Shisui, Kaze—I, Danzo, Have You Both in the Palm of My Hand! Even the Hokage Can't Save You!

The moment Danzo received word from the Root ninja he had sent out that Shisui and Kaze had clashed, he decisively went to find Hiruzen.

But when he pushed open the door and noticed the Crystal Ball before Hiruzen, even his dull mind immediately understood.

"Looks like you don't intend to hand over Kaze's corpse," Danzo asked bluntly.

"Mm." Hiruzen nodded as he responded, dispelling the Clairvoyance Jutsu.

"Kaze's Nintaijutsu truly exceeded my expectations."

"For a moment, I thought I saw the Raikage's shadow in him."

The implication was that handing over a ninja as formidable as Kaze would undoubtedly be a tremendous loss for Konoha.

"The Raikage's shadow?"

Danzo narrowed his left eye slightly and continued, "Speaking of which, that move Shisui used against Kaze."

"It should have been the Susanoo unique to the Uchiha Clan."

"And the last person to use that Ninjutsu was Madara Uchiha."

Danzo did not speak loudly, but every word rang with force.

He directly turned the spearhead toward Shisui.

Although Shisui had always been a staunch supporter of the Will of Fire, Danzo had never let down his guard against him.

"Shisui is not a second Madara Uchiha."

Seeing Danzo's implication, Hiruzen hurriedly denied it. "He is an outstanding ninja who inherited Kagami's will."

But then Hiruzen's voice sank. "The rift between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan still needs Shisui to mediate."

Although Itachi Uchiha was also an outstanding ninja with a Hokage's mindset, neither his age nor his strength could compare to Shisui's now.

If anything happened to Shisui at this time, it would only intensify the Uchiha Clan's resentment toward the village.

"A man who possesses such power yet limits his ambition to harmony between his clan and the village can hardly be called an outstanding ninja."

Danzo did not share Hiruzen's view.

In the eyes of an ambitious man like him, the power of Susanoo could completely help Konoha dominate the Shinobi World.

"Enough."

Danzo shook his head slightly. "Let's put Shisui's matter aside for now."

"What do you intend to do about that brat Kaze?"

Although Danzo did not fully trust Shisui, Shisui still held the identity of a Double Agent.

He was dedicated to using the Will of Fire to reform the Uchiha Clan.

At the very least, he was a piece the Konoha leadership could use against the Uchiha.

But that brat named Kaze was an entirely different matter.

At the Konoha meeting, he had been aggressively confrontational.

He had also concealed the fact that he possessed the Sharingan.

And there was his Nintaijutsu...

Under the surveillance of both the Anbu and Root, he had actually grown this powerful.

He could even contend with a half-complete Susanoo.

If Kaze's talent continued to develop in the future—

If he evolved his ordinary Three-Tomoe Sharingan into a Mangekyō Sharingan—

If he mastered the Susanoo technique—

Combined with Lightning Release Nintaijutsu, he would become Endless Trouble!

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Hiruzen raised his head toward his old friend of many years, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

But then again, how could he not understand what Danzo was worried about?

Yet he was Konoha's light.

There were certain thoughts, certain words, that should not come from his mouth.

"Aburame Ryoma is hanging by a thread. He could die at any moment."

"If he dies, Kaze will be the murderer."

"Since the Security Force values order, we can use order to deal with them."

"As for Kaze's corpse, it can also calm this disturbance."

"Killing two birds with one stone. Nothing could be simpler."

A hint of greed surfaced in Danzo's eyes. "Actually, we can accept any Uchiha who doesn't know his place."

"No matter how strong the Uchiha become in Taijutsu, no matter how skilled they become in Ninjutsu, they pose no great threat to us."

"The only truly dangerous thing is the Uchiha's Sharingan."

"Not only does it represent evil, but the power it possesses..."

"Is simply beyond comparison with ordinary Ninjutsu and Taijutsu."

Danzo's attitude was exceedingly firm.

It was practically a direct death sentence for Kaze.

"No..."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow and instinctively refused.

First, in Kaze's battle with Ryoma, the latter had been the one to use a killing move first.

Kaze had merely acted in self-defense.

Not only had members of the Uchiha Clan witnessed it, but the Hyuga Clan could testify as well.

Using Ryoma's death to destroy Kaze could easily backfire.

Second, Shisui had fought Kaze under the pretext of the Jonin Exam.

And judging by Shisui's change in attitude, Shisui had recognized Kaze as well.

Trying to destroy Kaze so urgently—wouldn't that just disgust Shisui?

Shisui was an extremely important link in maintaining the village's stability.

"Then do as you please."

Seeing Hiruzen's attitude, Danzo instead chose to back down. "After all..."

"If I were the Hokage, I would definitely take this opportunity to suppress the Uchiha Clan."

"So they don't stir up any more trouble."

Although Danzo and Hiruzen were both members of the Konoha leadership, their ambitions and political aspirations were utterly different.

Hiruzen thought only of staying in a corner and slowly developing the village.

But he had far greater ambitions!

To lead Konoha to dominate the Shinobi World!

"I'm leaving."

Danzo flicked his sleeve, turned with his cane, and departed.

In his eyes, Hiruzen was still too weak.

Perhaps it was a concern that came with age.

And through Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan, he had already seen the thing he had dreamed of within reach.

All that remained was to slowly lay out his plans.

To steer events toward that outcome.

Hashirama Senju's cells.

Together with Shisui's Sharingan.

Wood Style Jutsu and Susanoo fused into one...

When that time came, no one in the entire Shinobi World would be his match!

Raikage, Mizukage, Tsuchikage, Kazekage—every last one of them would be beneath him!

For Konoha's grand vision!

Shisui, Kaze—I, Danzo, have you both in the palm of my hand!

Even the Hokage can't save you!

"Danzo..."

Watching Danzo's retreating back, Hiruzen casually picked up the pipe from the table, placed it to his lips, took a puff, and exhaled clouds of smoke.

His gaze flickered uncertainly.

"Suppress the Uchiha Clan?"

Hiruzen murmured inwardly.

The Uchiha Clan's problem should still be left to Shisui to mediate first.

After seeing Danzo's attitude, Hiruzen gave the matter further thought.

As Konoha's Root, Danzo was well suited to doing some of the dirty work Hiruzen could not conveniently do himself.

But conversely, if darkness like him were allowed to stand in Konoha's light—

It would not bring the village the slightest benefit.

In other words...

"Danzo lacks the mindset of a Hokage. He cannot see the bigger picture, nor can he see the tide of the times."

After a sigh, Hiruzen finally made up his mind.

"In any case, Kaze should first be promoted to Jonin."

"Let him carry out missions with Shisui."

"I hope Shisui's will can gradually reform Kaze."

"And help him rise above the Uchiha Clan's narrow clan nationalism..."

Suddenly, at the thought of family, Asuma's image involuntarily surfaced in Hiruzen's mind.

"Come to think of it, Asuma has been a Jonin for quite some time."

"He has also been responsible for the Daimyo's security."

"Perhaps it is time to let him join the ranks of the Elite Jonin."