Danzo, Do You Want to Become Hokage?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's counterquestion did not make Danzo panic, because he felt victory was already within his grasp.

To drive Orochimaru away, he had made many preparations.

It could be said that Orochimaru had no choice but to leave. Konoha could no longer accommodate him.

The death of White Fang, Root's inaction during the battle between the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails, and Orochimaru's current predicament were all Danzo's efforts to clear away his competitors.

To become Hokage, Danzo had exhausted every means. He would not hesitate even to weaken Konoha's strength.

Hiruzen Sarutobi found it strange. How could the title of Hokage hold such great allure?

Perhaps every ninja who grew up in Konoha harbored a deep obsession with becoming Hokage.

"Danzo, do you truly want to become Hokage?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's sudden question caught Danzo off guard.

He had never expected Hiruzen Sarutobi to suddenly ask whether he wanted to be Hokage.

Danzo had never told anyone that he wanted to become Hokage, yet nearly every ninja who knew him knew that was what he wanted.

How could Hiruzen Sarutobi possibly not know?

It was simply not something that could be spoken of openly. That was politics.

We knew they were lying. They knew they were lying. They knew we knew they were lying. We knew they knew we knew they were lying. Yet they continued to lie.

Everyone knew what Danzo wanted, but Hiruzen Sarutobi said nothing, so no one else dared say anything either.

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo had been teammates and disciples of the Second Hokage. Moreover, the two senior advisors, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, also had close ties with Danzo.

Even if Danzo wanted to become Hokage, it was only a matter within Konoha's small circle of higher-ups.

Now that Hiruzen Sarutobi had taken the initiative to bring it up, its meaning was different.

Seeing Danzo remain silent, Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled.

"What? Is that the extent of your resolve?"

Danzo immediately snapped back to his senses. Being mocked and underestimated by Hiruzen Sarutobi felt profoundly strange to him—perhaps "humiliated and angered" was a more fitting description.

Perhaps this was one of the peculiarities of the Hokage world: people of the same sex always began by fighting and hating each other, only to eventually form a bond of mutual understanding.

What had long been divided would unite, and what had long been united would divide. The most typical example was Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. They had known each other since childhood and stood on opposing sides, yet founded Konoha together, only to part ways in the end because of conflicting ideals.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo had likewise known each other since childhood and worked toward a shared dream, but in the end, only Hiruzen Sarutobi had become the Hokage acknowledged by everyone.

Their ideals had clashed more and more fiercely, yet because of their old bond, neither could truly make up his mind.

Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally understood Danzo's thoughts, but to the Hiruzen Sarutobi of the past, had Danzo not also been the softest corner of his heart?

Danzo could not understand why Hiruzen Sarutobi was saying such things, but he had no intention of losing face before him.

"Hokage... it is indeed my dream."

"Then give up that dream. You were never meant to be Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

Danzo narrowed his eyes.

"Hiruzen, what exactly do you mean?"

His clenched fists and furrowed brow proved that Danzo's heart was anything but calm at this moment.

"Roots buried beneath the soil will only make the tree wither if they try to expose themselves to the air."

"I have already decided to completely change Konoha, to let the great tree of Konoha sprout new buds and flourish with a different kind of vitality."

Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's words, Danzo seemed to have heard the greatest joke in the world.

"Hiruzen, do you have the right to say something like that to me?"

Danzo knew Hiruzen better than anyone, but he did not know that the old friend standing before him was no longer the Hiruzen Sarutobi he once knew.

The Hiruzen Sarutobi of the past truly had no right to say such things to Danzo. Even during the Fourth Hokage's era, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not fully relinquished power; most authority had remained in his hands.

It could be said that Hiruzen Sarutobi's obsession with power and status was not much less than Danzo's.

"The right? Do I need the right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi gave a soft laugh.

"Give up your fantasies. Even if you obtain the Blood Wheel Eye and the First Hokage's cells, you will still be weak. Your habit of hiding in the shadows has made your resolve so petty and narrow!"

With Hiruzen Sarutobi revealing his greatest secret, Danzo could no longer maintain his expression.

Orochimaru. It had to be Orochimaru who had betrayed him!

At that moment, Danzo could no longer remain calm. Whether it was transplanting the First Hokage's cells or coveting—and even implanting—the Blood Wheel Eye in his arm, if the people of the village learned of it, he would never again have any chance of becoming Hokage.

"I did it for Konoha! The Uchiha Clan must be eradicated, and someone must inherit the First Hokage's power!"

Danzo spoke with complete conviction. Clearly, he truly believed it.

There was obviously no point discussing values with a crazed ninja, but as a cultivator, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not want the village's mess to become a heart demon when he faced his heavenly tribulation in the future.

"I will make the decisions regarding all of this. Root will temporarily cease all operations and submit to ANBU inspection. Not only you, but Koharu and Homura must also undergo investigation."

He took a drag of his cigarette, then exhaled. The smoke lingered for a long time, concealing Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

Yet that sharp gaze made Danzo feel a stabbing pain in his body.

Danzo naturally could not surrender without resistance, much less give up Root and become a consultant with no actual position or authority.

"Hiruzen, stop joking around!"

Danzo roared. Instantly, two Root members flashed in through the doorway and took positions at his side.

Almost at the same time, five or six figures appeared in the office. Shinnosuke Sarutobi and Naeko Sarutobi were among them. These were all ANBU directly under the Hokage.

To confront the Hokage within the Hokage Building, only Danzo could manage such a thing.

When the two had spoken earlier, they had naturally set up a barrier around the office to prevent anyone from overhearing them. However, Danzo naturally had ways to communicate with his subordinates as well.

Danzo only wanted to leave as quickly as possible. As long as the green hills remained, there would be no shortage of firewood. If he were kept here, the Root he had spent years building might truly be lost.

"Danzo, I am not joking with you, nor am I negotiating with you. I am ordering you in the name of the Hokage!"

Though Hiruzen Sarutobi was usually restrained, it was undeniable that in Konoha, the Hokage's authority was absolute!

Hiruzen Sarutobi had naturally made preparations for today's matter as well.

Dealing with Danzo was not as complicated as it seemed!