Danzo, Why Are You Lighting Hiruzen's Pipe?!

"You'll regret this..." At those words, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's mouths twitched slightly.

Hiruzen had changed greatly lately, in ways that felt both familiar and unfamiliar to them.

But Danzo was still the same as ever...

Whenever he heard Hiruzen Sarutobi say something that differed even slightly from what he had in mind, that line would blurt right out!

As though it were some pre-programmed ninjutsu... it always triggered with uncanny precision.

"I'll regret it?"

To everyone's surprise, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not immediately refute Shimura Danzō. Instead, he nodded slightly and said with a rather serious expression:

"All right. Tell me why I'll regret it. If you're right, I'll listen to you."

"Huh?" Shimura Danzō froze, his whole combo interrupted.

No, this wasn't how the Konoha Hokage Game was supposed to be played. Why were you actually listening to my opinion?

You should be shouting that you were the Hokage, then refusing to hear me out. The two of us should glare furiously at each other, I should slam the door and leave, then return to Root and start cursing you behind your back...

Then, during some mysterious incident, I'd seize the Hokage position and show you my Haori!

Oh.

I'd forgotten. Root was about to be dismantled, so there would be no more of that...

Wait, was Monkey really this trustworthy?

After the training ground incident yesterday, Shimura Danzō had been publicly criticized and forced to make a Military Pledge. Although he had gotten a chance to show his face in front of everyone at the time, once he returned home and thought it over carefully...

He still felt that something was off!

If he were Hiruzen Sarutobi, he would definitely have used the momentum of this incident to crush himself completely!

That previous promise? Giving him a fair chance to compete for Hokage or whatever...

Who would remember something like that!

After all, Root's very real problems had been exposed before everyone, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had also confirmed that Root would be disbanded.

Even if he wanted to play some trick, he was powerless to do so now.

Neither Utatane Koharu nor Mitokado Homura would speak up for him. If you made a mistake, you had to accept punishment. That was how ninja were.

The reason Shimura Danzō was kicking up a fuss again today was, to some extent, also a struggle for his own future.

But the problem was...

"Hiruzen, do you really keep your word like this?" A strange trace of guilt flashed through Shimura Danzō's heart. He quickly organized his thoughts and Responded seriously:

"If twenty core Jonin are selected to become the so-called 'Konoha Committee Members,' then the Hokage's authority will inevitably be divided among them. How will you ensure the Authority of the Hokage Office Building?"

"Hiruzen, perhaps you think this is good, but without question, it is irresponsible toward the Hokage's authority! All Jonin must answer directly to the Hokage!"

Shimura Danzō voiced what was in his heart.

Hiruzen Sarutobi silently watched Shimura Danzō. After a moment, he shook his head in disappointment. "I thought you had some profound insight..."

"I understand your logic. More people means dispersed authority, and dispersed authority means authority out of control. Is that right?"

Shimura Danzō nodded righteously. "That's right. So what? Isn't that how it is?"

"The essence of dispersed authority is overlapping responsibilities and unclear jurisdiction..." Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his Pipe and leisurely packed it with tobacco.

"To put it in terms you understand best, the Root you used to control was exactly like that... It overlapped heavily with the Anbu, while also flying the banner of me, the Hokage. Over time, your orders would outweigh mine in some people's eyes."

Shimura Danzō remained expressionless. "That was for..."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura nodded gently.

That really was how it had been...

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved a hand, signaling him to shut up. "The 'Konoha Committee Members' I intend to establish are not a decision-making body. They are a higher-level executive body, with only the right to make recommendations."

"I'll accept good recommendations, and veto bad ones."

"The final decision-making power, core personnel authority, resource allocation authority, and emergency response authority—on those matters, my word is final."

"Clearly defining every Committee Member's area of professional responsibility, establishing the boundaries of their authority, and confirming accountability and oversight mechanisms will only make Konoha run more efficiently and smoothly."

"Would you worry about your Root Squad Leaders betraying you?"

Shimura Danzō frowned.

"That's different. My control over them is absolute! Hiruzen, I won't beat around the bush either. Can you place Cursed Seals on these 'Konoha Committee Members'?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed. "Danzo, you've been steeped in darkness for too long. If others heard you, they'd think Konoha was some slave plantation..."

Yet Shimura Danzō lifted his chin, feeling no shame.

He believed in controlling the flesh to the utmost extreme.

"If I talk to you about the Will of Fire, you probably won't understand it yet."

"What you're doing is essentially raising a private army. It can only turn talented ninja, one after another, into expendable loyalists. But Konoha needs its ninja to shine and realize their value."

"When people live in fear and under control, they become walking corpses."

"Talented people become mediocre people, mediocre people become dead things, and geniuses who cannot be erased will only accumulate hatred under your methods, ultimately causing even greater harm to Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave an example. "Even if you put a Cursed Seal on Orochimaru, would he obey your every command?"

Shimura Danzō frowned. He still wanted to refute Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But deep down, he vaguely felt that it seemed to make sense?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's perspective on these matters seemed to be just a little higher than his own...

"The cruel world of ninja has brought pain to far too many people."

"So long as we show even the slightest glimmer of light, countless moths will rush toward us..."

"In extreme conditions, people's desire for 'hope' surpasses morality, family bonds, and even the instinct to survive—especially for ninja who are spiritually empty and treat themselves as tools."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with feeling:

"The Will of Fire is Konoha's core value. It is also a far better weapon than a Cursed Seal. I hope you reflect on that carefully, Danzo."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged glances.

There was nothing wrong with what he said, but why did it sound somewhat chilling...

"You've stayed in that little Root organization for too long. You have no more than twenty people under you, but to be Hokage is to govern an entire village."

"That kind of thinking won't do."

His words sounded like criticism.

But Shimura Danzō was utterly absorbed in them.

Though he still could not understand them deeply, he could feel it...

Was this old Monkey really training him as a future Hokage?

He'd actually gotten something real out of this conversation...

Old bastard, hand over your Hokage Forbidden Techniques already!

But Hiruzen Sarutobi did not continue. With his Pipe between his lips, he rummaged through his pockets.

He seemed to be looking for a lighter...

Shimura Danzō gritted his teeth.

He had just gotten interested—why did he have to leave it on a cliffhanger?

He strode over to Hiruzen Sarutobi and lit it for him. "Hmph! You're getting more useless with age. You can even forget to bring your things? I think you need to reflect too!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi burst into laughter. "Sorry, sorry!"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged another glance, both seeing the other's astonishment.

No way?

Danzo had actually lit Hiruzen's pipe!