223-The Magnanimous Third Hokage
"There's too much paperwork..." He muttered.
The Hokage was a bit irritated that he couldn't stay back in the reception as he still had to attend to his Hokage duties.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, "Should I make clones to the work for me?" He wondered.
"No, that would be disrespectful to the village. No self-respecting Hokage ever resorts to clones to help him perform his duties!" Hiruzen said, his voice echoing his resolve.
"Knock!"
"Knock!"
"Knock!"
A knock destroyed the silent atmosphere that Hiruzen was working in. His brows furrowed as he wondered who it may be since most of the important people in the village were still in the Uchiha compound celebrating the wedding.
With a flick of his hand, one of the ANBU shinobi stationed in his office who were hidden, of course, moved and opened the door. The figure who walked in was one of the village's Elders and his long-time friend Danzo.
Well, Friend was a strong word since he had tried to assassinate him but Hiruzen being the magnanimous person he was, let it slide. He was the Hokage, a position held by those who could unify the village. So why would he let an assassination attempt drive a wedge between him and Danzo?
That was how complicated Hiruzen and Danzo's relationship was, they were friends who killed and to some extent, wanted to kill each other but wouldn't since it would complicate things.
If Renjiro was here, he would have loved for such Magnamity to be extended to a certain clan in the future, but it seemed that was too much to ask from the Third Hokage.
[AN\\: Hiruzen Hate is always welcomed here!]
Hiruzen welcomed Danzo and the ANBU shinobi still inside his office quickly left, giving the two some privacy. The two men then begun discussing village affairs for some time—missions, security threats, alliances—but soon, the conversation had taken a more personal turn.
"And then, there's the matter of Renjiro," Danzo said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing.
"He's becoming too important to ignore, Hiruzen. Especially after he killed Date Yuichi."
'I already knew this day would come,' Hiruzen thought, his mind carefully weighing his options.
He shifted slightly in his chair, bringing his pipe to his lips and taking a slow, deliberate puff. The smoke curled lazily into the air, dissipating into the soft light filtering in from the window. His gaze remained steady on Danzo, who waited with a piercing stare.
The boy's abilities, his lineage, and his actions had all but ensured that Danzo would take an interest in him. Renjiro's defeat of one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist was no small feat, and in Danzo's eyes, such power was something to be controlled.
Danzo's presence always filled the room with an undercurrent of tension. His voice was calm, but beneath that veneer, there was always an intensity, a sense of cold calculation.
He had always been a man who sought to manipulate the village's resources to his advantage, and now, Renjiro was just another asset he wanted to acquire. Danzo wasn't one to let potential weapons slip through his fingers.
"What is it you want, Danzo?" Hiruzen asked, his voice even, but with an edge of weariness. He had known Danzo for too long not to anticipate the direction of this conversation.
Danzo smirked, leaning back slightly in his chair. "I think you know exactly what I want, Hiruzen. I want him to join the Root. A shinobi of his calibre, with his potential—it would be foolish to let such talent remain unchecked. Especially when we both know how unpredictable the Uchiha can be."
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed slightly. The mention of the Uchiha was no surprise. Danzo had always been wary of the clan, seeing them as a threat to the stability of the village.
Renjiro, with his Uchiha bloodline, was no exception in Danzo's eyes. The only thing that made him worthy in Danzo's eyes was his Uzumaki side.
Hiruzen had long struggled to maintain a balance between the village's interests and the ever-looming tensions surrounding the Uchiha clan. Now, with Renjiro's growing reputation, that balance was under threat.
"That's not possible, Danzo," Hiruzen replied, his tone firm. "Daichi wouldn't take that lightly."
Danzo's expression hardened, his smirk fading as he leaned forward once more.
"Why do you worry so much about Daichi?" he asked, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "The boy is no longer in the Police Force. His tie to the clan is looser than ever."
Hiruzen's mind raced. Of course, Danzo had come prepared. He had been waiting for Renjiro to leave the Police Force, calculating his moment to strike. Renjiro's recent departure from the Uchiha-controlled force had opened a door, and Danzo was all too eager to walk through it.
But Hiruzen was not one to be easily manipulated. He had seen the consequences of Danzo's machinations before, and he would not allow another promising young shinobi to fall into his grasp without a fight.
"Still," Hiruzen began, his voice calm but firm, "that will not guarantee Daichi staying his hand. The most I can allow is for the boy to join the Anbu. Doing more than that, like you recruiting him to Root, would be stepping out of line."
Danzo's eye narrowed slightly, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. Hiruzen continued, leaning forward slightly as he spoke.
"Especially since you and Koharu moved for the council to reduce the budget of the Uchiha Police Force."
The room fell silent, the only sound the faint rustle of papers on Hiruzen's desk and the distant hum of activity outside the Hokage Tower.
Danzo's face was unreadable, but Hiruzen knew the man well enough to sense his dissatisfaction. Despite his calm demeanor, Danzo wasn't the type to take no for an answer easily. He had likely hoped to pressure Hiruzen into agreeing to his demands, but the Hokage had deftly turned the situation back on him.
Danzo's smirk returned, though it was colder now, more calculated. "You always were good at playing both sides, Hiruzen."
Danzo knew that Hiruzen was trying to placate both him and Daichi on this matter. While he didn't like it, there was not much he could do, key word, much.
Hiruzen didn't respond to the jab. He simply met Danzo's gaze, unflinching, the years of experience in his eyes reflecting a quiet, unshakable resolve.
Hiruzen had seen through Danzo's machinations for years and had learned how to keep him in check.
'I won't let Renjiro fall into your hands,' Hiruzen thought, though he didn't voice it aloud. He knew better than to tip his hand too early.
Finally, Danzo broke the silence. "Very well," he said, his voice low but measured. "The Anbu will suffice for now." Danzo then rose and left the office.
Hiruzen nodded, feeling a small sense of relief, though he knew this was only a temporary solution. Danzo wasn't the type to give up on something he wanted. Renjiro's talents were too great, his potential too vast, for Danzo to simply walk away.
But for now, the immediate threat had been averted.
'I'll have to keep a close eye on Danzo,' Hiruzen thought. He knew that Danzo wouldn't give up on Renjiro so easily. If anything, this conversation had only reinforced Danzo's interest in the boy. But Hiruzen also had his own plans for the boy. But that was for later.
Meanwhile, Renjiro, unaware of the conversation happening in the Hokage's office, continued his training.
'Now that I am done with my physical training what next?'
{End of Arc Two}
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