41. Schemes in Shadows
"So, Hokage-sama, about the shinobis monitoring the activities of the Root… what should they do next?" One of the shadow guards asks him.
"Let them continue to monitor Root activities. Although Danzo is my friend and Root is an organization working for the welfare of the village, as the head of the village, I still ought to know the ins and outs of the village." Hiruzen picks up a stack of paper works and skims through them.
"But… Hokage-sama, is it alright to do something like this?" the shadow guard asks in hesitation.
"I don't have any other choice, do I? If I am the light of the village; then Danzo is the darkness of the village. Darkness and light are just two sides to the same coin. However, at that time I wasn't ready to handle the burden of the darkness; so, Danzo took that responsibility for me.
But in the future, when I find a suitable successor for the Hokage position; then I might have to dissolve the Root. So, it's better to keep a record of Root's activities to make the transfer process seamless."
Hiruzen continues to sign the paper works.
"Hmm… from my students, Orochimaru seems to be the most promising candidate for the next hokage position. He is smart, intelligent, talented, and a powerful shinobi on top of everything. Although he still lacks experience; once he rakes some achievements, I am thinking of declaring him as my successor. What do you think, Haruhiko-san?"
"Hmm… it's true! Orochimaru is a one-of-a-kind talent, he might be an ideal choice for the position. However, talent enough is not enough of a qualification; character and personality are. Once he proves his character, he will obtain the qualification of the Hokage position." Haruhiko answers him.
"Of course!" Hiruzen continues his paperwork while Haruhiko disappears into the shadows.
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Back at the Root headquarters,
"Damn that, Hiruzen!" Danzo clenches his fist and smashes the armrest of his chair.
"I sacrificed my sweat and blood for the village and yet he…" He grits his teeth.
"It's all because of his incompetency that the village is in such a precarious situation. The other villages are openly trampling on the pride of Konoha and yet he…"
Haah…
Danzo takes a deep breath and calms his nerves.
"Does Hiruzen really thinks that he can put a lease on me with such lousy tricks?" He scoffs.
"Eight years! We spent eight years researching the method to harvest and use the Wood release. We were so close to obtaining the results and yet that Hiruzen… how can he state us to give up on the project?"
Whoosh…
An anbu member in black clothes and a mask flicker in front of him.
"Danzo-sama, the doctor is here?"
"Let him in!"
Danzo regains his composure. A few anbus replace the chair he was sitting on previously.
Soon, a medic in white lab clothes and a black face mask enters the room.
"Doctor, how is the result of the recent test subject?"
"It's a failure!" The doctor shakes his head.
"The test subject was too weak to handle the power of the Hashirama cells. His body held up well, and he did show some signs of awakening the wood releases. However, once he tried to harness the wood release, his chakra ran out of control and he turned into a tree.
To make this work, we need a young shinobi with powerful chakra or with a physical type Kekkei Genkai. The adults aren't ideal for the injection of the Hashirama cells since their body has already matured and their body will reject the Hashirama cells.
Of course, I can suppress the rejection with the drugs, but that will also lower the potential." The doctor shakes his head.
"If the test subject is from a shinobi clan, perhaps we might see some results. It will be an idol case if the test subject is from the Senju clan." A crazed smile appears on the doctor's face.
"Enough! Previously, I spared your life since I saw some results from your experiments. However, you should know your limits." Danzo glares at him.
"Forgive my rudeness, Danzo-sama!" The doctor bows and leaves the room.
Tch…
Danzo clicks his tongue.
"How is the condition of the person you caught yesterday?" He demands.
Whoosh…
A root anbu appears and bows in front of him.
"Danzo-sama, he has yet to gain consciousness. However, the medic-nin sent a report of his body condition. Please have a look at it!" The anbu passes a scroll to him.
"Hmm… when I first saw him yesterday, he was quite in a rough shape. I have never seen wounds like that before, not even during the First Shinobi war where all kinds of forbidden jutsu and techniques were used."
Danzo reads the report.
"Interesting! The black substance which we initially thought to be some kind of poison isn't poison but chakra, chakra with strong corrosive property and an unknown technique." The information piques Danzo's interest.
"Investigate the background of that kid. I want all of his information."
"Yes, Danzo-sama!" The shinobi flickers away.
'Although, my root has multiple shinobis who are faithful to me; none of them particularly stands out. That damn Hiruzen. He has been very strict with the recruitment. I can't openly recruit shinobis like the Police Force and root doesn't have a selection system like the anbu where talented individuals are picked from the academy.
My only option is to pick orphans from the orphanage and recruit them in Root since their childhood to instill feelings of loyalty in them. Also, I can only accept willing individuals into the Root. I can't openly force anyone to join my Root.
However, this kid…"
Soon, a root shinobi enters the room with a scroll in his hands.
"Danzo-sama, this is the information you requested."
Danzo glances at the report.
[Kura Yuji: 6 years old, an orphan of the Kura clan with his younger sister as his only kin. Enrolled in the academy at the age of five, talented in Taijutsu, and consistently had perfect scores in all his exams. A genius among his peers. Close relation to Nawaki Senju and Tsunade Senju…]
The report features all of Yuji's past activities and performance.
"Hmm… this kid seems promising. However, Kura clan… huh!"
Danzo recalls the information about the Kura clan.
The former Kura clan was a vassal clan of the Senju clan. During the end of the warring era, the battle between the clans became much more violent, since most clans had already allied with each other and were fighting against other clans to seize resources. Back then, many clans were forced to make a choice, either join an alliance or become a common enemy of other clans.
There were multiple clans who refused to ally with others. Most such clans met an unfortunate end. They were either wiped out by the combined forces of the clan alliances or were subjugated as the vassal clan of large clans. The skeletal structure of the villages was slowly taking shape.
However, during that period, an uncanny clan appeared. This clan wasn't particularly large, no their number might even be lower than that of a small clan, yet it was such a clan that boasted one of the highest combat strengths in the entire shinobi world. Because each and every member of this clan was an elite capable of battling against ten regular shinobis. There was no place for weakness in the clan. It was this clan that tilted the scale of the balance during the warring era.
Because this clan became a mercenary clan, a clan that other clans can hire by offering a large sum of money. Blood flowed like rivers as the members of this mercenary clan harvested lives like reapers. This infamous clan was none other than the Kura clan.
'If such a talent joins my Root, then I will get my hands on a blade that will harvest lives on my bidding. I must have him in my root, no matter the cost.' Danzo makes a decision.
"For now, keep an eye on this kid. I don't think this kid will die just like that."
"Yes, Danzo-sama!" The root anbu leaves the room.
"Hmm… I have to seek methods to increase the influence of the Root. If Root makes enough contributions, then I will hold a firm position in the village."
Danzo places his hand under his chin and ponders.
'Ame holds too great of a strategic position to us three nations. It can't be allowed to isolate itself and hold an anonymous stance. If it can't be Konoha's ally, then it must at least be Iwa and Suna's enemy.'
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