Danzo: I Don't Look Like a Model Student or Outstanding Class Leader At All

As the various countries finished discussing the details, the Five Kage Summit gradually drew to a close.

These past few days, Shimura Danzo had been completely listless. At such a young age, he had already suffered enough from love.

Ever since Utatane Koharu had kissed Mitokado Homura on the cheek that day, Danzo would unconsciously touch his own face whenever he zoned out, sometimes smiling and sometimes fuming.

The once inseparable Konoha quartet was now on the verge of falling apart. Sarutobi Hiruzen was still completely in the dark. He had no idea how their closest group of four had ended up like this. Was this what their teacher had called "bonds"?

That day, Shimura Danzo walked alone through Konoha's streets. People bustled all around him, but none of that liveliness had anything to do with him. His own world had abandoned him.

At that moment, he seemed to understand something his teacher had once said: "Heartbreak is a required lesson for men." Shimura Danzo felt that he had already gone through heartbreak and endured the harshest trial on the path to becoming a man. He was a little man now.

Danzo casually bought a Konoha sandwich. It was a snack that had recently become popular in Konoha, and it was his favorite food. But today, it tasted like chewing wax.

"Danzo! I finally found you!"

Utatane Koharu ran over from the street corner. Normally, Danzo would have been delighted to see Koharu specifically looking for him, but lately, he did not want to see her.

"You've been avoiding me lately. Is it because of what happened with Homura?"

"Danzo, don't misunderstand. I was only thanking Homura. Is that really the kind of person you think I am?" Utatane Koharu explained.

"I... I just can't accept you doing that to Homura." Seeing Koharu's aggrieved expression, Danzo did not even know where to direct his anger. After saying that, he turned and angrily punched a tree by the street.

"Don't do that!" Seeing Danzo slam his fist into the tree, Utatane Koharu hurriedly stopped him.

"I'm so frustrated. I suddenly turned into some sniveling idiot, without a trace of the exemplary student and outstanding class leader I'm supposed to be." Danzo did not know how to comfort himself. Koharu was the girl he liked, while Homura was his good friend. Emotionally, Danzo felt betrayed, but rationally, he should have been blessing them.

"I never thought that what I did to Homura would make you..."

"Don't mention him!" With that, Danzo threw another punch.

"Your hand is bleeding." Utatane Koharu immediately grabbed Danzo's hand and stroked it.

As Koharu held his hand, Shimura Danzo's head slowly drifted closer as if possessed. Just a little more—just a little more, and Danzo's lips would have kissed Koharu's hand when Utatane Koharu immediately let go and took a step back.

"I... I only touched your hand, and you already..."

"But you touched his face!" Danzo completely broke down.

"No! No! No...!" Danzo cried out in anguish.

"Oh, isn't this Little Maple Leaf? What's wrong? Why are your eyes so red?" Seeing that Danzo had lost his usual liveliness, Hozuki Sakuya could not help asking.

"The Konoha sandwich I just bought was too spicy. Too spicy. I couldn't eat it." Shimura Danzo hurriedly came up with an excuse.

"Danzo, if that's what you think, there's nothing I can do. Sorry, I'll be leaving first." Utatane Koharu turned and left after saying that.

"Little Maple Leaf, take a walk with me. I was just about to look around myself." Seeing how upset Danzo was, Hozuki Sakuya tried to comfort him.

I'll be leaving in a few days. I should take another walk with big sis.

"Th-then... all right."

The two of them wandered aimlessly down the street.

"By the way, Sister Sakuya, did you come out to buy something?"

"The Five Kage Summit is almost over, and the accompanying ninja from the other hidden villages are all buying things like crazy. After all, once the summit ends, purchases on this scale will come with a hefty tax."

"As for me, I came out to have another look at Konoha. I don't know whether I'll have another chance in the future. Konoha is wonderful. Not only does it have a Hokage filled with the Will of Fire, it also has teachers with four qualities of soul. These days in Konoha have been the freest and happiest time of her life." Hozuki Sakuya could not help sighing.

Hozuki Sakuya came from the Hozuki Clan. Both the Hozuki Clan and the Kaguya Clan were among the leading bloodline-limit clans of the Land of Water, and she had never had control over her own life.

But the Kaguya Clan had found liberation. Their entire clan had defected to Konoha, and they no longer had to remain trapped on that island in the Land of Water.

"Exactly!" Hearing Hozuki Sakuya praise Konoha, Danzo brightened up again. "Now that the five great hidden villages have formed an alliance, it'll be convenient if you ever want to come back and visit Konoha. I believe that under Teacher's leadership, the ninja world will definitely coexist in peace."

"What does a child know about peace?" Hozuki Sakuya did not argue with him. She did not want to ruin the beauty in Danzo's heart.

"Little Maple Leaf, what do you think peace is?"

"Peace means no war. The five great hidden villages coexist peacefully, just like they are now."

"Sister Sakuya, is there something wrong with what I said?" Seeing that Hozuki Sakuya had fallen silent, Danzo could not help asking.

"You're absolutely right." Hozuki Sakuya smiled. There was only one thing she did not say: peace required strength to maintain it.

"Don't be fooled by how the five great nations are peacefully coexisting without conflict right now. That is built on Konoha's current strength. The moment Konoha weakens or shows signs of decline, the surrounding nations will immediately turn into wolves and tigers and rush in to tear at it. Even if they cannot swallow Konoha whole, they will still bite off a piece of flesh."

"The day Hidden Stone Village or Hidden Sand Village becomes powerful, the other four great hidden villages will also cast aside their old grudges, unite, and work together against Hidden Stone Village or Hidden Sand Village. That is the purest form of relations between nations. Interests always come first."

In the original story, the four great hidden villages constantly attacked Konoha. Ultimately, it was because the Land of Fire was simply too prosperous.

The Land of Fire possessed the most fertile and abundant land in the ninja world, with a climate suitable for living and no extreme environments. But what about the other four great nations?

The Land of Wind was almost entirely desert, with scorching temperatures, scarce water, and barren soil. It was utterly unfit for habitation.

The Land of Earth was full of rock and mountains. Though it was somewhat better than the Land of Wind, it was far inferior to Konoha, with sparse vegetation, little arable land, and a harsh climate.

The Land of Lightning had an extremely divided climate. Aside from its relatively livable coastal areas, the rest was also unsuitable for habitation, and arable land was scarce.

The Land of Water went without saying. It was an island nation, and its arable land resources were also lacking.

It could be said that if the Land of Fire did not possess enough strength to protect this land, the other nations would certainly attack it.

"The alliance of the five great hidden villages is useful when you think it's useful. When you think it's useless, it's too hard even to wipe your ass with."

"Perhaps the next time she came to Konoha, she would either be a defeated prisoner or an invader who had successfully occupied Konoha."