Danzo was absolutely determined to strangle any chance of that evil brat, Yuki Seisui, becoming Hokage!
Konoha could never allow an evil Uchiha to become Hokage!
Those were his words—Danzo's!
Danzo's outburst left both Yuki Seisui and Sarutobi Hiruzen speechless.
Just moments ago, he had been shouting about continuing the war.
So why the sudden change of tune now?
Speechless as he was, Hiruzen still explained calmly, "The fighting on the front lines was indeed intense."
"But ever since Minato and Sakumo dealt a heavy blow to Kumogakure two months ago, the war was bound to end sooner or later."
"So ending it now isn't strange."
"Kumogakure no longer has the strength to keep fighting."
Hearing this, Yuki Seisui nodded.
He hadn't been involved in the higher-level decision-making. Although he didn't fully understand everything, he could still guess part of it.
At the end of the day, it was nothing more than alliances, balances, and political maneuvering—much like the old strategies of the great nations.
Each ninja village had its own hidden agenda.
With that in mind, Yuki Seisui didn't dwell on it further and instead asked, "Then when will they be back?"
Hiruzen was momentarily stunned and looked at him strangely. "Why are you asking that?"
"Bored."
The village was simply too boring.
Hearing that reason, Hiruzen was, for once, left completely speechless.
Danzo, however, had plenty to say.
"Bored?!"
"Evi—" Danzo almost blurted out evil brat, but caught himself midway and changed his tone. "You don't know anything!"
"You ignorant child!"
"Konoha is the most prosperous place in the entire shinobi world!"
Danzo rambled on at length. Yuki Seisui watched him in silence, curious to see what else he could possibly come up with.
"You're completely unfit to become Hokage!"
That was Danzo's final conclusion.
Yuki Seisui took a deep breath. Danzo had been acting strangely lately.
Hiruzen looked at Danzo helplessly and sighed.
His old friend… was really courting death.
Yuki Seisui's current strength might not yet rival that of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, or Uchiha Madara at their peak—but he wasn't far off.
Danzo was truly walking the path of self-destruction.
Ignoring Danzo entirely, Yuki Seisui said a brief word to Hiruzen and prepared to leave.
But just then, as if something occurred to him, he glanced at Danzo and then spoke to Hiruzen again.
"I've developed another Kekkei Genkai."
"Mm."
"…Mm?"
Hiruzen nodded instinctively, then stared at Yuki Seisui in shock.
Danzo looked at him as though he'd just seen a ghost.
Danzo already knew that Yuki Seisui had developed Ice Release.
But how long has it been since then?
And now he was saying he had developed another Kekkei Genkai?
Danzo couldn't help but sink into deep thought.
Since when did Kekkei Genkai become so easy to develop?
Hiruzen was thinking the exact same thing.
If Kekkei Genkai were really this easy to create, the shinobi world would be overflowing with them.
They wouldn't be limited to just a handful of special clans.
Seeing the two of them looking as if they'd seen a ghost, Yuki Seisui didn't hesitate and brought his hands together.
But just as he was about to form the seal, he suddenly realized something.
"This… isn't a very good place to use ninjutsu."
"Hm?" Danzo raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you using your new Kekkei Genkai?"
"Afraid the space here is too small?"
Danzo's face was full of skepticism—but Yuki Seisui nodded seriously.
"Then let's go outside."
Hiruzen glanced at Yuki Seisui, then at Danzo, and nodded.
"Very well. Let's go outside."
The three of them left together.
The Hokage's office was located in the Hokage Residence, which stood at the very center of Konoha.
This area was crowded with people.
Clearly not a suitable place to use ninjutsu.
Taking the lead, Hiruzen guided them toward the Forest of Death.
Shukaku resided there.
The moment he sensed Yuki Seisui's presence, Shukaku burst out of the ground.
Seeing Shukaku, Danzo instantly retreated several steps and pulled out a kunai.
Shukaku glanced at Hiruzen and Yuki Seisui, then asked in confusion, "Why did you bring an idiot here?"
Danzo was well aware that Shukaku had been subdued by Konoha.
Although he had been fighting that other evil old man, Onoki, at the time, some of Root's members had still been gathering intelligence.
He knew that Yuki Seisui had become a perfect Jinchuriki and had even formed a contract with the One-Tail, making it loyal to Konoha.
But seeing Shukaku suddenly burst out of the ground still gave him a fright.
And when Shukaku called him an idiot, Danzo glanced at Hiruzen—only to find that Hiruzen showed no reaction at all.
That was when Danzo realized he had no choice but to swallow his anger.
This was a Tailed Beast.
Even if it was only the One-Tail, it was still something he couldn't afford to offend.
Glaring resentfully at Shukaku, Danzo thought bitterly to himself, That innately evil One-Tail, Shukaku… one day, I'll deal with you personally!
Naturally, Yuki Seisui had no idea what Danzo was thinking.
Seeing Shukaku, he asked curiously, "Why did you come out?"
"I thought you were supposed to be sleeping too."
Shukaku's eyes lit up with excitement. "I figured out how to beat that stinking fox, Kurama!"
"Hurry up and let that stinking fox out!"
"I'm going to beat the living daylights out of him!"
"Really?" Yuki Seisui looked at Shukaku suspiciously.
"Of course it's real!"
"Hurry and release him!"
"Even if that old man favored him back then, I can still defy fate and turn things around!"
Yuki Seisui glanced at Hiruzen. Hiruzen looked back at him—and nodded.
"Don't blame me later."
As Yuki Seisui spoke, his consciousness sank into the sealing space.
When Yuki Seisui appeared, Kurama—who had been boasting about his glorious past to the little Nine—froze in place.
"You brat, why are you here?" Kurama growled.
Yuki Seisui explained, "Shukaku told me to."
"He wants me to summon you out."
Kurama frowned. "Is that raccoon itching for a beating?"
"No idea," Yuki Seisui shook his head.
"But he said he can hang you up and beat you."
"Sounds like he wants revenge."
Kurama instantly sprang to his feet.
A moment later, he eyed Yuki Seisui suspiciously.
"You're not messing with me, are you?"
"I never mess with people!" Yuki Seisui protested shamelessly.
"Heh." Kurama snorted disdainfully.
"Hurry up and summon me out! I want to see just what's going on here!"
…..
Completed version available on Available on [P]atreon.[c]om/Veltoria [remove brackets]