"Hiruzen, why are you here?"
Shimura Danzo admitted inwardly that he was genuinely startled. After all, if someone could silently infiltrate the underground base of Root—his own domain—the implications were terrifying. If someone else with less benevolent intentions had managed this, the entire network could've been compromised.
But the moment he laid eyes on his old comrade, Sarutobi Hiruzen, his nerves settled. The danger had passed. For now.
He couldn't say he liked this old friend. Though they had been allies for decades—brothers on the battlefield—Danzo had never truly let go of his resentment. Hiruzen had been chosen as Hokage, not him. That one decision had shaped everything.
Hiruzen had spared him once, after he had nearly crossed the line into outright betrayal. Even so, the bitterness of ambition denied still clung to his heart like the roots of a deep tree.
But for now, he was more curious than angry. What had driven Hiruzen to come down here, to Root, personally?
"Also, although my words were a bit excessive, don't you think your handling of many issues highlights your weakness?"
"Is that what you're talking about?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen raised an eyebrow calmly. He noticed Danzo had pointedly refused to address him as Hokage, not even as a courtesy.
But Hiruzen didn't press the issue. He was long used to Danzo's way of thinking—sharp, bitter, but not irrational.
"What was your purpose in letting that child enter the Anbu? I don't want to dig deeper into it for now, for the sake of unity. After all, Root is technically a training division of the Anbu, isn't it?"
'Are you pretending not to know, or do you truly not want to press the matter?'
Danzo almost sneered. He could've voiced his doubts then and there, but reason stopped him. There was no benefit to open confrontation at this point. Besides, there was nothing illegal about the transfer.
"But..."
Hiruzen paused slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"Didn't we have an agreement that you wouldn't interfere with Naruto's affairs? So why are you going back on your word and letting that child get in touch with him? Don't you think that's too much?"
'What?'
'Contact with Naruto?'
Danzo's thoughts stalled for a second. His mind buzzed as he quickly parsed the implications.
'That brat Shigen Hidezawa? Could it be that he somehow encountered Naruto?'
But he had made no such arrangement. That boy didn't even know Naruto's true identity... did he?
"I..."
Danzo opened his mouth to explain, but then stopped. Why should he? Explaining would be admitting guilt, and he wasn't guilty—not yet.
He had always believed the Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails should be under Root's control. Dangerous weapons required containment. The Nine-Tails attack had taken the life of the Fourth Hokage and many elite shinobi, leaving Konoha vulnerable inside and out.
Had Namikaze Minato not sacrificed himself and sealed the Nine-Tails, Konoha's fate could've been far worse.
But his old friend, Hiruzen, had always disagreed with him. In the end, they compromised. They had agreed to draw from the example of other Hidden Villages.
Yet the cost was clear. That decision had directly led to Naruto's tragic childhood.
In Danzo's eyes, it was inevitable. A Jinchūriki who grew up in adversity was less likely to be seduced by the power of their tailed beast. Pain was a form of discipline. It made them stronger. But darkness, if prolonged without relief, would eventually lead to collapse. That's why Hiruzen had always stepped in at crucial moments—offering Naruto tiny sparks of warmth, trying to keep the child from breaking entirely.
Just like a flickering flame in a long tunnel, barely keeping the boy alive.
Danzo, of course, had not given up. He just hadn't found the right opportunity.
If Hidezawa had met Naruto—whether intentionally or by accident—then perhaps this was a blessing in disguise.
"The Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki needs to be controlled. Although you've placed Anbu to monitor him, I don't believe they are as professional as Root."
Danzo narrowed his eyes, already thinking about how to trace the chain of events. Still, he decided to seize the narrative, presenting the incident as a calculated move.
Hiruzen's face darkened.
"Professional? Root's professionalism lies in assassination and coercion. Don't insult my intelligence."
He kept his tone calm, though his fingers clenched slightly behind his back.
"You know Naruto's identity. You know what kind of life he's endured. Are you really suggesting we pile more trauma on him?"
"Hmph, you're still too soft, Hiruzen."
Danzo's voice cut through sharply, his single eye staring unblinking.
"I know exactly who Naruto is. But don't forget—this was Minato's choice."
"Minato sacrificed enough! I've always felt this was unfair to a child."
Hiruzen's patience was wearing thin, but he forced himself to hold it together. Danzo, however, wasn't finished.
"That's why I say you're too soft. Have you forgotten the reality of war? What happens if the Jinchūriki loses control? How many lives are lost if he's not conditioned properly?
Compared to children who die on the battlefield or lose their families in war, Naruto living under surveillance in Konoha is already a blessing."
"Enough!"
Hiruzen's voice rose, hard and sharp. Though he hated to admit it, Danzo was not entirely wrong. The shinobi world was cruel. War did not discriminate by age or status. During the Third Great Ninja War, even fresh academy graduates had been thrown onto the battlefield.
Compared to that, Naruto's life—while painful—could be seen as relatively better.
But Hiruzen was not going to yield.
"Don't bring this up again. I will not change my mind. Naruto has suffered enough. He will not—cannot—join Root."
His tone left no room for negotiation. He stared Danzo down, gaze cold.
"That's enough, Danzo."
"Hmph."
Danzo snorted through his nose. To be honest, he was a little uneasy. He had taken a risk by claiming responsibility for the incident. It was true that he'd once tried to have Hiruzen assassinated—and failed. He couldn't afford to antagonize him too far.
Still, his dream burned quietly in his chest.
He had always chased two goals: to become Hokage, and to bring unity to the entire shinobi world.
If he had become Hokage instead of Hiruzen… things would be different. Stronger. More disciplined. Unshakable.
The shinobi world only needed one leader. One voice. Konoha's voice. His voice.
He also understood Hiruzen very well. For the sake of peace within the village, his old friend would make occasional concessions.
"However..."
As expected, Hiruzen finally spoke again.
"Perhaps you are right in one aspect. Root does have certain operational advantages in specific situations. But I need to think this matter through more carefully."
"Hmph. I understand."
Danzo's expression twisted into a mask of discontent, but deep down, he was satisfied.
Hiruzen's softness had not changed. That left space—space for maneuvering, for planting seeds, for waiting.
Now he needed to investigate how exactly Hidezawa had encountered Naruto. If there was no deeper problem… perhaps this could be a breakthrough.
Besides, the child already had his Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal —his Cursed Seal. He would never escape from Root's shadow.
As Danzo fell into his thoughts, Hiruzen gave him a long, unreadable glance.
"Good that you know."
He could see Danzo calculating behind those narrowed eyes. But it didn't matter.
Hidezawa was now part of the Anbu. Root might be the training ground, but ultimately, the boy answered to him now.
He would see to it that any twisted ideology planted by Danzo would be corrected.
At that moment, in the minds of both men, the same possessive thought emerged simultaneously:
'That's my man.'
*****
Support me on my pat reon and gain early access to my creations.
https://www.pat reon.com/RroY28 (remove the space)
You can access up to 30 advanced chapters.