Transaction

In the Hokage office, only Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained; at Danzo's request, both advisors had temporarily departed.

With no outsiders present, their conversation became far more direct and intense.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before Danzo, gazing at that familiar face—at the body that should have been his own—while his emotions churned violently within.

Finally, for the sake of the village and the greater good, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to reach a decision and spoke.

"Danzo, the peace talks with Hidden Stone must not be terminated. If you dare to sabotage them, I will expose the truth about what has happened between us."

At these words, a mocking smile appeared on Danzo's face. He knew his own situation; with Hiruzen Sarutobi currently wearing his identity, who would believe such an absurd claim if he were to voice it?

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Danzo with utmost solemnity, the air between them seemingly frozen, as he continued: "I know the village's shinobi, and perhaps even Koharu and Homura, might find it hard to believe."

"But once this matter erupts, our internal affairs will surely fall into chaos."

"By then, how many people will still agree to continue the war against Hidden Stone? How much strength will you be able to muster to defeat them?"

Danzo glared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, the smile fading from his face as his expression turned ugly, leading him to issue a threat: "Hiruzen, think of your clan, think of Asuma, think of Biwako."

The moment those two names were spoken, the rage in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart ignited instantly. He reached out and grabbed the collar of Danzo's robes: "Danzo, my current restraint is for the sake of the village. Do not push me!"

Everyone has a scale that must not be touched; by using his son and wife as threats, Danzo had crossed his bottom line.

Danzo laughed, his eyes filled with a manic sense of triumph. He raised his hand to Hiruzen Sarutobi's wrist and began to apply force.

"Are you attempting to commit treason and assault the Hokage, Hiruzen?"

"You..."

Danzo's words had their intended effect; Hiruzen Sarutobi's grip slowly loosened, and his hand was pushed down by Danzo.

"I have said that everything I do is for Konoha. My contribution to Konoha is no less than yours," Danzo said slowly, a hint of sincerity appearing in his eyes.

Danzo truly thought this, and he truly believed it.

With matters having reached this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not trust Danzo, but with their identities swapped, he was forced to adopt a stalling tactic.

"Danzo, let's make a deal!"

"What kind of deal?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at Danzo for several seconds before speaking with a firm tone: "You guarantee not to sabotage these peace talks, and within three years, you hand the position of Hokage over to Minato Namikaze. In exchange, I will help you take over all the intelligence and files that only a Hokage can access."

Hearing the terms of the deal, Danzo laughed—not with triumph, but with a mocking irony.

"Hiruzen, do you still not understand? I!" Danzo pointed to himself, emphasizing his words, "am the Hokage now!"

"Is that so? Then how much of the intelligence and files accessible only to the Hokage do you actually possess right now? And how much do you really know about the members of the Anbu?" Hiruzen Sarutobi countered.

"I will figure it out. Without your help, it will simply take more time." Danzo understood that at this moment, he could not afford to back down.

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked calmly: "If you sabotage the peace talks, we will immediately fall into the predicament of fighting on multiple fronts. By then, how much time will you have to figure these things out? Will the Root, which you rely on so heavily, still follow your orders?"

Danzo's expression shifted slightly; Hiruzen Sarutobi's words had struck his Achilles' heel. He had gone to such great lengths to become Hokage, even going so far as to cooperate with an entity of unknown origin and discard his own body.

Had he not done all this to become Hokage, lead Konoha to become the hegemon of the ninja world, and prove that he was a superior Hokage to Hiruzen Sarutobi?

"If I agree to your terms, the war will end as a result. What meaning does that have for me?" Danzo asked in return.

Facing this question, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already prepared a strategy. He spoke: "After the peace talks with Hidden Stone, we can concentrate our forces to defeat the Hidden Cloud. We can find ways to recover all our losses from them."

This answer was indeed beyond Danzo's expectations, and he began to analyze the information regarding the Hidden Cloud, considering the feasibility of the plan.

Seeing Danzo lost in thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi struck while the iron was hot: "Compared to Hidden Stone, the Hidden Cloud suffered the least losses in this war. Although the Third Raikage died in battle, his sacrifice preserved the vast majority of the Hidden Cloud's vital strength."

"Compared to Hidden Stone and the other ninja villages, the Hidden Cloud, having retained the most power, is our true enemy for the future."

When it came to serious matters, Danzo temporarily set aside his personal grudges, nodding slowly with an expression of agreement, acknowledging Hiruzen Sarutobi's analysis.

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued: "Therefore, if we must continue the war, the Hidden Cloud is the opponent we should be most vigilant against. If we can severely damage the Hidden Cloud this time, Konoha will win at least ten years of time to recuperate."

"At the same time, compared to other great nations, the Land of Lightning has the best economy. Their only weakness is a lack of population. By fighting them, we can not only drain their vitality but also reap the rewards we deserve after achieving victory."

Having said this in one breath, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Danzo with a calm yet expectant gaze; this was the best response he could conceive for Konoha's current situation.

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's expectant gaze, Danzo spoke: "There is some truth to what you say. Compared to Hidden Stone, the Hidden Cloud poses a greater threat to us."

At these words, a sense of joy rose in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart; he saw hope in persuading Danzo.

Danzo continued: "However, regarding the deal, one point must be removed. Minato Namikaze is too young to shoulder the burden of being Hokage. Handing the position to him in three years is absolutely impossible."

"If three years won't do, then five." Hiruzen Sarutobi had never expected Danzo to agree to three years; he had proposed it merely to stabilize Danzo for the time being.

"No, the position of Hokage must be decided by me alone," Danzo said decisively.

Hiruzen Sarutobi deliberately furrowed his brows and tried to persuade him: "Danzo, we are both getting old. The future belongs to the young."

"Hmph! I am the Hokage. Only I can decide when to step down and to whom the position will be handed," Danzo said with unyielding authority.

Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his mouth to argue further, but was interrupted by Danzo: "Enough. This matter is not up for negotiation. My agreement to the peace talks with Hidden Stone is already the greatest concession I can make."

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and finally said: "Fine, then that is how it shall be! You guarantee not to sabotage the peace talks with Hidden Stone, and ensure the safety of Asuma and the others, and I will cooperate with you to secure your position as Hokage."

Danzo nodded, paced back to his desk, and sat down in the chair.

"I agree."

"Danzo, the position of Hokage is not as easy as you think. If you dare to do anything that harms the village, even if I have to give my life, I will kill you!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's words were both a plea and a warning. After leaving this final remark, he turned and walked out of the office.