Shimura Danzō looked him up and down, sensing that something was off.
Had Hiruzen Sarutobi gone mad? Or was I caught in a genjutsu?
Wasn't this guy all fired up about competing with me to the bitter end when he became a candidate for Hokage?
What was he playing at now? Trying to retreat to advance? That trick wouldn't work on me!
Unlike the wary Shimura Danzō, Hiruzen Sarutobi looked utterly sincere. He pressed his left hand to his chest and planted his right against the wall beside Shimura Danzō, boxing him in.
"Danzo, I've figured it out!"
"As long as our hearts are devoted to the village, it doesn't matter where we are or what we do!"
"Ever since the First Hokage, the Hokage has always needed a Hokage Assistant at his side. The Second, the Third, and all the countless Hokage to come should have trustworthy companions helping them. A Hokage working alone can't make Konoha flourish."
"My reason for competing to become Hokage was to make Konoha more prosperous and powerful... if I can contribute just as much as the Hokage Assistant, then the empty title of Hokage doesn't matter to me."
"So there's really no need for me to compete with you. Whether I become Hokage or help you, it's all the same."
"But you're different. We grew up together, and I know how much you want this position. So, Danzo, why don't you become Hokage?"
"You'll be the village's light, and I'll be the darkness behind that light! You'll lead Konoha forward, and I'll help from the sidelines, warning you whenever you take the wrong path..."
"Wouldn't that be good, too?"
Shimura Danzō couldn't help drawing his head back, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Disgust crept onto his face.