After a moment of contemplation, Danzo broke the silence. "So, what you're saying is... you want me to terminate my cooperation with Hanzo of the Salamander and instead support you in seizing the Land of Rain?"
"Well, that's the gist of it, though there's no immediate rush," Diarmuid replied.
"How so?" Danzo inquired.
"The Great Ninja War isn't over yet. Until it concludes, the Land of Rain won't experience any major upheavals. Hanzo's primary concern right now is nothing more than the Akatsuki within his borders. By the way, is Danzo-sama familiar with that organization?" Diarmuid asked, smoothly shifting the topic.
"I am," Danzo admitted calmly.
He set his empty ramen bowl back on the desk, a trace of a disdainful smirk appearing on his lips. "A bunch of idiots who talk of nothing but 'communication' and 'peace' with the Five Great Nations."
"Oh?" Diarmuid chuckled. "I have a subordinate who would surely get along quite well with you, Danzo-sama."
As expected, Danzo's view of the current Akatsuki was identical to Sasori's.
Naive. Idiotic. Self-righteous.
That was their assessment of the Akatsuki. Yet, considering the current state of affairs, it was hard to argue with them. From almost any perspective, they seemed to be right.
Diarmuid had no intention of correcting Danzo's worldview. He simply followed the thread. "Perhaps. The Akatsuki's ideals do seem a bit... juvenile. However, one must admit that precisely because of this 'naive' and 'innocent' rhetoric, or rather, philosophy, the Akatsuki has found a massive market in a country like the Land of Rain, which is constantly struggling in the mud. Over the years, their growth has reached a scale that has begun to make Hanzo wary, has it not?"
"Indeed." Danzo nodded. The opportunity he had been waiting for to cooperate with Hanzo was rooted right there.
It was even highly probable that he had covertly accelerated the Akatsuki's development, providing them with certain "assistance," much like how he was currently entertaining Diarmuid's "persuasion."
As a man with the resources and backing of Konoha as his platform, Danzo held every advantage in this card game. Whether it was Diarmuid or Hanzo, the help they required from him belonged to the shadows.
Because of this, Danzo could bet on multiple sides. He could support Hanzo, or he could choose to help Diarmuid. In the end, whether Diarmuid succeeded or Hanzo won, Danzo wouldn't lose. In fact, letting the two sides wear each other down would only diminish their respective strength, forcing them to rely even more heavily on his support.
This was logical thinking. Currently, Diarmuid possessed great strength, but Hanzo was, after all, a "Demigod." From this perspective, Danzo assumed the struggle for the Land of Rain would be a clash between a dragon and a tiger.
He had no idea that Diarmuid didn't take Hanzo seriously at all.
"Then let them fight it out," Diarmuid said suddenly.
Danzo remained silent for a beat before asking, "You intend to play the fisherman and reap the rewards?"
"You could say that." Diarmuid nodded.
It wasn't that he feared the Demigod, nor the Akatsuki with their Rinnegan... well, truth be told, Diarmuid did care a little about the Rinnegan.
But that wasn't the starting point. If the Akatsuki and Hanzo engaged in a civil war for power and left both sides crippled, Diarmuid could then descend upon the scene. He would lead the Land of Rain, which was on the verge of collapsing into even more violent conflict, toward the path of peace. Having quelled the civil war, he would smoothly inherit the authority of the nation.
It was a good plan, wasn't it? As an outsider, if he wanted the approval of the people of the Land of Rain, he needed some tangible achievements to show for it.
"So, what is it you want me to do?" Danzo had listened for a while but still hadn't grasped the core of the request.
"I said from the beginning, it's nothing troublesome. Danzo-sama, you can continue to do everything you planned to do. I only need you to choose to support me when I finally make my move. In return, regarding your desire to become the Hokage of Konoha... I will support you with everything I have." Diarmuid's lips curled into a grin.
Hearing this, Danzo turned to look at Orochimaru, who remained as impassive as ever.
Though Danzo had indeed hinted at his ambitions during their first verbal sparring about "killing the Hokage," he didn't believe Diarmuid could be so certain of his desire for the seat based on that alone. It was obvious his secrets had been leaked, almost certainly by that traitorous bastard Orochimaru.
But since things had reached this point, Danzo saw no use in bickering with Orochimaru, nor any need to keep hiding things from Diarmuid. After a brief silence, he asked, "This 'total support' you speak of... what does it entail?"
"Whether it's the Third Hokage, the future Fourth Hokage, or even the Uchiha clan you so despise, as long as someone stands in your way, I will help you sweep them aside. Of course, in exchange, Danzo-sama should provide some compensation to such a steadfast supporter as myself, shouldn't he?" Diarmuid said with a chuckle.
What arrogance!
The way he spoke, it was as if there wasn't a single person in existence Diarmuid couldn't eliminate.
However, Danzo didn't dwell on the tone. Instead, he asked, "Compensation? My political support? Or money?"
"No. Support is merely a mutual exchange to establish trust between us. I support your bid for Hokage, you support my control over the Land of Rain, that's all. Everything else is secondary to that support. Compensation will be calculated separately. Money means little to me; I would prefer to settle accounts using 'knowledge,' specifically, Ninjutsu and the like," Diarmuid said with a smile.
"He wants the Scroll of Seals," Orochimaru interjected suddenly, exposing Diarmuid's plan directly.
Danzo froze for a second, then looked into Diarmuid's eyes.
Diarmuid was slightly surprised by Orochimaru's "betrayal," but he believed Orochimaru meant no harm. Thus, he didn't hide it and nodded. "I am very interested in that book."
Did Danzo care about the interests of Konoha? The answer was yes, as long as those interests didn't conflict with his own, he would prioritize Konoha's welfare. In fact, if he were actually made Hokage, he would likely place Konoha's interests above all else and use any means necessary to make the village grow strong. From a certain perspective, Danzo was indeed "Hokage material."
But the prerequisite was that it didn't clash with his own benefit. Right now, he wasn't even the Hokage; in fact, the current Hokage guarded against him like one would a thief.
As for the Scroll of Seals...
"It can be considered," Danzo said after some thought.
The Scroll of Seals wasn't entirely off the table for a trade. At worst, once he became Hokage, he could set about eliminating the "menace" that was Diarmuid. Once he took him out, wouldn't that mean there were no losses at all?
Delusional confidence was something Danzo had always possessed in abundance.
Indeed, Danzo was a man of staggering overconfidence, believing that everything could be held within his grasp. Part of this confidence came from within, for instance, his unshakable belief that he was the only one fit to lead Konoha, or his conviction that under his leadership, Konoha would sweep the world and awe the Shinobi realm. He even believed his own personal strength was peerless. He never wavered in these beliefs.
The other part stemmed from his confidence in Konoha itself. He always believed Konoha was the strongest force in the Shinobi world.
Before becoming Hokage, Danzo showed a modicum of restraint. But when he became the Acting Hokage after Tsunade fell into a coma, his confidence truly hit the stratosphere. He even dared to pull stunts at the Five Kage Summit, hoping to use the power of the Sharingan to control the meeting and make Konoha the de facto leader of the Five Great Nations during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He truly believed that under his guidance, they would win, and Konoha would shine brilliantly on the world stage, dominating the other four nations.
Because of this confidence, bordering on arrogance, even though Diarmuid was currently infamous for his power, Danzo still felt he possessed the strength to check or even destroy him. Diarmuid was only alive because Danzo hadn't "gotten serious" yet. He was only alive because he still had utility.
That was truly how he thought. And so, the Scroll of Seals... naturally, he felt he could consider using it as payment to settle accounts with Diarmuid.
He believed he had a good handle on Diarmuid. Diarmuid, for his part, played along perfectly, calling him "Danzo-sama" as if there were a genuine hierarchy between them.
"Then, my thanks," Diarmuid said with a smile.
"However, not now. At the very least, you must show your sincerity," Danzo added.
If Diarmuid thought he could hustle the Scroll of Seals away with just a few words, he was mistaken. Diarmuid would have to help him with something major first.
Diarmuid nodded, smiling. "Naturally. No rewards without merit. Whenever Danzo-sama wants to do something... 'unconventional,' feel free to contact me. I am very interested in the Scroll of Seals. Even if it means wiping out the Sarutobi clan, the Uchiha clan, or whoever else, I can accept it."
Danzo's cheek twitched slightly. This guy's talk is getting even bolder!
"I will keep it in mind," Danzo said.
In truth, while it appeared that Diarmuid and Danzo had reached a deal, it was currently nothing more than an "intent to cooperate." It wasn't solid, nor was it trustworthy. But for both sides, for a first meeting, it was enough.
"Haah..." Diarmuid let out a yawn and stretched, looking a bit tired. "Meeting and talking with Danzo-sama has been truly excellent. But it's getting late; I won't disturb your work and rest any further."
Danzo also felt they had reached a good stopping point. Too much would be counterproductive, and it wasn't as if they wouldn't have more chances to interact. He nodded. "We shall surely cooperate when the opportunity arises."
"My thoughts exactly," Diarmuid replied.
Orochimaru stood up. Not bothered to waste any more words on Danzo, he gave a casual nod and led Diarmuid out. However, just as they reached the door, Danzo spoke up again.
"A Tailed Beast."
"Hmm?" Diarmuid looked back, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Rumors say your Excellency possesses great strength, that you could kill the Third Raikage and assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Earth. However..." Danzo's tone was slow and deliberate.
"However, 'seeing is believing, and hearing is but wind,' correct? Danzo-sama ultimately has some concerns about my strength, fearing I won't meet your standards, so you've proposed a small test?" Diarmuid asked with a smile.
"To call it a 'test' would be too arrogant. I have no wish to insult you in such a manner," Danzo said smoothly. After a slight pause, he continued: "A trade. Bring me any Tailed Beast, excluding the Nine-Tails, and I will provide you with a satisfactory reward."
Diarmuid held up two fingers in a peace sign. "Forbidden jutsu. At least two."
A glint of a smile appeared in Danzo's eyes. "Deal."