"Did those Kumo-nin do anything else?" Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his cigarette and said, "Orochimaru sent a message. The Kumo-nin have taken over the front lines from Iwa-nin, so nothing can go wrong at this time!"
"It would have been better to just refuse them directly. Why bother with all this trouble?" Danzō shook his head helplessly and said, "After all, that's a legendary ninja sword we're talking about."
How could they just lend it to ninja from another village for inspection?
If the Kumo-nin really had someone who could summon the sword spirit, wouldn't Konoha suffer a huge loss?
"I did this to end the war sooner and reduce casualties," Hiruzen shook his head with a guilty expression. "Because of my misjudgment in this war, Konoha has lost too much..."
"So we can't afford to keep fighting like this."
The annihilation of the Senju and Uchiha clans...
Konoha's bloodline limits have suffered devastating losses.
Fortunately, the Hyūga clan's bloodline limit isn't too powerful, otherwise...
"Sigh!" Hiruzen sighed and said, "Have the ANBU assist Root in surveillance. You know this—absolutely no accidents can happen now."
"As for me, I'll also conduct regular inspections of the entire village."
Indeed...
His Telescope Technique is still very useful in protecting Konoha. No wonder everyone calls him the Professor of Shinobi!
His ability to create jutsu is no less impressive than his teacher's.
"I'll make the arrangements," Danzō nodded and stood up. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
"Very well," Hiruzen said. "Be careful not to let our allies notice."
"I know what to do," Danzō replied before opening the door and leaving.
He had led Root for so many years.
Did they really think he didn't know that public indecency was illegal?
Besides...
He had something far more important to do right now!
As for monitoring the Kumo-nin...
He'd leave that to other ninja.
...
"Captain, are we really taking the sword with us?" A short-haired Kumo-nin frowned and said, "Right now, the area around where we're staying is surrounded by Konoha's ANBU. There's no way we can leave unnoticed."
Though the ANBU were well-hidden...
They were elite Kumo-nin!
With so many eyes on them, how could they not notice?
"We have to take it," the Kumo-nin captain said firmly. "This sword absolutely cannot fall into Konoha's hands."
He had personally witnessed the terrifying power of this sword. If Konoha really had someone who could gain the sword spirit's recognition, wouldn't they gain another God of Shinobi?
Add to that the Third Hokage, that old schemer...
Who knew what kind of trouble would follow?
So...
They had to secure this sword no matter what.
"What about the Nine-Tails jinchūriki?" the short-haired Kumo-nin hesitated before asking. "Wasn't our original mission to kidnap the Nine-Tails jinchūriki candidate?"
"That's no longer necessary," the captain shook his head. "The jinchūriki is unimportant to us now."
Once they gained the sword spirit's recognition, they would possess power rivaling the God of Shinobi—no, even surpassing it. At that point, the tailed beasts would be nothing more than dogs to them!
Would they still be afraid?
Hah!
They'd tame them one by one!
"Has anyone among us gained the sword spirit's recognition during this time?" the captain asked with a frown. "If someone has, we wouldn't need to go through all this trouble."
They could just fight their way out.
"No," the short-haired Kumo-nin shook his head. After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke up. "I don't think that sword even has a spi—"
Before he could finish, the captain cut him off. "Impossible. There absolutely is one."
That technique that froze the entire sea...
No human could have performed that. So...
There had to be one.
There absolutely had to be a sword spirit!
"Since no one has gained its recognition," the captain sighed in disappointment, "it seems we'll have to sneak the sword back to our village."
No matter what...
This sword could not be left in Konoha's hands!
"Understood!" The short-haired Kumo-nin had no choice but to comply.
Deep down, he still didn't believe such an overpowered sword could exist. If it really did...
What was the point of training as a ninja?
But...
No one would listen to him.
"Have the real body use a transformation jutsu to turn into a toad," the captain thought for a moment before saying. "Then have a clone carry the toad out. Once we're outside, we'll make our escape immediately."
This was their only option. Konoha would come to reclaim the sword in the afternoon, so they had to act fast.
Hopefully, none of the ANBU were from the Hyūga clan. Otherwise...
They'd be in trouble.
...
"Lord Danzō, here to inspect again?" An old man grinned at the one-eyed middle-aged man before him. "Lord Danzō is truly a good man!"
"Always so concerned about us civilians. These past few days, he's even arranged for ninja to help us irrigate the fields and plant crops."
"He even paid out of his own pocket to give rice seedlings to the poorer villagers."
"Ensuring all of us have land to farm!"
A middle-aged man nearby nodded in agreement. "That's right! When I first saw Lord Danzō, his aura scared me. But who would've thought... despite his intimidating appearance..."
"He's a good man!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"I think so too..."
"..."
Danzō smiled as he walked through the farmland. Since being publicly removed from his position as Root's leader, he'd had some free time. Following the principles from that book he'd read...
He went to the grassroots level!
After spending some time helping farmers, these people—who used to avoid him—now greeted him warmly.
Indeed...
In the past, he had been too detached from the masses. Fortunately, he had realized his mistake, and it wasn't too late to change.
"Old man," Danzō tightly grasped the elderly man's hands, smiling warmly. "Do you have any difficulties lately?"
"Konoha will definitely help you solve them and bring you a happy life."
"Perhaps some high-ranking officials in Konoha only talk big and don't do real work, but believe me," Danzō said earnestly. "They're only a small minority."
"Most of them are like me—people who love the villagers."
"If anyone bullies you, don't be afraid. Tell me."
"I, Danzō, will stand up for you."
"And send them all to farm sweet potatoes."
"Officials who don't serve the people should go home and farm sweet potatoes!" Danzō gripped the old man's hands tightly, speaking passionately. "I, Danzō, will always stand on your side."
"Lord Danzō!" Hearing his words, all the civilians present wore moved expressions, wiping away tears as they spoke in choked voices. "We believe in you."
"Lord Danzō, you're a good man!"
...
"What exactly is Danzō trying to do?" Hiruzen frowned, staring at the scene in his crystal ball. "He's been appearing among the civilians a lot these past few days."
Though he didn't know Danzō's intentions, as long as it didn't harm the village, he—
With his broad-mindedness as the strongest Hokage in history—would turn a blind eye.
But...
"I am Konoha's light, and you are Konoha's shadow," Hiruzen murmured, watching the popular Danzō in the crystal ball. "Only by working together can we make Konoha stronger."
So, I hope you don't lose yourself!!
Just then...
Knock knock!
The door to the Hokage's office was knocked.
"Come in," Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, his expression calm again.
"Something terrible has happened!"
The door opened, and an ANBU member wearing a fox mask rushed in, speaking in a panicked voice. "Lord Hokage, something terrible has happened!"
"The Kumo-nin, they..."