A little after eight that night, Danzō arrived with three subordinates.
They reached the tower close to nine. The three split off to keep watch while Danzō approached; Kageyama Kogetsu was standing atop the high tower.
"Elder Danzō." Kogetsu hopped down from the tower and landed on the treetops, smiling with a slight bow.
That attitude… he doesn't seem all that angry?
"Hm. You asked the old man here for what?" Danzō nodded faintly.
"Elder Danzō, you're asking what you already know."
"The old man doesn't know what you're talking about…"
Kogetsu chuckled. "Alright then, I'll be blunt."
"About Nono—I'm not particularly angry. Looked at another way, it just shows how highly you value me."
"What other shinobi would be worth Elder Danzō catering to his tastes for?"
"Oh?" Danzō was a bit surprised.
He hadn't expected that outcome; the countermeasures he'd prepared in advance were suddenly useless.
Wasted effort, perhaps—but certainly for the best.
Feeling at ease, Danzō allowed a thin smile. "Kogetsu-kun is a man who understands. The old man appreciates that."
"But you didn't call me out just for this, did you?"
"Ah, there is more. I don't particularly mind, but we should settle it properly."
"What do you mean?" Danzō asked, unreadable.
"Nono withdraws from Root completely, gets transferred from Anbu to Konoha Hospital, and I'll take on funding Konoha Orphanage going forward."
"And the arrangements she made with you—you'll honor them as well." Kogetsu smiled and set out his terms.
"Heh. Seems Nono suits your taste. And in exchange?"
"You won't be taking one of the old man's most valued operatives just because you 'won't pursue' anything, will you?" Danzō said with a crooked smile.
Tch. Shameless old fossil. If she mattered that much, would you have gone straight to silencing her in the original course of things?
Silencing wasn't enough—you even made her and the boy kill each other… vile.
Eyes open, lying through your teeth. I've never seen such brazen nerve!
Kogetsu mocked him inwardly, but smiled on the surface. "Of course not. I do know how to deal, you know?"
"My exchange is: I'll do one job for Elder Danzō. Personal or official, your pick."
Danzō lit up, then quickly frowned.
"But it can't violate my principles. If you ask me to assassinate the Hokage, I won't do it."
With that addendum, the initiative stays with me; otherwise I'd be Danzō's kept tool.
And since those "principles" are mine, I can adjust them if I must.
"What's wrong, Elder Danzō—unwilling?"
"Making a fuss won't be to your benefit. And I've already removed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal." Kogetsu smiled, eyes half-lidded.
"What—you can break the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal?"
"Impossible!" Danzō's face changed.
"Nothing's impossible. I've studied fūinjutsu for years. I've researched Konoha's standard seals and the Uzumaki clan's as well."
"If you don't believe me, Elder Danzō, by all means—kick up a storm and see." Kogetsu spread his hands, brimming with confidence.
…Fine. Even a failed plan can yield gains.
Waste not—Nono still has value.
"Very well. The old man accepts," Danzō said lowly.
"Now that's wise. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." Kogetsu flashed a thumbs-up and prepared to go.
"Wait. The old man still has a doubt."
"You want to ask how I found out?"
"No—that's unimportant now that it's done."
Good. Saves me from spinning some tale.
"The old man wants to know—if I sent you a few women, would you do a few jobs for me?"
Kogetsu's face darkened. What do you take me for?
Am I that desperate?
And even if I were, not just any woman, right?
Most of all—if I took any and all, wouldn't that make me your kept tool again?
"Hardly. Even Jiraiya wouldn't be that indiscriminate."
Jiraiya: "???"
"But if the women you send are to my liking, I might be willing to lend Elder Danzō a hand more often." Kogetsu said with a wry smile.
Danzō looked disappointed.
There were kunoichi in Root—few, but some. If that had been enough, he'd have profited greatly.
"Alright then, what kind of women does Kogetsu-kun prefer?"
Kogetsu hesitated. How was he supposed to answer?
Pretty? Good figure? Poised?
Truth be told, he was most interested in kunoichi with names from the story.
"Ahem. Honestly, I'm young and haven't seen enough to know my 'type,'" Kogetsu said, a bit sheepish.
Danzō frowned. That complicates things.
Without specifics, gathering women would be thankless. Use Nono as the template?
Possible—but someone like Nono is hard to find: looks aside, her talent and poise are unusual.
"If I have to say—definitely not ugly. That'd affect the heirs."
A spark lit in Danzō's mind. "If the old man recalls, you want multiple wives to expand the clan, yes?"
"That's right. And I'm young, full of blood, and I do indeed have an interest in the opposite sex," Kogetsu said "frankly."
In truth, siring heirs wasn't much of an interest; he was content to let it happen if it did.
After all, offspring are just an extension of one's life. With his lifespan, why settle?
Those long-lived types—gods, immortals, yōkai, demons—rarely care much for breeding.
"In that case, ease of childbearing should be a standard you like," Danzō said.
"Er… you're not wrong." Kogetsu was speechless, yet had to agree.
"Only—how do you judge that?"
"Going to put them on instruments, Elder Danzō?"
Danzō nodded slightly. "Instruments are one way. Another is… do you mind a woman who's already given birth?"
"Women who've borne children are certainly fertile."
Kogetsu: "…"
"I mind, and I don't."
"Huh?" Danzō was baffled.
What kind of answer is that?
"Ahem." Kogetsu smiled awkwardly. "Depends on the woman."
"Standards? You're too vague." Danzō's brows knotted.
Hard to please. If not for your power and your perfect mission rate, the old man wouldn't bother!
Kogetsu thought a moment. "Not ugly is a must—otherwise I'm getting the short end."
"And her status can't be too low—otherwise, I'm still getting the short end."
Danzō nodded. Fair.
Given the youth's looks, height, strength, reputation, and bright future, sending a low-status woman would indeed be an insult.
Ugly was out of the question—he'd have to be brain-dead to do that.
That's not courting—that's making an enemy.
"Alright, I'll head out."
"Once you decide what you want help with, just send word."
"Oh—and send subordinates who know basic manners. If they're rude, I might hit them."
"Sweet dreams, Elder Danzō."
"Hm. Off you go," Danzō said with a faint smile.
Kogetsu turned away, quietly smug.
Behold my social graces—thriving in Konoha like a fish in water. Even Danzō is eager to cozy up.
Unlike other transmigrator predecessors, at daggers drawn with Danzō, itching to kill him.
Killing Danzō isn't hard—for them or me. What's hard is making him work for me without realizing it.
Using "transactions" as cover: I help Danzō, and Danzō is working for me.
Bluntly put—I want the women, but not the hassle, and I won't take the blame.
Crude as it sounds—play the role and still claim the virtue; have the women and the reputation too.
Once Danzō gets a taste of my results, a hint or two and he'll be tripping over himself to play the heavy.
You think I'm on the first floor—actually, I'm in the stratosphere!
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