Danzo

At night, the streets of Konoha Village were dimly lit.

Jiraiya carried a dinner and swayed as Earth Flow back to the Hokage Building. His steps were unsteady, and large dark circles hung under his eyes.

Those are the marks left by continuous overtime work.

The dinner in his hand was a simple bento box he bought from a stall at the village entrance; the heat had almost dissipated.

But it didn't matter, since he didn't have much of an appetite anyway; he just wanted to replenish his energy so he could continue working tonight.

Back in the Hokage Office, back to reviewing those never-ending documents.

According to his calculations, after working another five hours, he could finally rest.

Sleep for four hours.

Perfect.

He silently encouraged himself, but his steps did not become lighter as a result.

However, Jiraiya did not complain.

After all, this is the result of peace. There's no need to worry about war, no need to worry Tenten danger, no need to live in constant fear of an enemy attacking tomorrow. The whole village is engaged in construction and development, the economy is getting better and better, life is getting more and more prosperous, and the children are smiling more and more.

As the Hokage, he's naturally incredibly busy.

This is fantastic news!

Jiraiya could have asked the Anbu to buy him dinner. After all, he's the Hokage, so he has that kind of privilege. But he decided to go for a walk by himself instead.

Because he had been sitting in the Hokage's chair all day, and his butt was numb from sitting so long.

If he doesn't get some exercise, he's afraid he'll develop a herniated disc prematurely.

Finally, he returned to the Hokage Building and pushed open the office door.

Jiraiya fumbled for the light switch, turned it on with a "click," and the whole room instantly lit up.

He carried his dinner toward the large desk, then stopped.

"... You're here again."

Jiraiya's voice carried a hint of helplessness. Behind the desk, in the large chair that belonged to the Hokage, an uninvited guest was squatting there.

It is a young eagle.

It was very small, and its feathers were still a dull, grayish color, not fully grown.

Its claws gripped the cushion tightly, and its round eyes were staring at Jiraiya, without fear or wariness, only a matter-of-fact... "This is my place."

Jiraiya waved his hand.

"Get out of here! I need to work, move along!"

The young eagle remained motionless, even digging its claws deeper into the cushion.

Jiraiya stared at it, and the young eagle stared at him too.

"... Okay, you're good."

Jiraiya gave up after watching for a few seconds; he couldn't be bothered arguing with a bird.

He pulled over a chair, sat down on the other side of the desk, placed his dinner on the table, and began to review documents.

The young eagle perched on the Hokage Chair, letting out a satisfied, low "coo-coo" sound.

A while later, around the time Jiraiya had predicted, a figure appeared at the door of the Hokage Office.

He was an elderly man over eighty years old, dressed in casual clothes, but his body was still strong and healthy due to years of exercise, and he didn't even need a cane.

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The former Third Hokage.

"Danzo? Danzo?"

He called out as he looked into the office. "Are you here?"

Jiraiya raised his head, a speechless expression appearing on his tired face.

"Old man, this dead bird is here."

He pointed with his pen at the young eagle perched on the Hokage Chair. "Can't you control it?"

"Hahaha--" Hiruzen laughed, his laughter tinged with helplessness and indulgence. "Sorry, sorry, it flew away again without me noticing."

He walked into the office and reached out his hand to the young eagle.

"Come on, Danzo, let's go. We'll have delicious Wagyu beef slices tonight."

However, the young eagle remained motionless. Its claws gripped the cushion of the Hokage Chair tightly, and its round eyes were fixed on Hiruzen.

Hiruzen reached out and tried again.

The eaglet turned its head to the side, avoiding his hand.

Hiruzen reaches out again.

The young eagle pecked him directly.

"Ouch!" Hiruzen withdrew his hand, looking at the small red dot on the back of his hand, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Jiraiya, watching this scene, couldn't help but speak up. "Hey old man, don't you think this is weird?"

He put down his pen and looked at the young eagle perched on the Hokage Chair. "This damn bird you raised isn't interested in food or water; it just likes to sit on the Hokage's chair all day."

"Do you think this bird could really be the reincarnation of Danzō Shimura?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Hiruzen waved his hand and continued trying to catch the struggling eaglet.

"But about this..." He thought for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. "Who knows?"

The young eagle's name is Danzo.

There's a story behind the origin of this name.

A while ago, it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's birthday. His grandson, Konohamaru, prepared a special gift for his grandfather to celebrate his birthday: a newly hatched eaglet.

Konohamaru said he bought it from a merchant. It is said that this kind of eagle grows up to be very majestic and is a popular pet among nobles.

Hiruzen wasn't really interested in raising eagles. At his age, what hadn't he seen? Keeping a bird around would just be a hassle.

But since it was his grandson's thoughtful gesture, he took the young eagle with him.

At first, everything was normal. Young eagles are just young eagles; they do nothing but eat and sleep, occasionally letting out a cry, nothing special.

But as the Tenten went by, Hiruzen gradually discovered some strange things.

This young eagle, though very small, has a deep gaze.

Its eyes were so deep, unlike those of a fledgling bird.

Moreover, his eyes always carried a fierce, chilling light.

Hiruzen initially found it strange, but later he discovered something even stranger—he wasn't afraid of that gaze at all; on the contrary, he felt a sense of familiarity.

It was like seeing an old acquaintance, an old acquaintance who had been dead for many years.

So, in memory of his old friend, Hiruzen gave the young eagle a name.

Danzo.

That old friend who grew up with him, fought alongside him, protected Konoha together, but ultimately went down different paths.

That old friend who died on the night of the Uchiha Massacre, the one to whom he had the most complex emotional attachment in his life.

Later, Hiruzen discovered something even stranger.

This young eagle named Danzo seems to have some kind of obsession; it especially likes to fly towards the Hokage Office.

Especially that Hokage's chair; if you don't get rid of it, it can sit there for an entire day.

It was as if he had some kind of obsession with that chair.

Hiruzen didn't know what to say. Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

Perhaps, it's just that this bird is special.

Maybe... who knows?

Finally, after much effort, Hiruzen managed to pick up the struggling eaglet. "Alright, alright, stop fooling around. Let's go back and have something delicious."

The eaglet fluttered in his arms, making disgruntled cooing sounds, its eyes still fixed longingly on the Hokage Chair.

Hiruzen, holding it, was about to leave the office.

"Bang--!"

The office door was flung open with such force that it slammed against the wall with a loud bang!

A Konoha Ninja rushed in, his face deathly pale and his forehead covered in cold sweat. "Something terrible has happened! Lord Hokage -sama!"

His voice carried an undisguised fear.

Jiraiya and Hiruzen both looked up at the same time.

"What's wrong?!"

"The village..."

The Ninja swallowed hard, his eyes filled with terror. "The village is... surrounded by something, densely packed with something!"

His finger pointed out the window, trembling.

"They're about to burst in!"