Chapter 34

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Unedited version, will update once it's edited.

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After I walked through the portal, I was greeted by someone I didn't expect, Danzo. That alone was unexpected, how did he even know I was going to teleport to my apartment, and why was he inside. "Danzo," I greeted, my tone showing my discomfort with him, "Is there a problem?"

Danzo looked at me, his only eye giving a long scrutinizing look before he replied, "I wanted to talk with you about something before you reunited with the rest,"

"What?" I said as I put my bags on the floor.

A dark, twisted smile stretched out on Danzo's lips as he looked upon me, "What do you think of the Leaf?"

What did I think about the Leaf? Why ask that question now? Something was wrong, "I think it's my home," I answered.

"Yes," Danzo nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer, "And every home needs a foundation, does it not?"

A Foundation? Why did everything with Danzo have to be a fucking riddle, "Danzo, I just had a fight with a moaning weirdo that exploded upon being captured, please go to the point."

"I see," Danzo nodded, "The reason I am here is that I wanted to ask for your support, you see. Soon I shall be creating a new force that will serve Konoha from the shadows, an organization that will keep the Konoha safe, and I want you to be part of it, in a way."

An organization that sounds familiar, almost like… Sai, so Danzo was responsible for that, "Elaborate."

"Konoha is suffering under Hiruzen's rule, he is soft… too permitting, and the roots that have kept our village in place are rotting," Danzo began, "I know I can't become the Hokage, he represents the light, so… instead, I will become the shadow, the roots that keep Konoha safe,"

"That is the purpose, now… what is the cost of this dream of yours?" I asked.

"As perceptive as ever, no wonder Tobirama sensei took you under his wing," Danzo smiled, "The price to pay for my dream is sacrifice."

"And you want me to sacrifice myself for that dream, bit of a sad sales pitch don't you think?" The root, it sounded familiar, yet my memories of Naruto were so distant, I only remembered a few key points, and in none of them, the root was the main part of it.

"No," Danzo, much to my shock, shook his head, seeming amused by my previous statement. "The organization I envision and how I envision it… makes it impossible for you to fully belong…"

"Then what?" I asked.

"I want you to become the light that nurtures our shadows, after all… wherever there is light, there will always be shadows…" Danzo answered, and the insinuation was clear: he wanted me to become Hiruzen's successor.

"I won't do it," I answered, realizing what he was asking.

"Maybe not today," Danzo agreed, "But one day… you will have no choice but to lead." with that he flickered out of my house, leaving me with more questions than answers.

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[Danzo Shimura POV]

Raiden was smart, strong and unlike Hiruzen, he was ruthless. He was both the shadow I envisioned to create, and the light the Hokage had to be for its followers, he was all. His immense power would shake the five nations, making them tremble in fear, his name would bring fright into the enemies of the village, and his power will force everyone to submit, that was the true meaning of being the Hokage, something I had wanted to be for a long time, but I can't… not in the way I want, but he can… and by him, I will… under my thumb, the village will rise, Raiden will be the face and I will be the hand behind the curtain pulling the strings of fate.

Perhaps this was the reason behind sensei's reasoning when he adopted the kid into the Senju clan, it had to be. Nurturing the future Hokage, and nurturing the village for his future rule by putting an inadequate individual before him, sensei had to know Hiruzen would never make the tough calls, which made his decision all the more brilliant, by making Hiruzen the Hokage he would show the village they needed a different type of light, one touched by the darkness of the shinobi world, one that casts shadows all over the five nations.

"He's still too green, but one day… he will be ready," I muttered as I walked back to the place I had selected for the foundation base.

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[Jiraiya POV]

Today was a special day, one the sauna would be full of sexy ladies… hehehe, two, Raiden was coming back, the last time we fought I was a child, weak without form, but now… that has changed, and I will challenge him to a duel, not to prove anything to Tsunade, but to prove myself I am no longer the same kid he once fought, and to show off to Tsunade a bit of course.

"You got that look again," Orochimaru sighed, "I will call the doctors,"

"We are Jonin already! And we have been training for years with the Sarutobi sensei!" I exclaimed, why was he so sure I was going to lose this time?''

"You want me to list alphabetically the reasons why this is a bad idea and why you are going to lose?" Orochimaru offered, FUCK fighting Raiden, I will kill this fucker first.

"The gap that once existed is no longer there Orochi-teme!" I growled and he chuckled.

"Don't take this too hard on you, in general, I don't think any of us can beat him," Orochimaru admitted, "Maybe if we fought him together, but alone… I sincerely doubt we have anything in our arsenal to defeat him. His power, speed, chakra levels, and techniques are all on a level of his own… frankly, I would've thought you of all people would know… with how easily he defeated you that time."

"Do you really think he's that strong?" I asked, shocked to see Orochimaru say such things.

"It's not a matter of what I think," Orochimaru replied, "It's a matter of facts."