked straight ahead, and said lightly, "If there's anything, just handle it with Homura."
"No! This isn't you, Danzo!" Hiruzen took a deep drag from his pipe and looked at Danzo seriously. "Homura and I can give up—but you absolutely cannot! The Root Group made it this far, through so many disasters, all because you never gave up! You inspired us not to give up, led us this far—how can you talk about giving up now, Danzo?!"
"I have attained enlightenment! Without letting go, how can the mind find peace—"
"Peace my ass! Shut up and listen to me!" Hiruzen interrupted Danzo without hesitation, took a deep breath, and recalled the news he got from Uchiha Yuto. His face turned serious. "We haven't lost yet! We still have a chance!"
"Oh? What? Don't tell me… you've found a new ninja world again?"
"No! Not that!" Seeing that Danzo seemed a little curious, Hiruzen quickly said, "We've found a new world! A vast new world! Truly! It's such a massive world, even the Yuto Group can't consume it all! As long as our Root Group can—"
Before he could finish—
Danzo suddenly trembled, spun his head around, and his once-calm expression vanished instantly. With eyes wide with disbelief, he stared at Hiruzen. "You're serious?!"
"Yes! It's full of countless countries!"
Of course, all of this was just what Yuto said!
It seemed to be something discovered through his Mangekyo's new ability. As for the rest, Hiruzen wasn't too clear.
But seeing Danzo seemingly revive a little, Hiruzen breathed a huge sigh of relief and quickly said, "Come back! Let's face off against the Yuto Group in the new world one more time!"
"I…"
"Come back! The Root Group needs you!" Hiruzen didn't let Danzo speak, his eyes full of emotion as he stared at him.
"Homura and I need you too! Lead us to conquer the new world, Danzo!" Then, raising his voice, he shouted, "Have you already forgotten your dream?!"
As those words fell—
"?!"
Danzo looked at the eyes of his friend filled with hope. His chest instinctively straightened. The once-indifferent air around him vanished. In his eyes—
That light?
That light!
That confident light seemed to return again!
"I really was muddled!" His lips curled slightly into a confident smile as he looked at Hiruzen. "To think I tried to run away… made you all worry!"
As he said this, he raised his right hand, and under Hiruzen's excited gaze, he shouted loudly, "My cane!"
At that moment—
A gust of wind blew. That golden dragon cane that had been sitting unused on the table for days suddenly flew into Danzo's hand.
With a soft "tap~," he struck the ground lightly.
Danzo's eyes flared with anger. Just as he was about to speak—
Suddenly.
His phone rang.
Without even looking, he picked up the call and said blandly, "Hello?"
"Danzo-sama! Bansai-sama asked me to contact you. Everything at the Fire Temple has been arranged. Also, since you mentioned you've attained serenity and let go of worldly contention, Bansai-sama has given you a Dharma name to match your heart state: [Enlightened Silence]. The temple renovation can begin now. May I ask about the 100 million—"
Before the speaker could finish—
"I am not yet old! I still have ambition burning in my heart. There are people still waiting for me—how could I abandon everything to practice? Please send my apologies to Bansai-sama!"
On the other end, there was a moment of stunned silence. But before they could say anything further, Danzo hung up directly.
Then he took a deep breath, turned around, eyes fierce, and looked at the smiling Hiruzen beside him. With the commanding aura of Root Group's President Danzo, he roared, "Tell Homura to return immediately once the alternate ninja world market stabilizes!"
After a short pause, his eyes looked far ahead—
As if staring into a distant future!
A confident smile returned to his lips. He gave his cane another tap. "Begin preparations for the new world conquest plan!"
After all—
He was Shimura Danzo!
The founder of the Root Group!
How could he possibly give up so easily?!
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[Volume 2 End.]