Ideas and Plans

The argument in the Hokage's Office ultimately ended with the traditional conclusion. "You'll regret this; I am the rightful Hokage."

However, aside from verbally Shimura Danzō's opinion, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not take any further action or monitor Root's activities, as if Danzo would be taught a lesson after he finished speaking.

"Hmph, hypocrite... He says he disagrees, but he's just trying to shirk responsibility!"

Walking through Root shadowy Root base, Danzo himself with a cold expression. He knew his old friend's character well; if he really disagreed with his plan, then the Anbu would probably already be monitoring the Root Base from the outskirts.

However, if it is just verbal opposition without any substantial action, it is basically equivalent to tacit approval. After so many years of cooperation, the two have actually developed a tacit understanding to some extent.

This is why Danzo's dissatisfaction with Hiruzen Sarutobi grew day by day, since he himself knew very well that he was just a scapegoat.

If the plan succeeds, it's due to the Hokage's brilliant leadership; if it fails, it's all because of Danzo's arbitrariness. Simply taking the blame doesn't bring any benefit. Anyone who stayed in Danzo's position for a long time would probably be unwilling to accept it.

Although it was Danzo's own choice, it was almost 30 years ago. At 20, Danzo would have taken on the so-called darkness because of his ideals and ambitions, but at 50, Danzo had long been tired of this kind of life.

"If I become Hokage, if I can become Hokage! I will never be so weak and incompetent!"

In Danzo's mind, it was precisely because of the weakness of the current Third Hokage that he had to bear so much darkness... Although this idea was not wrong in a certain way, it was clear that this guy was just using it as an excuse to provide a basis for his ambition.

"Vegapunk... If I could control this genius scientist, perhaps I could truly and honorably become Hokage Position!"

"However... how to permanently control someone without affecting their intelligence..."

Danzo frowned as he pondered. In the current timeline, it was unknown whether Shisui Uchiha had Awakening the Mangekyo, and Danzo was even more unaware of the terrifying Ninjutsu Kotoamatsukami. He hadn't even truly transplanted the Sharingan yet.

Although Danzo had the idea of using Genjutsu to control Vegapunk, he found it extremely difficult to actually execute, and even felt at a loss.

Fortunately, Danzo wasn't alone; his Root organization was also full of talented people. He knocked on the table, and a few moments later, several imposing ninjas appeared before Danzo, kneeling on one knee. "Danzo, what are your orders?"

Danzo glanced at his three subordinates, his gaze finally settling on Fū Yamanaka: "Kaze, stay here. Ryōma and Torune, you may leave now!"

After he finished speaking, the two Aburame Clan ninjas withdrew, leaving only Fū Yamanaka, who was most skilled in Genjutsu, still kneeling on the spot.

"Wind, if I want to completely control a person's mind without damaging their intelligence, is it possible?"

Fū Yamanaka was taken aback. As a member of the Yamanaka Clan, he was also proficient in mental Secret Technique. If you asked him how to destroy someone's mind or control someone's body, he might be an expert, but to completely manipulate someone's mind without damaging their intelligence... that really hit his blind spot!

Although the brainwashing training at the Root was partly designed by the Yamanaka Clan, those who were brainwashed were all cannon fodder and suicide soldiers, with very little intellectual capacity; their so-called intelligence was limited to knowing some common sense.

"This... Danzo, you wish to preserve his full intelligence?"

"It's not about preserving him, it's about leaving him completely undamaged!" Danzo said somewhat discontentedly. "He's a scientist. If he really has some intellectual problems, what use is he to me?"

"This..." Fū Yamanaka looked dumbfounded. If it weren't for the fact that his boss was always ruthless, he probably would have asked, "Is there something wrong with your intelligence?"

The more knowledge one has, the more reactionary one becomes; the smarter a person is, the better they are at judging the situation. Therefore, so-called brainwashing work can basically be understood as work of dumbing down people.

Using it to produce suicide soldiers is fine, but using it to brainwash scientists will only produce a mindless, uncreative tool.

Of course, Fū Yamanaka wouldn't voice his inner thoughts; he simply shook his head and said, "Danzo, this is impossible. If all else fails, you should use the Cursed Seal to control him!"

Danzo rolled his eyes. Use Cursed Seal? What a brilliant idea. Wouldn't that offend the nobles even more than just killing Vegapunk?

If killing Vegapunk would only provoke an uprising in the Sea Country Alliance Wind Country, cause the Daimyo of the Earth Country and the Lightning Country to ostracize him, and draw the Daimyo of the Fire Country to question him, then using the Cursed Seal to control a nobleman and a Daimyo's heir would be enough to make all the noble classes disregard everything and destroy Konohagakure.

Although Danzo has always presented himself as a radical, it doesn't mean he's really a fool. If he were to do something like that, even Konohagakure wouldn't be able to protect him, and Konohagakure might even be completely destroyed in the wrath of the world's enemies.

Not to mention scientific research, it's not like sending someone to kill or set fires to complete a mission. If Vegapunk were really under control, he could just slack off, since no one else could tell what he was doing.

Danzo waved his hand and dismissed Fū Yamanaka. "It seems that controlling Vegapunk is impossible... Killing him directly would have a very bad impact. Even if we could find a way to frame other ninja villages, it wouldn't be foolproof."

Because of the ninjas' uncanny abilities, each ninja village has a wealth of experience in framing and counter-framing. Nowadays, ninja villages almost always deduce the problem directly from the perspective of the beneficiary, and rarely pay attention to the Headband on the perpetrator's head.

"In that case, perhaps the only option is to try to obtain the advanced technologies from the Wind Country and the Sea Country from this scientist!"

"Wait, if that's the case, why not just let the Yamanaka Clan read his memories? That way, we can not only obtain advanced technology, but also damage the scientist's brain, preventing him from making so many advanced inventions in the future!"

Thinking of this, Danzo's face revealed a sinister smile.