Kakashi looked at Danzō and smiled calmly.
"My manners aren't something you need to worry about. But remember this, Danzō-sama—Arata is my student. If you do anything irrational to him, I won't stand by and do nothing."
After saying that, Kakashi turned and left with Honmoto Tōichi.
For now, he didn't want to push Danzō too far.
No matter what, Danzō was still a Hokage adviser.
Kakashi couldn't go overboard.
Danzō watched their backs as they slowly disappeared from Root headquarters, his face dark as thunder.
"Damn that Kakashi… How dare he be so arrogant."
"For the sake of a mere brat… what a fool."
Danzō was furious.
He looked down at Yamanaka Fū, still unconscious, and took a deep breath, forcing the rage back down.
He wanted nothing more than to kill Kakashi to vent his anger—
but it was only a thought.
Even if Kakashi's official status was lower than his, if Danzō actually did it, not even the Third could protect him.
Kakashi was too high-profile. Killing him would be the same as declaring rebellion.
Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha—there was no "silent consensus" among the higher-ups that could excuse his death.
"You went this far for that boy… which means that boy really is strong. So Hiruzen truly intends to cultivate him as his successor."
"Damn it… Hiruzen, you bastard. You'd rather choose a twelve-year-old than hand the Hokage seat to me!"
"Curse you… curse you, Hiruzen. One day you'll regret this."
After venting, Danzō ordered Aburame Torune to wake Yamanaka Fū.
By now, Danzō was certain: the Third was preparing Arata to become Hokage.
What enraged him was that Hiruzen would rather choose a child than choose him.
The Third was old enough to retire.
Danzō had been calm before, because he believed that once Hiruzen stepped down, there would be no one else but him.
He never considered the obvious problem:
he wasn't much younger than the Third himself.
Hiruzen did need Danzō to handle dirty work—
but he also knew Danzō too well.
There was no way Hiruzen would ever allow him to become Hokage.
Danzō's plan had been simple:
Wait until Hiruzen grew too old, and when there was no other choice, take the seat.
If the Third still refused, then force it—with Root.
Root was loyal to him alone.
Even the Third couldn't command it.
But Arata's sudden appearance reminded Danzō of the way Hiruzen had once passed the title to Namikaze Minato.
Danzō would never allow Arata to become the next Minato.
Torune tried many methods, but couldn't wake Fū.
In the end, they had no choice but to call in medical ninja.
Danzō stood nearby, watching in silence, his expression grim.
He felt the threat Arata posed was simply too great.
After a long while, Fū finally woke up.
Danzō stared at him coldly.
"What happened? Was it Kakashi who did this to you?"
Fū blinked in confusion, looked around, and realized he was back at Root headquarters. He hurriedly stood.
"Danzō-sama."
Danzō asked again, voice hard.
"How did you end up like this? Who did it?"
In Fū's mind, Arata's face appeared—along with the icy kunai that had pressed against his throat.
Fū lowered his head, his voice trembling.
"It… it was that kid, Arata."
Danzō froze.
Torune froze as well.
After a long silence, Danzō stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you… unwell?"
Fū knew Danzō didn't believe him—at first, he hadn't believed it either.
He could only explain.
"Danzō-sama, that kid is strong. I… I didn't even have the chance to use a jutsu before he knocked me out."
Danzō looked at him for a long time.
Fū kept his head down, burning with shame.
Being defeated by a child—without even being able to fight back—was humiliating.
The veins on Danzō's hands bulged as he gripped his cane.
He was shaken.
He knew exactly how strong Fū was.
Even if he wasn't an elite jōnin, he was absolutely jōnin-class.
And with Yamanaka clan secret techniques, anyone who didn't understand the ability's nature often died the first time they faced it.
Yet Fū said he couldn't even begin casting.
What did that mean?
It meant Arata's strength was far above Fū's.
Above jōnin…
Danzō's entire body stiffened.
"This brat… what kind of monster is he?"
"How… how is this possible?"
Danzō still didn't want to accept it.
He could accept Arata being jōnin-class.
But surpassing jōnin?
That was another matter.
With Fū's level, Kakashi shouldn't be able to "one-shot" him.
And if Kakashi couldn't one-shot him, then Kakashi would be in danger of getting caught by the Yamanaka techniques.
Someone Danzō kept as a right-hand man wasn't weak.
Just moments ago, Danzō had assumed Fū had been knocked out by Kakashi and Honmoto Tōichi working together.
Given what he knew of their ability, that was believable.
But now Fū was telling him it was Arata—
and worse, that he was defeated before he could even use a technique.
Fū's face flushed with shame.
"Danzō-sama… I disgraced Root."
Danzō didn't answer for a long time.
When he finally processed it, he asked again—still hoping for a different conclusion:
"You're sure it was Arata? Not Kakashi?"
Fū shook his head.
"I never even saw Kakashi."
That settled it.
Danzō's face twisted.
"No wonder Hiruzen has been acting strangely… So he really found someone who can rival Namikaze Minato."
"Damn it… what rotten luck."
Danzō was furious.
Minato had finally died to the Nine-Tails, and Danzō had thought his chance had come—
but now Arata appeared, and Danzō could no longer endure it.
If Arata were merely talented—twelve years old with jōnin-level strength—then fine, a genius, but not unheard of.
But twelve years old with Kage-class strength?
That, Danzō had never seen.
Even the First Hokage hadn't been that monstrous at twelve.
Even Namikaze Minato—whom Danzō hated most—had never been this absurd.
Twelve-year-old Minato definitely did not have jōnin-level power.
But Arata wasn't just jōnin-class—
Danzō now strongly suspected the boy was already Kage-class.
It was terrifying.
"If that boy truly has Hokage-level strength, then I understand why Hiruzen is behaving so abnormally… and why Kakashi is protecting him so fiercely."
"Damn it… if he really is Hokage-level, how am I supposed to stop him?"
Arata's background was clean.
Now the Third and Kakashi had recognized his talent.
And after seeing Kakashi's attitude tonight, it was obvious: Kakashi intended to shield Arata no matter what.
Trying to move against Arata would be extremely difficult.
And Arata was too strong—Root had no one capable of assassinating him.
That was why Danzō was so enraged.
Because he realized something humiliating:
All he could do… was watch Hiruzen cultivate Arata—
and be powerless to stop it.
In his mind, Danzō already saw the scene:
Arata standing atop the Hokage Tower,
the Third placing the Hokage hat on his head—
just like the day he had done it for Namikaze Minato.
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