Danzo, You Handle Shirou Emiya's Problem!

Hokage Building.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was the first to come out.

The young man's face was lit with an unusual excitement.

Because Tobirama Senju had told him a secret—the secret of the mysterious Medical Ninja he had seen at Konoha Hospital—and assigned him an extremely special mission.

"I thought my guess had already been shocking enough..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched one fist and slammed it into his other palm, barely able to suppress the excitement on his face. The secret he had learned was simply too astonishing. "That man was actually the legendary Medical Ninja, Shirou Emiya himself!"

All this time...

The young man had been curious about the other man's identity.

Even when he had asked his father, Sarutobi Sasuke, at home, his father had firmly refused to reveal it. He had sternly warned his son not to be curious, forbidden him from investigating the secret in private, and told him that all he needed to do was show that man the utmost respect.

For a young man, the more mysterious something was, the more curious it became. He could only secretly speculate that the man might be Shirou Emiya's descendant. He had never expected him to be Shirou Emiya himself, someone Tobirama Senju had been forced to bring back through Impure World Reincarnation!

As for the special mission...

Naturally, it was to protect Shirou Emiya.

Although Sarutobi Hiruzen believed that he was nowhere near strong enough to protect someone as important as Shirou Emiya, Tobirama Senju had still firmly chosen them.

"Lord Shirou's strength does not require your protection."

When Tobirama Senju mentioned the mission, his voice was steady. "Monkey, you and Danzo are Konoha's finest new generation of ninja."

"The process of this mission is far more important than its result."

"I hope that the two of you can earn Lord Shirou's recognition during the mission, make him willing to believe in Konoha's future, and let him understand that in the future Shinobi World, only Konoha's ninja are willing to shoulder the peace of the Shinobi World."

"Huh?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not quite understand.

However, Tobirama Senju said nothing more. He first sent the boy away, then kept the young Danzo behind in the Hokage Building. From the sound of it, he intended to reprimand Danzo for being too insidious and ruthless during his sparring match with his companion.

Although Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to plead for his friend, Tobirama Senju's attitude was stern. He told him to go home and remain ready to carry out the mission at any time, and also told him to seek guidance from his father, Sarutobi Sasuke.

Inside the Hokage Building.

Tobirama Senju sat calmly in his chair.

The young Danzo stood uneasily before the desk.

"Danzo."

Tobirama Senju's gaze was noticeably cold, giving him an imposing air. "Don't worry. I do not intend to blame you for what happened in that match..."

"From a practical standpoint..."

"I should praise you for your quick wits."

"If this were the Warring States Period, you would have been an excellent ninja. That Wind Release technique was quite impressive. You nearly killed Monkey with it. Even I could find no fault in it..."

"To win a battle, one should be willing to use any means necessary. Monkey's softheartedness will sooner or later become a fatal weakness."

"..."

The young Danzo finally let out a sigh of relief.

Actually...

He had not expected this either.

The young man had thought he would be severely reprimanded. He had never imagined that the usually strict Tobirama Senju would take the initiative to praise him while he was trembling with fear.

"However..."

"You should still be gentler with your companions."

Tobirama Senju still reminded the young Danzo, saying in a deep voice, "You and Monkey are companions who can entrust your lives to one another. You have never been mortal enemies..."

"Yes..."

"Very good."

Tobirama Senju nodded seriously before getting to the main matter. "You heard what I said earlier about the mission to protect Lord Shirou..."

"Yes."

The young Danzo also began to feel excited.

Because he knew that anything concerning Shirou Emiya had to be a top secret among Konoha's upper ranks.

To be selected by Tobirama Senju for such a classified mission at the age of fourteen or fifteen, he could not help feeling that he had been entrusted with a great responsibility. Tobirama Senju had even deemed him one of Konoha's futures. Just thinking about it made his blood surge!

If that was the case...

Then the position of Hokage in the village's future...

A burst of ambition suddenly arose in the young Danzo's heart!

Every child who had grown up in Konoha had personally witnessed the villagers' respect for the First Hokage. Who would not want to become the Hokage of the village?

In the past...

He naturally would not have dared entertain such ambitions.

But Tobirama Senju had personally declared that he and Sarutobi Hiruzen were Konoha's future. Once he grew up, perhaps he really could take on the position of Hokage!

"However..."

"You know Monkey's temperament."

Tobirama Senju's expression gradually became even more solemn as he ordered in a deep voice, "This mission requires you to carefully fill in the gaps at his side."

"Yes!"

The young Danzo immediately answered loudly!

What did those words mean?

They clearly meant that Teacher Tobirama valued him more!

Although Sarutobi Hiruzen was exceptionally talented, Teacher Tobirama was dissatisfied with that guy's temperament. Clearly, he thought more highly of him!

Otherwise...

Why had he deliberately kept him behind?

"Danzo."

"The burden you carry will be very heavy."

Tobirama Senju narrowed his eyes slightly. He saw through the excitement in the young man's heart, yet did not care about his ambition. "You should know that the major nations of the Shinobi World have successively established hidden villages, and there is competition among those villages..."

"Lord Shirou."

"He is also an important person whom we must contend with them for."

Thinking of his elder brother's lifespan, Tobirama Senju's face grew even heavier. "For Konoha, Lord Shirou is indispensable. In particular, he knows many of Konoha's secrets, including the highest-level secrets..."

"Then..."

The young Danzo did not quite understand, and tried asking Tobirama Senju, "Shouldn't we keep Lord Shirou in Konoha?"

"Right now..."

"At least for now..."

"Konoha cannot dictate his will."

Tobirama Senju could not reveal that Shirou Emiya's existence was tied to Hashirama Senju's lifespan. He could only explain Shirou Emiya's status in simple terms. "For such a great figure, someone who has made enormous contributions throughout the long history of the Shinobi World, Konoha cannot behave discourteously toward him or use forceful methods against him..."

"However..."

"Lord Shirou possesses secrets from the Ancient Era, as well as certain powerful abilities. We also cannot ignore the impact he may have on the Shinobi World after leaving Konoha..."

As Tobirama Senju said this, he extended his arm and deliberately displayed the Curse Mark on it. "For example, Lord Shirou's Curse Mark energy can drastically increase a ninja's combat power. An ordinary ninja who obtains it can quickly gain strength comparable to a jonin..."

"!!!"

The young Danzo was inwardly shocked!

At that moment...

A trace of greed welled up in the young man's heart.

He quickly understood the value of such power and said in a deep voice, "This power absolutely cannot fall into the hands of the other hidden villages!"

"Correct."

Tobirama Senju nodded in satisfaction.

"For Konoha..."

"We can only adopt certain other methods..."

Tobirama Senju hoped the young man before him would understand what he wanted him to do. "Danzo, carrying out the mission of protecting Lord Shirou with Monkey is only a cover..."

"You have only one true mission."

"No matter what methods you use, you must prevent that lord from leaning toward other hidden villages. To that end, I will send an Anbu Squad to follow behind you and assist you. That Anbu Squad will help clear away certain people who should not appear..."

"Yes!"

The young Danzo dropped to one knee.

"Very good."

Tobirama Senju's expression finally softened.

Of course.

In name, the Anbu Squad was there to assist Danzo.

In truth, the Anbu were the ones responsible for carrying out the task.

However, Tobirama Senju also had to place a suitable person at Shirou Emiya's side. He had wanted to place the assistant he had assigned to Shirou Emiya there, but that assistant had already been won over by Shirou Emiya's noble character and might not willingly carry out such a mission...

Still...

Tobirama Senju had other thoughts as well.

He certainly could not tell Shimura Danzo about those little thoughts.

In this mission to protect Shirou Emiya, the young Sarutobi Hiruzen was the true trump card Tobirama Senju intended to use, because both he and his elder brother thought highly of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The young Sarutobi Hiruzen possessed Chakra of all five elemental natures. He had extraordinary talent for learning ninjutsu, and when things happened, he possessed the leadership qualities that inspired the companions around him to trust him. In a sense, his softheartedness was also compassion and kindness. Hadn't the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, always been softhearted toward others as well?

Tobirama Senju believed that Sarutobi Hiruzen was the person most likely to gain Shirou Emiya's recognition. The young Danzo was merely a hidden piece he had planted, one who would resolve certain troubles that should not arise in the darkness...

Of course.

Tobirama Senju had considered Shimura Danzo's future.

Tobirama Senju had noticed Shimura Danzo's willingness to use any means necessary. He felt that the young man resembled him in certain ways, and in his eyes, that was not a bad thing.

Because when dealing with enemies, this kind of conduct was precisely what was needed.

Unfortunately...

The boy's talent was not exceptional enough.

The young Danzo had also taken a somewhat crooked path in his training. He liked cultivating powerful ninjutsu and always hoped to become stronger through shortcuts.

In this regard...

Tobirama Senju had to admit that the boy resembled him even more.

His own talent was not particularly high. He could never keep up with powerhouses like his elder brother and Madara Uchiha, who stood at the peak of the Shinobi World. Nor did he possess any exceptional or powerful Kekkei Genkai. Thus, he had no choice but to develop strange and unusual techniques to make up for the gap in talent.

"Right."

"You seem to enjoy using sealing-type Curse Marks in battle."

Tobirama Senju lowered his head and glanced at the Curse Mark on his arm before instructing the young Danzo. "I have not yet figured out the nature of this Curse Mark energy, but it is undoubtedly the most powerful body-enhancing Curse Mark I have ever seen..."

"If you can obtain this Curse Mark energy from Lord Shirou during this mission, it will also be a good thing for your future. The road ahead will be much smoother..."