Sarutobi Hiruzen was paralyzed!
One morning, Hiruzen opened his eyes in bed and realized he couldn't control his body. Even the flesh on his face began to twitch, eventually contorting into a demonic visage.
Now he could only slump in his wheelchair, his head tilted to one side and drool running down his chin. The only part of his body he could still move was one finger.
"I should be the Hokage!"
Shimura Danzō roared, glaring furiously at Hiruzen, who lay in his wheelchair. Hiruzen's one remaining movable finger pointed at Tsunade nearby. He drooled and blinked.
Clearly, things hadn't gone the way Danzō had expected. He'd thought that after Hiruzen became paralyzed, the village would face internal and external threats and choose him as Hokage—to protect Konoha and lead it to glory.
"Heh..."
Hiruzen shifted his eyes toward Danzō and blinked, sighing inwardly.
"Danzō, I can never let you become Hokage. You do have the Will of Fire, but your heart is too dark. I can't let you become Konoha's Hokage. You'll just have to keep being Konoha's darkness. Do your best to support Tsunade."
Hiruzen thought.
"Unbelievable! You'll regret this!"
Danzō raised a trembling hand and pointed at the paralyzed wreck. Then he glanced at Tsunade, gave a cold snort, turned on his heel, and slammed the door behind him.
He was clearly seething with rage—and regret. He shouldn't have gone soft. He should have killed the old man, forged his final wishes, and become the next Hokage.
"Damn it! Wasn't he supposed to be completely paralyzed, or even unconscious? How can he still move?!"
Danzō was baffled. That damn Orochiwa had given him fake medicine!
At the sound of the door closing, Hiruzen let out a deeply sorrowful sigh and closed his eyes. His heart was heavy