Cloud Shadow! You Will Regret This!

The next morning, in the Hokage Assistant's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was checking the escort route for the first batch of compensation funds with the Anbu commander when there was a knock at the door. Shimura Danzō walked in, gave the Anbu commander a slight nod, and the man tactfully saluted and withdrew.

"Hiruzen, is the Anbu manpower deployment still going smoothly?" Danzo got straight to the point, his tone calm.

"It's a little tight, but we can manage. The compensation effort is of great importance. We must ensure nothing goes wrong."

Hiruzen gestured for him to sit, keenly sensing that Danzo had not come merely out of concern.

Danzo did not sit. Instead, he walked to the window with his back to Hiruzen and looked out at the somewhat desolate streets.

"The Anbu framework was established by our teacher, Tobirama, to carry out the Hokage's secret missions—protection and assassination. But its capabilities... have their limits."

He turned around, his gaze sharp. "Konoha is now beset by troubles both within and without. The Anbu must protect the higher-ups, carry out routine classified missions, spread its forces thin handling security matters during reconstruction, and monitor external threats... Its strength is too dispersed, and its specialization is insufficient."

Hiruzen Sarutobi set down his pen, his expression growing focused. "What are you suggesting?"

"Konoha needs another blade. One more focused, sharper, and completely hidden in the darkness."

Danzo lowered his voice, but it carried an unquestionable certainty. "A department independent of the existing system, directly responsible to the Hokage... or rather, to Konoha's most fundamental interests.

"It would not handle protection in the light. It would deal only with the deepest shadows—penetration, counter-penetration, intelligence gathering, special deterrence, and certain... 'necessary evils' that cannot be spoken aloud. It could be called Root, the roots Konoha has planted in the darkest soil."

He looked at Hiruzen, his eyes carrying both a probing intent and an almost imperceptible heat.

"Hiruzen, you understand. There are things the Anbu is not suited to do, or cannot do efficiently enough. We need such a department.

"I can take charge of its establishment, training, and command. It would greatly ease the Anbu's burden and give Konoha another crucial trump card in the coming situation. What do you think? We can propose it to Kumoi together."

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened quietly to Danzo's words, already understanding everything.

This was by no means a spur-of-the-moment idea, but a carefully considered plan.

Danzo did not merely want a department. He wanted an independent kingdom-like machine of violence and intelligence under his absolute control, and he was trying to enlist Hiruzen's support to lend greater weight to the proposal.

Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet and walked before Danzo. His gaze was gentle, yet as resolute as bedrock.

"Danzo," he said clearly, "Konoha has only one Anbu, and it only needs one secret force directly under the Hokage. Kumoi is the Hokage. Konoha's direction is his to decide.

"Our current priorities are compensation, resettlement, and uniting the people's hearts. As for the 'shadows' and 'necessary evils' you speak of, I believe Kumoi will consider them as a whole and handle them in the appropriate way at the appropriate time.

"And our duty is to assist him and carry out his decisions, not to suggest starting a separate operation and dividing authority and strength just as he has pointed out the path forward."

He paused, his tone growing heavier. "Danzo, Kumoi is the Hokage."

He repeated it a second time to make his stance clear.

"And I am the Hokage Assistant. All actions must be guided by his will. I will not agree to this proposal, nor will I help you present it to the Hokage."

The office fell silent. Danzo's face darkened completely. His customary calm was shattered, and a flash of gloomy resentment at being rejected, along with a deeper disagreement, passed through his eyes.

He stared at Hiruzen for several seconds before slowly pulling his lips into a cold curve.

"Hiruzen, you still... naively believe in so-called light and centralization."

Danzo's voice carried suppressed disappointment and a certain grim resolve. "You will regret this. When Konoha bleeds once more because of this naivety, you will understand that some roots must take hold where no one can see them."

After saying that, he spoke no further. He turned and strode away, the door making a neither-soft-nor-loud thud behind him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained where he was, his brows tightly furrowed. Danzo's final words and attitude deepened the worries in his heart.

His close friend and fellow student seemed determined to walk down a solitary and dangerous road he could not accept.

That afternoon, when reporting to Nangō Kumoi, Hiruzen concealed nothing. He told the Hokage exactly how Danzo had intended to establish an independent Root division and how he had firmly refused him.

Nangō Kumoi listened carefully, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desk. Once Hiruzen finished, he sighed, a complicated expression appearing on his face.

"Senior Brother Danzo... so he did bring up this idea after all." He rubbed his brow. "He has always believed that protection requires the most extreme methods. Our teacher's passing may have made that belief even stronger. He thinks the Anbu is not 'pure' enough, not sharp enough."

He looked at Hiruzen, his gaze sincere. "Senior Brother Hiruzen, you were right to refuse him. Konoha cannot have two 'Anbu' organizations now. Authority must be centralized."

"However, Senior Brother Danzo's abilities and his concerns for the village are real as well. Simply suppressing him is not the best course."

He pondered for a moment. "How about this? When you have the chance, continue communicating with him. Focus on placating him.

"You can convey my position: I have no doubt about his loyalty or ability, and Konoha needs his experience in intelligence and special security matters.

"But for now, all forces must prioritize reconstruction and stability. As for some of the functions he envisions... perhaps in the future, more specialized special operations squads can be established within the Anbu framework. But they must operate under unified command and discipline.

"Have him focus his energy first on assisting reconstruction, especially the 'security protection' of important areas and supply routes. That, too, is an important part of protecting Konoha."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. Kumoi's way of handling the matter was reasonable and fair. He had upheld the principle while giving Danzo both a way out and work to do, hopefully stabilizing him for the time being.

After Hiruzen left, Nangō Kumoi leaned back in his chair. His gaze deepened as his fingertips rhythmically tapped the armrest.

He muttered inwardly.

Root... so he really does want to build his own separate system.

The Anbu is a blade directly under the Hokage. The "Root" he wants to establish probably only wants to become his own blade, perhaps even... a blade he intends to hold to the Hokage's throat someday?

Rejecting him outright could easily intensify the conflict. Letting him handle "security protection" does put his talents to use, but if his ideological deviation isn't corrected, it will become a hidden danger sooner or later...

It seems the "ideological education course" for Senior Brother Danzo needs to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

And the Anbu needs to strengthen its study of the "new-era meaning of the Will of Fire" as well. We must ensure that the hilt of this sharpest blade remains firmly in the hands of the correct ideals and the Hokage.

I need to figure out how to instill concepts like "absolute loyalty to the village's correct path of development," "collective interests above all else," and "constructive protection" in a lively, subtle way...

He pulled out another scroll. This time, instead of architectural sketches, he drew a simple organizational chart. Beside it, he wrote, "Preliminary Concept for an Ideological Guidance and Loyalty Reinforcement System." Then, under "Priority Target Groups," he slowly wrote several names.

Konoha's construction had never been only about bricks, tiles, and cement. Building hearts and minds, perfecting systems, and contending over ideals—every link was of vital importance.

And preventive "pruning" and "correction" to keep Root from growing crooked had quietly risen to the top of the new Hokage's schedule.