The Hokage Position was Shimura Danzo's greatest lifelong ambition.
Just as Orochimaru sought Eternal Life, Danzo was willing to do anything to claim the Hokage Position—even, among other things, assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi.
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It was an obsession, and a weakness.
Kazama Kaguya was growing fonder of using the Talk no Jutsu: Strike Weakness Technique.
There was something incredibly satisfying and effective about breaking through someone's mental defenses and striking their weak point. It never failed.
Sure enough, the moment the Hokage Position came up, Danzo could no longer bring himself to leave.
He turned back. The killing intent in his eyes was swept away by intense desire, and he asked urgently, "What's Orochimaru's plan? If it's feasible, getting the Byakugan of the Hyuga Main Family shouldn't be difficult."
In an instant, he had already thought of a vicious scheme.
"Hmph. The Hidden Cloud shinobi are in the village right now. We can have Root members disguise themselves as Cloud ninja and attack the Hyuga Main Family to steal their Byakugan. That would also derail the peace talks and let us resume the war, weakening Hiruzen's faction. With the Hyuga's support as well, it would be much easier for me to take the Hokage Position."
Under the lamplight, dark scheming flickered in Danzo's one remaining eye.
The lines on his face deepened, and the shifting shadows made him look like a slender, venomous blade.
"Truly worthy of the title Darkness of Konoha."
Feeling Danzo's sinister malice, Kazama Kaguya privately marveled at his ruthless nature. He continued to reveal secret information in Orochimaru's name.
"Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru received reliable intelligence. The Cloud ninja's visit to negotiate is just a pretext. Their true aim is to use the peace talks as cover to kidnap the young daughter of the Hyuga Main Family and seize her Byakugan."
"What? They're trying to steal the Byakugan of the Main Family too?" Danzo exclaimed, a sense of absurdity washing over him.
He hadn't expected that the plan he had just come up with was exactly what the Cloud ninja intended to carry out.
"That's right. The intelligence is absolutely reliable."
Kazama Kaguya didn't dwell on the implications of Danzo's words. He continued:
"Lord Orochimaru said the Cloud ninja have a very thorough plan. First, they'll kidnap a member of the Main Family and seize the Byakugan Kekkei Genkai. If they succeed, this team of Cloud ninja will escort the captive. Second, if things go wrong, they'll try to die at the hands of the Main Family head. Then they can use the threat of renewed war to demand the head's body and obtain his Byakugan."
Of course, Kazama Kaguya didn't actually know the Cloud ninja's plan.
But once he knew the events and their purpose from a higher-dimensional perspective, it was easy to put himself in the Cloud ninja's shoes and work backward to figure out their scheme.
Still using Orochimaru's name, he pointed out Hiruzen Sarutobi's weakness, trying to strike a chord with Danzo. His voice low, he said:
"Lord Orochimaru said that ever since the Fourth Generation died during the Nine-Tails' Rampage, the Third Hokage has lost his drive. He's indecisive and longs for peace. No matter which of the Cloud ninja's plans succeeds, the Third Hokage will inevitably give in."
"But you're different, Lord Danzo. You're resolute and decisive. You won't give in to the Hidden Cloud's threats. Only you can carry out that plan perfectly."
Danzo nodded in agreement at the end. "Hiruzen really has lost his drive. Peace? That's something the strong win for themselves. Only the weak negotiate and compromise. He stopped being fit for that position a long time ago."
"Lord Danzo is absolutely right." Kazama Kaguya took the opportunity to flatter him.
"Go on. What scheme has Orochimaru come up with to help me take control of the Hyuga Clan?" Danzo was now quite interested. He wanted to hear what clever plan Orochimaru had devised.
Kazama Kaguya lowered his voice. "Lord Danzo, Lord Orochimaru has a plan called 'The Tanuki Swaps the Crown Prince.'"
"Lord Orochimaru said..."
Snoring echoed throughout the inn.
The Temple of Nirvana Technique covered a wide area, extending over several nearby buildings as well.
Apart from the two Root members, no one knew of the conspiracy unfolding in secret. Only whispered conversation had carried on for a long time.
Once the three figures had vanished with the Body Flicker Technique, Kazama Kaguya stood and switched on the electric light.
The brilliant white light tore through the darkness beneath the oil lamp, while also signaling to Kimimaro in the distance that it was safe.
Only after reviewing his performance that night did Kazama Kaguya realize that cold sweat had soaked his back.
He had been playing with fire, dancing on a knife's edge. It was too dangerous, too reckless. One small mistake, and he'd be utterly destroyed.
"Ugh. This is exhausting. Being weak is the original sin."
"If I already had Kage Level strength, why would I need all this petty scheming? I could just charge in head-on."
Kazama Kaguya sighed and slumped onto the tatami, staring at the electric light on the ceiling as he murmured:
"Soon. The Cloud ninja won't be able to wait much longer. My Byakugan is almost here."
"Once I get the Byakugan, I'll immediately begin evolving, then call Kisame Hoshigaki to protect me. Once I evolve into an Otsutsuki bloodline, all my problems will solve themselves."
"And then there's Danzo. If the plan succeeds, he'll definitely kill me to silence me. I'll have to think it through carefully. There are still plenty of opportunities in Konoha. It'd be even better if I could stay."
"But I need a Plan B too. If Danzo keeps breathing down my neck, I'll have to figure out where to go next."
Kazama Kaguya spent the whole sleepless night planning his escape routes.
He hadn't actively refined chakra in a long time. He had even stopped charging his Storm Release Kekkei Genkai.
A Bloodline Disease placed a heavy strain on the body. The energy required him to draw on a large amount of physical vitality to synthesize it. If he kept refining chakra, his body might collapse at any moment.
Besides, even if he evolved Storm Release, his current physical condition wouldn't allow him to develop any techniques.
The only reason Kazama Kaguya still had chakra to use was that his Shikotsumyaku generated it automatically after he ate.
It wasn't much, but it was enough to use All-Killing Ash Bones three to five times.
After daybreak, Kakashi and Tenzo, who were tasked with guarding and monitoring the Cloud ninja, were surprised to find that Root members had shown up too.
"Leopard, Tanuki? What are you doing here? This is an Anbu mission." Kakashi warily watched the two Jonin wearing leopard and tanuki masks.
The two Root members remained hidden beneath their hoods, staring coldly at Kakashi and Tenzo without a word.
"Silence, efficiency... That's certainly a familiar style." Kakashi sighed and didn't press them further.
He and Tenzo had both once been part of the Root Organization. They knew the working style of these masked people who went only by code names.
They were extensions of Danzo's dark will, silent executioners. Wherever they appeared, bloody slaughter was sure to follow.
The sight of the Root members suddenly gave Kakashi a bad feeling.
"Tenzo, I'm going to report to the Third Hokage." Kakashi formed hand seals and created a Shadow Clone, then used the Body Flicker Technique to hurry toward the Hokage Building.
The Root members paid no attention to Kakashi's departure. They simply watched the inn where the Cloud ninja were staying, impassively monitoring every move.
However, contrary to Kakashi's expectations, when he reached the Hokage's office, he saw Aburame Ryoma and Nara Shikaku standing guard on either side of the door, both poised for action and facing off against each other.
Inside the office, the Hokage Advisors Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu remained silent, while Danzo and the Third Hokage argued fiercely.
"Hiruzen, the Cloud ninja are wolves in sheep's clothing. The peace talks are just a pretext; they must have another motive. I suggest we wipe out their team immediately, then launch a surprise attack on Kumogakure before they know what hit them."
Danzo's voice was full of malice as he spoke in a sinister tone. "Then you can make up an excuse, say the Cloud ninja tried to assassinate you, and demand compensation from them. If they refuse, we go to war."
"Peace? That's forged through blood and fire, not won through negotiations between a few diplomats."
"If all else fails, unseal the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and throw her into Kumogakure. Heh. Let them experience the Nine-Tails' Rampage for themselves. If we can also make the Eight-Tails go berserk, Kumogakure can be wiped off the map."
Outside the office, Kakashi held his breath, horrified.
This aggressive, straightforward attitude that treated human lives as worthless was so extreme that there was no one else in all of Konoha who could match Danzo.
Even the Third Hokage was stunned by Danzo's terrorist-like ideas.
"Cough, cough..." Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled the smoke he had accidentally inhaled and snapped, "Danzo, have you lost your mind? Unleash the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki again? Don't tell me you don't know whose child she is!"
"And a surprise attack on Kumogakure? Danzo, Konoha barely has any high-level combatants left. Sakumo is dead, Tsunade and Jiraiya left in disillusionment, Orochimaru defected, the Uchiha are only pretending to be united with us, and the Hyuga Main Family hasn't fought on the front lines since the Byakugan was stolen last time. Who do you expect to send on the attack?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted at him, blowing mouthful after mouthful of choking smoke into Danzo's face.
Danzo remained expressionless as he wafted away the secondhand smoke. "The Uchiha Clan still harbor ambitions. Send Fugaku, Shisui, and the others to serve as the vanguard. It's a two-pronged plan. Then send Tenzo, Kakashi, and Might Guy to assassinate the Raikage, while Ino-Shika-Cho leads and commands our forces at the front. That way, victory over Kumogakure is all but assured. Once Konoha's name resounds through the Ninja World, we'll be the ones deciding whether there's peace."
"Ha..." Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed in anger at Danzo's blunt scheming.
Sacrificing the Uchiha Clan was certainly feasible. He wholeheartedly agreed with that part.
But what about everyone else?
Tenzo, Kakashi, Might Guy, Ino-Shika-Cho—those were all members of his own faction. Danzo wanted him to send them all to their deaths in Kumogakure?
Hiruzen Sarutobi was old, not senile.
He drew deeply on his pipe, tamped down his anger, and scoffed, "Why not just have me lead the attack on Kumogakure and assassinate the Fourth Raikage?"
Danzo's eyes lit up at that. He nodded in approval. "If you led the team, Hiruzen, that would be even better. After all, you're the strongest Hokage in history."
At that, Hiruzen Sarutobi could no longer contain his anger. He shouted, "Danzo, you don't get to tell me what to do! I'm the Hokage. Get out!"
"Hiruzen, this is a good opportunity."
"Get out."
"Hiruzen..."
"Get out!"
"..."
Seeing the veins bulge on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, Danzo opened his mouth, but in the end, he turned and left.
Even so, before leaving, he still couldn't let it go. Looking back, he said, "Hiruzen, you're old. You're too indecisive. You'll regret this."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was livid as he gritted his teeth. "Danzo, remember this: I'm the Hokage."
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