Lord Danzō Definitely Wants to Become Hokage!

Lord Danzō definitely wanted to become Hokage!

Why did people always try to deceive him?

Who dared say Shimura Danzō was not easily angered?

Could Konoha find anyone more prone to losing his temper than Shimura Danzō?!

Akihara Kagura quietly stared at the old man's smiling face. This old fellow was clearly the culprit who had made Shimura Danzō want to kill someone in rage!

"Let's go fishing first!"

The old man slowly blew out a ring of smoke, his smile looking exceptionally kind. "If a youngster doesn't eat his fill at night, it'll affect his growth..."

Seeing that Akihara Kagura seemed unmoved, the old man continued, "If you go back too late and Danzo gets angry, I'll help talk him down."

"Oh?"

Akihara Kagura raised a brow, his expression turning provocative. "Lord Danzō is the village's Hokage Assistant. Would he listen to you?"

"Danzo and I have been old friends for many years..."

The old man nodded, obvious confidence showing in his eyes. He was very confident that he could keep Danzo in line. "Whenever I speak, he listens."

"Old people just love bragging..."

A clear trace of displeasure appeared on Akihara Kagura's face.

"Grandpa is the village's Hokage!"

Naruto Uzumaki quickly chimed in, then clenched his little fist and added, "But only for now! Once I grow up, I'll definitely replace him as Hokage, and I'll definitely surpass him!"

Just as Naruto Uzumaki had said, the old man was Konoha's Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, though he was not wearing his Hokage hat this time.

After watching the farce in the Forest of Death from his office, Hiruzen Sarutobi had intended to inspect the village. Instead, he spotted Akihara Kagura together with Naruto Uzumaki.

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately decided to take the opportunity to meet the two youngsters. Passing on the Will of Fire to the village's future had always been something he enjoyed doing.

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi had little airs about him, children, including Naruto Uzumaki, did not fear the Third Hokage. They only held respect for him.

Of course.

Some children in the village did not know that the old grandpa always wandering around was the Hokage. When they suddenly learned it from someone else, they would always cry "Wow!" in surprise, their attitude immediately becoming more respectful.

At such times, Hiruzen Sarutobi was happy to warmly pat those children on the head, showing them that the village's Hokage was a gentle and kindly old man.

Children like that often grew even more fond of the old man.

Children like that were also more easily planted with the seeds of the Will of Fire.

However...

Today brought an unexpected development.

After learning that the old man before him was the Third Hokage, Akihara Kagura first showed shock, then unexpectedly revealed wary hostility!

"Hehe..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi still wore that kindly smile, as if he did not care about Akihara Kagura's hostility at all. He knew that the children under Danzo were all somewhat abnormal.

"You... are the Third Hokage?"

Akihara Kagura watched Hiruzen Sarutobi warily, shaking his head with a deeply furrowed brow. "You don't look like a Hokage at all. A real Hokage should be like Lord Danzō..."

As Akihara Kagura spoke, he seemed to remember Naruto Uzumaki's declaration that he wanted to become Hokage.

"Kids shouldn't dream so much!"

Akihara Kagura pressed down on Naruto Uzumaki's head and ruffled his hair. "You have no chance. Konoha's future Hokage will definitely be Lord Danzō!"

"Take your hand off me!"

Naruto Uzumaki grabbed Akihara Kagura's wrist and loudly retorted, "Impossible! I'm the one who'll become Hokage! That Danzo guy has no chance at all!"

"Why not?"

Akihara Kagura patted Naruto Uzumaki on the head. "Konoha can do without anyone, but it cannot do without Lord Danzō! Lord Danzō will definitely become Hokage!"

"..."

A hint of sharpness appeared in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes as he watched.

However, that fierce glint vanished without a trace almost immediately. The old man promptly returned to his kindly demeanor, as though it had never appeared.

"Oh?"

"Danzo wants to become Hokage?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled and slowly continued, "We grew up together, and I've never heard him speak of any dream of becoming Hokage..."

"..."

How could you say something like that?

How could you say something so heartless?

Did this old fellow really know nothing about Danzo's feelings?

Yes.

Danzo had never told him.

But as Lord Danzō's number one confidant, he surely knew Lord Danzō's feelings!

While holding down Naruto Uzumaki, who wanted to keep arguing, Akihara Kagura solemnly asked Hiruzen Sarutobi, "Does Lord Danzō really not want to become Hokage?"

"..."

For a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not know how to answer.

If he lied, he might be exposed, leaving the youngster before him with the impression that he was a liar. How could he pass on the Will of Fire to him in the future?

"Perhaps he did."

Hiruzen Sarutobi decided to use an unfounded tactic.

"I knew it."

Akihara Kagura patted Naruto Uzumaki, signaling the youngster to quiet down, then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and continued, "Lord Danzō must have once wanted to become Hokage too, right?"

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently nodded.

"Didn't the Third Hokage just say that he and Lord Danzō were friends?"

Akihara Kagura seemed to have grasped the truth and began making things up without a care. "Maybe back then, both the Third Hokage and Lord Danzō had the chance to compete for the position of Hokage. Lord Danzō had a very good chance of becoming Hokage, but he didn't want to compete with a friend and lose their friendship, so he had no choice but to yield the position to the Third Hokage..."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Back then, his position as Hokage had been personally appointed by his teacher, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju. It could even be said that he had taken the post at a critical moment. Shimura Danzō had never had any chance to become Hokage!

This kid...

His filter for Shimura Danzō was far too severe!

Hiruzen Sarutobi vaguely felt that his conversation with Akihara Kagura had gone off track. Wasn't he here to pass on the Will of Fire to the village's future?

Why were they discussing him competing with Shimura Danzō for the Hokage position?

"Kid."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag from his pipe and blew out a huge smoke ring, determined to steer the topic back on course. "The Hokage is not a position people fight over. It is a responsibility that must be borne. The Hokage bears the hopes and recognition of everyone in the village..."

"Hokage..."

Akihara Kagura lowered his head in thought, seemingly persuaded by Hiruzen Sarutobi's words. "They need to bear the hopes and recognition of everyone in the village?"

"That's right..."

There was a hint of weariness in Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice.

Seeing both Akihara Kagura and Naruto Uzumaki lost in thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally nodded in satisfaction, intending to give the two youngsters a proper lesson.

"Third Hokage."

Akihara Kagura's expression suddenly turned serious. "My hope is that when I'm hungry, I can eat a steaming bowl of Ichiraku Ramen..."

"Me too! Me too!"

Naruto Uzumaki quickly raised his hand as well and said to Akihara Kagura, "When I become Hokage, I'll treat you to ramen every day!"

"...Fine, I'll treat you both."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped his pipe tightly.

After all, he had just said that the Hokage had to bear everyone's hopes and recognition. If he did not fulfill the hopes of these two now, they probably would not be willing to keep listening to this lesson on the Will of Fire...

First update!

The chapter comments can be seen in the backend...

Everyone can curse Danzo a little. Once you're done cursing him, you won't be able to curse me anymore!