Inside the Hokage's office in Konoha.
Danzo sat upon the Hokage's throne, the very symbol of authority in the village. He was exhilarated. This seat represented a lifelong ambition, and now, it finally seemed within his grasp.
Half a month ago, he had encountered Kakashi at the Memorial Stone. He had successfully manipulated the young man, turning him into a pivotal pawn. Through Kakashi, Danzo had obtained the secret itinerary of Hiruzen's journey to the Daimyo's estate.
Early this morning, Hiruzen had left Konoha with a few Anbu members, heading toward the capital. Nominally, Hiruzen was going to finalize the legalities; once he returned, he would be the indisputable, official Hokage of Konoha. However, in Danzo's view, Hiruzen would never return. He had already dispatched Root ninjas to lie in wait along the travel route for an assassination.
Furthermore, he had a sleeper agent like Kakashi positioned right next to Hiruzen. Once the Root ninjas struck, Kakashi would find the perfect opening to strike from within the inner circle and finish him off.
With Hiruzen dead, no one in Konoha would be left to oppose Danzo. The seat he currently occupied would be his to claim, legitimately and openly.
"Heh... hehehe... Hahaha! My era... has finally come," Danzo laughed, his voice tinged with a manic edge.
One could hardly blame his hubris. This was a dream nurtured for decades, and on the cusp of success, it was only natural for him to lose himself in the moment.
However, as Danzo sat there laughing, the office door suddenly swung open. A voice he never expected to hear drifted in from the threshold.
"My apologies for ruining your mood, but I'm afraid I can't let you have this seat just yet."
Clad in the Hokage's robes and wearing the traditional hat, Hiruzen walked into the room.
A look of shock and disbelief flashed across Danzo's face, and cold sweat immediately began to pour down his forehead.
"Hiruzen..." Danzo stammered, swallowing hard.
"You seem surprised to see me alive?" Hiruzen asked with a sudden smile.
In that instant, Danzo realized the truth: his plan had utterly failed.
"No... I'm just surprised. Didn't you set out this morning? How are you back so soon?" Danzo managed to find a flimsy excuse.
The Daimyo's castle wasn't that far, but it certainly wasn't close enough for a round trip in a single morning.
Hiruzen smiled patiently, as if happy to explain. "I simply sensed something was amiss in the village and went out specifically to resolve it. In truth, I secretly visited the Daimyo's estate a week ago."
Danzo's expression paled. A week ago?
Then what had he been doing all this time?
As he looked at Hiruzen's beaming face, Danzo felt a wave of shock mixed with a creeping fear. He realized that from start to finish, he had been danced around in the palm of this man's hand.
"Is that so?" Danzo stood up from the Hokage's chair and walked to the front of the desk. "And what 'amiss' did you sense in the village?"
"Someone wanted to assassinate me, the Third Hokage," Hiruzen stated directly.
Danzo's expression didn't flicker; by now, he had regained his composure. "I see. It appears they were unsuccessful."
"That is because one of them betrayed... no, betrayal is the wrong word. Let's say one of them woke up from a temporary delusion," Hiruzen said.
Hatake Kakashi!
Danzo understood immediately. His Root members would never betray him. He had that much confidence in his brainwashing and the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. That left only the outsider.
As Danzo processed this, Hiruzen pulled out his pipe and lit it. He exhaled a slow cloud of smoke before saying, "Assassinating a Hokage is a grave crime. However... I don't intend to pursue it this time, Danzo."
Danzo remained silent, but internally, he felt a massive weight lift. If Hiruzen truly wanted to press the issue, following the trail through Kakashi would lead straight back to him. Moreover, even without a trial, Danzo knew Hiruzen already knew exactly who the mastermind was. Or rather, Hiruzen had known all along and was simply waiting for Danzo to commit to the act.
Though relieved, Danzo couldn't help but retort, "That naivety of yours will be your undoing one day, Hiruzen."
"Naivety?" Hiruzen took another puff of his pipe and murmured, "Perhaps."
Danzo... I am not the one who is naive here. It is you.
"Where there is light, there must be shadow. Tobirama-sensei taught us that. You haven't forgotten, and neither have I. However, Danzo, this is a one-time grace. Tomorrow, I will convene a high-level meeting. You will voluntarily step down from the Council of Elders," Hiruzen commanded.
Danzo was incensed, but he didn't argue. Instead, he sneered, "I thought you were going to ask me to dissolve the Root."
Hiruzen didn't turn around or answer. He walked to the window, staring out at the Hokage Rock. "That will be all. I won't see you out."
Danzo let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeve, and stormed out of the office in a rage.
He wanted to retaliate against the traitor Kakashi, but Hiruzen's words were clear. Kakashi was now under his personal protection. Furthermore, by "forgiving" the assassination attempt, Hiruzen had effectively gained total leverage over Danzo.
Danzo knew that while Hiruzen claimed he wouldn't pursue the matter, he undoubtedly possessed enough evidence to bury him. From start to finish, he had been played. Everything he had done had likely been under Hiruzen's surveillance.
He was now firmly under Hiruzen's thumb. From now on, he would have to be on his best behavior. Otherwise, Hiruzen could pull this evidence out at any moment to crush him. He wouldn't even need to find a new excuse; the attempted assassination of a Hokage was a capital offense. If others asked why he waited so long to move against Danzo, Hiruzen could simply say he had been conducting a long-term, covert investigation to find the mastermind.
This was a permanent handle, and Hiruzen used it to keep Danzo on a very short leash.
In the decade that followed, Danzo would never again pose a real threat to Hiruzen. He was kept as a "shadow" to handle the village's dirty work and serve as a scapegoat. This wasn't necessarily Hiruzen being "despicable," as the Root was created for that very purpose. They were the ones meant to carry the darkness for the village. Danzo had simply twisted that mission; Hiruzen had now, through superior political maneuvering, forced them back into their proper place.
It was only after Hiruzen's unexpected death at the hands of Orochimaru that Danzo finally managed to rise again.
The Third Hokage was a man of immense finesse. He wasn't nearly as naive as he appeared. The difference between him and Danzo was that Hiruzen was willing to work toward a "better" path, even if it seemed futile. Only when things became truly irredeemable would he employ unsavory methods to protect the village's core interests.
To Hiruzen, this was what it meant to be a Hokage who stands honorable and tall. I may possess dark, underhanded tools, but I do not rely on them. They exist only as a safety net to prevent total catastrophe. Until that point, the Hokage must be the Light!
…
Elsewhere, in Amegakure within the Land of Rain.
Kabuto looked at a small scroll and clicked his tongue. "As expected, it failed."
He lit the scroll with a nearby candle and tossed it into a brazier, watching it turn to ash. He then rose and left the dim room.
Shortly after, Kabuto arrived at the Yorozuya headquarters in the village. Taking the hydraulic elevator, he reached the top floor, Diarmuid's office. Several ninjas wearing Land of Rain headbands stood guard like sentries.
Seeing Kabuto approach, one of them spoke up. "Kabuto-sama, please stop there."
Kabuto paused. "Is Diarmuid-sama busy?"
"Yes. Diarmuid-sama is meeting with a guest and has requested no interruptions," the ninja said sternly.
"I see." Kabuto nodded. "I'll go report to Orochimaru-sama, then." He didn't linger; he didn't dare to. He turned and left.
As he rode the elevator down, Kabuto rubbed his chin, talking to himself. "A guest for Diarmuid-sama? I wonder who it is?"
It was Black Zetsu.
He had shown up today, claiming that he hadn't seen his "good friend" Diarmuid since the Night of the Nine-Tails and missed him. Additionally, having promised compensation previously, he had arrived in the Land of Rain with a hoard of valuable resources.
The materials had already been handed over, and Diarmuid and Black Zetsu were currently chatting amiably.
"Actually, I've been thinking lately. Obito's strength is decent, but his experience is lacking. I believe he needs more training. I've come to discuss this with you," Black Zetsu said with a chuckle.
Diarmuid took a sip of his tea and asked curiously, "Discuss what? Don't tell me you want me to train him. If that's the plan, forget it. Just looking at him gives me a headache right now."
"Of course not," Black Zetsu waved his hand. He knew Nohara Rin was here; there was no way he'd send Obito here for training. "I was wondering if Kakuzu and Jūzō could take him along when they go on missions. Sort of show him the ropes."
Before Diarmuid could object, Black Zetsu added, "If nothing else, his space-time Ninjutsu is something even you have praised, Diarmuid. Having a helper with that ability wouldn't be a bad thing for Kakuzu and Jūzō, right?"
"I'll consider it," Diarmuid said after a moment's thought.
Seeing that Diarmuid hadn't refused outright, Black Zetsu smiled. "Excellent, excellent."