Fire Temple.
Under Chiriku's lead, Danzo—actually Itachi Uchiha's physical clone in disguise—successfully met with Sora, the pseudo-Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.
He was a boy around the same age as Sasuke and Naruto.
Ever since Kazuma transplanted a portion of Kurama's chakra into him, Sora had been living in seclusion at the Fire Temple.
According to Kazuma, there were several reasons for placing Sora there:
First: The temple's reinforced barriers and sealing walls could suppress the Nine-Tails' chakra, keeping its influence at bay and preventing any berserk outbursts. A place of calm and stillness.
Second: If Nine-Tails ever did rampage, the remote location of the temple would spare the Land of Fire's heartlands from destruction.
Third : the temple monks possessed a unique chakra affinity rooted in senjutsu—so Kazuma had Sora train as a novice monk, hoping he would one day awaken this talent.
Unfortunately, Sora had no aptitude for senjutsu.
"Father!" Sora ran toward Kazuma the moment he saw him.
Kazuma pulled him into a hug, gently ruffling his hair with a tender smile.
Sora closed his eyes in bliss, soaking up the warmth. It felt good—his father had come to see him again.
But the very next second, the softness in Kazuma's eyes vanished, replaced by steely resolve.
With a swift hand chop, he knocked Sora unconscious, then handed him over to "Danzo" with a pained look. "I'll leave Sora to you. Just… I hope he's still alive after tonight."
But Danzo didn't take Sora fromKazuma's arms. Instead, he looked him in the eye. "He's your son. The choice is yours. I won't help you break the Five Elements Seal."
Kazuma fell silent.
"…Tell me something, Kazuma. I've always wondered—why did you do the same thing as Minato? Why seal the Nine-Tails' chakra into your own child? Couldn't you have used some random infant?" Danzo asked, curiosity flickering in his gaze.
"Maybe it was selfishness," Kazuma said, looking down at the unconscious Sora in his arms with a bitter smile. "Just like why you chose to transplant Hashirama's cells and the Sharingan."
"What, was your own body not good enough?"
"It's not that. It's because we both know… talent and bloodline outweigh effort."
"You and I both understand the Nine-Tails' power. It could raze villages and wipe out nations."
"Even the Gold and Silver Brothers only had fragments of Kurama's chakra, yet they managed to kill the Second Raikage and the Second Hokage."
"That's why I wanted to try—see if Sora could master Nine-Tails' power, make it his own, and become a formidable shinobi. One who could inherit my ninja path… and unite the shinobi world."
"Did it ever occur to you," Danzo said coldly, "that people would call Sora a monster?"
"Oh? You mean like how the villagers called Uzumaki Naruto a demon fox, right?" Kazuma replied flatly.
Danzo nodded.
"I'm not the Fourth. I'm one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja. Who'd dare mock my son? They'd be risking their life," Kazuma said with quiet confidence. "I can protect him."
"Besides, the fact that Sora is a pseudo-Jinchūriki—only you and I know. I won't spill it, but you? That's another story." His words carried a veiled threat.
Danzo: "…"
Alright, I get it—you're implying I can't be trusted. But I'm not the real Danzo, so unless you're embarrassed, it's not really working on me.
"Relax. I'm not as shameless as Hiruzen Sarutobi, leaking secrets left and right."
Kazuma: "…"
Wow. You really tossed that grenade like it was nothing. If I didn't know Root and the ANBU have been guarding Naruto this whole time, I might've actually believed you.
At that, Kazuma gave Danzo a curious look, his expression turning odd. "You know, I've always wondered about Konoha's logic. Naruto's status as the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki should've been top secret…"
"…And yet somehow, the entire village knows he's the demon fox."
"That wasn't your doing? Or was it you and Hiruzen pulling strings behind the scenes?"
Danzo: "…"
"Or maybe Konoha thinks it's strong enough to act like the Land of Lightning—openly acknowledging their jinchūriki and treating them like village heroes?"
"But if that's the case, then why the hell did Naruto end up the way he did?"
"Instead of being treated like the Fourth's son, he was scorned, abused, and neglected."
"And the Third? That old geezer never even tried to deny the rumors. Now that's the real head-scratcher."
Danzo: "…"
"Honestly, if I were Hokage, I would've executed whoever leaked that."
Danzo: "…"
"Same goes for Sora. If anyone dares expose the fact that he's a pseudo-Jinchūriki…" Kazuma looked at Danzo, his voice cold and resolute. "I won't show mercy. No matter who it is."
His meaning was clear: If Danzo dared betray this trust, their alliance was over.
"Don't worry. I won't let it slip. And again—I wasn't the one who leaked Naruto's secret," Danzo replied firmly.
"Oh?" Kazuma raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Really, Minato chose the wrong person to entrust," Danzo said with a sigh. "After the war with A and Bee, Minato saw how the Hidden Cloud honored their jinchūriki. Bee wasn't treated like a monster—he was hailed as a hero."
"So Minato hoped the people of Konoha could do the same for Naruto."
"But then Hiruzen… that old dog. He played his little game—hid Naruto's identity as the Fourth's son, dumped him in an orphanage, and erased any trace of his legacy."
"But thinking back, I can understand it now," Danzo said slowly. "Sarutobi was trying to break Naruto emotionally. Beat him down, then extend a helping hand, becoming the 'light' in his darkness. That way, Naruto would be loyal to him, grateful… easily manipulated."
"Honestly, I have to admit—Hiruzen's methods of control were masterful. With one move, he seized Minato and Kushina's inheritance and sealing techniques, and turned Naruto into his personal pawn. It was a brilliant play. I lost fair and square."
Kazuma: "…"
Feels like you're just trash-talking Sarutobi at this point—vicious, manipulative, shameless to the core.
"Report, Lord Kazuma! Lord Danzo!" A samurai ran up, kneeling on one knee. "The monks of the Fire Temple have been assembled. Awaiting your orders!"
Behind him, squadrons of armed monk-soldiers stood ready.
As for those who resisted—they had already been cut down by the warriors of the Land of Fire.
The daimyō had made it clear: In times of crisis, extreme measures were justified. Anyone who failed to choose a side—anyone who wavered—was to be executed without mercy.
After all, Danzo was a lesson in itself. If only he'd been more ruthless, he wouldn't have been betrayed by the Uchiha, the Aburame, the Inuzuka, and the Hyūga clans.
And there was another reason…
One of the senior monks at the temple had leased tens of thousands of acres of farmland to nearby villages, living like a king off grain rent. He had made a private rule: during summer and fall rent collection, only men were allowed to come—but in late autumn, when leases were renegotiated, only women were admitted.
Every woman who came—regardless of beauty or age—paid the same "price."
The old pervert never turned any away. Young or old, pretty or plain—he took them all. Everyone knew the truth, but no one dared speak it aloud.
These monks lived lives of luxury, did no farming, bore no children, yet hoarded land and property. They were nothing but parasites in the Land of Fire.
So why keep them alive?
Cut them down. Seize their land. Reclaim it all for the nation. Isn't that better?
That's why the daimyō acted decisively—purging the Fire Temple before the operation began. It forced Chiriku to prove his loyalty, and left the monks with no path but obedience.
As Danzo had once said: "Train soldiers for a thousand days, use them in a single moment." As citizens of the Land of Fire, these monks had no right to refuse.
"Good. Move out," Danzo ordered. "Target: Konohagakure. Operation: Sarutobi Downfall Plan!"
"Yes, sir!"