Sarutobi Hiruzen refused to listen to reason. Danzo stormed out, slamming the door behind him. His subordinate, who had been waiting outside, silently followed. After they had gone some distance and found themselves alone, he quietly asked, "Hokage, what should we do?"
"That man is far too soft-hearted. He actually rejected my proposal."
This subordinate was Danzo's confidant, so he had long known what Danzo was thinking.
The subordinate echoed, "In my heart, Danzo, you are the one who truly should have become the Third Hokage."
Danzo rebuked him, "Don't say things that harm the village's unity. Be careful, or I'll punish you for it."
Despite his words, there was no real severity in Danzo's rebuke. Clearly, he deeply agreed with that statement.
The subordinate repeatedly murmured his assent. After a while, he sighed. "The more a tree longs for the sunlight above, the deeper its roots must reach into the dark earth. I only hope the Third Hokage can understand this principle."
Danzo stopped when he heard that. He carefully mulled over those words, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sank into thought.
The subordinate calmly watched the pondering Danzo, a trace of cunning flashing through his eyes.
That night, beneath the moon.
In a certain room, the retainers gathered there were sleeping soundly when a loud crash suddenly woke them. They snapped their eyes open and saw a man standing in the doorway, his head wrapped in bandages, one sharp eye exposed, his expression icy and murderous—it was Danzo.
The visitors clearly meant trouble. The retainers looked terrified, yet shouted fiercely, "You bastard!"
Danzo did not waste a single word. He waved his hand, seemingly giving an order. Several shadows darted into the room behind him, wielding Wokou Blades and harvesting lives as easily as slicing melons and