Musashi fell silent for a moment.
He knew it was impossible to keep the details of his mission a secret forever, but he hadn't expected the news to travel this fast.
Seeing his silence, Danzo continued, "What? Are you surprised?"
"Musashi, do not mistake me for someone as easily fooled as Hiruzen. Konoha's intelligence network is largely under my control."
"The Bounty Stations, the Five Great Ninja Villages, the various small countries... I have people in most corners of the ninja world."
Hearing this, Musashi finally couldn't help but speak up. "Elder Danzo."
"Your intelligence network is indeed formidable. But using such power just to pry into the news of an ordinary ninja like me... isn't that a bit of overkill?"
Danzo replied, "This intelligence was merely collected by my people in passing."
"Besides, Musashi, you are no ordinary ninja."
"Ordinary ninjas cannot unleash the power of the Eight Gates."
"Ordinary ninjas cannot go toe-to-toe with Itachi Uchiha at such a young age."
"And ordinary ninjas certainly couldn't beat a member of the Land of Lightning's Black Light Guard to death with their bare hands."
Danzo paused here, his single eye scrutinizing the young man before him earnestly.
"Truth be told, Musashi, I never imagined you would grow this quickly."
"Orochimaru, Minato Namikaze... Konoha has produced geniuses without Kekkei Genkai before, but you are different from them."
"When I learned that the Black Light Guard member died by your hand, Musashi, I realized just what an outstanding talent I had missed out on."
Musashi replied coldly, "Elder Danzo, it seems a bit too late to say these things now. I am currently an Anbu directly under the Hokage."
"Moreover, I don't particularly fancy having inexplicable patterns tattooed on my tongue."
He scanned his surroundings, calculating the probability of escape if he suddenly attacked.
The probability was high, but cleaning up the mess after the battle started would be a headache.
Danzo sighed lightly. "It is indeed a bit late. But not too late."
"Musashi, your strength may be great, but your weaknesses are also very obvious."
"Ayame, Naruto, Izumi... you have too many attachments."
Musashi's aura instantly shifted. The killing intent in his eyes became so dense it felt tangible.
"Relax," Danzo said. "I am simply stating a fact, not actually planning to do anything."
"I called you here because I want to have a serious talk with you."
Hearing this, Musashi reigned in his killing intent slightly.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Danzo said, "I want your support."
"Support like you give Hiruzen, or perhaps even more!"
Musashi froze.
Then, he tested the waters. "Does Elder Danzo mean... should I tell the people in the Land of Waves to change the 'Hiruzen Toll Station' to the 'Danzo Toll Station'?"
"Stop joking, Musashi," Danzo said sternly. "What I want is your full political support."
"When the time comes that I need you to stand by my side, I hope you will stand firmly with me."
Musashi's expression turned serious as well. "Elder Danzo."
"I will say it again. I am Lord Hokage's direct subordinate! His capable right-hand man!"
"That is the Third Hokage, whom I respect and admire the most!"
Danzo's face remained calm. "I can help you bury what you did in the Land of Waves."
"Furthermore, I can provide you with the necessary support for your training."
Musashi's expression immediately shifted to one of professional interest. "Elder Danzo, please elaborate on exactly what you need me to do."
"Heh." Danzo looked at him with a hint of amusement. "First, if one day Hiruzen and I come into conflict, you must stand on my side. Second... give me Haku, the boy you brought back. A young body possessing a Kekkei Genkai is very valuable."
Musashi didn't reject him immediately. Instead, he thought for a moment and said, "Elder Danzo, Haku is still useful to me right now. How about this? In two years, I will hand Haku over to you."
"Two years, is it? ...Acceptable."
Musashi beamed. "Thank you, Elder Danzo!"
"Rest assured, if the day truly comes when you and the Third compete for the position of Hokage, I will definitely! Unwaveringly! Stand by your side!"
---
After walking a long distance away from the Root base, Musashi finally let out a sigh of relief.
If possible, he really didn't want to deal with these old geezers.
Fortunately, with Danzo's backing, he didn't have to worry about the outrageous things he did in the Land of Waves for the time being.
As for whether the Third Hokage found out...
The Chunin Exams shouldn't be far off. By then, whether he found out or not wouldn't matter.
As for supporting Danzo in stabbing Sarutobi Hiruzen in the back?
When the old man kicks the bucket, who the hell am I supposed to support?
And Haku?
You go ahead and call his name, see if he answers you.
---
Returning home, Musashi threw all these troubles to the back of his mind.
He stripped off his outer clothes and scrambled back to the bedroom like a monkey in heat.
With a soft cry of surprise from the bed, he dived into the warm quilt that smelled entirely of his Big Sister.
"Eek!~"
"You scared me!~"
"Your body is so cold."
Musashi wiggled and wormed his way into a comfortable position.
"I won't be cold in a second."
Indeed, very quickly, Ayame didn't feel cold anymore.
On the contrary, it felt like she was hugging a ball of fire.
Feeling her smelly little brother starting to get restless again, she issued a fearful warning.
"No [REDACTED]!"
"Mm-hm, I won't [REDACTED]," Musashi agreed hurriedly. "I'll just hold you like this. I won't do anything bad."
Five minutes later.
"I'll just get a little closer; these random clothes are getting in the way."
Half an hour later.
"I'll just [REDACTED]..."
One hour later.
Ayame, having been dragged by Musashi into an intense round of "close-quarters combat training" where he pushed his luck every step of the way, was vaguely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Between gasps, she let out intermittent curses.
"Musashi... you... stinking brother... you... bas... ah!~ Bastard!~"