Night fell over Konoha.
Deep beneath the village, inside the dim corridors of Root headquarters—
A heavy crash echoed through the stone chamber.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
Danzo Shimura slammed a storage scroll onto the floor, his lone eye blazing with fury.
"That old fox Hiruzen dares to pull the rug out from under me!"
Moments earlier, a Root operative embedded within ANBU had delivered intelligence—word for word—of the private conversation between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Minato Namikaze in the Hokage's office.
Danzo had read every line.
Every calculated move.
And he understood exactly what Hiruzen was doing.
Across from him, Torune Aburame's clanmate—Aburame Ryōma—watched calmly, though his brow creased faintly.
"Danzo-sama," Ryōma said evenly, "this situation has not yet reached the point of no return. Please regain your composure."
Danzo's cold gaze swept over him.
He did not lash out.
Instead, he drew a long breath and forced his emotions down.
If this had been anyone else—
Anyone but Hiruzen—
He would not have reacted so strongly.
But this was the man who had fought beside him for decades.
The man who had always stood opposite him.
Their rivalry ran too deep to ignore.
Beside them, the younger Fū Yamanaka finally spoke, confusion plain in his tone.
"Isn't the Daimyō's approval just a formality? The Hokage recommends, the Daimyō confirms. It's always been a procedural step."
"Why is it such a serious matter?"
Compared to the seasoned Ryōma, Fū was still inexperienced. Politics was not his strength.
Ryōma glanced at Danzo, and seeing no objection, explained:
"It may be ceremonial—but it represents legitimacy. Authority. Moral standing."
"When the Third Hokage first took office, why was there controversy? Because he did not immediately secure recognition from the Daimyō."
"We shinobi may not care for formalities. But the civilian population does. Without legitimacy, one's position is tainted."
"If the Daimyō publicly signals support for Minato before the Jōnin Assembly—"
"Then Minato gains invisible momentum."
"Neutral factions. Civilian jōnin. The undecided. They will lean toward him."
He paused.
"And even if Danzo-sama wins under those circumstances—what then?"
"The Daimyō endorsed Minato. Yet Danzo ascends instead. How will the Daimyō view that outcome?"
"The Land of Fire controls one of Konoha's primary funding streams. Without his support… sitting securely in the Hokage's chair becomes far more difficult."
Fū's expression shifted.
He finally grasped the danger.
This was not just about votes.
It was about narrative.
Ryōma continued, his tone steady:
"The Third Hokage saw Danzo-sama rally the Hyūga and build momentum strong enough to threaten him."
"So he chose to strike at the root."
"Even at the cost of his own reputation."
It was a risky move.
If word spread that Hiruzen had bypassed proper procedure—
His prestige would suffer.
It was a tactic that injured both sides.
But it revealed something important:
Hiruzen did not believe Minato's victory was guaranteed.
And that meant—
He feared Danzo.
Fū looked between them.
"What do we do now?"
Ryōma fell silent.
This decision was Danzo's alone.
Danzo closed his eye briefly.
Then he opened it again.
"Fū. Bring me Kō."
"Yes, Danzo-sama."
Fū did not question him.
He vanished at once.
Ryōma's eyes narrowed.
He understood immediately.
Kō—known publicly as Yamato in later years—was Root's hidden weapon.
Yamato—born Tenzo—was the sole survivor of Orochimaru's Wood Release experiments.
His Mokuton abilities, though not equal to the First Hokage's, were exceptional—especially in structural creation and battlefield control.
If Danzo was deploying him—
Then matters were truly escalating.
Moments later, a teenage boy entered the chamber.
He looked young. Nervous. Not yet hardened into the emotionless tool Root intended.
"Danzo-sama," he bowed respectfully.
Danzo wasted no time.
"Kō. I want you to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi."
The boy froze.
"…Me?"
"Yes."
Danzo's voice was flat.
"Hiruzen is old. His strength has declined. You have reached jōnin level."
"And your Wood Release will unsettle him. That shock will create an opening."
"Seize it."
"You will not go alone. I will assign support."
Tenzo swallowed.
Relief flickered in his eyes at the mention of assistance.
Perhaps—
It was possible.
Ryōma, however, spoke again.
"Danzo-sama. Familiar faces cannot carry out this task. Root's manpower is already stretched thin. Apart from Tenzo, the newer recruits lack the ability for such a mission."
Danzo's expression did not change.
"I have already considered that."
His lone eye gleamed faintly.
"It is time… to speak with the Uchiha."
Fū blinked.
"The Uchiha? Danzo-sama, our relationship with them—"
Ryōma cut in smoothly.
"Wasn't Minato in the same position not long ago?"
"He offended them as well."
"And yet he is negotiating now."
"That Uchiha Jin is a pragmatic man. Offer enough benefits—he will listen."
Danzo nodded.
"That's right."
"I can negotiate."
"I can even 'care' about the Uchiha."
A cold smile touched his lips.
"What Minato can do, I can do."
"What Minato cannot do—"
"I can."
"If I lay the entire Scroll of Seals before them—"
His voice dropped, heavy with certainty.
"Let's see if the Uchiha can resist that temptation."
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