"Wait, Sarutobi. No matter how you look at it, five million ryō and the Kusanagi Sword are far too much. Are you really going to hand such a huge payout over to this Genin?"
Genin? The Senbon in Shiranui Genma's mouth fell to the ground, but he didn't even notice. Behind him, Namiashi Raidō and Tatami Iwashi were wondering if their ears had stopped working.
Since when could a Genin take on an S-rank mission? And he'd even completed it. The three of them had struggled and strained to finish an A-rank battlefield support mission. Just who was this little Uchiha kid?
"What do you mean? This is my mission reward. Whether I use the money to fix up my garden or go to a hot spring has nothing to do with you, you old hag!"
"You wretched Uchiha brat! How dare you publicly insult a Hokage Advisor? You—"
The air in the Mission Assignment Hall grew tense. Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed his hand on the desk and glared at them.
"Enough, Koharu! What kind of nonsense is that to say in front of the younger generation? Our fellow Konoha shinobi are risking their lives on the front lines. How can we cut their mission rewards just because the sum is large?"
"Uchiha Hanazuki, here's your reward. As for the Kusanagi Sword and the materials needed to make it, Orochimaru will handle that."
"More importantly, would you be interested in leading a Chunin squad on further missions, or perhaps joining Anbu?"
His smile was kind and gentle. The Third Hokage seemed like nothing more than an ordinary, kindly old man, chatting with the people before him about everyday matters.
"I'll pass. Teacher Orochimaru is going to train me for a while, so I don't have time for missions. I'm off."
Snatching up the Konoha check—with a 5 followed by several zeros—Hua Yue dashed away, giving the Third Hokage and the two Hokage Advisors no time to react. In an instant, he vanished.
"Ahem, ahem. All right, you can go too. Keep working hard and aim to grow into towering trees. One day, you'll become the pillars of Konoha."
At that, Shiranui Genma raised his right hand, unable to contain his curiosity.
"Who was that Uchiha kid?"
"Hmph. Just a brat who got lucky and learned the Flying Thunder God Technique. He has no respect for his elders, and he's arrogant about his talents—just like Orochimaru!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi furrowed his brows, deeply displeased. Even if he couldn't see through Orochimaru's thoughts anymore, he was still his most accomplished student.
"All right, all right. He graduated from the Ninja Academy this year, and he's a rare genius. Mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique at that age can't be explained away as mere luck. It must have taken hard work."
"The battle at Mount Kikyo is over, and the village is safe again, but the Third Shinobi World War hasn't ended. This is no time to let our guard down."
The three exchanged glances. Thinking of the jutsu that had made Uchiha Hanazuki disappear in an instant, they could all see the gravity in one another's expressions.
After the three had left, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in silence. His gaze turned to his old friend, who had just pushed open the door and entered, and his voice dropped low.
"Was it your suggestion to have Orochimaru take Uchiha Hanazuki as his student, Danzo?"
"What's wrong with that? Orochimaru is the most talented of all your students. If Uchiha Hanazuki is trained by him, he'll be more likely to side with you—and with the Will of Fire, Hiruzen."
"We received a battlefield report. Orochimaru made preparations beforehand as well. Would you like to see how Chiyo, the Kazekage Advisor hailed as the last of the puppet masters, was defeated by a Genin?"
Danzo gestured, and two Anbu wheeled in a television. After a burst of static, the battle played out in full on the screen, with only images and faint sound.
After a brief silence, even Utatane Koharu, who had strongly disapproved of Uchiha Hanazuki, fell quiet.
"The greatest creation of the puppet master Monzaemon, that old puppet master's trump card, was countered by a summoning beast in an instant. Can that Grim Reaper summoning beast steal chakra?"
"Excellent Taijutsu and ninjutsu, well-timed Body Flicker Technique, and a keen grasp of the situation. He really is a genius—but why did it have to be an Uchiha?"
Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura gave their assessments. Danzo even wore a rare smile.
"Because he's a genius of the Uchiha Clan. If he ever betrays Konoha, Orochimaru will eliminate him without hesitation. What more could you possibly object to?"
Danzo's smile left Hiruzen Sarutobi silent for a moment. His pipe lit, and wisps of smoke curled through the air before fading away.
"But if Konoha ever faces a crisis, Uchiha Hanazuki, as a shinobi of the village, must do everything he can to help. That is a line we cannot cross."
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi relent, Danzo smiled broadly and turned to leave.
As Danzo's figure receded into the distance, a hint of worry crept into Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression.
Orochimaru, have you chosen to join forces with Danzo?
Late at night, at the Root headquarters, where Konoha's Anbu were trained.
Danzo leaned on his cane, expressionless. His measured footsteps echoed down the corridor, and his half-smiling expression held a hint of satisfaction.
"It seems the terms of the deal have been settled. I'll be the one to train Uchiha Hanazuki. Apart from his personality, that boy's talents may well exceed all expectations."
"Doesn't matter. Just don't let him get close to the decaying Third Hokage. We're in the middle of a war. Once it ends, he should step down and make way for someone more capable. Are you ready to become the Fourth Hokage?"
Not far away, two Root operatives were carrying a body bag in front of Orochimaru. A few drops of scarlet blood fell, and Orochimaru looked displeased.
"Since when did Root make such a rookie mistake? You didn't even clean up the blood. Or is it that—"
"This man's Kekkei Genkai is unusual. If we drain all his blood, his Kekkei Genkai ability disappears too. What happens after that has nothing to do with Root."
A winding giant serpent swallowed the body. Orochimaru turned to leave, but just as he was about to disappear, Danzo suddenly called after him.
"Wait, Orochimaru. Don't forget your mission. Confirm whether Uchiha Hanazuki has awakened the Sharingan."
"Whether he's awakened it? I can give you the answer right now. Without a doubt, he has. Even I can fall under that boy's genjutsu if I'm not careful."
"Do you think his eyes could replace the treasure in your right eye?"
Danzo's face darkened, his already shadowed features growing more sinister. He let out a cold snort.
"Don't forget, I still control access to the First's cell research."
"The First's Wood Release techniques, that power to control Tailed Beasts—I certainly want them. But they're not my goal right now."
"My goal right now is that adorable student of mine, the one who always manages to surprise me. Heh heh heh..."
Before you continue