“Are you certain…”
“That Tobirama Senju passed the title of Hokage to Danzō?”
Inside a traditional tatami room within the Sarutobi clan compound, an elderly man sat cross-legged against a cushion.
A dark sandalwood pipe rested between his lips.
Though age had clouded his eyes, their sharpness remained undiminished as they settled heavily upon the young man kneeling before him.
“Yes.”
Hiruzen Sarutobi knelt respectfully across from him.
His voice carried a trace of shame.
“Master used the rear-guard mission as a test.”
“I hesitated for a moment…”
“And Danzō stepped forward before I could.”
Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, he lowered his gaze.
“I’m sorry, Father.”
“I failed to live up to your expectations.”
As one of the most renowned shinobi of the Warring States Era, Sarutobi Sasuke had always hoped his son would one day ascend to the position of Hokage.
He wanted the Sarutobi Clan to rise to the same heights as the Senju and the Uchiha.
To achieve that goal, he had personally arranged for Hiruzen to become Tobirama Senju’s disciple.
The intention was obvious.
By becoming part of the Hokage’s inner circle, Hiruzen would be perfectly positioned to inherit the mantle one day.
Yet now…
Years of planning and preparation had unraveled because of a few seconds of hesitation.
The thought left Sarutobi Sasuke feeling deeply frustrated.
He took a long draw from his pipe.
Wisps of pale smoke drifted lazily upward, filling the room and making the atmosphere feel even heavier.
After a long silence, the veteran shinobi finally spoke.
His voice was rough and low.
“I never expected Danzō to possess such resolve.”
Even he had been surprised by Danzō’s decisiveness.
After all, choosing to stay behind in that situation was virtually synonymous with choosing death.
Most people would instinctively hesitate.
Yet Danzō had stepped forward without a moment’s delay.
That level of determination was worthy of respect.
However…
Surprise was only part of the reason for his silence.
The more important issue was something else entirely.
After a brief pause, Sarutobi Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
“And what happened afterward?”
“How did he manage to return?”
According to the intelligence they had received, Tobirama had been surrounded by the elite Kinkaku Force.
Under normal circumstances, no one should have escaped.
Hiruzen’s expression brightened slightly at the question.
The disappointment from earlier quickly gave way to admiration.
“After Master left, Danzō led us in breaking through enemy lines.”
“Then he brought us back to rescue the trapped shinobi.”
“He personally slew the Kumogakure commander known as the Giant Insect Ninja, Kakui.”
“He even shattered the encirclement and successfully brought everyone home.”
As he spoke, vivid memories resurfaced in his mind.
The overwhelming wind techniques.
The battlefield engulfed by storms.
The sight of Danzō standing atop Baku, unleashing one devastating jutsu after another.
Even now, recalling it left him astonished.
“He killed Kakui?”
Sarutobi Sasuke’s eyebrows shot upward.
This time, genuine shock appeared on his face.
Unlike ordinary shinobi, he knew exactly who Kakui was.
The man was one of Kinkaku’s most trusted lieutenants.
A veteran elite who had earned his reputation through countless battles.
Combined with his giant rhinoceros beetle summon, he was a force capable of influencing the outcome of entire wars.
Even among Kage-level combatants, he was far from weak.
Yet Danzō had killed him?
The old man’s fingers unconsciously tightened around his pipe.
For the first time, he began reevaluating the disciple Tobirama had chosen.
Perhaps…
Tobirama’s decision hadn’t been made solely because of Danzō’s willingness to sacrifice himself.
Perhaps there was more to it than that.
Perhaps the Second Hokage had seen something in Danzō that others had overlooked.
After a moment, Sarutobi Sasuke let out a long breath.
The smoke from his pipe drifted slowly through the room.
“The dead cannot return.”
“What’s done is done.”
“The position of Hokage now belongs to Danzō.”
His gaze settled firmly on Hiruzen.
“Since that’s the case, don’t let resentment take root in your heart.”
“A Hokage’s greatest enemy is not the enemy standing across the battlefield.”
“It’s the darkness within himself.”
Hiruzen immediately straightened his posture.
“I understand, Father.”
Sarutobi Sasuke nodded approvingly.
Then a faint smile appeared beneath his beard.
“Besides…”
“From what you’ve described, Danzō may truly possess the qualities necessary to become Hokage.”
“At the very least, he has already proven himself on the battlefield.”
Outside the room, the wind rustled softly through the trees of the Sarutobi compound.
Throughout Konoha, word of Danzō’s exploits continued to spread.
And while some celebrated…
Others were already beginning to make their own calculations.
Among them, none watched the unfolding situation more carefully than the clan that had once stood shoulder to shoulder with the Senju—
The Uchiha.
Sasuke Sarutobi had paid close attention to Hiruzen’s teammates long ago.
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado hardly needed mentioning.
Both possessed their own talents, but their overall combat ability was relatively average.
More importantly, they came from civilian backgrounds and lacked the foundation necessary to become Hokage.
After all, Konoha had existed for barely twenty years.
The overwhelming majority of resources, influence, and military power remained in the hands of the major clans.
For ordinary civilians, leading the village was nearly impossible.
Of course…
If someone possessed the overwhelming might of Hashirama Senju, then the rules no longer applied.
Torifu Akimichi and Kagami Uchiha were different.
Both came from prestigious clans.
Torifu had the support of the famed Ino-Shika-Chō alliance behind him.
In terms of status and influence, he more than qualified.
Unfortunately, his personality was far too honest and straightforward.
He lacked the temperament of a leader.
As for Kagami Uchiha, his background spoke for itself.
The Uchiha were one of the two great clans that had founded Konoha alongside the Senju.
The problem was obvious.
Their clan had produced one of the greatest traitors in history.
No matter how talented Kagami was, his political background would always be viewed with suspicion.
That left only two candidates.
Hiruzen.
And Danzō.
Originally, Sasuke Sarutobi had believed Danzō possessed plenty of ruthlessness but lacked true courage.
A man with ambition, yet incapable of taking the final decisive step.
Apparently…
Even he could misjudge someone.
When it mattered most, Danzō had stepped forward without hesitation.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, he looked toward his gifted son and asked slowly,
“What do you think?”
Hearing the question, Hiruzen scratched the back of his head helplessly.
What was there to think about?
Their teacher had already designated Danzō as the next Hokage.
Was he supposed to defy his master’s final wishes and lead the Sarutobi Clan into rebellion?
Naturally, he couldn’t say that out loud in front of his father.
Instead, he answered tactfully.
“Master’s situation remains uncertain, and the shinobi world is in turmoil.”
“At a time like this, the village’s stability should take priority.”
As expected.
Sasuke Sarutobi sighed and took another long drag from his pipe.
His son possessed one of the greatest ninjutsu talents of his generation.
At a young age, he had already shown the potential to reach Kage-level strength.
His future should have been limitless.
The only unfortunate thing was…
Tobirama Senju had practically raised him.
Now the boy spent all day talking about the village, the greater good, and the Will of Fire.
Always putting others before himself.
Always worrying about responsibility.
Compared to the decisive and aggressive shinobi Sasuke had once been, Hiruzen seemed almost too gentle.
Still…
What was done was done.
No amount of dissatisfaction could change reality.
The Senju brothers might be gone, but Mito Uzumaki was still alive.
If anyone dared harbor rebellious intentions, the Nine-Tails could probably erase the entire Sarutobi Clan with a single Tailed Beast Bomb.
Exhaling a cloud of smoke, Sasuke finally made his decision.
“Danzō is convening a Jōnin Council.”
“You’ll attend in my place.”
“A Jōnin Council?”
Hiruzen frowned.
“But aren’t clan leaders supposed to attend personally?”
Sasuke set down his pipe and fixed his son with a deep, meaningful look.
Then he said quietly,
“From today onward…”
“You are the head of the Sarutobi Clan.”
Hiruzen froze.
Sasuke rose to his feet and walked over.
Placing a hand firmly on his son’s shoulder, he left him with a single sentence.
“Remember.”
“Do not allow the Sarutobi Clan to decline under your leadership.”
Hiruzen stood there in stunned silence long after his father had spoken.
Meanwhile…
Inside the Hokage Building.
In front of Danzō and the others, Senju Bu opened his pack and carefully removed a white ceremonial robe.
The sleeves and hem were embroidered with crimson flames.
Across the back were five large characters:
Third Hokage
There was just one problem.
The character for “Third” looked suspiciously cramped.
Almost as if someone had taken the character for “Second” and hurriedly added an extra stroke in the middle.
Danzō raised an eyebrow.
“Tell me…”
“This isn’t Master’s robe, is it?”
Beside him, Torifu Akimichi narrowed his eyes helplessly.
“Senior Bu.”
“Does Master know you’re doing this?”
Senju Bu merely waved dismissively.
“Tobirama-sama wouldn’t care about something this trivial.”
“He never wore it even once.”
“It’s practically brand new!”
“If there’s time later, we’ll make you a proper one.”
With that, he tried to drape the robe over Danzō’s shoulders.
Only for Danzō to gently stop him.
Looking directly at the old Senju veteran, he spoke solemnly.
“I appreciate your kindness.”
“But until Master is found…”
“I will not wear this robe.”
The room fell silent.
Then Danzō pulled out a kunai.
With a swift flick of his wrist, he sliced off one sleeve embroidered with the flame pattern.
Afterward, he wrapped it around his right arm.
Patting the crimson flames stitched into the fabric, he said calmly,
“This is enough.”
Seeing the determination in Danzō’s eyes, Senju Bu nodded.
“I understand, Lord Hokage.”
Around them, Hiruzen, Kagami, Torifu, and the others silently clenched their fists.
Yes.
Their teacher’s fate remained unknown.
They couldn’t afford to waste any more time.
Without another word, they fell in behind Danzō and headed toward the council chamber.
To be fair, Tobirama Senju’s authority within Konoha remained as formidable as ever.
At least until his death was officially confirmed, nobody dared openly challenge his final decision.
Most didn’t even dare whisper about it.
After all…
No one knew whether the Second Hokage might suddenly appear back in the village via Flying Thunder God and immediately begin purging dissenters.
Given Tobirama’s reputation, such a scenario wasn’t entirely impossible.
As a result, nearly everyone behaved themselves.
Everyone except—
The clan famous for having absolutely no talent for diplomacy.
The Uchiha.
At the Uchiha delegation’s table, there was only a single person seated.
Kagami sat there alone.
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