Danzo Has Won It All

At the entrance to the Uchiha compound, three Uchiha elders clad in battle armor had been standing for quite some time under the cold moonlight.

Uchiha Setsuna was the first to stretch his stiff shoulders and neck, the plates of his armor clinking softly as he moved.

He gazed toward the Konoha Military Police Force building, from which faint sounds of cheering could be heard, and clicked his tongue with a look of regret.

"Tch, a waste of effort. Looking at how things turned out, there won't be a fight tonight."

Uchiha Koh, standing nearby, immediately turned his head to glare at his old rival.

"Keep those warmongering thoughts to yourself."

"When it comes down to it, they are all colleagues in Konohagakure. Being able to sit at a negotiation table to resolve issues is far better than meeting with blades drawn."

"Colleagues?"

Setsuna let out a scoff, his scarlet Sharingan flashing with a sharp, cold light in the night.

"Those bullies who fear the strong and prey on the weak—isn't it precisely because we've been too restrained all these years that they dare to push their luck?"

"If you ask me, we should have fought a real battle, just like we did against the Senju back in the day, to decide who truly deserves to be the Hokage of Konohagakure!"

"To hell with your fighting."

Koh retorted without hesitation, "Are the lives of our clansmen not worth anything?"

"Are we Uchiha afraid of death?"

Setsuna glanced sideways at Koh, who immediately snorted, "Are you implying that I am afraid of death?"

"Enough. With external enemies at the gates, if we really were to fight to the death, it would only let outsiders reap the benefits. This current situation is one that both Ren and everyone else are willing to accept."

The old Uchiha patriarch couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the bickering between these two old men.

"The fallout from this incident hasn't passed yet. Neither Sarutobi Hiruzen nor Shimura Danzō are easy to deal with. Everyone must remain relaxed on the outside but vigilant on the inside; we cannot give them any opportunity to strike."

"Naturally."

Setsuna waved his hand, signaling the Uchiha behind him to disperse, then looked toward the old patriarch. His eyes, weathered by time, shimmered with a sharp light in the darkness as he spoke with hidden meaning.

"A bird cannot fly without a head, and a beast cannot walk without a leader. Everyone has seen Ren's performance today."

"The rules established at the previous clan meeting... should they be changed?"

Seeing the old patriarch remain silent, Koh, who understood the situation and did not wish to see things turn ugly, spoke up at the right moment to smooth things over.

"Changing orders as soon as they are issued is not good for the stability of the clan. The road ahead is still long; why not... wait and see a little longer?"

He looked at Setsuna and said in a deep voice, "When the hearts of the people lean a certain way, the title will come sooner or later. There is no need to rush."

The night breeze swept past, ruffling the graying hair of the three men, yet their bodies beneath the armor remained as straight as three old pine trees rooted to the earth.

Setsuna did not press the matter further. Instead, he cast his deep gaze toward the brightly lit Konoha Military Police Force building in the distance, and with a mix of helplessness and pride, he laughed and scolded.

"That brat Ren, causing such a huge commotion inside, and he didn't even bother to send someone to report back, leaving us three old men standing here in the cold wind for half the night."

Watching Setsuna take the initiative to move past the topic, the old patriarch felt a sense of relief, though it was accompanied by a complex emotion.

The time he could buy for Fugaku was likely only this much.

"As for the road ahead, if it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't. Don't push yourself too hard."

The old patriarch collected his thoughts, a gentle smile appearing on his face as he took the conversation in a new direction.

"That child Fugaku is the same way. If you really think about it, among the three of us, it's that girl Mikoto who is the most thoughtful."

"Didn't that child also fail to arrange for anyone to send word? Is that what you call thoughtful?"

Koh immediately shook his head with a smile, teasing her with a tone that sounded like a complaint but was actually filled with doting affection.

"When that girl gets stubborn, she's practically turning the world upside down. These old bones of mine can't keep her in check!"

He laughed and stepped forward, grabbing the arm of each old friend.

"Let's go, let's go! Stop drinking the wind out here! Let's go back and warm up a pot of good wine; we three old men should have a proper drink together!"

Konohagakure, deep within the Root base.

The massive underground cavern had been artificially excavated to be austere and orderly.

The cold stone walls reflected the flickering lamplight, stretching shadows into ghostly shapes.

The air was permeated with the lingering, stifling scent of old bloodstains mixed with medicinal fluids.

Shimura Danzō stood upon a high platform. His face, which had been twisted with rage in the Hokage's office earlier that day, now appeared exceptionally calm.

"...Lord Danzō, that is the detailed account of the Third Hokage's trip to the Uchiha Military Police Force building for negotiations."

A Root ninja knelt on one knee, completing the report in a flat, emotionless tone.

"I see."

Danzō's voice was indifferent, as if the conflict that had shaken all of Konohagakure had nothing to do with him. He turned his gaze toward another spot in the shadows.

"How are the preparations for the ninja army coming along?"

Another figure appeared silently, bowing their head in response.

"The Anbu directly under the Hokage have coordinated with the personnel drawn from various ninja clans and have finished assembling at the village's northeast exit. They are only waiting for your arrival, my lord, to depart for the border."

"In that case... very good."

Shimura Danzō's withered fingers stroked the smooth top of his cane, his expression remaining indifferent.

He knew Sarutobi Hiruzen too well; that indecisive old friend of his was always trying to maintain a ridiculous balance between all the various factions.

He was also all too aware of the true nature of the ninja clans in Konohagakure—they appeared to be united around the Hokage, but in reality, they were all harboring their own ulterior motives, never moving unless there was something to gain.

This time, he had acted irritable and impulsive in front of everyone and had been ordered to the northern front. It might have looked like he had lost face, but had he really lost anything?

They were just eight tool-ninjas, after all; if they died, they died. The only thing that dissatisfied him was that they had died at the hands of the Uchiha.

However, with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal and the Yamanaka clan members arranged by Sarutobi Hiruzen, there was absolutely no need to worry about information leaking.

Making a scene might have cost him some dignity, but the truly critical objectives—securing support from the ninja clans as quickly as possible, taking command of the border ninja forces, and selecting new members for Root from among them—were all within reach.

The tangible benefits would fall into his, Shimura Danzō's, pocket without a single cent missing.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen wanted to take them back from him, he would have to pay a heavy price, or else he would change his surname to Sarutobi!

He was winning on every front.

"It is a pity that I cannot take Kurama to the battlefield; otherwise, Kumogakure would be nothing to worry about."

As Shimura Danzō thought of this, a sense of regret welled up in his heart, followed by a flicker of apprehension.

He spoke, giving his orders, "Have the ninjas of Shin's squad monitor the jinchūriki of Kurama. If any Uchiha makes contact with the jinchūriki, report it to me immediately!"

During the Battle of the Valley of the End, Uchiha Madara, who had controlled Kurama, had been like a demon god reborn.

Having seen him from afar once while being led by Senju Tobirama, Shimura Danzō feared the Uchiha, yet he also craved the Uchiha—and worshipped the Wood Release that could defeat them!

Shimura Danzō touched his arm, which was wrapped in white bandages, his mind wavering.

If he could combine the power of both, he would surely strike down Sarutobi Hiruzen and become the true, strongest Hokage!

"Let's go. Follow me to meet Kumogakure!"

Shimura Danzō was filled with ambition.