"Look at the mess you've made!"
In the Hokage Office, Sarutobi Hiruzen angrily slammed a document onto his desk, staring at Danzo across from him, his face so gloomy it seemed like it would drip water.
Danzo's eyes were half-open, only briefly scanning the cover of the document, not reaching out to take it.
He looked up at Hiruzen before him, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, choosing silence.
Hiruzen took a deep puff from his pipe, waiting until all the smoke in his lungs was exhaled before speaking in a low voice, "Why did you betray your comrades? I need an explanation."
"Betray... comrades?" Danzo retorted.
Hiruzen said coldly, "The Rain Ninja Alliance Plan. On the very night I dispatched Jiraiya to the Hidden Rain Village to contact Hanzo, you sent a team of Root Ninja to leak this information to the Sand Ninja and Stone Ninja, causing Jiraiya to be ambushed. Do you really think I know nothing?"
"Oh, so what?" Danzo's tone was indifferent, seemingly not caring at all.
"You!!!" Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk, the marble surface instantly cracking into pieces.
Danzo chuckled, "Is Jiraiya dead?"
"My disciple isn't so useless! But the impact of this matter is more than that!"
Hiruzen tried to calm his emotions, "Do you know that this will not only lead to the failure of the alliance plan, but also cause the Hidden Sand Village and Hidden Stone Village to join forces, putting all the comrades in the bases in danger! It's extremely detrimental to the upcoming battle situation!"
Danzo folded his hands in his sleeves, "Just tell me how you want to deal with me."
Hiruzen stared into his eyes, the corners twitching, "Deprive you of the right to participate in high-level meetings, disband Root, and in consideration of our years of working together, I'll keep your empty position as a High Elder. Hmph, just stay at the Shimura house and enjoy your retirement!"
He looked up at the window, "From now on, the Hidden Leaf Village only needs one voice!"
The air was silent for a few seconds, then Danzo suddenly laughed.
Hiruzen was immediately enraged, "What are you laughing at?"
"I just find it laughable."
"What's so funny?"
Danzo moved his neck, his tone always indifferent, "War is coming, the peaceful situation is about to be shattered. In this chaotic situation, you choose not to take the opportunity to expand, but to try to maintain the original state before the peace, not to devour the Hidden Rain Village, but to help the Hidden Rain Village repel the other two Great Shinobi Villages..."
His eyes were filled with undisguised sarcasm, "I have to say, as the Third Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, you are truly mediocre and cowardly to the extreme!"
For some reason, he emphasized the words "Third Hokage" very heavily.
Hiruzen's eyebrows furrowed into a frown, dissatisfied, "We have already discussed this matter in a meeting. Facing three enemies at the same time, the chances of winning are too low. I can't risk the lives of my comrades for my own selfish desire for invasion!"
"Your so-called discussion is just using your identity as Hokage to suppress all voices and make a final decision." Danzo's words were sharp, "Cowardly, blind, that's the real you!"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"
"Yeah, yeah, so what?"
Danzo picked his ear, "You don't really think that your alliance plan will be adopted by Hanzo, do you?"
Hiruzen's tone stagnated, instantly calming down, "What do you mean?"
"Hehe, your cowardly way of seeking an alliance is simply extremely stupid. Hanzo will definitely not agree. He would rather stand up and declare war on the Three Great Shinobi Villages at the same time than agree to ally with you."
"Why?" Hiruzen frowned and asked, "Is he crazy? Even we in the Hidden Leaf Village don't have the confidence to directly declare war on all enemies. Where does a small Hidden Rain Village get the courage? Compared to facing the Three Great Shinobi Villages at the same time, allying with us is the best strategy."
"The reason you have such thoughts is entirely because you haven't considered the issue from the Hidden Rain Village's perspective at all." Danzo chuckled, shaking his head.
"Surrounded by powerful enemies, as the weaker party, the only way to survive in the cracks is to maintain a neutral stance, treating all enemies equally. Because once the powerful enemies start to join forces, there's no chance for them to turn the tables."
Hiruzen asked, puzzled, "I don't understand. With the Hidden Leaf Village as a strong ally, does the Hidden Rain still need to fear the other two Great Shinobi Villages?"
"You overestimate yourself too much, Hiruzen." Danzo slowly stood up, his voice gradually lowering, "From Hanzo's perspective, you great nations that wantonly invade the Rain Country's territory are all bastards. Why should he trust you, just based on a piece of paper for an alliance?"
As he spoke, he picked up the document on the table, a look of disdain on his face, "Please, the Hidden Rain Village is facing a war that could destroy the village and the country. How can this simple piece of paper bind the two countries together?"
Hiruzen was silent.
"The more it is at this time, the less you can trust others. Declaring war on the Three Great Shinobi Villages at the same time can ensure that they attack each other and will not send too many troops to attack the Hidden Rain Village. But if he really reaches an alliance with you, he will not only have to face the anger of the other two Great Shinobi Villages, but also be wary of your betrayal at any time."
With a "rip," Danzo tore the contract in half. Hiruzen looked up in astonishment, and what responded to him was Danzo's light words:
"Therefore, I deliberately revealed this news to the Sand Ninja and Stone Ninja. They will naturally put aside their grievances temporarily and tacitly stand in one camp, targeting the Hidden Leaf and Hidden Rain, to destroy your alliance plan... At the same time, when they truly join forces, the Hidden Rain Village will have no choice but to join forces with us to resist the powerful enemy."
Danzo sneered, "Even if Hanzo guessed my intention, he can only cooperate with us obediently. This is... the charm of a conspiracy, which is much more reliable than your piece of paper."
Hiruzen took a deep breath, and the look in his eyes as he looked at his old friend had a somewhat dazed meaning.
"So, after the war is over, the Hidden Rain Village will still be the same Hidden Rain Village..."
"Rip."
"No." Danzo continued to tear the contract, his movements slow and methodical, "When we really defeat the Sand Ninja and Stone Ninja, we will send out all our forces and turn against them, completely destroying the Hidden Rain Village."
"You..." Hiruzen suddenly froze.
"What we need is not a conservative Hokage, but a Hokage who takes advantage of the chaos to seize more benefits for his Ninja village."
Danzo met his gaze, his eyes as deep as a cave, "Hiruzen, chaos is not an abyss, chaos is a ladder. Many people climb up, but fall to their deaths. Many people have the opportunity to climb, but refuse..."
With a wave of his hand, paper scraps fluttered like snow, "They, like you, cling to the village, the civilians, and the illusion of peace. All of this is an illusion. Only the ladder truly exists. We don't have the unparalleled strength of the First Hokage, so only climbing slowly is the entirety of life!"
"Hiruzen, if you don't learn to climb, you will always be the coward who is pressed to the ground by Uchiha Shin'yu and can't lift his head..." He turned and left, imitating Hiruzen's tone just now: "The Hidden Leaf only needs... one voice? Hehehe..."
Paper scraps fell and scattered, and Hiruzen stood there blankly, letting these white little things fall on the Hokage hat.
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