Hiruzen seethed as he received a report from Danzo.
"How could this clan be so naive, and accept that boy as their leader so easily!"
Danzo, believing his Root had successfully infiltrated the Senju clan compound, had a report from his spies, detailing Katsuro's speech, and the events that followed. The report was clear as day - the Senju clan had accepted - welcomed, even - Katsuro as their leader, despite him not even being a shinobi, much to Hiruzen and Danzo's ire. They had been hoping the shinobi of the clan, and particularly the Jonin, would rebel against, or at least not comply with, Katsuro's leadership, but the usurper had managed to win them over. He is powerful with words too, not just chakra, Hiruzen worried. He will make a horrible political enemy. I must get rid of him as soon as I can.
As if echoing his own thoughts, Danzo spoke up.
"I'll repeat my earlier suggestion, Hiruzen. Let my Root handle this foolish child. I don't care how strong his chakra is - he is not a shinobi - they could easily dispatch him! Do not let this insolent coward disrespect you!"
Hiruzen thought for a while, taking a deep inhale through his pipe, and Danzo, taking this as a sign that he was finally considering his idea, pounced.
"Remember our Sensei's orders to the Senju clan? 'Disperse. Integrate with the village.' And what does this child do? Brings them all straight back! Defying Tobirama Sensei's orders! Disturbing and undermining the peace of the village! Don't let him do it, Hiruzen! You are Hokage, are you not? You-"
The Third Hokage finally spoke, slamming his hands onto the table.
"That's enough, Danzo! Do you think I don't know what you're doing? Just like you think I didn't know what you did when you blocked me from getting the messages requesting help from Uzishogokagure? Huh? Did you know that Katsuro had realised that too?"
Danzo's eyes widened in shock, as the Hokage continued.
"That's right. Mito and the boy both came into this office after Uzishogokagure fell, and they demanded that I punish you. Do you know what I said? I told them to get out! I defended you, even though you went against me - the Hokage, and your friend. Who knows how many people they told about that! Do not dare make me have to defend you again, because I swear to you, I will not - you have pushed your luck for the last time!"
Hiruzen was shouting now, and Danzo could not speak. But was appalled by Hiruzen's hypocrisy. Danzo knew Hiruzen knew of his plans and approved of them, without explicitly stating he did.
"The Senju clan clearly accepted Katsuro. We can see that from the report. For so long, they were isolated from each other, and weaker because of it, but now, thanks to his order, they have reunited. They are happier because of him, so they are loyal to him. If you were to act now, you would be hated by the Senju, just as you are with the Uchicha. You would also immediately be under scrutiny from the other clans. In case you hadn't noticed, after your little threat at the last clans meeting, the leaders sided with him over you! And even if none of that mattered, Tsunade herself would be after your head - and I would not stop her!"
Hiruzen flared his chakra, attempting to intimidate Danzo.
"You withheld crucial information from me regarding Uzishogokagure. You have tried to manipulate me multiple times. You have proven yourself to be unreliable. So from now on, you listen to me. Any move you make needs my permission. Any intel the Root collects comes straight to me. I, Sarutobi Hiruzen, am the Hokage - not you. Do I make myself clear?"
Hiruzen waited for Danzo's reply, but the latter did not speak.
"I said," Hiruzen repeated, "Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" punctuating each word with an even greater rise of his chakra.
Humiliated, Danzo muttered, "Yes," before his body flickered away.
While Hiruzen breathed out a sigh of relief in the Hokage's office, Danzo schemed in the Root headquarters.
I have never been so humiliated in my life. Sarutobi, you are a weak leader, incapable of taking charge, and above all, arrogant! You care not for the interests of the village, only for your own name and prestige! You are unworthy of being the successor to Tobirama Sensei - unworthy to be Hokage!
"Pina! Come here!"
The Root member immediately flickered in front of him, kneeling.
"What do you require of me, Lord Danzo?"
"I want an update on the 'Senju Mice' operations. In fact, more than that, I want to ramp them up."
As Pina spoke, Danzo continued his internal rant.
Just you wait, Hiruzen. I do not answer to you. Everyday, the Root grows stronger. Everyday, I grow stronger. The Senju clan cannot be allowed to consolidate and grow stronger; it will undermine this village! I will do what is necessary, and Hiruzen will see the error of his ways.
"Lord Danzo, please confirm that more personnel are to be assigned to monitor the Senju clan compound and the operation of 'Senju Mice' is to be increased."
As Danzo gave the go ahead, his mind wandered elsewhere, to something the Third Hokage had said.
"Your friend".
Friend?
You are many things to me, Hiruzen.
Classmate.
Rival.
Enemy.
But a friend is not one of them.
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