Flame in Danzo's Heart, Kakashi's Change

The night was deep and still.

Leaf had long since fallen into slumber.

Only the Hokage's Office still flickered with lamplight.

Bang!

Bang, bang, bang!

"Monkey, why did you set me up!?"

Ever since he'd been brought back, the fury in Danzo had been impossible to contain.

He looked like a Lioness who'd been betrayed by a Lion, unable to believe her eyes.

From just now until this moment, he'd been turning it over in his mind the whole way back.

Hearing this, the Third tapped his pipe and said with a displeased look:

"From just now until now, you've asked that forty-three times!"

"Haven't you stopped to think about why I and the Anbu showed up there?!"

"And another thing—Monkey, Monkey, Monkey! You need to remember that I am the Hokage!"

By the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen rose to his feet entirely.

He stared straight across at Danzo.

Even if his stature was a bit shorter due to age, his presence was all the more imposing!

The sight made Danzo's expression falter for a moment.

The fierce momentum he'd been meeting head-on instantly weakened.

Before his eyes seemed to materialize the figure of the man who once dominated the ninja world, hailed as the strongest Kage!

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen!

It was this very image of the man from back then that made him both love and hate him.

In the end, he could only choose to root himself in the earth, bury himself beneath the tree, and properly assist the Hokage.

But now...

For a moment, Danzo actually felt a surge of let's just forget it.

He even wanted to lay down his arms and retire outright!

Seeing his old friend seemingly frightened into silence, the fire fading from his eyes, The Third Hokage's expression softened, and he changed tack:

"Danzo, after all these years of great wars, my body is riddled with wounds."

"But the next Hokage of this village must be someone who can contribute even more to it."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

With that, he picked up the Hokage's Cloak beside him and patted Danzo on the shoulder.

Walking to the window, he murmured: "The Uchiha factor needs to be dealt with, but now isn't the time."

"Besides, Leaf doesn't just need me as its visible Hokage—it also needs the Nameless Shadow who protects it from the shadows."

Pat.

That pat stunned Danzo completely.

Especially those four words—"Nameless Shadow"—nearly had him hooked like a fish on a line.

Both eyes were fixed on the Hokage's Cloak before him.

And in his heart, thoughts surged.

So... Hiruzen means my contributions to the village aren't enough yet?

That even if I became Hokage, I wouldn't command respect?

Right!

That must be it!

So, if I keep contributing to the village, maybe!!!

At that thought, the faint desire to retire that had just sprouted in Danzo vanished instantly.

He was like a cockroach pumped full of adrenaline and fighting spirit.

He whirled around to look at Hiruzen, his voice rising several notches: "I understand!"

With that, he took the Hokage's Cloak and turned to leave.

Every step he took was heavy, yet firm.

Only Hiruzen, by the window, silently watched the weather outside, waiting.

Just as the moon was about to set, a long-haired youth wearing the Uchiha crest slowly knocked on the Hokage's door.

"Itachi. I've been waiting for you."

"Did you know? Your little brother personally took Shisui's eyes today..."

"What a shame. Danzo actually went back obediently without making a move on the Third Hokage?"

"Is that still the Root leader who dared to attack the Hokage?"

"Your ambition's fading, old man."

At the same time, before the cliff.

Uchiha Jin, who had come and gone, was leaning boredly against a tree.

The scene just now replayed in his mind.

Though Danzo had been furious at first, once he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen, he still didn't dare act.

He just lodged his accusations meekly.

That sent Jin's mood for watching the show plummeting.

"But oh well, waiting this long still got me something."

He muttered, turning to look at the moon.

More precisely, at the masked figure bathed in its light.

"You knew I'd come?"

Kakashi put away the book in his hand, walking over slowly, his expression thoughtful.

"I'm getting more and more curious about you."

Kakashi was a staunch supporter of the Hokage faction.

That was beyond doubt.

But for himself, he often stayed out of things whenever he could.

Even when he saw something, he'd turn a blind eye.

He just wanted to mind his own business.

But...

This young boy from the Uchiha Clan made his heart skip a beat.

There was a vague, indescribable blurriness to him.

As if no secret could hide from those small eyes.

So after a moment's hesitation, Kakashi spoke:

"You... seemed to know Danzo-sama would attack Shisui?"

Otherwise, he couldn't figure out why Jin had gone all out to reach the cliff in an instant.

"Know?" Jin shrugged noncommittally. "You know Danzo's nature better than I do, don't you?"

The key to shaking off suspicion wasn't proving yourself innocent, but throwing the question back.

Clearly, Kakashi didn't grasp that principle.

After hearing it, he did start thinking seriously.

"Back then, even with this eye of mine, if the Third Hokage hadn't stepped in, I'm afraid..."

Finally, he nodded reluctantly, reaching a conclusion.

"I don't want to admit it, but—if Danzo-sama learned about Shisui's eye ability, he might really have gotten ideas."

Greedy, treacherous, and coveting the Uchiha's eyes.

That was Danzo.

See? That's the beauty of self-convincing.

Jin smiled, then suddenly changed the subject: "So, Kakashi, do you want the village and the Uchiha Clan to tear each other apart?"

"Do you want the thriving village the Fourth Hokage dreamed of to become rubble?"

"Do you want Obito's clansmen to die off one by one?"

Crack.

Kakashi instinctively snapped a branch underfoot.

The crisp sound struck his ears like a heavy hammer.

Hammer after hammer, pounding until his head throbbed.

A long moment passed before he touched the left eye behind his mask and murmured:

"If Minato-sensei were still here, he wouldn't have just stood by like the Third, would he?"

"Minato-sensei would have... gone to talk things out sincerely."

"Obito... must hate me even more, doesn't he?"

"I couldn't protect Rin, and I couldn't protect his family either..."

All kinds of thoughts surfaced in his mind.

And without him even noticing, a seed took root.

It was anger toward Danzo.

And also resentment at the Hokage for standing by and doing nothing.

He rubbed the left eye behind his eyepatch; it felt almost scorching hot.

And also... painful.

"Obito, are you feeling the pain of your clan through this?"

"Don't worry—I'll protect your clan!"

In that moment, Kakashi's presence gradually grew more imposing.

But across from him—

"Protect?"

Jin looked at Kakashi and couldn't help curling his lip.

"Brother Obito's second official appearance, and the Uchiha clan was already wiped out..."