Chapter 5 The Fifth Hokage, Who Else But Me?
When Danzo rushed to the Hokage's office, he saw not only his longtime buddy Hiruzen, but also two other old buddies.
An old woman with her hair tied up, her eyes narrowed, and her expression serious.
The other one wore glasses, had hair that was somewhat like a hedgehog's spiky frizz, and a raised white scarf or shawl that partially concealed his sharp sideburns.
His expression was equally serious.
These are two elderly men with gray hair, who, like him, are high-ranking officials in Konoha, serving as advisors and elders in the administrative department who assist the Hokage: Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.
Seeing the two of them made Danzo's mood even more complicated and unpleasant.
Although he had long anticipated that these two would come and inquire, being aware of it and being able to accept it were two different things.
As he expected, Koharu Utatane immediately began to criticize him: "Danzo, you are so disappointing."
"Koharu is right. You haven't been paying attention to what you should be doing lately, have you?
Danzo." Mitokado Homura also spoke in a critical tone.
These two are just trying to get attention!
Danzo cursed inwardly. He knew, of course, that these were two old fogies who refused to admit they were getting old.
They always liked to seek validation in these high-level meetings and demonstrate their authority.
After all, they're getting old and their strength is failing them, so they like to criticize and offer opinions to show how great they are.
They usually prefer to target the Hokage, but Hiruzen is truly good-natured.
When I become Hokage...
Of course, while cursing inwardly, Danzo remained calm and composed on the surface, saying politely, "It was indeed my oversight."
Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura both looked at him in surprise, never expecting that their old friend, who had always been known for his toughness, would admit defeat so easily.
But on second thought, they all understood Danzo's intentions. They had been old comrades for many years, so who didn't know?
That's right, Danzo really wanted to become Hokage.
Now is a crucial time, especially since the Fourth Hokage has passed away and the new Hokage has not yet been decided.
At this moment, he cannot be too forceful. He needs to get as much support as possible, so his attitude must be good, both to the two advisor elders and to Hiruzen, the Hokage.
Of course, this doesn't mean we should always back down. The key point is that he really made a mistake this time, so we must show our attitude at this crucial moment.
"I have already instructed Gen to handle these matters and will give you an explanation." He said in a somber tone.
Although he wanted to maintain a good attitude, he could not abandon a certain tough stance, which was the foundation of his political career.
"Anything that threatens Konoha will be eradicated by Root, leaving them no chance to threaten Konoha."
As he said this, Danzo looked at his old friend sitting behind his desk, silently smoking and wearing the Hokage hat.
Under the shadow of the Hokage's hat, the Third Hokage looked at the person in charge of the 'Anbu Training Department' before him.
His forehead, one eye, and arm were all wrapped in white bandages. Had he been injured recently?
Judging from his aura, it didn't seem like it. So, was this kind of attire just a personal preference?
Or was he disfigured? So he was covering up his scars? It couldn't be that he just thought this kind of outfit was cool.
The cross-shaped scar on his chin was quite noticeable, and he exuded a gloomy and sullen aura.
His eyes could be described as fierce and sinister, and one glance was enough to tell that he was someone who disregarded life.
However, it is not surprising that such a person would be the head of a secret service.
He put down his pipe and exhaled another puff of smoke. He knew that Danzo was waiting for him to speak, and the two advisors and elders beside him, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, were also waiting for him, the Hokage, to speak.
When he speaks, he always elevates the matter to a level of summarization, so as to be worthy of his position as Hokage.
"The reason this happened, in the end, is still due to the influence of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chaos," he said.
"The enemies outside saw our weakness and that's why they are stirring things up behind our backs."
"Hiruzen, you're absolutely right," Danzo was the first to agree.
Koharu, who was switching dorm rooms, asked, "So, should we investigate who's behind this?"
"I will send someone to investigate," Danzo Shimura said immediately.
Now, all of this is just 'correct nonsense,' which is all self-evident, yet they are expressing it in such a nonsensical way.
Of course, this was started by the Third Hokage. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu were also sighing in their hearts, thinking that Hiruzen was indeed trying to smooth things over again.
Danzo felt relieved. Since Hiruzen was trying to smooth things over, it meant that the matter would be let off lightly.
But as he relaxed, Danzo's heart immediately burned with excitement again.
Since Hiruzen is willing to let this go so easily, does it mean that he supports me in becoming the 'Fifth Hokage'?
Just as he was lost in his fantasies...
"Danzo, Mitokado Homura , and Koharu, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately."
The Third Hokage suddenly sighed, looking exhausted.
Danzo was startled!
Although he thought it was possible that Hiruzen was simply expressing his feelings to his old buddies, he couldn't help but wonder if this was sending some kind of signal.
Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura didn't think too much about it, since they didn't have much desire to become Hokage.
Koharu Utatane said, "If you feel too tired, Hiruzen, you can take a break."
"You're right, this village still needs you to keep it going, Hiruzen. You must take care of yourself," Mitokado Homura said with concern.
As longtime buddies, they were deeply moved to see Hiruzen showing such signs of fatigue and aging.
"...I've been thinking, since I'm finding it increasingly difficult to keep up, should I consider finding someone more suitable?"
The Third Generation smiled, seemingly comforted by his old friend, which improved his mood.
Danzo's heart was completely stirred.
Upon hearing such a clear statement, both Koharu Utatane and Mitokado Homura do fell silent for a moment.
Was Hiruzen really not just saying that offhand?
"So, Hiruzen, do you have a preferred candidate?" Mitokado Homura asked directly.
Danzo Shimura became even more anxious.
The Third Hokage pondered for a moment and then uttered a name: "Orochimaru."
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu thought for a moment and then nodded.
Konoha Village truly has no better choice now. With Tsunade and Jiraiya gone, Orochimaru is the only option left.
Although they didn't particularly like Orochimaru, as they were all from the same Hokage lineage, Orochimaru's succession was in their best interest.
On the other side, Danzo Shimura remained silent, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, it was Orochimaru; Orochimaru was the easiest target for him.
But don't rush to target him. Inheriting the Hokage position won't happen so quickly.
Let Hiruzen and the others have a proper talk about Orochimaru's succession and make preparations for it.
In this way, he could also arrange for someone to contact Jiraiya and Tsunade, making their whereabouts even more concealed and harder to find.
With Orochimaru out of the picture, a suitable replacement could not be found for a while.
So, who else but me can be the Fifth Hokage?
End of this chapter...