[Land of Iron, White Plains]
After leaving the hall of concorde, Danzo shared the information gathered with the rest of the jonins accompanying them. Although they were selected based on their strength, they were actually very influent. Kaonashi elite jonins were few in numbers, but each possessed an incredible worth to Otogakure.
"This was a very successful meeting. In the next few days, talks of negotiations will happen between Sunagakure, Konohagakure, Kirigakure and Otogakure regarding the nature of compensations", Harumi finalized
Suddenly, Danzo and Harumi frowned, the rest of the jonins all drawing their weapons at once, their senses kicking in as unwanted visitors visited them
"It has been a long time, Danzo. Or, should I call you Otokage, first of the name?", a familiar figure spoke
It was none other than Hiruzen. As per their history, he was 'an old friend'. Part of the reason why the summit ended with the declaration of Otogakure and Sunagakure as 'victors of the Second Shinobi World War' was due to Danzo's diplomatic ties with Konohagakure, and more precisely, with Hiruzen himself, third Hokage.
The ones accompanying him were no weaklings either: Koharu and Haruma, his old teammates, were the only ones worthy of such a summit.
"You have trained your subordinates well, Danzo", Koharu spoke, visibly shaken by the senses and speed at which the Otokage shinobi drew their weapons, "I would have believed you if you were to tell me that you were going to assassinate someone. Well, I guess this much was necessary to cut the arm of the infamous Hanzo the Salamander"
Harumi frowned as she analysed: "Who are those people? How well do you know them? The Hokage is a kage-level figure, and his two subordinates are pretty strong too. Probably as strong as Boku, perhaps even as strong as Rin"
Danzo put his hand onto Harumi's back, in a gentle manner which did not escape Hiruzen's eyes: "Don't worry, Harumi. they are not here to fight. Back in the days, we were in the same squad under Tobirama, the second Hokage. Well, it was before my clan compound exploded, and we exiled ourselves in Oto no Kami"
Harumi nodded, her eyes staring at Homura, the beautiful kunoichi who was still in her twenties. Harumi did not feel threatened by her presence at all, but she could feel that Homura wished for Danzo to return to Konoha, and she certainly would not allow it.
"I'd rather you didn't talk to them. Who knows what kind of genjutsu they possess, or tricks. There is no way I would let Otogakure lose its leader", Harumi hissed, the rest of the Otogakure shinobi doubling their guard, looking for an opportunity to attack.
"Oh? So this is your wife, Harumi Hebikaze. Our ANBU did possess a sheet on her, classifying her as an elite jonin of Oto no Kami. Well, I guess the information was a bit off. I am curious, Danzo. Why did you not return to Konoha? The Shimura clan and the Sarutobi clan are generational allies. Ever since the warring state era, our clans stuck together. This is the way it was supposed to be. No matter how much I think about it, I can't understand why you would isolate yourself for so long and create a hidden village"
Danzo frowned.
Why did he do it?
If he wanted to, he could have leveraged his relationship with Hiruzen to strengthen the Shimura clan. With his manipulation tricks, personal strength and laboratories, as long as he was careful and was not caught in his experiments, he could have benefitted from Konohagakure's defenses and focus on raising his strength. There was no need, initially, to wander off to Otogakure and live like an underground rat for three years, as successful as it turned out to be.
Fear?
Maybe he feared that Hiruzen would betray him, and give up on him the same way he abandonned the Uchiha in the series.
Freedom?
Maybe he needed freedom to do all he wanted. In Otogakure, his word was the law, his policies applied with utmost precision. Clan leaders obeyed him as if they were his own sons and daughters, regular shinobi treating him as a man of legend.
Greed?
Maybe it was the Fire Daimyo's proposal that started it all, his 1 billion Ryo being too good an offer to refuse, funds that were consumed rapidly to construct Otogakure and its laboratories.
However, ultimately, none of these could explain such a rash decision. Not only did Danzo give up on Konohagakure altogether, abandonning ties that he had with the elites of the village, he also gave up on the legacy left behind Tobirama, its forbidden jutsu, its relics of old...
Ultimately, Danzo wished for power. Hiruzen suppressed him the best he could. Ultimately, Danzo was human, and had his own defects. Under Hiruzen, he knew he would never be Hokage. Whether it be an impossible mission, framing, or passing down power to a younger generation, the original Danzo failed times and times again to become Hokage, and he refused the possibility of him reliving the same events, or worse, failing to achieve half as much as Danzo.
Instead, Danzo wanted to create his own legacy, his own story. Disrupting fate as if it was nothing, he changed anything, everything on a whim, on a personal desire. Although irrational, it was this obsession of power that allowed him to grow stronger, become a kage-level figure, and emerge as the one true victorious figure of the second shinobi world war.
Confronted with his actions, however, Danzo felt no remorse or regret.
Instead, Danzo did what he did best: manipulate.
"How could I? How could the Shimura clan compound be attacked? Surely, it could not have been just an enemy attack. The Nara clan despised me somehow, for they see my actions for what they are: pragmatism pushed to the extreme. The Hyuga feared me. The Uchiha resented your faction. The Aburame envied me. Yes, the Sarutobi clan were allies, but how could I know you weren't swayed by the other clans? To this day, I ignore the bottom truth of this dreadful night. The Fire Daimyo had commissioned a large task, which I initially pushed away. However, you forced my hand, Hiruzen"
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
"So this is your true nature, Danzo?", Hiruzen spoke, "Don't take me for a fool. The first thing I did was investigate this explosion. Who do you think I interrogated first? The ANBU, naturally. Although you were sharp enough to order your follower Yukiko to assassinate him before leaving, you underestimated the Uchiha police forces. They noticed Byakuro, one of your elders, put seals all over the clan compound for hours. You orchestrated everything, Danzo. From start to finish, your ambition knows no limits. I have known you since we were kids"
He paused.
"Nobody knows you better than myself", Hiruzen spoke, "I know you better...than you"