Veigar Contest

Veigar, wearing his forehead protector, had just endured another round of Will of Fire pyramid selling by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Yuck!

No, that came out wrong. Let me start over...

After giving a speech promoting the Will of Fire, he slowly walked out of the Ninja Academy under the gazes of numerous teachers and students.

After returning home, Veigar, exhausted from the fierce battle, lay flat on his bed with his limbs spread out.

Having achieved his wish and become a Konoha reserve ninja, Veigar only wanted to get a good night's sleep.

However, he still had to go to the Hokage Building that afternoon to complete his ninja registration and officially become a Konoha Genin. He didn't dare sleep too deeply, afraid he might oversleep.

While Veigar was sleeping fitfully, in the Hokage's Office of the Hokage Building, Hiruzen Sarutobi was speaking to Minato Namikaze, who stood before him. "Minato, I'll leave that child Veigar to you as well. Conveniently, you currently have only Kakashi Hatake on your team."

Minato Namikaze replied solemnly, "Yes, Third Lord."

"I'll do everything in my power to raise him into an outstanding ninja."

By this point, once Veigar had registered and officially become a Genin, it was practically set in stone that his team leader would be Minato Namikaze.

In fact, Minato Namikaze had already predicted that he might become Veigar's team leader. After all, he wasn't an idiot who never thought things through.

The day before, after returning from a mission with Kakashi Hatake, Hiruzen Sarutobi had told him about Veigar. He had also handed him the role of Chief Examiner for Veigar's Early Graduation exam and arranged for Kakashi Hatake to be Veigar's opponent in the exam.

All these signs indicated that Hiruzen Sarutobi intended for Veigar to become his second student.

After thinking it over briefly, Minato Namikaze also understood why Hiruzen Sarutobi would hand Veigar over to him.

First, Veigar's talent was outstanding enough. He had been known as a genius since childhood. Combined with Minato's current status and faction, that made him the most suitable candidate to become Veigar's team leader.

Second, the only student he currently led was Kakashi Hatake, so Veigar could fill out the team's roster.

Third, Kakashi Hatake was also a genius. Rivalry between geniuses often produced excellent results and spurred both of them to grow rapidly.

However, someone had to interfere at precisely this moment—and that person was Hokage's Assistant Shimura Danzō.

"I object."

Before he even entered, Shimura Danzō's voice rang into the office. Only then did he push open the door and slowly walk inside.

At this time, Shimura Danzō was the same age as Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his strength was still at the end of its peak. He had not yet wrapped his right arm in a thick layer of bandages because of his implantation with Hashirama's Cells. However, his right eye was already covered in bandages.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze both looked toward him. Minato Namikaze also lowered his head and greeted him. "Lord Danzō."

Shimura Danzō merely glanced at Minato Namikaze before walking up to Hiruzen Sarutobi and saying, "Hiruzen, I object to Minato becoming Yuejian Weijia's team leader."

"I hope you'll hand him over to me so I can bring him into Root and train him. In the future, he'll become the sharpest blade in Konoha's hand."

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could respond, Minato Namikaze grew anxious. As one of the village's jōnin and its famous Little Sun, Minato Namikaze had some understanding of Root, the Anbu's training division.

Although he had only learned bits and pieces, he felt deeply opposed to Root's existence.

Thus, Minato Namikaze stepped forward and hurriedly said, "No."

"Third Lord, that child Veigar is completely unsuited to being trained by Root. He should grow up in Konoha under the sun and become one of the village's pillars."

Minato Namikaze knew very well that presenting his objections to Shimura Danzō would be useless. Only Hiruzen Sarutobi could decide Veigar's fate, so he was really speaking to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Looking at the anxious Minato Namikaze, Shimura Danzō remained calm and unhurried. "Only Konoha's Root is truly suited to Yuejian Weijia's growth."

"So hand him over to me, Hiruzen."

Tap, tap!

Watching Hiruzen Sarutobi smoke, Shimura Danzō, as the person who understood him best, knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi had already made up his mind.

A choking cloud of smoke was slowly exhaled from Hiruzen Sarutobi's lungs. Then Minato Namikaze and Shimura Danzō, who were waiting for his decision, heard him say, "Danzō."

"Yuejian Weijia isn't suited for Root."

"His future isn't to be buried underground as a root, silently providing nourishment for Konoha. He will become one of Konoha's most important trunks beneath the sunlight, protecting Konoha."

As soon as he said this, Shimura Danzō's face instantly turned livid. Furious and resentful, he said, "Hiruzen, you'll regret today's decision."

"Yuejian Weijia is the person best suited for Root, and he will also become Root's next leader."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up at the anger, stubbornness, and seriousness in Shimura Danzō's eyes. Still unmoved, he shook his head. "Yuejian Weijia won't be handed over to you."

Rejected once again, Shimura Danzō became like a gambler who had lost himself in a desperate losing streak. He slammed both hands onto the desk, leaned forward, and stared at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "What if I'm willing to hand over control of Root right now and let Veigar become Root's second leader?"

Suddenly, Hiruzen Sarutobi jerked his head up. Staring at Shimura Danzō in shock, he said, "Danzō, do you know what you're saying?"

Shimura Danzō reined in the emotions he had displayed and said calmly, "I know exactly what I'm saying."

"Yuejian Weijia is the second leader of Root I've chosen."

After saying this, Shimura Danzō changed his tone and sighed softly. "Hiruzen, we have to admit that we're both old now. Root also needs an outstanding successor."

"In every respect, I believe Yuejian Weijia is the most suitable candidate."

Minato Namikaze was undoubtedly the most awkward person present. Shimura Danzō had played a card to obtain Veigar that Minato Namikaze had no way to deal with.

Or rather, this was something he had no right to participate in at his current level.

After all, this involved the succession of the village's highest-ranking power. Even if he were allowed to intervene, he wouldn't know what to do.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression returned to normal. He said nothing, merely smoking his dry tobacco one puff at a time.