It would have been better if he hadn't spoken at all; by saying those words, Shimura Danzo only appeared weak and intimidated. Against Senju Makoto's glittering status, he had no leverage whatsoever.
Before Makoto could even react—his expression hadn't even flickered—Uchiha Kagami, sitting behind him, suddenly stood up. The legs of his chair scraped against the floor with a piercing screech that echoed sharply through the classroom.
He glared at Danzo, his clear voice laced with undisguised fury, speaking with an undeniable toughness.
"Shimura Danzo! How dare you speak to Lord Senju Makoto like that! Watch your attitude and your phrasing. Apologize immediately!"
Although the two had never spoken a word to each other before, after receiving his father's support last night, Uchiha Kagami had already unilaterally decided in his heart that Senju Makoto was someone worthy of his lifelong loyalty and following. His gaze was fixed on Danzo, his pure and determined intent to protect Makoto completely unconcealed.
Danzo was left speechless by Kagami's sudden outburst and his sharp, aggressive aura. He looked at the calm Makoto, who even seemed to have a playful smile hidden in his eyes, then at the fuming Kagami who looked ready to strike at any second, and finally scanned the room.
His classmates were all watching him like he was a joke, pointing and whispering; not a single person was willing to speak up for him. A strong sense of isolation, mixed with an unprecedented feeling of humiliation, swallowed him like ice-water wrapped in fire, making his chest feel tight.
Most frustratingly, Sarutobi Hiruzen—his lifelong best friend—was actually still engrossed in that trashy novel... he didn't care about him at all!
Under Kagami's increasingly cold and forceful stare, Danzo's face turned a leaden gray. His jaw ground together with a series of audible clicks. With extreme difficulty and immense reluctance, he squeezed out words from between his clenched teeth.
"Hmph... fine! I'll apologize!"
He turned his head sharply toward Senju Makoto. With the most ferocious expression and the stiffest voice possible, he uttered the softest words: "I'm sorry!"
Watching this, Makoto's eyebrows twitched slightly. He mused in his heart:
It seems Kagami's strength and talent are even greater than I anticipated. Otherwise, with Danzo's paranoid, competitive, and prideful nature—someone who never bows his head easily—he would never have yielded so quickly in front of so many classmates.
Seeing the increasingly strange looks the other students were giving Danzo and hearing the quiet gossip—and reflecting on Danzo's completely non-threatening "intimidation"—Makoto felt he should take the initiative to "clear things up" for him.
Being helpful was a virtue, after all. He couldn't let Danzo end up like the future White Fang of the original story, committing suicide out of despair...
So, during the break between classes, Makoto slipped out of the room. He specifically sought out groups of students whispering in the hallways and by the playground. He pretended to pass by casually, "accidentally" leaking some "insider information" to debunk the rumors about Shimura Danzo.
"Let me tell you guys something," Makoto whispered, beckoning a few students closer as if sharing top-secret intelligence. He even looked left and right, appearing terrified of being overheard. "Actually, based on my deep observations and reliable intelligence analysis, Student Shimura Danzo... doesn't like girls at all!"
"WHAT!!?"
Hearing this, the students gasped in unison, their eyes widening like copper bells. Their gossip-loving souls were instantly ignited, and they crowded closer, afraid to miss a single syllable.
Seeing their shocked and excited expressions, Makoto "noticed" his attempt to clear the air was having the opposite effect. However, seeing the expectant looks in everyone's eyes, he quickly shook his head and pondered internally:
Ah, well. Let's consider this as letting Danzo experience the dangers of the human heart and the power of rumors ahead of time. It'll temper his anxious personality so he can protect Konoha better in the future.
With that thought, Makoto's expression became even more solemn. He began his utterly ridiculous "clarification" with a straight face.
"It's absolutely true! Think about it carefully. Are he and Sarutobi Hiruzen not inseparable every single day? They sit together in class, train in the same group, and even eat together most of the time?"
"On the surface, they argue and never give in to each other, but as soon as an outsider says something bad about the other, don't they immediately form a united front? What do you call that? That's what you call 'the bickering couple!'"
The students nodded repeatedly, looks of sudden realization dawning on their faces. One student suddenly leaned in and added in a low voice:
"I think I just saw Sarutobi Hiruzen lean into Danzo's ear—he almost kissed him!"
Makoto's eyes lit up at the student's assist. Striking while the iron was hot, he quickly took up the lead.
"See? That's evidence! It's a love-hate relationship, a twisted way of expressing affection to the extreme! Behind this, there is definitely a deep and complex emotional entanglement that transcends ordinary friendship!"
At this point, Makoto lowered his voice again, deliberately pausing for effect before dropping the "nuclear" rumor.
"Let me tell you an even more shocking secret... Do you know why Danzo's feelings for Hiruzen are so complex? And why Hiruzen treats him so 'specially'?"
The students held their breath, their heads huddled close together, not daring to make a sound.
Makoto spoke one word at a time, like a thunderclap: "Because 'A-Zang' used to be a girl. Her name was Kurako!"
"GASP—!!!"
A chorus of sharp inhales filled the air. The students' worldviews were nearly shattered; their eyes were filled with disbelief.
"The head of the Shimura Clan couldn't accept that his only heir was a girl. So, he used a forbidden family technique to turn 'Kurako' into a boy—the Danzo you see today."
Makoto sighed at the right moment, a complex expression of "destiny playing tricks" on his face, as he continued to embellish the story.
"But what the Shimura Clan Head didn't know was that a long time ago, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Kurako were already childhood sweethearts, deeply in love with each other. Their bond was incredibly strong."
"Think about it. When Sarutobi Hiruzen suddenly discovered that the girl he secretly loved in his heart had turned into a boy overnight, how devastated must he have been? How hard was it to accept?"
"That's why he's so awkward with Danzo, always picking fights and arguing. Yet, he can't help but watch him and protect him... Behind all this abnormal behavior is the struggle and pain of unrequited love, of love turning into resentment. It's all because of love!"
After finishing this "ultimate clarification"—full of holes yet strangely "logically consistent," blending gender-bending, clan secrets, childhood sweethearts, and dramatic romance—Makoto dusted his hands of non-existent dirt. He maintained a calm, relaxed look, as if a great burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
Under the gazes of his classmates—who were frozen in place, eyes wide, their minds suffering from severe information overload—he skipped back to the classroom with light steps.