Main World.
Year 21 of Konoha, autumn.
Root base, a secret chamber.
Dark red light cast twisted shadows on the chamber walls. Danzo sat cross-legged on a stone platform, his eyes closed and his breathing steady, but his expression kept changing-his brow furrowed, then relaxed, and at times a cold smile curved his lips. He was dreaming. A very, very beautiful dream.
In the dream, he stood in a space of nothingness. There was no sky, no earth, only endless gray-white light. The light was neither dazzling nor warm. It simply existed, like eternity itself.
"Shimura Danzō."
A voice came from the void. Ancient and deep, it carried an indescribable weight that spanned time and space. Danzo's pupils abruptly contracted. He turned and saw an old man sitting cross-legged on a lotus dais. The old man wore white robes embroidered with patterns of tomoe and the Rinnegan. His face was aged, he had a long white beard, and two horns grew from his forehead. Most striking were his eyes-a pair of deep purple eyes that seemed to hold an endless starry sky, with concentric ripples in their pupils.
"Sage of Six Paths..."
Danzo's voice trembled. Not with fear, but with excitement.
The Sage of Six Paths. The founder of Ninshu. The Progenitor of Chakra. A legendary, almost godlike being.
"You... you..."
"Danzo, you are another Child of Prophecy, following Hashirama Senju."
The Sage of Six Paths spoke calmly, yet every word was perfectly clear.
"Hashirama Senju founded Konoha. You will lead Konoha to greatness."
Danzo's breath caught slightly.
The Child of Prophecy.
Another Child of Prophecy, following Hashirama Senju.
Him? Shimura Danzō? A student overlooked by Tobirama Senju, a rival suppressed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the leader of Root who had almost no say within Konoha High Command?
He opened his