Dark Leaf Trail

Danzo literally froze at such a cute behavior from such a mature-looking woman.

- You know, it turns out I now owe you my life? - Danzo added with a slight smirk.

Higane's face turned slightly red and she defiantly turned away.

- Hmph, that's the way it is. I saved your life despite the rough things you did!

Danzo couldn't help but laugh.

"It seems I did die and ended up in some anime about romance..."

In the silence of the loud winds, Danzō watched the endless sky and clouds, not knowing what to do.

Only recently he survived the war, and although there were many dangerous situations then, he got away with it time after time. This made him overconfident.

And all this self-confidence vanished when he really almost died. He is not a shinobi whose affection for Konoha was raised from a very young age. He didn't adhere to the idea of ​​the Will of Fire... And he wasn't even Danzō.

But at the same time, he was not himself.

All these conflicts, hidden behind battles and the pursuit of power, filled Danzō's heart.

With a heavy sigh, Danzō looked at the face of the woman who saved him.

"Still, I have reasons to live in this world and keep fighting, keep striving for strength."

And although the incident left a noticeable shadow on Danzo's heart, it also helped him realize that he is now part of this world.

- Thank you. - Danzo said softly.

Higane was clearly delighted to hear that one simple word.

Gradually, Danzō felt tiredness creep over him and fell asleep imperceptibly.

***

As soon as Danzo woke up, he abruptly jumped up from the bed on which he was lying. Opening his eyes and looking around, Danzō realized that he was in a hospital.

- Mr. Danzō, you're finally awake! - exclaimed the kunoichi iryonin passing by the ward. - Lie down, you can't get up yet!"

Danzō did not really want to listen to all this, but after thinking for a while, he nevertheless lay back on the bed.

Soon, under the unceasing chirping of the nurses' conversations, one of them brought a tray with a whole set of dishes to his room.

- Your body is very depleted and you are now in dire need of high-calorie nutrition. Start with soup and eat slowly. - The iryonin kunoichi issued several recommendations, after which she quickly ran away with a blush on her face.

Watching this scene, Danzō thought seriously.

"So, hasn't the genre of my life changed too drastically?"

Even before the very end of the day, Danzo stayed in the hospital and only closer to the night he was discharged. To his great shock, Danzō learned that he had been in a coma for three whole days.

"Yes, I overused the Eight Gates technique too much… But what can I do, this is the price of strength."

Slowly, Danzo walked through the busy evening streets of Konoha, here and there noticing traces of some kind of holiday. As soon as he came to the Hokage residence, he saw Hiruzen and his two advisers, always busy with papers.

- Hiruzen, could you explain what happened while I was away?

- Danzo! I'm sorry that I couldn't come to you after you regained consciousness... You know how much I have to do here. - Hiruzen said guiltily, and then answered him. - The second Raikage was able to finish off Nakuro, a talented Jonin of the Hatake Clan. After our defeat of Kumogakure, the Land of Lightning ceased to exist, becoming part of the Land of Fire. All the other Nations, realizing that Konoha's forces were still strong, made a peace agreement.

There was a short pause and Hiruzen jokingly said:

- By the way, everyone in Konoha knows about the feat you accomplished and your contribution to the development of Operation Typhoon. Now you are the real hero of the Village, Dark Leaf Trail!

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