When Danzo heard Carl's words, his eyes lit up with a sharp gleam, and his expression toward Carl noticeably softened, shifting from cautious suspicion to something resembling admiration.
Because in Carl's subtle phrasing, Danzo caught a significant implication—namely, that in the eyes of the Daimyo, he, Danzo, was the most suitable successor to the Third Hokage.
This line of thinking sent a ripple of satisfaction through him. If the Third Hokage were to pass away, would the Daimyo publicly support him to ascend as the next Hokage?
"Your Highness flatters me," Danzo said with deliberate humility. "But if that day were to come and I were entrusted with the position, I would dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the prosperity of the Land of Fire and Konoha—without hesitation."
He tried his best to display a kind and sincere smile, but with his aged, severe face, the result was far from comforting. If anything, it appeared more sinister. In Carl's eyes, the expression only deepened Danzo's eerie aura. It was clear that someone so consumed by darkness could never entirely conceal it—it became etched into their very presence.
"That's exactly the kind of dedication I admire," Carl responded with a measured nod, playing along.
Danzo's grin widened, though it remained unsettling.
"Your Highness, should you require anything during your stay in Konoha, please do not hesitate to come to me. I will ensure your needs are attended to."
He then turned to Tenzō, who stood beside Carl.
"Ah, and A—our noble guest's safety is your responsibility. Do not neglect your duties."
"Danzo-sama," Tenzō replied calmly, "I'm no longer referred to as 'A.' My name is Tenzō now. And rest assured, I carry out all tasks entrusted to me by the Hokage with the utmost diligence."
There was a subtle but unmistakable undertone in Tenzō's words—he was distancing himself from Danzo's influence. No longer a member of Root, Tenzō made it clear that his loyalty lay with the current Hokage, not with his old master.
"Whether you are called 'A' or 'Tenzō'… you are still a shinobi of Konoha."
Danzo gave him a long, meaningful look, then turned to Carl and offered a final parting smile.
"Please, enjoy the rest of your time here, Your Highness. I have pressing matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
With that cryptic statement, Danzo departed.
The veiled implication—that once the Third Hokage passed away, Danzo would rise to power and reclaim authority over Tenzō—wasn't lost on Carl. Though Tenzō didn't quite grasp the subtext, Carl saw through it instantly.
But inwardly, Carl couldn't help but smirk at Danzo's wishful thinking. The reality was quite different. After the death of the Third Hokage, the Daimyo and Konoha's elder council wouldn't choose Danzo at all. They would first approach Jiraiya. When Jiraiya declined, he would recommend Tsunade.
Danzo, being a hardline militarist, would inevitably push for war if given the reins. The Daimyo, along with most Konoha leadership, preferred peace and stability—a doctrine upheld by the late Third Hokage. Their ideals simply didn't align with Danzo's brand of aggressive nationalism.
"Carl … does the Daimyo truly admire Danzo-sama?"
Tenzō asked quietly after Danzo was gone, his brow creased in confusion.
Over the past few weeks, thanks to Carl's efforts at building rapport—with help from Kakashi and Naruto—Tenzō had warmed up to him. The two now spoke comfortably, with Tenzō even addressing Carl without honorifics when in private.
"Not in the slightest," Carl replied without hesitation. "My uncle dislikes him the most. Danzo's constant warmongering threatens everything we've worked to preserve. My uncle believes in peace, and Danzo is the complete opposite of that ideal."
Tenzō blinked, visibly stunned.
"Then why did you speak like that just now?"
Carl chuckled lightly.
"Uncle told me not to offend Konoha's high-ranking officials during my visit, so I said exactly what Danzo wanted to hear. That's all. A small white lie, nothing more."
Tenzō nodded slowly. He wasn't particularly well-versed in politics, but he could see the wisdom in Carl's diplomatic approach.
"By the way, I think today is the written exam for the Chunin Selection. Let's go see how Naruto and the others did."
Carl and Tenzō left the training field and made their way to the Ninja Academy, where the written test was being held.
As they walked, Carl's thoughts drifted briefly.
In truth, neither Danzo nor the Third Hokage were wholly admirable in Carl's eyes.
Danzo was thoroughly corrupt, driven by self-interest and ruthless ambition. The Third Hokage, while far better by comparison, was not without fault. He made harsh decisions for the village's benefit and often chose to look the other way regarding Danzo's transgressions.
Surely, the Third knew the extent of Danzo's covert operations. He had the authority and ability to stop them—but chose tolerance instead. Perhaps that, too, was a calculated compromise.
And Carl understood. In a world like this—where Konoha sat atop the hierarchy and possessed the best resources—a naïvely good leader would be devoured by rival nations. Real power demanded difficult choices.
Only someone like Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage—whose overwhelming strength allowed him to remain righteous—could afford the luxury of pure kindness.
As they approached the academy, Carl saw Naruto and his teammates exiting the building with a crowd of genin.
"Looks like the test just ended," Carl noted.
After a brief chat with them, Carl learned that Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had successfully passed the first written exam in the same way as the anime . The next phase would begin tomorrow at Training Ground 44—also known as the Forest of Death.
The second test was a dangerous survival exam conducted in teams. Each group would receive either a Scroll of Heaven or a Scroll of Earth. To qualify for the next round, they had to secure both scrolls and reach the central tower within five days.
The failure rate would be high. But Carl wasn't concerned with that.
His mind was focused on Orochimaru.
He knew that the S-rank rogue ninja, now in disguise as a Kusagakure genin, would make his move during this phase. Carl had one objective: locate Orochimaru and find out the new hiding place of Konoha's forbidden scroll.
He had already used his magic to stealthily scout much of Konoha's underground. All he needed now was a precise location. Once the chaos of Orochimaru's invasion began, Carl could simply Apparate to the right place and retrieve the scroll.
Since Naruto's earlier theft or donation from the Third Hokage of the forbidden scroll , Konoha had definitely changed its storage methods. Likely, only a few senior officials knew the new location.
Danzo wasn't a safe option—no matter how immoral, Danzo wouldn't trade away Konoha's forbidden jutsu to a foreigner. But Orochimaru… Orochimaru would. As long as Carl made the right offer, an exchange could be arranged.
But for that, he needed leverage—and he needed to find Orochimaru first.
The next morning, Carl and Tenzō arrived early at Training Ground 44.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?"
Anko Mitarashi, the proctor for the second exam, had been briefing the assembled genin when she spotted Carl and paused mid-sentence. She quickly walked over, startled but respectful.
Everyone in the village now knew of the visiting prince from the Land of Fire. His presence was hard to miss.
Anko hadn't expected Carl to appear so early—he was scheduled to observe the final stage from the central tower in a few days.
"No need to fuss, Jonin Mitarashi," Carl said with a smile. "I just came to support Naruto and the others. That's all."
He waved toward Team 7, who returned his greeting enthusiastically. But Carl's gaze lingered just a few seconds longer on one genin wearing a Kusagakure forehead protector.
Hello, Orochimaru.