"Tch, petty tricks?"
Kazashiro deeply despised Danzo's shallowness.
As the village's second-in-command, above who knew how many people and below only one, how could he not understand that what won people over was profit?
Just like the Uchiha Clan—why had the Uchiha been causing trouble ever since the Second Hokage's era? Wasn't it because the distribution of benefits was unfair?
Judging by Asuma's current performance, if one of them were chosen to become Hokage someday, Kazashiro would definitely utter that classic line: "I choose Asuma because he treated us to a meal!"
They had all been members of the Second Hokage's guard unit. The Sarutobi Clan had produced a Hokage, the Shimura family had produced a second-in-command, and the Koharu and Mitokado families had each produced an adviser. Only the Uchiha had produced Kagami Uchiha, who had died young. Who could possibly accept that?
Forget it. The old geezer had always liked ruling through fear. If he spoke up to remind him, he would probably only be seen as weak. He should figure out how to solve his allowance problem first.
Sitting across from him, Danzo had no idea that his son had already dismissed him as worthless in his heart. Instead, he seriously considered the resources in Asuma's hands.
Hiruzen Sarutobi might not say it aloud, but he definitely wanted one of his three disciples to inherit the position of Hokage.
For certain reasons, Orochimaru had fallen out of Hiruzen's favor.
Jiraiya claimed he wanted to travel the ninja world and was nowhere to be seen all day.
Tsunade...
Whichever of the Three Sannin took the Hokage's seat would give special care to their teacher's son. Who knew when there might be another so-called test of severing ties?
Asuma could not be allowed to continue basking in glory.
Danzo closed his one eye. There would definitely be a transitional Hokage between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kazashiro. That person had to be close to him so that Kazashiro could surpass Asuma.
The people under his command all operated in the shadows. Even he himself might not pass the jonin vote.
Someone more famous than the Three Sannin, who also had a favorable impression of Kazashiro...
Danzo suddenly opened his eye and looked at Kazashiro, who sat obediently where he was.
When Danzo looked at him, Kazashiro perked up. Thinking his hint had been understood, he grew excited.
"You need to get along well with Kakashi."
"Huh? Oh." Kazashiro's little face fell. Why had that brooding guy suddenly come up?
What Danzo was thinking was that, in all of Konoha, the only person who could overshadow the Three Sannin, thought well of Kazashiro, and would be relatively easy to win over was Konoha's White Fang.
Compared to Orochimaru, Hatake Sakumo commanded greater prestige in the village and was extremely well-liked.
As long as he had Kazashiro take Hatake Sakumo as his teacher, then recommended him as the next Hokage, Kazashiro, as the Hokage's disciple, would naturally be qualified to contend for that position.
Moreover, Hatake Sakumo was a candidate Hiruzen Sarutobi could not refuse.
Compared with his three disciples, who spent all day indulging in sex, gambling, and drugs, Hatake Sakumo was clearly the one who truly carried out the so-called Will of Fire.
But it was still too early to approach Hatake Sakumo. He would wait for the right opportunity...
Kazashiro had gone from full of anticipation to utterly bored. Unable to get Danzo to state his position no matter how long he waited, he was about to leave his seat when Danzo, who had been pondering for a long time, finally spoke.
"You are my, Danzo's, son. What kind of image is it to let someone from the Sarutobi family treat you every day? Starting tomorrow, you are forbidden from accepting his treats!"
Fine, fine, old geezer. Not giving me money is one thing, but now you won't even let me accept free meals. That's so like you!
Kazashiro wore a defeated expression, but he still forced himself to agree. "I understand, Dad."
"Mm. Go study." Having received his answer, Danzo nodded expressionlessly.
Several months passed.
Over those months, Kazashiro gradually improved from being kicked into a wall without moving Ryoma at all to making Ryoma take a few steps back.
And after being injured so often that he had practically become a doctor himself, he spent his spare time learning Medical Ninjutsu from Yakushi Nonō, with modest results.
But none of that was important. What mattered was that, after Kazashiro's repeated hints, Danzo finally remembered that he ought to give his son "a little" allowance sufficient for living expenses.
"This is ten thousand ryo. Once you spend it, ask Ryoma for more." The grandeur with which Danzo handed over the money made Kazashiro sincerely call out, "Thank you, Dad!" for the first time.
That was ten thousand ryo! Forget dango—even if everyone had a fully loaded bowl of Ichiraku Ramen, it would be enough!
Clutching his stomach as he limped toward the meeting spot, Kazashiro found that Asuma and the others had already grown accustomed to his distinctive way of making an entrance.
"Yo, got beaten up again, Kazashiro?" The moment Kazashiro steadied himself, Anko threw an arm around him and said with a grin.
"How can you slander me out of thin air..." Kazashiro protested fiercely. "Training doesn't count as getting beaten up. Training—can a ninja's business be called getting beaten up?"
Laughing and fooling around, the group arrived on Konoha's streets, where they happened to run into Hiruzen Sarutobi chatting with a beautiful female shopkeeper.
"Oh my, isn't that the young master? Lord Hokage, your son has come looking for you." The shopkeeper, whom Hiruzen Sarutobi had just made laugh, spotted Asuma and hurriedly reminded him.
"Mm. Oh, it's Asuma." Hearing that, Hiruzen turned around. His face showed little expression as he merely nodded calmly.
Asuma nodded back as well.
But when Hiruzen looked at Kazashiro, a warm smile instantly appeared on his face. "Kazashiro, how has life in the village been?"
Seeing Hiruzen speak to Kazashiro, Anko, who had been holding him the whole time, hurriedly withdrew her arm and ran over to Kurenai's side to watch.
"It's been good, Grandpa Third—uh, Lord Third." Looking at the wrinkles squeezed out by Hiruzen's smile, Kazashiro nearly misspoke and lowered his own father's seniority.
But Kazashiro could not be blamed. Hiruzen Sarutobi truly looked rather aged. Compared with Danzo's full head of black hair, silver strands could already be seen at Hiruzen's temples.
"Hahaha, is that so? That's good. Wherever Konoha's leaves dance, fire endures without end. You are all green leaves, those whom we of the older generation must protect. Only when you grow strong will this village have a future." Looking at the children before him, Hiruzen Sarutobi took the opportunity to promote the Will of Fire.
"Lord Third, I will definitely carry out the Will of Fire and strive toward my goal of becoming Hokage!" A child's voice answered Hiruzen's speech.
Surprised that this generation of children was so receptive, Hiruzen searched for the child who had spoken with an approving gaze. Then he saw Obito, wearing goggles and clothes marked with a ping-pong paddle emblem.
"Mm, you are, uh..." Just as Hiruzen was about to ask his name, he realized that this excited-looking boy seemed to be from the Uchiha Clan...
Before you continue