Chapter 79: Danzo: "For Konoha, I'll Even Take an Uchiha as a Disciple!"
"You'll regret this—"
The phrase was practically a reflex for him.
However, this time, Hiruzen didn't shut him down. Instead, he simply gestured with an open palm, inviting Danzo to elaborate.
"The Uchiha... they are a clan even Lord Tobirama feared!" Danzo barked. Seeing that he was finally being allowed to speak his mind, his expression softened slightly, but his tone remained aggressive.
"They are like wolves that can never be tamed. If you keep them leashed in the village, they can act as guard dogs. But the moment you let them loose on a battlefield and they taste blood... they will bite you!"
Hiruzen listened, looking thoughtful.
Danzo's perspective on the Uchiha was an extension and amplification of Tobirama Senju's original policies. To maintain his own political legitimacy, Danzo felt he had to exaggerate his predecessor's most famous stances.
In truth, Danzo's suspicion of the Uchiha was shared by many of the village's older clans. The memory of the "Mad Uchiha" from the Warring States period was a trauma passed down through generations. Combined with the Uchiha's notoriously prickly social skills at the Police Force, they weren't exactly winning any popularity contests.
The Master (Tobirama) really did leave them in a checkmate, Hiruzen mused. If they don't produce a miracle like Madara or Izuna, the clan is destined to be slowly digested by the village's bureaucracy.
But while other Hokages might let that happen, Arata wouldn't.
Setting aside the "Will of Fire," the Uchiha were a massive unharvested KPI. If he could integrate them properly, every Mangekyō Sharingan that awakened with loyalty to the Leaf was effectively a massive "Year-End Bonus" for his personal power stats.
"You're right about the risks, Danzo," Hiruzen said, his fingers interlaced. "But the Konoha High Commission has been established. If we exclude the Uchiha entirely now, our bias becomes a matter of public record. It would destroy the village's credibility."
"The Commission is a trade. We grant the clans a share of non-core power in exchange for their active participation. If we treat the Uchiha like enemies today, the other clans will wonder when it will be their turn tomorrow."
"Besides," Hiruzen added, his voice dropping to a serious register, "the world is watching us. A rule only has power if the ruler follows it when it's inconvenient. Our 'reluctance' to include them is actually the best proof that the system is fair. It gives the rest of the shinobi peace of mind."
Danzo didn't argue immediately.
Now that Hiruzen was speaking to him as a peer—analyzing the facts rather than hiding behind his title—the "Darkness of the Shinobi" found himself actually listening.
"I see the logic," Danzo admitted with a slow shake of his head. "This Commission of yours..."
He stopped himself from complaining. The "pilot program" was already yielding incredible results. They had scouted talents like Hiruko and Hizashi, and the "Hyūga Problem" that had plagued the village for thirty years was finally cracking. Branch House elites were flooding into the Anbu, and Danzo found them to be exceptionally efficient tools.
The village was buzzing. Even the Genin were talking about the "List," dreaming of the day they could climb into the High Commission. Mission completion rates were already up by 15%.
"Fine. Every solution has its own set of problems," Danzo sighed. "I remember you said that when we were discussing the Hyūga. It's a pragmatic reality."
Hiruzen looked at his old friend with genuine surprise.
Did Danzo just... act like a human? he wondered. He's quoting me? He's citing his sources? Since when is he this self-aware?
"I'm glad you understand," Hiruzen said, adjusting the golden mark on his forehead. "And that is exactly why I'm training this new jutsu. To deter any Uchiha 'accidents,' my personal power must remain absolute."
With the battlefield issue settled, the tension in the room dissipated. Though Hiruzen held the ultimate command once the kunai started flying, he still needed to maintain the consensus of the "Shadow Cabinet."
"I agree with the deployment, Hiruzen," Danzo said, his mind shifting gears.
"But it isn't enough. If the Uchiha produce a Mangekyō user—or a 'Genius Leader' who can unify them—they'll become a closed fist. We need a contingency."
Hiruzen smirked inwardly, though his face remained a mask of concern. "What do you suggest?"
"If such an Uchiha appears," Danzo said, his eyes suddenly lighting up with a sinister spark, "leave him to me."
"You want to... eliminate him?"
"What?! Hiruzen, do you take me for a thug? That's amateur work!" Danzo snapped, offended.
Yes, actually, Hiruzen thought.
"If a genius appears," Danzo explained, leaning forward with a look of "Great Wisdom," "I will recruit him. I will take him into the Anbu and hammer my 'Root philosophy' into his skull until he is a loyal weapon of the state."
"I will dismantle the Uchiha from the top down!"
"For the sake of Konoha, I will sacrifice my reputation as a hardliner. I will follow our Master's example of 'Strategic Guidance.' I will take that Uchiha as my personal disciple!"
Danzo looked incredibly proud of himself, as if he had just solved the riddle of the universe.
"Think about it, Hiruzen! What Uchiha could refuse the chance to be the student of the Hokage's Assistant? He'd be a 'Golden Child' of the administration. He'd have a VIP pass to the inner circle! Even if the clan elders hate it, they'd have to bow to the political reality."
"And once he's under my wing... I'll turn him into a perfect Konoha shinobi!"
Danzo gave a rare, triumphant laugh. "Problem solved, right?"
Inside, Danzo was sweating. He had a hidden agenda: if he had a high-tier Uchiha student, his own "legacy" stats would skyrocket. It would give him a massive boost in his rivalry with Orochimaru for the Fourth's seat.
Hiruzen took a long, slow breath. He was mere seconds away from losing it.
What did I just hear?
Danzo Shimura... wants to take Tobirama Senju as his student?
Even for a man with the soul of a modern politician, the sheer cosmic irony of the situation was staggering. Hiruzen had to bite his tongue to keep from howling with laughter.
"Danzo," Hiruzen said, giving him a huge thumbs-up. "That is... a truly magnificent plan."
"Having the Assistant take the student is much better than the Hokage doing it. I'm too busy, and it would make the Uchiha too arrogant. But you? You provide the perfect 'Buffer.' You show them Konoha's mercy while keeping them on a short leash."
"You've really mastered the 'Buffer Layer' theory, Danzo. I'm impressed! You're evolving every day!"
The praise hit Danzo like a wave of pure dopamine. He stood a little taller, his chest swelling with pride. It worked! He thinks I'm a genius!
"But won't it be too much work, Danzo?" Hiruzen asked, his eyes full of "genuine" worry.
"You're managing the Anbu and the Treasury. You're my right hand. If you have to spend your days 'training' a high-maintenance Uchiha genius... I'm worried you'll burn out. I can't afford to lose my most valuable partner."
"I truly couldn't run this village without you, old friend."
Danzo's heart melted.
Did he just call me his 'most valuable partner'?
For fifty years, Danzo had been waiting for that sentence. He felt his lip quiver, but he forced it back down into a determined line.
"Don't worry about me, Hiruzen! For the sake of the Leaf, I have infinite energy! I will never be tired!"
"Then I'll leave it in your capable hands, Danzo."
Hiruzen lit a cigarette, finally allowing himself a small, private smile.
Master Tobirama... I've set the stage, Hiruzen thought, metaphorically tapping the floor to send a signal to the lab a hundred meters below. I've ensured the Assistant won't just 'allow' you to join—he's going to beg you to be his student. I can't wait to see your face when you find out your 'Master' is the boy who used to fail your calligraphy tests.
"I've seen your hard work, Danzo. It's all being recorded in the village scrolls," Hiruzen added, sliding a new document across the table.
"Now, tell Koharu and Homura to finalize the budget. We have a lot of money to spend, and 'idle gold is just paper.' Let's get the High Commission fully codified by the end of the week."
Danzo took the file and marched out of the office with more energy than a Genin on his first C-rank.
Hiruzen watched him go and let out a long, wheezing laugh.
Konoha's 'Darkness' is going to become a personal tutor for the God of Shinobi. God, I love this job.
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