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The sun set in the west. Naruto sat by the Hokage Rock, his head propped in his hand, lost in thought.
Naruto didn't believe that Jiraiya taking him out of the village was his fault; he blamed Danzō for it.
Naruto didn't understand politics, but he could roughly guess Tsunade's intention. Danzō was putting too much political pressure on her, and she feared she couldn't protect the jinchūriki.
A jinchūriki must be under the control of the Kage—this was common knowledge among the great villages. Throughout the history of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, jinchūriki were either close to the Kage or were the Kage themselves. Of course, rogue ninja were an exception.
Tsunade's approach was also easy to understand: if I can't protect him here, I'll send him away. When I can protect him again, I'll bring him back.
Danzō's political power was very strong. While Tsunade had the most popular support in Konoha, in this kind of political struggle, she still couldn't outplay Danzō. At least, the current Tsunade couldn't outplay Danzō, unless Jiraiya stayed to help her, but Jiraiya also had to investigate the Akatsuki.
Naruto knew about the Akatsuki's situation, but he couldn't say anything. If he did, he'd be taken away for dissection.
As for Danzō, the "King of Konoha's Messes," Naruto didn't want to comment much.
This was a person who didn't fit the overall tone of Naruto.
He constantly claimed to be for Konoha, then sent people to assassinate the Hokage. He was inactive during the Nine-Tails' rampage, inactive during Pain's invasion, just hiding underground, and even called it a necessary sacrifice.
You say you are Konoha's root, and preserving strength is a plausible reason.
But since you claim to be the root, why do you keep sticking your head out? What tree grows with its roots upwards? Even the First Hokage couldn't plant a tree like that, okay?
Then he also had a habit of casually betraying Konoha.
He could probably be categorized as a natural-born traitor.
He never sacrificed his life; he always betrayed organizations.
He didn't sacrifice his life; he was good at betraying organizations.
He made his subordinates sacrifice their lives, but he himself betrayed organizations.
He ostentatiously sacrificed his life, subtly betraying organizations.
There are many more, all applicable to him.
If the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki almost being bitten to death required a hundred thousand internet trolls to whitewash, then what Danzō did couldn't be whitewashed even by twenty million.
If you want to be Hokage, just say you want to be Hokage. Don't always use "for Konoha" or "for world peace" as slogans. Anyone can shout a slogan; the guy who flew a plane into the Empire State Building also shouted about world peace.
If you want it, you need to give yourself a positive image. You hide when trouble strikes, you can't even put on a show. Konoha villagers don't even know you, so how can they support you?
And even if you want to run for the title of "strongest at being miserable"... ah, no, for the Hokage position, you still need to set yourself up with a good character image.
When you take the stage, and your two mentors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, ask, "What is your dream?"
Danzō: "I want to be Hokage."
Two mentors: "Please tell us your story."
Danzō: "When the Second Hokage's team was surrounded, I wasn't the first to step forward to stop the enemy."
With this character image, if you're not eliminated, who will be? Even if you haven't made great contributions to Konoha, you should at least have some tragic life experiences.
You don't need your whole family killed, or all your best friends dead. You could even invent a reason like your grandfather being killed by a ninja from another country when he was nine, and you want to become Hokage to change the ninja world.
The two mentors would still say, "Oh~, that's a good idea," and give you a small chance to advance and get a taste of it.
But what about you? You have nothing. In this situation, who would choose you?
So, after the Third Hokage's death, the two mentors directly chose Jiraiya. After Jiraiya refused, it was Tsunade's turn.
Finally, during Pain's invasion, when Jiraiya died in battle and Tsunade fell, it was only then that Danzō became acting Hokage.
Although Danzō lacked a good character image and strength, his political ability was very strong. The newly appointed Tsunade couldn't outplay him.
Naruto could act so recklessly before because of the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage suppressed Danzō completely. Whenever Danzō made a move, the Third Hokage would retort, "Danzō, you're just a kid brother," and then send him back down.
Danzō's closest attempt at success was during the Third Great Ninja War, when he used the pressure of the war to force the Third Hokage's retirement.
The Third Hokage indeed fell for it, but then the Third Hokage said, "If I don't give it, you can't take it," and passed the Hokage position to the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
Naruto didn't care about Danzō before because he knew the Third Hokage's abilities and that he himself was a jinchūriki.
As a jinchūriki, the Third Hokage had to keep him firmly in his grasp. No one else could touch him.
In the original work, after learning that Yamato could use Wood Style, the Third Hokage, knowing that Wood Style could suppress Tailed Beasts, used Kakashi's words to take Yamato from Danzō into his own hands. He took him just like that, completely disregarding Danzō's feelings.
Naruto was a political novice. He believed he couldn't outmaneuver Danzō politically, so it was better to leave such matters to Tsunade.
Besides, he couldn't use a dozen Tailed Beast Bombs in Konoha to kill Danzō.
If that exploded, he'd have to flee with Hinata.
He didn't care about himself, but Hinata had family. What would she do after defecting?
As someone with grand ambitions, Naruto wouldn't do such short-sighted things.
Naruto's gaze was always fixed on the future.
He couldn't kill Danzō, that old schemer, right now, but he could kill him as easily as playing later. Naruto had also mentioned his plan before: using Madara, Kaguya, his own power, and Sasuke's power under Infinite Tsukuyomi to kill him.
He used to think this treatment was high enough.
But now, Naruto felt that wasn't enough.
Just like those heinous villains in movies, if they're killed in the first movie, the audience isn't satisfied, so they're resurrected in the second movie to be killed again.
Naruto decided to have Sasuke learn Impure World Reincarnation and bring Danzō back to play with him again.
Killing people to vent anger felt very low-class to Naruto, completely lacking in style. So Naruto planned to have Sasuke add another Planetary Devastation outside the one sealing Kaguya and Black Zetsu, sealing Danzō inside as well.
If he was in a good mood then, maybe he'd throw in a deck of cards and let the three of them play Dou Dizhu.
Danzō, Black Zetsu, Kaguya—these three were the culprits who made the ninja world what it was now.
Sealing these three behind-the-scenes "shit-stirrers" together would allow them to exchange notes on their years of covert operations.
Naruto wasn't worried about himself; he was worried about Sasuke. Danzō also coveted Sasuke. Konoha was a dangerous place for Sasuke; staying with Orochimaru would be safer than staying in Konoha.
Arranging for Sasuke to join Anbu wasn't a good option either. Danzō could get Anbu information and could also extend his reach into Anbu.
The consequence of Sasuke joining Anbu would be that the photos Sasuke sent him kept changing, and when he finally returned, he'd find Sasuke looked nothing like his original self.
Just like Kabuto's experience.
The only solution Naruto could think of was to have Sasuke follow Kakashi during the day and pick him up out of Konoha at night.
Perhaps Sasuke could be assigned as a Shadow Guard. That way, when Kakashi had special missions, Sasuke could stay by Tsunade's side, which would be safer.
Naruto sat by the Hokage Rock, troubled. Unbeknownst to him, Jiraiya had appeared beside him.
Jiraiya came to console Naruto. Since he had told him he was taking him away, the child had been preoccupied.
Sitting beside Naruto, Jiraiya tore open the packaging of a cold drink, split the 1+1 ice pop, and handed one to Naruto: "What are you thinking about?"
Naruto, who subconsciously took the cold drink, casually replied, "Thinking about Sasuke..."
Lowering his head to look at the cold drink in his hand, Naruto's memories from his previous life resurfaced.
This ice pop was identical to the one the Seventh Hokage held in his hand after Jiraiya died in battle.
"Hey... hey... hey... you're not that serious, are you?" Jiraiya exaggerated.
I know you two have a good relationship, but you don't have to look like that, do you? Why do you look like you're about to cry?
Jiraiya had a bit of a headache. This kid thought about Sasuke when he took a bath, thought about Sasuke when he practiced ninjutsu, and now that he heard they were going to be separated, he still had this expression!?
Don't you have a teleportation gate? You can meet anytime.
Don't you like the Hyūga heiress? Is Hinata not pretty enough, or did you suddenly change your sexual orientation, Naruto?
Taking a sip of the cold drink, Jiraiya began to advise: "Naruto, I know you two have a good relationship, but no two people will stay together forever. Eventually, you will have to separate. And remember, separation is for a better reunion."
Naruto glanced sideways. Old man, what exactly are you talking about? Why does it sound like "absence makes the heart grow fonder"?
Jiraiya had also learned about their past through Kakashi. He pointed at the setting sun with the cold drink and said: "I know you've always taken care of Sasuke, like the sun dispelling the darkness in his heart and guiding his path forward. But Naruto, the sun must set. When the sun sets and night falls, other things are needed to dispel the darkness, whether it's the moon or the stars, or even a bonfire. And these he needs to discover for himself; it's not something you can solve for him."
Looking at the setting sun, Naruto gripped the cold drink in the twilight. I've decided, Danzō, I'm going to push the Planetary Devastation that seals you into the sun!
Having made up his mind, Naruto took a sip of the cold drink and said, "I understand. The path is underfoot."
Jiraiya smiled. This child wasn't stupid; he understood with a hint. He said with satisfaction, "That's right, the path underfoot can only be walked by oneself. Others can't walk it for him."
Wait, what did he just say? He understood!?
Jiraiya suddenly kicked Naruto off the Hokage Rock and yelled, "You ungrateful disciple, what do you understand now!?"