The Masked Man's Gaze (Please Keep Reading)

Seeing Root completely surrounded by the Anbu, Danzo truly felt his blood run cold.

Of course, he knew there were many conflicts between himself and his old friend.

Especially since he had once tried to assassinate that old friend.

For a moment, he genuinely wondered whether his old friend intended to use this incident to get rid of him outright.

"Danzo, I know you hate Kakashi, but you've gone too far this time."

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not jump down. He merely continued looking down at Danzo from above.

"I do not wish to see fellow village shinobi mercilessly killing one another. You should understand that."

"..."

Damn it, you make it sound so righteous. Have you forgotten what Root is for?

Danzo could not help grumbling inwardly, but he knew he absolutely could not say such things aloud, nor could he acknowledge the Third Hokage's words.

"What are you talking about, Hiruzen? I have no prejudice against Kakashi. He was the one who barged into Root's base without authorization!"

"Without authorization?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and spoke in a low voice.

"I issued an order summoning you, but I heard you pretended not to be here. That was why he came in to find you, wasn't it?"

Danzo did not want to speak. He did not know what his old friend was trying to accomplish by pressuring him so relentlessly.

But after glancing at Kano standing there, as well as Hidezawa standing before Kakashi and the others, an idea suddenly came to him.

Could he be deliberately forcing me to hand Kano over for Hidezawa to see? That kid performed far too well during the Sunagakure operation!

"It seems there was an error in the delivery of the order. This is the first I've heard of it."

Although Danzo's mind was filled with other thoughts, he stubbornly refused to yield.

"In that case, let us put the matter concerning Kakashi aside for now."

"I summoned you because of what I am about to discuss."

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of letting Danzo muddle through so easily. He pondered for a moment before continuing.

"You should know that Wood Release is a technique the village has long dreamed of obtaining. We once spared no expense in conducting high-risk experiments just to gain this power.

"And yet you hid this power within Root. Can you tell me why?"

Danzo's heart skipped a beat. So it had come to this after all!

He could no longer maintain a calm facade and immediately began explaining.

"I did it to protect and cultivate him. I had absolutely no intention of concealing him, and there is no need to file a report for something like this!"

"But, Danzo..."

The Third Hokage touched the brim of his hat and spoke calmly, leaving no room for rebuttal.

"The Jinchuriki will soon be attending school, and Wood Release Sealing Techniques are becoming increasingly important to the village."

Danzo had nothing to say, because once the Jinchuriki was involved, everything changed!

When it came down to it, what could be more important than a Jinchuriki?

But without Kano's Wood Release, how would he control the Jinchuriki in the future?

So it was all planned. Through this, he made Hidezawa see that I had no choice but to submit to the Hokage, and he took Kano as well?

Danzo's fists clenched tightly. He had been forced into this position entirely because he was not the Hokage!

Otherwise, who would dare treat him this way?

"So, Danzo, I will assign him to the Anbu. Wasn't Root originally the Anbu's training center?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea of the twists and turns in Danzo's mind. He continued speaking with a grave expression.

"You have already sent many outstanding talents to the Anbu, such as Hidezawa. So now, I hope you can be more generous.

"However, to thank you for your contribution, I can write off everything that has happened today. And regarding that previous matter, I can agree to your request as well."

That previous matter?

Danzo immediately understood that he meant Hidezawa's contact with Naruto. But he had already lost Kano, and this man was still putting on such a hypocritical act?

Danzo was truly burning with rage. He angrily raised his head and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Fine. We'll do it your way."

In the end, Danzo still backed down. The Anbu had completely surrounded Root, and who knew what other forces had been deployed outside?

He was genuinely worried that his old friend might seize this chance to abolish Root altogether!

"However, I want to speak with him alone for a few moments. After all, he came from me."

Still, Danzo raised a hand and pointed at Hidezawa.

"Very well."

Seeing that the matter had been more or less settled, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not object, though he gave a specific reminder.

"We will wait for him outside. After all, he is a member of the Anbu."

After saying that, he decisively waved his hand and had all the Anbu leave, leaving behind only Danzo with his grim expression.

He really was here to steal his people!

"Hidezawa."

Yugao was somewhat worried. It was her first time witnessing such a "struggle among the higher-ups," and she felt rather uneasy. She had no idea what Danzo wanted with Hidezawa.

"Don't worry. Wait for me outside."

Hidezawa gently patted Yugao's shoulder, then walked decisively over to Danzo.

"What exactly are you doing?"

Once everyone had left, Danzo finally could not hold back any longer!

"Are you going to betray me like Kano did as well? Don't forget, your director is waiting for funding, and don't forget that the Cursed Seal on your body cannot be removed!"

Who are you trying to fool? Yakushi Nonō is in Iwagakure, and the Cursed Seal on me was removed long ago.

Hidezawa grumbled inwardly, but he felt he should still put on an act. So he simply removed his mask and spoke with a solemn expression.

"Lord Danzo, I have not forgotten. I was merely testing them just now."

"Testing them?"

Danzo nearly laughed in anger. Helping Kakashi take Kano away counted as a test?

"That's right, testing them."

Hidezawa nodded with great seriousness.

"Lord Danzo wishes to become Hokage, and that has always been the direction of my efforts. Otherwise, I would not have sought allies for Lord Danzo in Sunagakure, giving you an opportunity to control Sunagakure."

"..."

Danzo was momentarily speechless. Hidezawa's previous actions did seem to have been helping him!

"However, to become Hokage, you must have qualified guards."

Hidezawa raised his head, gave Danzo an incomparably serious look, then swept his gaze across Root.

Especially those people who were covered in grime and had just crawled out of the Underworld Swamp. He shook his head and spoke softly.

"But I am very disappointed. They could not even resist me. If trouble arises in the future, how will they protect Lord Danzo?"

"What?"

Aburame Ryūma, who stood nearby, was dumbfounded upon hearing that. If the others heard those words, this kid probably would not make it out of Root today!

Danzo was stunned as well. He had injured his comrades and practically let Kakashi and Kano go, yet he actually had an explanation like this?

But after thinking it over carefully, Danzo realized it somehow really did make sense!

Hidezawa was not some clan shinobi. Danzo had sent him into the Anbu to lie low, yet someone like him had turned Root, which Danzo took such pride in, into this state?

Even if it had been a sneak attack, even if they had been caught off guard, Root's performance had undeniably been far too poor!

This kid was actually the most loyal one?

"I understand."

After a long while, Danzo finally nodded. After all, he still had leverage over Hidezawa.

Yakushi Nonō was an obstacle Hidezawa could not overcome. Just like Yakushi Kabuto, Danzo could easily keep him under control now!

"It seems I misunderstood you. You did very well. Root's current personnel are indeed still far from adequate. They need even more intensive training."

Hidezawa nodded, silently breaking into a cold sweat for these Root members.

No surprises there—they would probably receive Danzo's iron-fisted treatment and achieve physical enlightenment.

Still, that was good. When he took over Root in the future, would he not have a group of capable subordinates?

Hidezawa hoped Danzo would leave him plenty of good inheritance.

"Alright, you should go now. Do not keep those outside waiting too long."

Though he was deeply displeased, Danzo still spoke with a dark expression.

"And do not forget who you are. Do you understand?"

"Lord Danzo, I have always remembered that I uphold your will, and that all my actions are for the Root of Konohagakure!"

Hidezawa replied with practiced ease, making Danzo feel much better.

Today had truly been suffocatingly humiliating for him.

Yet within a dimensional space somewhere above them, a Masked Man silently watched it all.

"That kid... is he Shisui Uchiha's teammate?"

This newbie humbly begs everyone to keep reading. Current readership will determine everything for this book; leaving it on hold can easily kill it.

Thank you, everyone. Onz