Half an hour later, in front of the Hyuga Clan compound.
With representatives of several major clans as "witnesses," Sen finally signed his name.
He had invited not only the Hyuga, but also members of the Sarutobi and Shimura families, using Shadow Clones to bring them over. He called it "fair and impartial," and even paid each witness ten thousand ryo out of his own pocket as a "thank-you for your effort."
"All right, you two, look at the camera and smile!"
Under the nearly murderous glares of the two Root Ninjas, Sen pulled them close and flashed a V sign at an old-fashioned camera a short distance away.
"Click!"
An old man from a photography studio shouted from afar, "Sen, I got it! Every word on the contract is perfectly clear, so don't worry!"
After the photo was taken, Sen sent the photographer on his way. Everyone else found the whole thing rather strange.
The sword Sen had taken out earlier seemed fine, and the huge mouth that appeared when it was used could devour other people's chakra. But... why did it feel as though Sen knew for certain that the sword would be lost? Could someone really sneak into Root and steal it?
The next moment, however, they dismissed the thought. Root was a place not even a fly could enter. Who would dare sneak in and steal anything?
Sen paid no mind to what they were thinking. He took the photo, paid the photographer, and headed home. All he had to do now was wait for the other party to pay him back the principal.
Several days later, Shimura Danzo was eating when a masked ninja suddenly hurried in.
"Lord Danzo, we have a problem! Samehada is missing!"
Hearing this, Shimura Danzo slammed his bowl upside down on the table.
"Ah! You useless fools! Weren't you supposed to have an answer by now? Where's the sword? Did someone actually dare invade my Root?"
The messenger quickly dropped to his knees and replied, "According to our investigation, that sword... seems to have been forcibly summoned back by Kirigakure using some kind of reverse-summoning ninjutsu. No one could make Samehada disappear in an instant any other way."
"That explains it. Looks like Kirigakure was holding something back after all." Shimura Danzo scooped the food on the table into his bowl and spoke calmly.
The Root Ninja asked quietly, "Then... what should we do about Uchiha Sen's IOU?"
"What IOU? In a couple of days, he'll be going to the battlefield with Sarutobi Hiruzen. Whether he makes it back alive is anyone's guess. As far as this sword goes, pretend it never happened!"
The masked ninja gently reminded him, "But I remember he has made major contributions in battle, so he shouldn't have to go to the front right away. Jiraiya was the one who suggested it.
"And judging by how long he was away from the village... exactly one month. That means Uchiha Sen laid this trap in advance!"
"Is the Monkey still in his office?" Shimura Danzo finished his last bite, yawned, and headed for the door. "I'll go talk to him."
"He's still there."
After his subordinate confirmed it, Shimura Danzo decided it was a small matter. With his status, he could send anyone to the battlefield by force. It didn't matter if they had made major contributions or were descendants of the Senju Clan.
What was one little Uchiha with a few battle merits?
Entering the administration building, Shimura Danzo spoke to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was handling paperwork:
"Monkey, assign some more people to the battlefield. The Land of Wind and the others have started sending spies into the village, haven't they? Let's just take them all out."
Sarutobi Hiruzen stopped writing and took a puff of his pipe, annoyance stirring inside him.
"Danzo, do you think I don't know they've sent spies?" He looked at the list in his hand. "These people have made major contributions on the battlefield, and they're on short leave that can't be revoked. If we break their spirits, who'll work for the village in the future?
"Last time, I said we should assign an elder to lead the team and command the front lines, but you disagreed."
Shimura Danzo dragged over a chair and sat opposite him, speaking persuasively. "When did I ever disagree? As long as you don't assign some old man who's about to die, it's fine. This time, I came to ask you to send those Uchiha along too.
"If it's for the good of the village, then sending everyone to the battlefield is worth it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected his friend to show such conviction.
"Do you really mean that?"
Shimura Danzo froze, then nodded. "Of course."
"Now that I've heard you say that, I can relax." Sarutobi Hiruzen unrolled a scroll and wrote down dozens of names. When he finished, he let out a long breath, as if he'd completed some important task. He sat back in his chair and looked at Shimura Danzo.
"It seems that all these years, I wasn't the only one who misjudged you. Danzo, you have the Will of Fire after all!"
Shimura Danzo rose carelessly and reached for the document, muttering dismissively, "Stop rambling. What could be so important that you, Monkey, are making such a fuss..."
But as his eyes swept over the contents of the scroll, the smile on his face froze. His expression turned ashen, bit by bit.
[Personnel to be deployed in preparation for the Second Shinobi World War]
[Overall commander, Land of Wind battlefield: Sarutobi Hiruzen]
[Overall commander, Land of Earth battlefield: Sarutobi Sasuke]
[Overall commander, Land of Lightning battlefield: Shimura Danzo]
[...]
[Departure date: Three days from now]
Shimura Danzo: "???"
"Bang!"
Shimura Danzo slammed his hand on the table, blazing with fury.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen! I'm an elder of Konoha! What do you mean by assigning me to the front lines? And the most dangerous one, against Kumogakure!"
The outbreak of the Second Shinobi World War was all but certain. In the last war, even an elite ninja like Senju Tobirama had died. Danzo's strength was only a little above that of an Elite Jonin.
Going now, and fighting Kumogakure at that—wasn't that just asking to die?
"Huh?" Sarutobi Hiruzen was the one who looked confused this time. "Didn't you just say you were willing to go to the front lines for the village?"
"I only wanted that brat, Uchiha Sen..." Danzo couldn't bring himself to finish.
There were Anbu Ninjas outside the window, after all, recording everything. If he said the rest, his position as an elder would probably be over!
Looking at Shimura Danzo's livid face and evasive eyes, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately understood what he'd really meant.
I'm such an idiot! How could Danzo possibly have the Will of Fire?
"Hmph. Danzo, you're getting more and more out of line. Have you forgotten what it means to be a ninja? Besides, Kumogakure might not even join the war. They suffered heavy losses in the last one. You're only being sent to stand guard!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at him with deep disappointment. "How did you become like this?"
Shimura Danzo's face flushed red, then white. Anger flickered in his eyes.
Of course he knew Sarutobi Hiruzen was guilt-tripping him, using the so-called "Will of Fire" to pressure him.
He wanted to flip the table on the spot and roar, To hell with the Will of Fire! That brat Uchiha Sen set me up, and now you want to send me to my death?
But reason told him that if he said those words, the reputation he'd built in Konoha over the years would be ruined, and he'd lose his position as an elder.
His chest heaved violently; every breath was agony. He forced himself to calm down, hiding all his feelings behind a mask-like expression.
He raised his chin slightly, trying to cover up his predicament with a calm, even faintly arrogant, tone.
"Stand guard, is it... Fine." Danzo spoke coldly, his voice betraying no emotion. "Three days from now, I'll go see for myself what Kumogakure is capable of."
At dawn three days later, all of Konoha's ninjas gathered together.
Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered every ninja to head to the Land of Fire's border to repel the enemy.
Only after asking around did Sen learn that, with the threat from Kirigakure gone, Konoha could send more forces to deal with Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
However, Konoha's sudden troop buildup provoked the other two great ninja villages.
Tensions among the three sides kept escalating until, at last, the Second Shinobi World War broke out in full—half a year earlier than in the original story!
Before you continue