Danzo gazed at Hirofumi Ito, a glint of calculation flickering in his eyes.
If he had only suspected before that this kid might have stumbled upon some kind of opportunity, now he was almost certain of it—Hirofumi Ito had definitely gained some extraordinary edge!
Ever since Hirofumi performed that reverse summoning, Danzo had ordered his ninjas to dig up every scrap of information about the kid's past.
Hirofumi Ito had always stood out from the crowd.
You could even say he was a bit of an oddball, never quite fitting in with those around him...
And in some ways, he was remarkably sharp, often spouting quirky, offbeat remarks.
His biggest passion? Obsessing over food and cooking.
He even came up with his own bizarre songs.
On top of that, he was a loyal friend, always sticking up for others. At the Ninja Academy, he consistently performed well and got along great with most of his classmates!
He was especially tight with Naruto Uzumaki, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
The two had been inseparable even before entering the academy, and once they were there, Hirofumi meshed well with the other clan kids.
In past combat drills, he always secured second place in his class, with only Sasuke Uchiha outshining him!
But in yesterday's ninja sparring session, he actually beat Sasuke—and pulled off a C-rank Fireball Jutsu to boot.
It was suspicious, like he'd gained some kind of opportunity that made him stronger, fast!
Danzo had uncovered every detail of Hirofumi's life, from childhood to now.
If Hirofumi hadn't defeated Sasuke in that training match, Danzo might not have moved against him so quickly. After all, targeting him was practically a slap in the face to the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But now, Danzo was even more convinced that Hirofumi had gained some secret advantage during that reverse summoning...
I mean, come on! No matter how talented a Ninja Academy kid might be, they're still just a kid. How could someone like that use a Body Flicker Jutsu to block my attack?!
The thought made Danzo's gaze burn with intensity as he looked at Hirofumi.
Meanwhile, Hirofumi was starting to get antsy. What's with this creepy old schemer Danzo? What's he thinking?!
Come on, just use your Kotoamatsukami already!!
If you keep stalling, the Third Hokage's gonna show up and ruin everything!
Seriously, for a so-called villain, you're dragging your feet like a coward. No wonder you can't get anything done!
Hirofumi decided it was time to poke the bear a little.
"Elder Danzo, you don't seem all that impressive," he taunted. "You were hyping yourself up like you're some big shot, but you're slower than me! Now I'm seriously doubting if you're really the Third Hokage's 'biggest root.' Or maybe you've just shriveled up with age?!
No way, right? No way someone who brags about being the 'biggest root' is actually... pathetically small, right?!"
Hirofumi's words made Danzo's face flush red!
At the same time, anger flared in his heart.
In all my years, no one has EVER dared to speak to me like this!!
This cocky little brat was so fearless, he had to be hiding some kind of trump card. But no matter how incredible that card was, it couldn't possibly stand up to my Kotoamatsukami!!
Danzo was done hesitating. His hand reached for his eyepatch.
Use Kotoamatsukami to control this brat, and not only will I gain a capable subordinate, but I'll also get my hands on whatever opportunity he's hiding. It'll be a huge boost when I finally become Hokage!
Sure, the Ito clan wasn't a major player, but it was still a ninja clan!
As Danzo schemed, Hirofumi was practically vibrating with excitement on the other side.
Come on!!
Hurry up!!
Just do it already!!
Danzo, don't worry—once I learn Kotoamatsukami, I'll make sure you go out nice and easy!
I'll take you down myself, so Madara Uchiha won't have to grind you to dust!
But just then...
BOOM!!
The door to the Root base was blasted apart by a ninjutsu!
Standing at the forefront was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, his iconic hat in place, flanked by a squad of Anbu ninjas!
One of the Anbu, who had just unleashed the jutsu, stepped up beside Hiruzen.
"Lord Hokage, please enter!"
Hiruzen, puffing on his pipe, was wreathed in smoke, his expression unreadable.
Seeing the Third Hokage arrive, Hirofumi's heart sank with disappointment.
At the same time, he was mentally cursing...
This damn Danzo!! Why didn't you just make your move earlier?! If you had, I'd already be studying Kotoamatsukami by now!
Useless! No wonder you'll never be Hokage—you're a total failure!!
You, become Hokage? In your next life, maybe!!
Danzo, meanwhile, hadn't expected Hiruzen to show up so fast!
He quickly lowered the corner of his eyepatch back into place, his cold gaze locking onto Hiruzen.
"Sarutobi! What's the meaning of this?! This is Root's base!!"
The moment Hiruzen saw Hirofumi, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Whether or not Hirofumi was the disciple he'd planned to hand over to Jiraiya didn't matter. What mattered was that Hirofumi was the young leader of a ninja clan!
The Ito clan might not be powerful, but it was still a ninja clan!
If something happened to Hirofumi today, it could alienate the other clans in the village.
Especially since Iruka's class was filled with the top second-generation heirs of Konoha's elite!
If Hirofumi, who'd only shown a hint of genius potential, was snuffed out, what would the other clans think?
Would they start to believe that I, the Third Hokage, have no tolerance for talent?!
That's why Hirofumi absolutely could not come to harm!!
It was also why, after Hirofumi's reverse summoning, Hiruzen had immediately wanted Jiraiya to take him as a disciple.
Not only would it win the Ito clan's favor, but it would also send a clear message to the other clans!
It was a signal that they could proudly show off their talented heirs without fear of suppression. If they were truly gifted, Hiruzen Sarutobi would only nurture them more, not hold them back!!
This way, he could subtly earn the goodwill of the other clans!
If Hirofumi knew what was going through Hiruzen's mind right now, he'd be absolutely stunned!
He might even marvel at how Hiruzen was truly a qualified politician!!!
By comparison, Danzo was like some clueless nobody!