Orochimaru led Diarmuid with practiced ease toward an old tree root on the outskirts of Konoha, where they found the entrance to the Root base. Then, he led Diarmuid inside with total audacity.
He clearly held no regard for Danzo's privacy.
"Orochimaru-sama, what is the meaning of this?" asked two ninjas guarding the entrance, looking at the pair in utter bewilderment.
Orochimaru didn't show the slightest hint of guilt. His expression didn't shift as he spoke directly: "Danzo-sama invited this man for a meeting." He paused briefly before adding, "Rodriguez Diarmuid."
The Root members were initially stunned. Why is Orochimaru suddenly bringing an outsider into the base? But hearing that it was a man Danzo wished to see, and recognizing that infamous name, they reconsidered. Knowing Danzo's methods and the clandestine nature of Root, the ninjas quickly decided this made perfect sense!
"Is that so? Apologies for the intrusion." The Root ninjas immediately took Orochimaru at his word and stepped aside.
Diarmuid had seen his share of chaos, but even he found Orochimaru's approach a bit "bold." Yet, technically, Orochimaru wasn't lying. Danzo had invited him for a meeting; he just hadn't specified the location. Normally, Diarmuid would accept, Orochimaru would report back, Danzo would pick a spot, and then they'd meet.
Orochimaru simply chose to ignore the formalities.
Once past the entrance, the journey was smooth. No one else came to question them. Masked ninjas were busy with their own tasks, and none stepped out to meddle in others' business.
Diarmuid took the opportunity to carefully observe his surroundings. Barring any surprises, he didn't plan on visiting a second time. He was genuinely curious about the mysterious Root headquarters. However, despite looking left and right, he saw no deep secrets; the entire base was simply shrouded in a perpetual gloom.
Perhaps this was an atmosphere Danzo deliberately cultivated. He likely used these subtle environmental cues to subconsciously influence the minds of Root members, telling them: We are the shadows, which is why we do things without a moral bottom line, but everything we do is for the sake of the village.
Whether Danzo believed it himself was one thing; that was simply how you brainwashed the subordinates.
After following Orochimaru down two more levels, they stopped in front of a solitary room. Orochimaru gave the door a single knock and then, without waiting for an answer, pushed it open.
This left the man inside, Danzo, momentarily stunned. Who is this? Who is so undisciplined?
He looked up. It was Orochimaru.
Oh, never mind then... Wait, the hell it is!
While Danzo often burst into Orochimaru's labs without knocking, he considered himself Orochimaru's superior. Does a boss need to knock for a subordinate? I can do it, but you, Orochimaru, cannot!
Especially since...
"Oh my, does Danzo-sama personally eat ramen?" Orochimaru said mockingly.
Indeed, in this dark office, Danzo was hunched over his desk with a half-eaten bowl of steaming ramen in front of him. As the head of Root, he dealt with a massive workload. Furthermore, he spent his days and nights scheming against one person or another, essentially gifting himself the "blessing" of constant overtime. Consequently, he often ate late.
He wasn't a man who cared much for luxury, so his dietary requirements were minimal. Today, he was just having some ramen. And right in the middle of his meal, Orochimaru had barged in.
If it were just Orochimaru, fine, Danzo had no dignity left to lose in front of him anyway. But Orochimaru had brought someone else.
Danzo recognized the man instantly: Rodriguez Diarmuid!
For a moment, Danzo didn't know whether to explode in rage. He had asked Orochimaru to set up a meeting, but he hadn't intended for it to happen like this! At the same time, if he lashed out now, it would seem like he was venting his anger on Diarmuid. He was still hoping to see if they could cooperate; if the first meeting was this strained, how could they work together?
Forget it, forget it. I can endure. I, Danzo, am a man destined for great things. I won't sweat the small stuff!
With that thought, Danzo set down his chopsticks and stood up naturally. Ignoring Orochimaru's taunt, he said, "Please, come in."
...Even though they were already inside.
Orochimaru took the statement as "Please, have a seat" and sat unceremoniously on the sofa. "The man you wanted to see? I've brought him."
Diarmuid, meanwhile, was looking at the half-finished bowl of ramen and Danzo with a chuckle, making even the thick-skinned Danzo feel a bit awkward.
But Danzo was a master schemer. He showed no impatience; he even forced a smile. Orochimaru's smile was naturally more unsettling, sinister and cold, but that was just his face. Danzo's smile looked "normal," yet for some reason, Diarmuid found it even more insidious and evil.
Maybe it's an aura thing? Or just my subjective impression of him?
"Welcome to my humble abode, Diarmuid-sama. Perhaps you are not yet familiar with me. I am Shimura Danzo, one of the disciples of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. I am a high-ranking official of Konoha and the head of the village's shadow, the Root organization," Danzo said.
He assumed that since he, Root, and Diarmuid had never had any prior contact, there was no way his information had leaked. Diarmuid likely didn't know him, and Orochimaru had probably only given a brief introduction.
Diarmuid, playing his own game of deception, raised an eyebrow. "I see. I have long heard of your great name."
Taken separately, the two phrases were fine. Together, they sounded incredibly "polite," if you just learned who he was ("I see"), how could you have "long heard of his great name"?
But the more "fake" it sounded, the more at ease Danzo felt. He smiled and invited Diarmuid to sit. One had to admit that while Danzo was a snake, he wasn't without talent. As a high-ranking official of Konoha, he possessed a certain degree of presence.
Having composed himself, he ignored the embarrassment of the half-eaten noodles and even asked cordially, "Have you eaten? Would you like a bowl? Despite the appearance, the flavor is quite excellent."
It was clearly a delivery, or perhaps a Root ninja had gone out to buy it; the bowl was even stamped with the "Ramen Ichiraku " logo.
Diarmuid was genuinely surprised this time. Danzo also prefers Ramen Ichiraku? Are you a shonen protagonist too?
"No need, I've already eaten," Diarmuid said, sitting across from Danzo.
Watching Danzo calmly pick up the bowl and continue eating, Diarmuid felt a flicker of respect for the old schemer. Though his methods were underhanded, his composure and sheer "thick-skinned" nature were "outstanding."
Diarmuid himself had paved his way by being shameless, and he knew from experience that while being thick-skinned wasn't a direct measure of strength, most truly powerful people had faces like iron. If they could also be completely shameless, their "threat level" skyrocketed.
He glanced around Danzo's office. It was minimalist, dark, and devoid of any decoration, and it felt like a prison cell. Combined with what he'd seen on the way in, Diarmuid judged that Danzo had zero interest in personal pleasure. The lust for power occupied his entire being.
"Danzo-sama invited me here... surely it wasn't just to treat me to ramen?" Diarmuid asked, retracting his gaze.
Danzo swallowed a mouthful of noodles, took a leisurely sip of broth, and smacked his lips. "Of course not."
While Diarmuid was observing Danzo, Danzo was naturally observing Diarmuid. He had deliberately acted "unrestrained" and "shameless," even slurping his soup loudly, specifically to gauge Diarmuid's reaction.
According to his observation, whether he sat down to continue eating or made uncouth noises, Diarmuid acted as if it were perfectly normal. His expression didn't flicker; instead, he was more interested in inspecting the office. It was as if Danzo's behavior wasn't eccentric at all.
What does this mean?
It meant Diarmuid was also a man who held no regard for convention or the eyes of the world. Furthermore, it was highly likely Diarmuid had seen right through his act... or perhaps Diarmuid was exactly the same kind of person.
A bit troublesome... Danzo thought.
Aloud, he continued, "Forgive me if I've caused any misunderstanding. First, I must ask a question that has been weighing on my mind. If I offend you, I ask for your patience."
"Speak freely," Diarmuid nodded.
"Would your Excellency be interested in joining Konoha's Root? With your strength, I could grant you the authority of second-in-command," Danzo said directly.
Diarmuid: "???"
The invitation was genuinely unexpected. For the first time, he felt a flash of surprise toward Danzo. But as the surprise faded, a look of realization dawned in his eyes. He shook his head. "I'm afraid I must decline."
"Is that so? How truly regrettable..." Danzo said with a hint of genuine disappointment.
He really did mean it; the invitation wasn't just a formality. As for whether Diarmuid would be loyal to him, Root, or Konoha? Was Danzo a man who cared about, or even believed in, loyalty?
Hardly.
If he believed in loyalty, he wouldn't have placed so many sealing jutsu on his Root members, or used brainwashing as his primary tool of governance. He believed in interests, not loyalty. He himself was a devotee of profit.
Take Orochimaru, did he look like someone loyal to Root or Danzo? Of course not. But Orochimaru remained a member and high-ranking official because his interests aligned with Danzo's. In Danzo's view, Diarmuid was the same. No loyalty was required; shared interests were enough.
Having set that thought aside, Danzo continued: "Actually, I invited you here primarily because I wish to cooperate with you. Rumor has it that in the Yorozuya, 'All is permitted.' You dare to do anything, and you accept any mission. Is this true?"
"Anything... that's a bit absolute. If you ask me to fly up and blow up the moon for you, that's impossible. But for the vast majority of things? Yes," Diarmuid smiled.
"Does that include killing the Hokage of Konoha?" Danzo asked suddenly.
Diarmuid's lips curled into a grin. "That depends on the price you're willing to pay."
Secretly, Diarmuid added a thought to himself: Though I have a certain bond with Hiruzen over our chess match, if you're brave enough to offer the Scroll of Seals, I'm brave enough to end him...