Eat One Bite at a Time, Walk One Step at a Time

If Danzo could appoint him as the Guard Captain, Youhu felt that joining the Root Ninja might not be out of the question.

After all, he was currently an Anbu Ninja, and the Anbu only owed loyalty to the Hokage; who exactly held the title of Hokage didn't really matter to him.

Unfortunately, Danzo was always just a hair's breadth away from becoming Hokage. Even when he took advantage of Tsunade being in a coma to threaten the Daimyo of the Land of Fire into submission, he had only managed to secure the title of Acting Hokage.

"You want to become the Guard Captain?"

The corner of Danzo's mouth twitched slightly. He thought to himself that this brat really knew how to make an outrageous demand.

The position of Guard Captain was no ordinary post. Its status in the village was second only to the Hokage and the few Elder Advisors. The number of ninja he could directly mobilize even surpassed that of a Root Leader like himself.

However, having ambition wasn't necessarily a bad thing; as long as there was desire in one's heart, it could be exploited.

Thinking of this, Danzo began to dangle a carrot in front of Youhu: "Join the Root Ninja first. Once I become the Hokage, I will promote you to Guard Captain..."

"..."

Youhu looked at Danzo, his eyes filled with pity, his tone faint:

"Uncle Danzo, I recall that you are of the same generation as the Hokage. You were working hard to campaign for the position of Hokage decades ago, and here you are, decades later, still trying to find a way to become a Hokage candidate."

"If I were to follow you, wouldn't I still be just a Chunin by the time my beard turns white?"

"It's not that I don't believe you, but I don't see any qualifications in you that would make you fit to be Hokage."

"To be Hokage, you at least have to stand in the sunlight and let your comrades in the village recognize you, right? Uncle Danzo, can't you be a bit braver? Why are you always hiding behind the Hokage?"

"You..."

After listening to Youhu's words, Danzo's face turned visibly red.

He had seen Youhu as a talent worth molding, which is why he had humbled himself to recruit him, hoping to cultivate Youhu into the sharpest sword of Konoha. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given a second glance to an Uchiha.

Yet, not only did Youhu reject his goodwill, but he also humiliated him time and time again.

First, he treated him like a village vagrant and offered him food as charity, and then he made a demand he couldn't possibly agree to, using it as an excuse to mock him.

What Danzo found most intolerable, however, was that final remark from Youhu.

What did he mean by saying he had been working hard to campaign for Hokage decades ago, and was still struggling to become a candidate decades later?

What did he mean by saying he wasn't brave enough and could only hide behind Hiruzen, lacking even the qualifications to be Hokage?

Ever since Teacher Tobirama sacrificed himself to cover their retreat, he had never been subjected to such humiliation. Even when he and Hiruzen argued endlessly over political views, Hiruzen had only ever said, "I am the Hokage."

This behavior of mimicking Teacher Tobirama's tone to accuse him felt deeply offensive to Danzo.

"You evil Uchiha brat, how dare you insult me! I shall follow the example of Teacher Tobirama and bring you to justice right now!"

No longer suppressing the wrath in his heart, Danzo decided to teach Youhu a profound lesson.

But just as Danzo prepared to make a move against Youhu, he discovered that while he had been red-hot with rage and lost in thought, Youhu had already reached the exit of the alley, wearing an innocent expression on his face.

"Aren't you going to make a move on me? Come on, do it here on the street and show off the prestige of the Hokage Assistant."

Youhu did not speak, but Danzo understood him perfectly, mentally filling in the mockery Youhu was directing at him.

Danzo was burning with rage, but hindered by the many pedestrians nearby, he finally backed down. He flicked his sleeve and left through another exit.

It wasn't that he didn't want to teach Youhu a lesson, but doing so to a Chunin in the public eye would undoubtedly be a loss of face for an Assistant.

If word reached Hiruzen, he would surely be reprimanded by him for bullying the young.

He had no idea what Youhu had said to Hiruzen to make the brat so arrogant; it might even affect the village's plans to deal with the Uchiha in the future.

From this perspective, Uchiha Youhu was even harder to deal with than Fugaku, Yachiyo, or the other Uchiha Clan Elders.

Watching Danzo turn and leave, Youhu couldn't help but sigh loudly:

"An Assistant is just an Assistant, never able to become the Hokage. No wonder Uncle Danzo runs to the Hokage Office every day; it turns out that's the only way Uncle Danzo can get any closer to being the Hokage..."

In the distance, Danzo froze at these words, stumbling on the ground as he failed to watch his step.

I let you off, and you still dare to slander me? I must go to Hiruzen and tell him about this brat's arrogance. I'll let Hiruzen see what kind of face an Uchiha ninja puts on once they gain some power.

After Danzo left, Youhu also headed toward the direction of the clan grounds.

Running into Danzo early in the morning made Youhu feel like he had stepped in a pile of filth.

After teasing Danzo with a feigned defection and then harshly mocking him using the tone of Tobirama and the Third Hokage, Youhu finally felt much better.

Danzo was the Hokage Assistant of Konohagakure, managing the Root Ninja Training Class and possessing a personal guard.

But Danzo would always be a loser in the Hokage election, and his status in the village would always be inferior to the Third Hokage.

And he was still hiding in a dark corner trying to recruit him?

Why didn't he just act? Why didn't he dare to do it under the public gaze?

Was he afraid of the Third Hokage's reprimand? Was he worried about being unable to bear the wrath of the Uchiha?

Following Obito to join the Akatsuki was more promising than joining the Root Ninja. The Akatsuki had a dream of bringing peace to the Ninja World, while the Root Ninja was left with nothing but the Tongue-Cutting Root Seal and brainwashing.

Look at what Itachi and Shisui had been brainwashed into; they were sold out and still helped count the money for their captors.

Rather than letting them be ruined by the old thief Danzo, it would be better if they were ruined by him. Not to mention anything else, Dojutsu like Tsukuyomi and Kotoamatsukami were still very delicious.

The former was very beneficial for obtaining System Rewards, and the latter was an even better tool for brainwashing.

With these things, how could one not become strong?

"Heh heh heh."

Thinking of this, Youhu revealed a sunny, healthy smile.

After a while, Youhu returned home.

After taking a hot bath, Youhu did not go to sleep immediately. Instead, he went to his desk and picked up a pen and paper.

By rejecting Danzo's recruitment, he could work better as a subordinate to the Hokage. Before Jiraiya and Tsunade returned from their travels, the Third Hokage was the only sun in Konoha.

Youhu would find a way to maintain the stability of Konoha and protect the fragile balance between the Uchiha and the Hokage faction.

Outside of Konoha, Youhu was a spy just recruited by Obito, an outsider who did not yet know of the Akatsuki's existence.

His mission was to collect intelligence on Konoha for Obito and be ready at any time to assist the Akatsuki in completing the collection of the Tailed Beasts.

"The mission Brother Obito gave me is too easy. I must devise strategies for Brother Obito to repay his kindness."

Youhu touched the Wood Style ring on his hand. While muttering about Obito's kindness, he began to write a mission report, along with several plans and suggestions regarding the collection of the Tailed Beasts.

After spending half an hour finishing the suggestions, Youhu took off the ring and injected a large amount of Chakra into it.

Just then, an unexpected change occurred.

After absorbing Youhu's Chakra, a white dot appeared on the ring. The dot expanded rapidly, quickly transforming into a hideous white humanoid.