"Sarutobi, you promised me..."
Shimura Danzo's eyes were dark and stormy, as he stared intensely at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was lounging comfortably in the Hokage's office chair. This old friend of his was trying to snatch someone from his grasp.
This hypocritical old bastard, he had clearly promised not to transfer Akihara Kagura away from the Root, and now what kind of attitude is this!
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't even have to explicitly ask for it, as if he wasn't even implying that, yet his words suggested that Akihara Kagura's Wood Release had important uses, and naturally, the two Hokage Advisors would support him.
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen was the Hokage...
While he was merely a Hokage Assistant doing the dirty work!
"It's all for the sake of Konoha!"
Mitokado Homura glanced at Shimura Danzo, knowing his old friend well, and began to persuade, "For the village's future interests, we can only temporarily sacrifice the combat power of the Dark Department training class. What did Sarutobi promise you?"
"I promised Danzo that I wouldn't transfer that child from the Root."
Sarutobi Hiruzen released his pipe and sighed deeply: "Although this may hinder the child's growth and affect the village's overall situation, especially given Konoha's internal and external troubles, I also can't go against my promise..."
"Sarutobi."
Mitokado Homura immediately interrupted Hiruzen, his voice grave: "Have you forgotten your promise to the village when you became Hokage? What promise is more important than protecting Konoha? That child's Wood Release can protect Konoha!"
"..."
Hypocrisy! Truly hypocritical!
Shimura Danzo stared intensely at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This monkey of an old bastard had no intention of keeping his promise!
Mitokado Homura was deceived, Utatane Koharu was deceived too; both Hokage Advisors were fooled by this monkey of an old bastard, who was nothing but the epitome of hypocrisy!
Yet...
The current situation was three against one.
Shimura Danzo had no way to raise any opposing opinion.
"Danzo."
Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed Shimura Danzo's grim expression and spoke gently: "It seems I have no choice but to break my promise."
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen even asked somewhat democratically: "If I transfer that child, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
"..."
Shimura Danzo's face darkened.
You bastard, if you think for a second, you should know I would mind...
But do I even have a say in this?
Yet contemplating Akihara Kagura's Wood Release talent, Shimura Danzo couldn't help but add: "That child has long been trained into a killing machine... Perhaps it's best to keep him in the Dark Department training class."
Shimura Danzo glanced back at the screen displaying the Forest of Death exam site, and said coldly: "The darkness in that child's heart runs too deep, and his actions too extreme. If it wasn't for my command not to kill casually, that child would turn this Chunin exam into a bloodbath."
"Oh?"
The two Hokage Advisors glanced at Shimura Danzo with slight curiosity.
Mitokado Homura seemed to witness something unimaginable, as if he were looking at someone lying: "Danzo, you stopped that child from killing..."
You stopped that child from killing?
How can you even say such a thing?
Is there anyone more extreme in action than you?
Everyone here is an old friend, who doesn't know your method of cultivating children?
Liking to gather a group of children to train, forcing them to kill each other, training children from a young age into killing machines, and now Danzo would stop a child from killing?
"Enough."
"Since Danzo says so..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen re-clamped his pipe, nodded slightly: "I guess we can only arrange for this child to enter the Dark Department for now?"
"..."
Shimura Danzo gritted his teeth.
This old bastard, are you even listening to what I'm saying!
Must transfer him to your own Dark Department?
Can't you let that child stay in the Root?
The point I made is that this child only listens to my orders, it's not about which department the child should be placed in!
This monkey of an ambiguous old bastard had already implicitly accepted the conclusion that Akihara Kagura has to be transferred, right?
"After the Chunin exam ends, let him report to the Dark Department."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pretended not to understand Shimura Danzo's meaning, seized the opportunity to finalize the result, and decisively issued the order.
"Wait..."
Shimura Danzo hurriedly tried to assert his opinion.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzo and continued: "As compensation for the Root's combat strength, you can select two capable subordinates within the village."
"..."
Shimura Danzo was left speechless.
Who could compare with that child Akihara Kagura?
Especially since I am the Hokage's assistant. If I want to transfer individuals from those small ninja clans to the Root, would those clans dare to refuse?
Shimura Danzo gripped his cane tightly.
If this old bastard weren't the Hokage, Danzo would have liked nothing more than to raise his cane and smash it into Sarutobi Hiruzen's undeserving old face.
"If no one objects, let's decide this for now!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen leisurely lit his pipe again and continued watching the screen: "Let's keep watching, see if there are other outstanding children in this year's Chunin exam..."
"Hmm?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen again sensed Shimura Danzo staring at him.
However, when Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look back, he found Shimura Danzo was also staring at the screen displaying the Chunin exam.
It seemed Shimura Danzo still held resentment for breaking the promise, occasionally casting him secret glances, but Sarutobi Hiruzen only smiled at this.
This old friend...
He still has such a small courage...
He didn't even dare to confront me directly face-to-face.
Forest of Death exam site.
A massive wood dragon was slowly wandering in the sky.
Akihara Kagura stood atop the wood dragon's head, using the Ninja's Dark Side to probe the situation inside the Hokage Tower, the youth already knew he would be transferred to the Dark Department.
After all...
This was also Akihara Kagura's intention.
Because the free time in the Root was too scant, under constant surveillance from Shimura Danzo and Root members, at least in the Dark Department he could have some breathing space.
The most important thing is...
The Dark Department was a better-organized entity compared to the Root.
The Root's supervisor was only Shimura Danzo, whereas the Dark Department had sub-commanders, captains, and the general commander, offering more benefits in the Dark Department.
Moreover...
Who said that while serving the Hokage in the Dark Department, you couldn't continue to remain loyal to Lord Danzo? Besides, I can still continue serving Lord Orochimaru!
"Look up there... what is that?"
With the wood dragon's movements, cries echoed intermittently through the Forest of Death, and every Genin who looked up at the wood dragon had a trace of fear etched on their face.
Why is this Chunin exam so thrilling?
Why has such a thing emerged right from the start!
"Hello there..."
A youthful voice echoed from atop the wood dragon.
Akihara Kagura manipulated the wood dragon to move slowly downwards, the dragon's head hovered in front of a small team, and its enormous head was larger than the three of them combined.
Akihara Kagura scrutinized the trio, and leisurely spoke: "You three, could you hand over what I need? Lord Danzo has said that I'm not allowed to kill recklessly. I guess you wouldn't want me to defy Lord Danzo's orders, right?"
"What do you need?"
The leading tall ninja, evidently savvy, proactively spoke: "Our scroll might be the same as your scroll..."
"It doesn't matter."
The youth tilted his head slightly: "In this Forest of Death, scrolls are the real hard currency, more useful than money. Who would complain about having too much money?"