"Kizaru-nii, were you too tired from training yesterday?"
"Kizaru-nii, I thought the teacher was about to hit you, that scared me a lot!"
"By the way, Kizaru-nii, I wrote down everything in class today! Do you wanna look over my notes?"
On the way home with the three little ones of the Shimura family, the endlessly talkative Shimura Yoshihiko clung to Kizaru's side. His mouth was like a machine gun—once he started firing, he didn't stop.
Kizaru answered him perfunctorily, his legs speeding up as he walked. Before long, they reached the main residence of the Shimura clan.
"You guys head back first. I'm going to see the clan leader," Kizaru said as he slid open the gate and stepped into the courtyard.
"Kizaru-nii—"
Shimura Yoshihiko still wanted to say something, but Shimura Yuki and Shimura Tannin each grabbed an arm and dragged him away.
"Goodbye, Kizaru-nii!"
The two smiled, one hand holding onto the near-sighted Yoshihiko, the other raised high as they waved back toward Kizaru.
"Yeah, yeah, see you later~."
Watching the three kids walk off, Kizaru finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. He casually dug at his ear with his little finger, then dropped his hand, stuffed both into his pockets, and strolled toward the courtyard where Danzō lived.
Saying he was going to Danzō wasn't just an excuse to shake off Yoshihiko; it was also because of Danzō's standing order.
The lessons at the Ninja Academy were far too mild and low-level to be of much use to him.
Because of that, Danzō had instructed Kizaru to come to him for training every day after class.
Kizaru had no objections to that. He understood very clearly that all privileges and interests came from strength.
Whether in the clan, in the village, or in the entire shinobi world, that rule never changed.
So, Kizaru rarely complained about how the clan arranged his training.
Danzō's residence sat at the center of the main compound, only a few hundred meters from the front gate.
When Kizaru pushed open the wooden door and walked into the courtyard, Danzō was standing alone in the middle of it, as if he'd been waiting there for some time.
"Eeeh~ I'm not late, right, clan leader?" Kizaru said with a lazy smile as he stepped into the yard, facing Danzō's serious gaze.
Danzō had always been dissatisfied with Kizaru's lack of seriousness and had lectured him about it more than once, but nothing ever stuck.
Protected by the three elders since he was small, Kizaru always listened obediently when they spoke—but he absolutely refused to change his laid-back attitude. It was enough to give Danzō a constant headache.
Deciding it wasn't worth the effort to correct him yet again, Danzō simply turned and walked toward the house.
"Follow me."
Kizaru trailed after him inside. They went to the low tea table and sat down facing each other.
"I heard from Isshin that you were spacing out and even fell asleep during class today."
"Eeeh~ Uncle Isshin, you reported even that?" Kizaru scratched his head with a wry smile.
He wasn't surprised that Danzō knew what had happened. Kizaru had long been aware that the clan had assigned a jōnin to secretly guard him.
"Those classes are meaningless for someone like you. Rather than listening, it's better that you catch up on sleep."
To Kizaru's surprise, the man who usually loved to nitpick every little flaw didn't scold him this time.
"Don't look so surprised. I don't want you wasting time on those so-called 'ideology' lessons. Those are for the people below you," Danzō went on.
"Kizaru, you are different from those mediocre people. You have the potential to change the entire shinobi world, just like the First Hokage did. You are a born strong one—a born leader. You should view this world with the mindset of the strong, with the mindset of a ruler."
Danzō's voice was solemn as he spoke, his sharp gaze locking onto Kizaru's eyes.
"Ruler, huh… ooh~ that sounds super troublesome," Kizaru replied with an easy grin. "My ideal is to find a job with high pay, light work, and a nice status… and then just live happily ever after."
Instead of getting angry at that answer, Danzō actually let out a short laugh.
"Isn't that the Hokage's job?"
"I don't really get that feeling, y'know~."
"That fellow Hiruzen is living exactly the kind of life you're talking about. Most of his day is probably spent hiding in his office, using that crystal ball to peek into the women's bath," Danzō said with a crooked smile.
"Eeeh, eeeh—clan leader, I'm totally telling Hokage-sama about that~."
"Go ahead. While you're at it, ask him how much he earns a year as Hokage."
When it came to his old friend, Danzō was very much at ease. The bond between the two of them was the closest in the village.
Back then, when Sarutobi Hiruzen returned to the village with their teacher's dying wish that he succeed him as Hokage, the various powers in the village hadn't accepted it at all.
If it hadn't been for Lady Mito's support, and the full backing of the Shimura clan under Danzō's leadership, Hiruzen—who only had the Sarutobi clan behind him—would never have so easily taken the Hokage's seat.
And over the past ten years, without Danzō and Hiruzen working together—one in the light, one in the shadows—Hiruzen would never have gained such firm control of the Hokage's authority.
"Hokage" was just a title, a position. Sitting in that chair didn't automatically make you the true leader of the village.
Only after firmly grasping the village's military and financial power could a Hokage be considered a real Hokage.
"You and Uncle Hiruzen sure get along well, huh, Uncle," Kizaru sighed.
Danzō nodded, a reserved yet slightly smug smile tugging at his lips. "Well… just a little."
"Kizaru, I know you hate troublesome things, but you need to understand: trouble will come looking for you whether you like it or not," Danzō continued teaching, his tone turning stern again. "You don't have to like trouble—but you must have the ability to deal with it."
"Overwhelming strength can resolve most problems. But using your own strength to solve everything is, in itself, troublesome. Don't you think so?"
"Mm, that's true~," Kizaru agreed with a nod.
"That's why you must have power of your own—your own forces. You push the trouble onto your subordinates and let them handle it. That is the easiest way to solve problems." Danzō spoke in a calm but persuasive tone.
"So in the end, you still want me to aim for the Hokage's seat in the future, right?" Kizaru summarized.
Danzō nodded slowly, his expression firm. A hint of ferocity flashed in his eyes as he spoke in a voice full of certainty:
"It's not about 'aiming' for it. In the future, the Hokage's position will be yours. That is my promise to you."
It was the first time Kizaru had seen Danzō show such boldness. Far from feeling afraid, he actually found himself liking the old man a little more.
No matter how terrible this guy's reputation was among Naruto fans in Kizaru's previous life, at the very least, right now, he was genuinely working for Kizaru's sake.
Kizaru also understood that within that goodwill, Danzō had his own interests and plans.
But honestly—how many "kindnesses" in this world came with absolutely no reason or benefit attached?
"Alright then. I, Kizaru, will become Hokage's man in the future~," Kizaru said with a straight face.
In his heart, though, the words meant something completely different—not "I'll be Hokage," but "I'll be the Hokage's husband.
…By the way, how old will Tsunade be when she becomes Hokage again? Could I really pull off freeloading off her that hard?
As that thought popped up, Kizaru's mind drifted away in an instant.
Seeing Kizaru's answer, Danzō looked extremely satisfied. The corners of his mouth lifted higher as a pleased smile spread across his face.
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