Old but Still Young at Heart

Hidden Leaf Village, Root.

The dim yellow candlelight illuminated the darkness, giving Danzo enough light to read the intelligence in his hand.

His twisted, numb expression proved that he was not in a good mood.

Danzo clenched the intelligence tightly in his hand. It was obvious that he was extremely displeased.

"Daimyo, damn Daimyo! I was already prepared to bow my head and submit to you, yet you still won't let me become Hokage. Do you really think I, Danzo, have no temper at all?!"

There was no need to ask. The information in his hand had been sent back by Root agents at the Daimyo's Mansion.

"Tsunade has already arrived, but the Daimyo didn't meet her. Instead, he sent me a message telling me to come up with better terms. Is he trying to turn me, Danzo, into his dog?!"

The position of Hokage was sacred in Danzo's heart.

What he wanted was to become a Hokage like the Second Hokage, one whose word was law and whom no one else dared oppose. Not a half-puppet like the Third, whose very existence irritated him.

Danzo was not as good as the Third at keeping up appearances. Once he decided to do something, he would never allow anyone to oppose him.

He wanted to turn the Hidden Leaf Village into the Root of his dreams.

In Danzo's mind, once he became Hokage, all ninjas should abandon their pasts and their families, becoming ninjas wholly devoted to fighting for the Hidden Leaf Village.

With a single order from Danzo, they should charge at the front, risk their lives, and fight without fear of sacrifice.

Emotions were things that made people weak. Ninjas had no need for them.

"Am I supposed to give up just like this?!"

This was the closest he had ever come to the position of Hokage.

Danzo did not want to give up.

He was more than a decade older than Tsunade. Tsunade possessed the Yin Seal, which allowed her to remain youthful, but Danzo could not do the same.

Although the Hashirama Cells in his right arm had slowed his aging somewhat, Danzo was still far inferior to Tsunade in that regard.

At this rate, if nothing unexpected happened to Tsunade, she could easily serve as Hokage for ten years.

Would he still be able to move around after ten years?

Even if he could, how much of his strength would remain?

The thought of a Hokage without strength was laughable.

"Rat, notify Orochimaru. I want to see him!"

No one answered. Danzo remained seated there, and tonight, he needed to think things through carefully.

After a long while, a Little White Snake slithered in through the crack beneath the door.

"Danzo, you were looking for me?"

The Little White Snake spoke, but it was Orochimaru's voice.

Danzo stared fixedly at the Little White Snake. "Orochimaru, some time ago, I helped you enter the Hidden Leaf Village and let you kill Hiruzen. Now it's time for you to repay me!"

The Little White Snake circled around on the floor, its tongue constantly flicking as though it were receiving information from the outside.

"The position of Hokage? How foolish!"

"After all these years, you're still obsessed with something so illusory. Danzo, you're old!"

Danzo's face darkened at those words.

"You don't need to concern yourself with that. I need to become Hokage now. Do you have a way?"

"A way? Tsunade is the current Hokage. Didn't you already go to the Daimyo? It seems that old man has his own plans as well. But that has nothing to do with me. You could send someone to kill Tsunade. Then, with no talent left in the Hidden Leaf Village, you could step forward. Two birds with one stone."

Danzo's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Tsunade cannot die. She is a talent of the Hidden Leaf Village."

"Heh." Orochimaru's tone was full of mockery. "You, Danzo, still care about such empty things? Think of White Fang. Think of my fine disciple Nawaki. Think of Minato Namikaze. All of them were talents, yet in the end, they still became a handful of dirt."

Danzo said, "I asked you here not to mock me. Besides, what happened back then was all Hiruzen's fault. What did it have to do with me, Danzo?"

Orochimaru said, "When you let me enter the Hidden Leaf Village, you also wanted me to kill Teacher Hiruzen. With this matter, even if I owe you a favor, I don't owe you that much."

Danzo said, "Speak plainly!"

Orochimaru said, "Before long, my subordinates will infiltrate the Hidden Leaf Village. I hope you will let them pass."

Danzo said, "Why are you sending people here again? Don't tell me you're planning to kill this old man?"

Orochimaru said, "Don't flatter yourself. Why would I kill you? Our cooperation has been quite pleasant."

Danzo said, "Then what is it for?"

Orochimaru said, "I'm here to collect the precious wealth of the Uchiha clan."

Danzo said, "So it's Sasuke Uchiha. As long as you can help me accomplish this, I'm willing to help you once more."

Orochimaru said, "This is mutual assistance. I don't owe you anything."

Danzo said, "Enough. Let's discuss serious matters. Tsunade has already arrived at the Daimyo's Mansion. The Daimyo has given me one day to offer terms that will tempt him. I hope you can help me."

Orochimaru said, "The Daimyo? Since he is so foolish, why not replace him with someone younger and more obedient? What do you think?"

Danzo shook his head. Even though he knew that the Little White Snake before him was merely a messenger, he said, "No. The rules cannot be broken."

Orochimaru said, "That is the simplest method. I can send people to help you. When the Daimyo dies, it will have nothing to do with you."

Danzo was slightly tempted for a moment, but in the end, he still shook his head.

"No. That old man has his uses. If a new Daimyo takes office and learns what I have done, he will definitely scheme against me without mercy."

Orochimaru said, "Don't tell me you want me to go to the Daimyo and openly say that I support you, then ask whether that would let you become Hokage?"

Danzo said, "Of course not. What I want is for you to develop a medicine that can briefly restore one's vigor, so the Daimyo can retain his masculine prowess. I have learned that when it comes to beautiful women now, he can only look, not use. If he regains his vigor, he will be too busy playing with women to even keep up. How would he have time to care about who becomes Hokage?"

Orochimaru: ???

I feel like you're insulting me, Danzo.

Is this what a scientist is supposed to do?!

When he received no reply from Orochimaru, Danzo knew that Orochimaru could not bring himself to agree.

"Don't worry. Once I become Hokage, you will not lack benefits."

Orochimaru said, "I recall that you aren't young either, Danzo. You still have no descendants. Could it be that you plan to use the Daimyo as an excuse and keep the medicine for yourself?"

Danzo: Well played, Orochimaru. I, Shimura Danzō, have worked painstakingly for the Hidden Leaf Village for so many years, all so that I could become Hokage. I don't even have a child, and you still insult me.

Wait, this medicine seems like something I could use too.

Among Root's ninjas, there were not only men, but women as well.

It had to be said that young female ninjas were not only strong; their figures and appearances were far superior to those of women from ordinary households.

Ahem, ahem. I mustn't think too much. I, Shimura Danzō, am wholeheartedly devoted to the Hidden Leaf Village. How could I do something like that?!

Orochimaru said, "This is simple. Seeing how old you are, I'll prepare extra. Let this old tree of yours bloom as well!"

Danzo wanted to refuse, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down.

I, Danzo, have taken the blame for years. Now there is merely one more burden to bear. It doesn't matter.