Late at night, in an office within the Hokage Building, the Third Hokage sat calmly in his chair, watching Shimura Danzō, who had arrived without warning.
To be honest, seeing Shimura Danzō did not put the Third Hokage in a good mood. The happiness he had felt recently vanished the instant he saw this man.
The Third Hokage understood the thoughts of his former comrade and friend very well. Unless something had happened, Danzo would never take the initiative to seek him out.
It was not necessarily always bad news, but it was certainly never good news—and it was often extremely troublesome!
After the two stared at each other for a while, Danzo spoke with a stern expression. "Hiruzen, I heard that recently, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and..."
"Danzo, that child's name is Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto!"
Before Danzo could finish, the Third Hokage frowned and cut him off directly.
"Heh..." A trace of mockery curled at Danzo's lips, but he did not continue arguing with the Third Hokage over this matter. After all, that was not why he had come, so he continued along Hiruzen's line of thought.
"I heard that Uzumaki Naruto has been getting very close to Second Pillar lately. Hiruzen, do you know how dangerous that is?"
"Danzo, I recall that Root has already been disbanded. Where did you learn of this?"
Rather than answer Danzo's question, the Third Hokage looked straight into his eyes and questioned him in return.
Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly and explained blandly, "It isn't a secret, Hiruzen. Many people know."
Seeing that the Third Hokage remained silent, seemingly accepting his explanation, Danzo continued, "Hiruzen, Second Pillar must be forbidden from associating with Uzumaki Naruto. Otherwise, it will be dangerous!"
"I don't see anything dangerous about it, Danzo." The Third Hokage replied calmly, "The bonds between children are often the simplest and purest. They are not mixed with the interests and motives of adults, which is precisely what makes them so precious."
"But he is different. He is an Uchiha!" A flash of gloom passed through Danzo's eyes as he reminded him, "Don't forget—the Sharingan in the Nine-Tails' eyes when it ravaged the village eight years ago was seen by many people."
At those words, the Third Hokage paused slightly and adopted a serious expression. "Whether what happened eight years ago was truly the work of the Uchiha has yet to be properly investigated. Besides, the Uchiha clan is gone now. Those suspicions and burdens should not be placed upon Sasuke. He is only a child."
"Sure enough, you are still as softhearted as ever, Hiruzen." Danzo's voice rose slightly as he said in a low tone, "Second Pillar may indeed be a child now, but do not forget, Hiruzen—the Uchiha are evil by nature. Teacher said so himself!"
Hearing Danzo use the Second Hokage's words to pressure him, the Third Hokage's expression changed slightly. Yet he met Danzo's gaze without yielding. "Teacher did say that, but do not forget that humanity's most precious quality lies in suppressing evil and doing good. Teacher believed even more that education and unceasing cultivation could eradicate the evil in one's heart and allow the goodness within to bloom. It was because Teacher believed this that he accepted Kagami as his disciple. And Kagami was our comrade, Danzo!"
"But not every Uchiha is Kagami, Hiruzen!"
At the mention of Kagami Uchiha, a trace of complexity entered Danzo's voice.
"Say it directly. What is your purpose in coming here?"
The Third Hokage had no intention of continuing this argument with Danzo and got straight to the point.
Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly and answered just as directly, "Give Second Pillar to me. He will be too dangerous in the future—uncontrollable!"
"Absolutely not!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the Third Hokage rejected Danzo's request. There was no room for compromise in his tone.
Hearing the resolute tone of his former comrade, anger rose in Danzo's heart as well. "Give Second Pillar to me. I will train him into a blade that protects Konoha, forever loyal to Konoha. That would be the best outcome for everyone."
"If I give Sasuke to you, you will only drag him completely into darkness, Danzo!"
"Where there is light, there must be shadow. Light and shadow exist alongside each other." Danzo did not deny it and said calmly, "The Leaf bathed in sunlight cannot do without the underground roots that support the tree—the dark 'Root' hidden in Konoha's shadow!"
"Sasuke will become a Leaf bathed in sunlight. I believe that through the village's teachings and the bonds of his comrades, he will become an inheritor of the Will of Fire like Kagami, a pillar who bears the village's future!"
The Third Hokage narrowed his eyes as well and replied with an utterly solemn expression:
"Furthermore, your Root organization has already been disbanded, Danzo. If one day Sasuke truly wishes to become Konoha's shadow, I would only place him in the Anbu, not hand him over to you. In the Anbu, he may only bow beneath the earth for a time, but I believe he will eventually break through the soil and become a towering tree that supports Konoha!"
"You truly believe Second Pillar will become someone like Kagami?"
Danzo was deeply surprised. He simply could not understand why this old companion trusted that Uchiha brat so much.
"Of course!"
The Third Hokage closed his eyes and answered with the composed air of an old sage.
His trust in Sasuke was not based solely on Sasuke and Naruto's promise beneath the moon some time ago. It was also the conclusion he had reached after observing Sasuke over the past few months.
He had paid no less attention to Sasuke during this period—at times, even more than he had paid to Naruto.
He had discovered that whenever Sasuke completed a period of training, he would take out Will of Fire during his breaks and read it with complete focus.
That earnest expression could not be faked. At the very least, in all his years of judging people, the Third Hokage had not detected the slightest trace of pretense.
At emotional passages, Sasuke would even unconsciously gesture with his hands.
Such behavior clearly showed that he sincerely identified with Will of Fire, written by the First Hokage!
(Unaware Sasuke: ??????)
Together with Sasuke and Naruto's earlier promise beneath the moon, which had moved him deeply, he believed that child was merely closed off on the surface. Deep down, Sasuke longed for bonds and cherished his comrades greatly.
Shimura Danzō stood in place for a long time without speaking. Looking at the Third Hokage with his eyes closed, he was silent for a long while before saying in a low voice, "Hiruzen, you are too..."
"Are you going to say that I am too naive?"
Before he could finish, the Third Hokage reopened his eyes and interrupted him.
"But I believe in my own judgment!"
Shimura Danzō was stunned.
This guy had actually learned to answer before being asked?
Shimura Danzō stared into the Third Hokage's eyes for a long while. Seeing his resolute expression, he fell silent for a moment before saying, "Then let today's conversation end here."
With that, Shimura Danzō turned and left, leaning on his cane. But when he reached the door, he seemed to recall something.
Just as he was about to turn back and say something, the Third Hokage's calm voice came from behind him.
"Go back, Danzo. I will not regret this!"
Shimura Danzō: "..."
"Hmph!" Shimura Danzō snorted coldly, slammed the door, and left.
A little interlude:
The wooden door to the Hokage's office was pushed open.
Danzo: "Hiruzen, give that child to me. A child with talent like his can only fully realize his potential under me and become Konoha's blade in the future!"
Third Hokage: "Impossible!"
Danzo: "Hiruzen, you are too naive. He is too dangerous and uncontrollable!"
Third Hokage: "Danzo, remember—I am the Hokage!"
Danzo: (narrowing his eyes for a glance) "Hiruzen, you will regret this!" (slams the door and leaves)
Before you continue