Chapter 165: Talk Between Friends

The night prior quickly ended, with Tsunade and Mito coming to an agreement that they would begin preparing a new defense to protect the Village.

They would begin preparing a new Fuinjutsu array, one that would be powerful enough to turn the Village into an unbreakable fortress, the likes of which had never been seen in the Shinobi World.

Tsunade then went to bed, allowing her to gain a proper rest to get ready for the following day, though such a peaceful scene could not be seen in other parts of the Village, or even the Land of Fire as a whole.

~ROOT Headquarters~

Inside the ROOT's home base, Danzo Shimura sat at his desk, awaiting the inevitable meeting that he had been dreading.

He knew that it was only a matter of time until Hiruzen learned of his plans, though he had prepared multiple failsafes depending on how the situation played out.

Hiruzen would either take him down and decide to kill or imprison him, allow him to continue in his plans while declaring his neutrality, or support and aid him in taking down the current system that plagued their world.

And while he truly wished for his best friend to give him his support in his titanous task, he knew that Hiruzen would try to dismay him and that he would only act if he represented the best wishes of the Village.

Just at that moment, a ROOT agent frantically body flickered into the room.

"Lord Hokage is here to see you, Lord Danzo."

Just as the masked shinobi finished, a man dressed in the majestic robes of the Hokage entered the room, his face showing none of the usual warmth he shows when facing his best friend.

The man who entered was not Danzo's rival and friend he had made during the first week in the Academy.

The man who entered was the person who carried the highest amount of power in the Village of Konohagakure, a man feared for his combat prowess and ability to command the Elemental Chakra Natures.

And the fact that he came without the usual levels of respect or order made Danzo feel a slight feeling that he could only attribute to something he very rarely felt: fear.

"Hiruzen." Danzo said, not taking his eyes off Hiruzen, though if that was due to reverence for his friend or fear from the Hokage could be argued.

"We need to have a talk." Hiruzen said, the solemn expression on his face making it clear that he was not here for any kind of pleasantries. 

"The situation has already begun Hiruzen. There is nothing I can do to stop it now. The world is going into a new revolution, and I plan to force its evolution." Danzo said as he stood, choosing not to play innocent as he knew it was going to be foolish.

"And are you aware of the chaos that could arise if the situation goes through!! We would be thrown into the middle of a Civil War, one that could put us in a vulnerable state in the eyes of the other Villages! Have you thought about how this may affect the citizens of the nation if their uprising fails?! And even if they succeed, how are uneducated individuals supposed to run our Nation, they would lead it straight into ruin." Hiruzen yelled, his anger palpable as his chakra emitted frantically, causing cracks in the walls and ground due to its density.

"Then that means that someone needs to take over and lead the nation. The person who holds the sole leadership over the military powers, and the person who leads that Village as if it were a sovereign nation inside of the Land of Fire. It is about time the two positions of power are consolidated anyway. 

Listen to me Hiruzen. Imagine what we could accomplish if we had control over the Land of Fire. We would no longer be forced to play in mindless wars that the nobles and Daimyo create simply to keep us in check and prohibit us from growing too far. This can be the nail in the coffin that we need. 

Imagine expanding the Village, so that we create smaller Villages that are of similar meaning to Konoha, letting powerful shinobi lead each of them. Our military might would boom exponentially, and our defenses would become nearly impenetrable to any hostile forces. This could be exactly what is needed, I just need you to see that." Danzo pleaded.

He wanted Hiruzen to understand his goals, to see that he had thoroughly prepared for the chaos that would erupt from this event.

But his pleas seemingly fell on deaf ears, as Hiruzen stood, his face unchanged.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Danzo. Because, if I am ordered to do so, I will have no choice but to take your head myself. So just ensure you are cautious in your movements. The Land of Fire cannot bear to be the enemy of the entire Shinobi World."

Hiruzen then prepared to leave, though as he was heading through the door, Danzo said something that made him feel as if he still had underestimated the scheme of his old friend.

"And who told you that Operation Whiteout would only be implemented in the Land of Fire?"