"Danzo, what are you planning now?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his old comrade with conflicted eyes. Back then, he couldn't bear the thought of Danzo being dissected to death by Sand shinobi, so he secretly passed a message to Root outside. Only later did he realize Danzo had quietly aligned himself with the daimyo.
"Hiruzen, you can clearly see Konoha's situation—and your Sarutobi clan's as well. At this point, do you still plan to endure?"
Danzo's expression was calm, but a trace of disdain flickered in his only remaining eye as he looked at Hiruzen.
He knew Hiruzen hadn't truly intended to save him back then. If not for Danzo using Kotoamatsukami on him, planting the thought that everything he did was for Konoha and that Root existed only to aid the Hokage, Hiruzen might have let him be taken away to be studied.
Danzo had only one of Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan. If he gave Hiruzen an overly strange command, the jutsu might fail.
The difference between one eye and two was huge. So instead, Danzo exploited Hiruzen's nostalgia, placing a permanent suggestion in his heart—this way, Hiruzen's behavior would not change too drastically, yet Kotoamatsukami would still take effect.
"How many Sarutobi have died fulfilling missions? And when they fell, didn't Tsunade replace the missing ANBU with outsiders?"
"If this continues, your clan will follow the Uchiha's path. And I suspect Tsunade is connected with Orochimaru and Hyuga Mirai, those two traitors."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. He demanded, "How would you know that? Your Root is down to barely ten men. How could you gather such information?"
"You still haven't realized that Tsunade suddenly awakening Wood Release is abnormal? The truth is, back in Konoha, only Orochimaru had the deepest research into it. He developed a method to recreate Wood Release. Even within Root, I had two Wood Release shinobi. One is dead, but the other, Kinoe, is here in the daimyo's mansion."
As Danzo finished, he gave a sharp command. A masked ninja appeared in the courtyard.
"Lord Danzo."
"Show him your Wood Release."
"Yes, Lord Danzo. Wood Release: Four-Pillar Prison Jutsu."
With a flurry of hand seals, a small house over a meter tall rose in the courtyard. Hiruzen's pupils widened in shock. He stepped forward to confirm.
"It's real Wood Release… Danzo, and you tell me only now!?"
"If I had told you, you would have filled Kinoe's head with your Will of Fire. Then Tsunade would have had every reason to transfer him away. Only in my hands can this power truly serve Konoha."
Danzo's face remained steady as he spoke. Ever since one Wood Release subordinate died, he had hidden Kinoe tightly.
Revealing him now was an act of necessity. Root had been too slow to recover power after losing influence in Konoha. Even with the daimyo's favor, he could not gain full support.
Even if he insisted the old assassination attempt had nothing to do with him, the daimyo and he merely used each other. The mansion was safer than most places, nothing more.
Hiruzen muttered, "So Tsunade's Wood Release really is suspicious…"
And there was also the matter of the curse seal. He remembered when Kushina received hers—Tsunade had been helpless then. Yet years later, she could suppress Hyuga Mirai's curse seal power.
Hiruzen had never doubted Tsunade's loyalty. He had assumed she discovered a method. But hearing Danzo now, he realized both the Wood Release and the curse seal might have been solved by Mirai.
"Danzo, what should I do now?"
For a moment, Hiruzen felt as if they were back in the old days—light and shadow, working together to strengthen Konoha.
"Unite the clans. Take control of the village's power. With Tsunade's strength, neither you nor the Sarutobi alone can oppose her."
Danzo tapped his cane on the ground, speaking firmly.
"Only by rallying many clans can you stand equal to her. I will collect proof of her ties to Orochimaru and Hyuga Mirai. Then she'll have no excuse."
After some thought, Hiruzen nodded. "Fine. But you must lend me Kinoe. Keeping him hidden here is a waste—he's the key evidence."
Danzo's face twitched, then he gritted his teeth. "Fine. But you must support me. Root needs to expand. Without manpower, evidence is difficult to gather."
"I will notify the Shimura clan. The Sarutobi will also support you," Hiruzen replied.
It would be too difficult for the Sarutobi alone. The Shimura clan had declined, but even a dying camel is larger than a horse. Before their fall, they could still contribute.
The two then finalized their arrangement. With Kinoe, Danzo gained a large sum of funds and a Sarutobi stronghold on the Fire–Grass border.
Hiruzen promised further support. To him, this seemed natural—Danzo was his old teammate, always devoted to Konoha.
That was the terror of Kotoamatsukami—it convinced Hiruzen that Danzo remained selfless, just as when Root was first founded.
Their deal complete, Hiruzen returned to Konoha with Kinoe. More important tasks awaited him.
…
After Kurenai left, Hyuga Mirai returned to the Federation. Resolving her situation eased his mind. If she had clung stubbornly to the Will of Fire, urging him back to Konoha, it would have been troublesome.
In that case, he would have had no choice but to imprison her for a time.
When he returned, Ayaka Uzumaki happened to be cleaning. Though the house was already spotless, she liked to do chores when idle.
"Lord Mirai, you're back?"
"Yes. Ayaka, has anyone come looking for me?"
"Hm? Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha came by… but Lord Mirai, is something wrong with you?"
She suddenly felt something odd about him, though she couldn't say what.
"Nothing. Why do you ask?"
Mirai set down his cup, then coughed lightly. "Please, go fetch them for me."
His shadow clones handled government work. They only informed the original of truly important matters. Since Naruto and Sasuke hadn't gone through them, it must be trivial—unless Kushina or Mikoto had shown up.
At his words, Ayaka split into two shadow clones, sending each to fetch one of the boys.
Soon enough, Naruto and Sasuke followed her back.
As soon as he entered, Naruto called out loudly, "Uncle Mirai, Mom wants to invite you to dinner. She asked me to see if you have time."
Sasuke, a step behind, quickly added, "Uncle Mirai, my mom also asked when you'd be free."
"If that's all, it'll have to wait. I'll be returning to Roran tonight," Mirai answered.
The fusion of Ten-Tails Cells with his own had produced results. For the Otsutsuki, the Ten-Tails was a catalyst for ascension. After seeing this, he was eager to return to Roran for further trials.
"Uncle Mirai, we wanted to ask about team assignments…"
"You and Gaara won't be in the same squad. If you were grouped together, few in the Federation could guide you properly. And Sasuke, aren't you joining the Police Force after graduation?"
Mirai turned to him. "Many of your clan are there. They no longer hold grudges from the past. And only in the Police Force can you receive the best guidance for your Sharingan."
In the Federation, outside the Police Force, no one could mentor Sasuke. Joining a mission squad would only waste his foundation—now was the time to develop his eyes.
Naruto tilted his head in surprise. "Huh, Sasuke, you're joining the Police Force?"
"Naruto, that's Sasuke's choice. Don't interfere. Sasuke, you'd best ask your mother—she'll give the right advice."
Mirai cut him off. Ayaka, quick-witted, covered Naruto's mouth with her arm.
The boy was too focused on Sasuke, likely wanting him in the mission squads as well. Even if not in the same team, they could spar in the future.
But Sasuke probably thought differently. Still, he clearly cared about Naruto—after three years in the same class, even if he acted dismissive, the bond was there.
If Naruto kept chattering, it would affect Sasuke.
Sasuke also knew the Police Force was the best place to hone his strength. Still, he wanted to test himself against Naruto and Gaara in every way.
"I understand, Uncle Mirai."
He bowed respectfully. Though he didn't know why his mother insisted on calling the headmaster "uncle," he obeyed.
Team assignments were nearly finalized. Naruto's captain was an elite jonin skilled in Wind Release. Gaara would train to control the One-Tail under a versatile jonin, much like Kakashi, but more proficient in sealing.
After advising them, Mirai dismissed the two. Before leaving, they reminded him several times about dinner. He could only agree vaguely.
Then he prepared to return to Roran.
The residents there were slowly migrating into the Federation. In a few years, aside from Mirai's research base and the Dragon Vein, no outsiders would remain.
(End of Chapter)