Homura Mitokado adjusted his glasses and cautiously spoke: "We can discuss the matter of distributing the document later, but Danzo, you are…"
"I am doing this for Konoha! For the village!"
Danzo snorted coldly, cutting him off.
Then he looked straight at the third Hokage.
"Not only should it be distributed, Hiruzen! My meaning is that after they read it, this child should personally give them a lesson."
The three of them were stunned.
"Personally give a lesson?"
"Yes."
Danzo's tone was resolute. "Let him personally tell those Chunin, those Special Jonin, those Jonin what this war is, why it will start, how it will be fought, and what they will face. Let them hear with their own ears how this child views this war."
He paused, then added: "All Chunin team leaders and Jonin who are not on missions or on duty and are in the village must come. Not a single one can be missing!"
After a moment, Koharu Utatane finally spoke. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her tone was hesitant: "But this child is only a Chunin, and only ten years old. Let a ten-year-old Chunin teach a group of Chunin, Special Jonin, and Jonin… is that appropriate? There has never been such a precedent in the village. Especially, what would those Jonin think? As experienced seniors, they now have to sit here and listen to a ten-year-old junior give them a lecture?"
"Then promote this kid to Jonin!"
Danzo spoke without hesitation.
As soon as these words came out, Koharu Utatane was stunned, Homura Mitokado raised his eyebrows, and even the pipe in the third Hokage's hand paused.
Danzo ignored their reactions and continued: "You all know this kid's strength very well. He has long reached the level of a Jonin! With his current strength, even among Jonin, who would dare say he is not qualified? Among those so-called Jonin in the village, how many can confidently say they can defeat him?"
"And his strategic vision! These three reports he wrote are right here. Among the Jonin in the village, how many can compare to him? How many can write something like this? How many, at ten years old, can see the situation of the Shinobi World more clearly than people like us who have lived for decades?"
"The answer is none! Not a single one!"
At this point, Danzo's gaze swept over the three people present.
"What he lacks is only seniority, only the accumulation of missions. But what are those? They are trivial things! In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken! Rules are made by people!"
Koharu Utatane fell silent. She had to admit that Danzo's words made sense.
Shinichi's strength had indeed long surpassed the scope of a Chunin, even surpassing many Jonin.
The shock of that arena battle more than a month ago was still being talked about in the village.
After a moment of silence, Koharu Utatane finally spoke: "Danzo, I understand what you mean. This child, Shinichi, already has enough strength, and his vision far surpasses ordinary people, but a ten-year-old Jonin…"
At this point, she shook her head: "Since the founding of Konoha, there has never been such a precedent. Bearing that title at ten years old… wouldn't that be too early? Wouldn't it put too much pressure on him? And what about those Jonin in the village, especially those who spent more than ten or twenty years climbing up to that position, wouldn't they feel…"
"Feel what?"
Danzo interrupted her, his tone still cold and rigid.
"Cause controversy? Cause some people to be dissatisfied? Make those mediocre people feel uncomfortable? Koharu! That is nothing but the vulgar views of vulgar people!"
"Those who spent ten or twenty years climbing up did so because their talent is insufficient, their effort is insufficient, and their brains are insufficient! Now, a ten-year-old kid is standing in front of them, telling them what true genius is, what true vision is!"
At this point, Danzo snorted coldly and continued: "They should feel ashamed. They should reflect on what they have been doing all these years, and whether they have truly worked hard!"
"Instead of fussing over why he can become a Jonin at ten years old!"
… Is this really Danzo? Did you take the wrong medicine?
This thought popped into Koharu Utatane's mind. She looked at Danzo's usual gloomy face and listened to his firm tone, and for a moment didn't know what to say.
Yesterday, you weren't like this. How did you become like this overnight?
Homura Mitokado was also stunned, his gaze moving back and forth across Danzo's face as if trying to confirm whether the person in front of him had been possessed by something.
They had worked with Danzo for most of their lives and argued with him for most of their lives.
They knew his personality too well.
Gloomy, suspicious, stubborn, never easily acknowledging anyone, let alone actively speaking up for someone.
But today?
He took the initiative to propose distributing the report, took the initiative to suggest letting Shinichi lecture the Chunin and Jonin, and now even took the initiative to propose an exceptional promotion to Jonin.
Three consecutive moves, each more aggressive and outrageous than the last.
Was this still Danzo Shimura?
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado looked at each other, at a loss for words, feeling only absurdity.
The person who yesterday had dismissed Shinichi's report as worthless and seemed to hold a strong prejudice against that child, how had he suddenly become the child's biggest supporter today?
After a moment, Koharu Utatane still shook her head and said, "I still think the same. The promotion cannot be rushed. There must be a reason, a justification that can be explained. The village's public opinion and the feelings of other ninjas should still be taken into consideration."
Danzo did not respond. He simply fixed his gaze directly on the third Hokage.
"Hiruzen, what do you think?"
The third Hokage took a puff of his pipe and, after a moment of silence, said, "Promote him to Special Jonin first, according to the evaluation standards of the advisory division's Special Jonin."
Koharu Utatane was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
Special Jonin.
This positioning was indeed much more stable than directly promoting him to Jonin.
A so-called Special Jonin refers to a ninja who has reached Jonin-level in a particular area, but whose overall ability, seniority, and mission accumulation are still insufficient to become a full Jonin.
The strategic analysis ability Shinichi displayed in those three documents, and the value they contained, had already far surpassed the vast majority of the advisory division, and even all of them.
Based on this alone, it was enough for him to obtain the Special Jonin qualification, and it would not cause much controversy.
Homura Mitokado pushed his glasses and nodded. "I think it works. Hiruzen's consideration is very thorough. It recognizes the child's ability while also giving enough buffer."
"The position of Special Jonin is just right. We can use this report as the reason, saying that the child provided an important strategic analysis for the village and rendered great merit, granting him an exceptional promotion. The justification is sufficient, and no one can say anything."
Koharu Utatane also nodded in agreement: "Then it's settled. A ten-year-old Special Jonin, although still very young, is at least much easier to accept than directly promoting him to Jonin."
Danzo remained silent and did not object, which counted as an acknowledgment of the arrangement.