"Yes, your father earned Konoha a great deal of military merit." Danzo smiled at Sōkyū Hatake.
Judging by Sōkyū Hatake's reply, he had no idea what Danzo had to do with Hatake Sakumo's death.
That made things much easier. As long as Sōkyū Hatake knew nothing about those matters, Danzo had a very good chance of luring him away.
Once Sōkyū Hatake went to Root, Danzo would employ some of his methods on him.
Then Sōkyū Hatake would truly become a puppet under his control!
And then he could have Sōkyū Hatake become the head of the Hatake Clan, increasing his own influence on the council of elders!
At that thought, Sōkyū Hatake immediately became a highly desirable prize in Danzo's eyes.
"Lord Danzo, about my father... I'm very sad. Lord Hokage came to our house to offer his condolences back then, too." Sōkyū Hatake understood that Danzo's appearance here at this moment certainly wasn't that simple.
In other words, Sōkyū Hatake understood that Danzo was trying to recruit him into Root!
What he didn't know was whether Hiruzen Sarutobi had approved this, or... whether Danzo was acting on his own.
So Sōkyū Hatake brought up Hiruzen Sarutobi's name to test Danzo.
"Yes. So, for the sake of your Hatake Clan's future, I hope you can join our Root. I'll also make you someone as powerful as your father."
Danzo spoke with narrowed eyes. This Sōkyū Hatake didn't seem so easy to fool. Bringing up Hiruzen Sarutobi's name had put him on the back foot.
Still, Danzo wasn't without other preparations. He simply cut straight to the point.
"Root? What kind of place is that?" Sōkyū Hatake looked up, a hint of pure, unclouded stupidity in his eyes. Yes, just like a college student.
"It's an organization like the Anbu. Like the Anbu, it protects Konoha's security. Your father, Hatake Sakumo, once joined my Root, too."
To get Sōkyū Hatake, Danzo outright fabricated part of Hatake Sakumo's history. He was only a child. If he really wanted to join, the fact that his father had once belonged would score plenty of points.
"Well... a few days ago, Lord Orochimaru said he was acting on Lord Hokage's orders to make me his disciple... wouldn't those two things... conflict?"
Sōkyū Hatake spoke timidly. Since you made up Hatake Sakumo having joined Root, Danzo, it isn't too much for me to make up Hiruzen Sarutobi having approved Orochimaru taking me as his disciple, is it?
"Orochimaru's disciple?" Danzo frowned slightly. So Hiruzen Sarutobi really has made his move? To keep me from winning Sōkyū Hatake over, he actually had his prized disciple Orochimaru become Sōkyū Hatake's teacher.
That left his invitation to Root without any legitimate grounds.
After all, why would Orochimaru's disciple join Root?
If this got out, it wouldn't be so easy to smooth things over for his Root.
However...
On second thought, if Danzo could get Sōkyū Hatake to his Root today and place some restrictions on him, that would be the same as planting a pawn at Orochimaru's side!
That seemed like a good thing, too.
"Good child, those two things don't conflict at all. Why don't you come back to Root with me now, and I'll show you around? You can also take a look at the mission records your father left from his time in Root."
Danzo immediately changed his approach. Since Hiruzen Sarutobi was so eager to protect Sōkyū Hatake, he had all the more reason to interfere.
"Um... but I still have to go home and cook. Could I come over tomorrow morning instead?" Sōkyū Hatake frowned. He couldn't let Danzo take him away now.
Otherwise, if restrictions were placed on him, he would never be able to talk about certain things involving Danzo again.
"Your older brother Kakashi has already left the village on a mission. Come to my Root. We have a cafeteria you can try, too." Before coming, Danzo had made sure of Kakashi's whereabouts. At least the excuse of Kakashi wouldn't get in his way.
"Well..." Sōkyū Hatake swallowed. Things really had gotten off to a bad start today, and from the look of it, Danzo had been waiting here specifically for him.
Sure enough, he would have to check the traditional almanac before going out from now on. Today's entry must have said it was unsuitable for going outside!
"What's wrong, little Sōkyū? Don't you believe me?" Danzo saw Sōkyū Hatake's reaction.
"Could we wait a little? I still want to look at the scenery here. I spend a little time here every day." With no other option, Sōkyū Hatake could only resort to stalling.
"Hmm... all right. I'll stay with you." Danzo stopped the Root operatives behind him from acting and led the way to the back of Hokage Rock.
Sōkyū Hatake walked over as well and sat down beside Danzo.
"Do you like this view too, Lord Danzo?" Seeing Danzo seemingly lost in thought as he gazed at the buildings below Hokage Rock, Sōkyū Hatake spoke up.
"Yes. Who wouldn't like this view? This was where Lord Hashirama stood back then. Little Sōkū, do you know how Konoha began?" Danzo still greatly respected Hashirama Senju. Of course, that didn't stop him from digging up his grave and extracting cells for Orochimaru's experiments.
"Wasn't this Konoha founded by Lord First Hokage and Lord Madara Uchiha together?" Sōkyū Hatake said directly.
"Ahem, of course it was founded together with the ev... Lord... Madara Uchiha." Danzo had nearly said "the evil Madara Uchiha."
When it came to prejudice against Madara Uchiha, Danzo and his teacher, Tobirama Senju, were practically identical.
In Danzo's eyes, everyone in the Uchiha Clan was an unpredictable factor, including Madara Uchiha, who had founded Konoha together with Hashirama Senju.
After that, Sōkyū Hatake chatted with Danzo in fits and starts, growing increasingly anxious inside.
Why hasn't anyone come to rescue me yet?
Where's Orochimaru???
"Say, little Sōkyū, what's your dream?" As they talked, Danzo began asking what seemed to be a pointed question.
A dream? Sōkyū Hatake was speechless. Have you been possessed by Wang Feng? I'm not auditioning for The Voice of Konoha, am I?
Before you continue