Stepping out of Hiruzen Sarutobi's tent, Hatani looked down at the leaf-green flak vest in his hands—the symbol of a Chunin. A peculiar expression crossed his face, a complex mixture of joy, regret, and a distinct touch of smugness.
The joy was simple enough: everyone loves a promotion and a raise.
Being a Chunin didn't just mean his shinobi stipend would several times over; it meant he could now take on missions independently. He was no longer subject to the "exploitation" of a lead Jonin. In a sense, he had officially joined the "exploiter class."
More importantly, it granted him access to higher-level missions, which meant better pay and far richer rewards from his System.
The regret, naturally, came from the loss of his "Genin" status. He could no longer use his rank to make enemies underestimate him—his days of catching people off guard with a "lowly" rank were over.
Furthermore, by shedding the "Strongest Genin" aura, he had officially joined the rank with the highest mortality rate in the anime: the glorious class of "cannon fodder."
As for the smugness? That was the easiest to explain. Being the first in his graduating class to reach Chunin was a feat that, while not enough to make him lose his head, was certainly enough to trigger a very human sense of pride.
"Congratulations on the promotion, Hatani."
Minato was the first to hear the news and immediately offered his congratulations to his younger brother.
"Yeah, congrats."
Choza, who had been unconscious for nearly a day, had finally woken up. His face, which appeared infinitely more handsome than before due to the calories burned by his technique but was currently pale and weak, wore a sincere smile.
"I owe this promotion to you and Minato," Hatani replied. He had been about to say "same to you," but seeing Choza's fragile state, he quickly bit his tongue. "Especially you, Choza. Once we're back in the village, the BBQ is on me."
"Haha... cough... Ha!" Choza started to laugh, but the movement aggravated his injuries, leading to a couple of sharp coughs. Under Minato's stern look, he calmed down and teased, "Then you better start taking on more missions and saving up. I'd hate for you to run out of money halfway through and force me to cover the bill."
"Don't worry, I won't let you down."
"Good. I'll hold you to that."
"How could that brat possibly have that kind of strength?"
The news of Hatani's promotion reached Danzo's ears lightning-fast, drawing an immediate sneer of disdain and a fresh wave of irritation toward Hiruzen.
"Hiruzen, you've gone too far this time just to boost the morale of these young Genin."
To Danzo, after being publicly rebuked by the boy twice—once in the Hokage's office and again in Hiruzen's tent just yesterday—Hatani had become nothing more than a sharp-tongued clown in his eyes.
"Lord Danzo, this is the latest intel we've gathered."
At that moment, a masked Root member appeared in the tent, kneeling on one knee and offering a scroll with both hands.
Following Hiruzen's threat the previous day, the Root agents—who had originally been busy spreading rumors of Orochimaru and Jiraiya's defeat—had pivoted into the vanguard of suppressing those very same rumors. However, a humiliated and vengeful Danzo had used the opportunity to scour the camp for every scrap of information he could find.
"How could that brat...?"
As he scanned the scroll, Danzo found himself repeating his earlier question. This time, however, his tone shifted from mockery to pure shock and disbelief.
"My Lord, this information was gathered directly from the swordsmen who participated in the relief effort," the Root agent explained, knowing exactly which "brat" Danzo was referring to.
Danzo remained silent for a long moment before setting the scroll down. "How much of a connection do you think his strength has to Shikuro's disappearance?" His voice was low and heavy.
This time, he didn't use the disparaging term "brat." He clearly believed the reports.
"This..." The Root ninja looked up in shock, stunned that Danzo would even suggest such a thing. Realizing the danger of his hesitation, he quickly lowered his head, his mouth hanging open as he struggled to find an answer.
"It shouldn't be possible. The ones he killed were just Genin and Chunin—Iwa shinobi who were already terrified and fleeing for their lives from Sakumo Hatake and his unit. How could he possibly be a match for Shikuro, whose strength was on par with a Jonin?"
Danzo seemed to realize how "stupid" the question was and answered it himself, showing no sign of anger at his subordinate's silence.
And yet, for some reason, the kneeling ninja felt like Danzo was trying to convince himself more than anyone else. But when he thought of how terrifying Shikuro was compared to Hatani's age, he pushed the absurd thought away.
Still, a seed of suspicion had been planted in both of their hearts.
"He wants to study kenjutsu with Sakumo?"
Choosing to abandon the previous topic, Danzo looked back at the scroll and frowned again. When a person you currently despise most is mixed up with a person you previously despised most, the resulting hatred is far greater than simple addition.
Although Sakumo Hatake had never dared to disrespect Danzo to his face and was generally quite courteous, Danzo's heart was filled with loathing for the man.
To be more precise, it was jealousy and wariness.
Because Sakumo had led the Anbu to a victory against the Suna puppet brigade—thwarting a sneak attack on the Leaf while outnumbered—he had performed a massive service for the village. To honor this, Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu had unanimously agreed to grant Sakumo the Hokage Half-Sleeve after the war.
As a man obsessed with the title of Hokage, this news made Danzo both envious and hyper-vigilant. If Orochimaru hadn't later raided the Suna camp and achieved a merit equal to Sakumo's, Danzo would have considered the White Fang his second-biggest obstacle to the throne.
But as he looked at those two names—his current and former most-hated individuals—a sudden spark of inspiration flashed in Danzo's mind.
"No, it shouldn't be that simple."
Thinking of the consecutive setbacks he'd suffered because of Hatani, Danzo tried to suppress the restless urge in his chest. But the more he tried to push it down, the more the ideas proliferated, causing his heart to race.
Finally, his agitation forced him to his feet. He began pacing the tent, trying to organize the fragmented thoughts into a cohesive plan—one that might actually advance his current agenda.
Suddenly, he stopped. He remembered exactly why he had been so wary of Sakumo Hatake in the first place, and his lone eye instantly lit up with a cold, predatory light.