Danzo Shimura gives people a very fixed impression.
The kind where he wants both the moral high ground and the dirty work.
After deciding Yakushi Nono's future, he then listened to Uchiha Ran's report about the internal situation of the Uchiha clan. When he heard that Uchiha Fugaku had appointed Ran as the captain of the Special Action Unit, Danzo revealed a meaningful, hard-to-read smile—then promptly dismissed Ran from Root.
As for what was going on inside that dog-brained head of Danzo's, Ran barely needed to think.
This turmoil between Iwagakure and Sunagakure?
There was a very high chance it had something to do with that man.
"As expected of the ninja world's number one shit-stirrer, Lord Danzo. The shinobi world really can't function without you."
As several smaller nations began to fall into chaos, the borders of the Land of Fire grew increasingly unstable.
In war, being a shinobi was a profession where tomorrow was never guaranteed—a profession where killing to complete a mission was considered normal.
Most of the time, to a shinobi, completing the mission was more important than a teammate's life.
What a tragic existence.
Shinobi were originally created in pursuit of a better future, but over time their nature had twisted. The reason was simple—this was the meaning of their survival.
The world itself was drenched in blood and darkness. Occasionally, only a faint glimmer of human kindness managed to illuminate that abyss.
The shinobi world was a sick world.
Between nations, between people—there was nothing but conflict and slaughter. Mutual hatred stained everyone's hands with blood.
There was no right or wrong in war.
Only life and death.
You might think yourself righteous, but in someone else's eyes, you were a heinous criminal.
To ordinary civilians, shinobi wars brought nothing but destruction and fear.
And when fear descended, they finally realized how insignificant they truly were.
There had never been equality in the shinobi world—only rigid hierarchies. From civilians, to ninja, to chūnin, to jōnin, and finally Kage. More often than not, strength depended on bloodline rather than effort.
To gain power, shinobi had to climb mountains of corpses.
To succeed, they had to pay a price.
Every Kage-level powerhouse stood atop countless departed souls.
If you wanted to become stronger, daily training wasn't enough. You had to take missions, fight equals, kill—and grow stronger through slaughter.
...
"What are you thinking about, Ran?"
A clear, melodious voice—like a lark's song—rang beside his ear.
That's right.
Today was another outing arranged by Yūhi Kurenai.
Though Kurenai was still young, she simply felt happy whenever she was with Ran.
Ran was different from the other rough, unkempt kids. Every time she saw him, she felt a calm, natural aura—something that made her want to draw closer without even realizing it.
"Kurenai," Ran said instead of answering, gently changing the subject, "how's your genjutsu training coming along? Border conflicts are escalating. This war will likely reach Konoha eventually. The stronger you are, the safer you'll be."
"Ran… I heard you're being sent to the border," Kurenai said softly. "I'm worried about you."
Seeing the warmth rising on her cheeks, Ran explained.
From Kurenai's perspective, Ran had only graduated this year—two years later than her. Someone like him shouldn't have been sent to border patrols so soon.
But when Ran mentioned that he was an Uchiha—and that he had defeated a clan elder using genjutsu—Kurenai fell silent.
She understood.
For someone from a great clan like the Uchiha, many things were beyond personal choice.
The Uchiha were roses of the battlefield.
Someone once said there was no reason to stop a man from heading toward the sea, no reason to stop a man chasing his dream of becoming Pirate King.
Likewise—
There was no reason to stop an Uchiha from going to war.
The Uchiha loved life. They loved their clan. If you stopped them from fighting for their family and comrades, those battlefield roses would only wither in peace.
Kurenai's eyes reddened slightly.
War was cruel—she had known that from the beginning.
Her father once told her that her mother had died in a border conflict.
Death was not an unfamiliar word to shinobi.
But if possible, Kurenai wished that her father—and Ran—could both live well.
"Ran… if you go to the border, please be careful."
In the sea of jasmine blossoms, Kurenai spoke softly, reminding him again and again to stay safe once he reached the battlefield.
Time really did fly.
The fragrance of Konoha's jasmine flowers had already spread throughout the village.
Today, Kurenai wore a white dress instead of her usual outfit. Standing amid the sea of jasmine, she looked especially lovely.
Like a shy flower in bloom, her cheeks tinged pink, her eyes filled with bashfulness.
A girl's feelings were like honey—sweet, thick, and hard to ignore.
After reminding Ran to stay safe, Kurenai hesitated, her emotions tangled.
The scent of jasmine drifted between them like whispered feelings in the air.
Slowly, she reached out and took Ran's hands, gathering all her courage.
"Ran… I like you. You have to come back safely."
She finally said it.
A confession—from a girl to a boy.
Sunlight bathed the jasmine field, falling upon the two of them.
The breeze gently stirred their hair, creating a warm, innocent atmosphere.
It was a young confession—simple, awkward, yet faintly sweet.
Nothing dramatic happened, but in that moment, their hearts felt closer than ever.
"Kurenai… I have feelings for you too," Ran said softly. "But we're still too young. Right now, the most important thing is getting stronger—so we can survive the coming war."
(Damn it, Jeanne. Sieg is useless. Dump him and come with Astolfo—we belong together!)
Ran rejected her.
Yet Kurenai heard the sincerity in his words and smiled through it.
"I'll always like you, Ran. When we grow up, I'll tell you properly—again."
Before he could respond, she suddenly attacked.
Under the witness of sunlight, under the witness of jasmine blossoms, Kurenai quickly kissed Ran on the cheek—then turned and ran.
"Ran! Remember our promise—come back alive!"
Her voice faded into the distance.
"Good grief…" Ran muttered. "That's a death flag if I've ever seen one."
After this war—go home and get married.
—
What Kurenai didn't notice was that, when she confessed…
Sarutobi Asuma was lying in the sea of jasmine flowers nearby, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.
Ran vaguely thought he heard the sound of a dog barking.
"…Was I imagining things?"
With that lingering doubt, Uchiha Ran turned and left the jasmine field.
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