Chapter 513: Danzo, You Are a Little Dark
Konoha.
Hokage Building.
High Level Conference Room.
"Judging by the Shinobi Sect's current momentum, they will become an Amegakure even stronger than the one from the last Shinobi World War," Danzo said, his expression grave. "And when you add the existing Amegakure on top of that, the Land of Rain will produce a terrifying force, one capable of threatening the Five Great Shinobi Villages."
During the Second Shinobi World War, Konoha had fought Amegakure.
Konoha's forces had overwhelmed Amegakure's shinobi like a hot knife through butter, yet under Hanzo's leadership, Amegakure still caused Konoha enormous trouble. Countless Leaf ninja had fallen to Hanzo's hands.
If the enemy became a fully developed Shinobi Sect, plus Amegakure led by Hanzo, Danzo could not even estimate how much power Konoha would need to guarantee a stable victory.
"But aren't the Shinobi Sect and Amegakure mortal enemies?" Homura asked, adjusting his glasses. "How could they possibly unite?"
Aside from the now famous Sosuke, most people had previously viewed the Shinobi Sect as nothing more than a small organization of about a hundred ninja. In this room, only Danzo, who had been closely tracking the Land of Rain, understood how much the situation had changed. The others did not even know that the Shinobi Sect and Amegakure had already signed a peace treaty.
That was normal.
As high ranking leaders of a great village, and in the middle of a war, they naturally paid far closer attention to the movements of the other great villages than to an unrelated organization in a small country.
"According to Root's latest intelligence, the Shinobi Sect and Amegakure have reconciled," Danzo said immediately, presenting the report. "Both sides have signed a friendly cooperation treaty."
"There are quite a few ninja wearing Amegakure headbands in Sosuke's classes. If the two sides had not reconciled, that would be impossible."
Hiruzen read the report and fell into thought.
Koharu frowned. "Could this entire sequence be a performance? The Shinobi Sect and Amegakure putting on a show together? How could an enmity that deep be resolved so easily?"
To Koharu, ever since Sosuke rose to fame, it felt like a double act with Hanzo. How long had it been since Hanzo ambushed the Shinobi Sect? That kind of hatred should take at least a decade to cool.
"It's not impossible," Homura said after a moment. "Sosuke appeared too suddenly. Maybe the Shinobi Sect originally came from Amegakure, and everything was done to strengthen the Land of Rain."
He reviewed Sosuke's actions since his appearance and reached a startling conclusion.
The Shinobi Sect and Amegakure were originally one entity.
First, Hanzo and Sosuke staged a clash to build Sosuke's fame and elevate the Shinobi Sect's status. Then Sosuke used the momentum to promote both himself and the Shinobi Sect, attracting ninja from everywhere and rapidly expanding their strength.
Danzo's face nearly twitched.
During that battle, Hanzo and Sosuke had fought like madmen. One Fire Release had burned dozens of Rain elites to death.
Was that what they called "putting on a show"?
Homura and Koharu's theories made Danzo feel as if these two were impersonating Konoha's leadership.
Yet Danzo could not openly refute them.
He could not reveal what he truly knew, because his own actions during that Amegakure incident had violated Konoha's rules.
"It shouldn't be like that," Danzo said after forcing himself to think calmly. "Would Hanzo really sacrifice his reputation that much just to elevate Sosuke?"
In the past, when people mentioned Hanzo, they thought of the title Demigod, a top tier powerhouse with a broad mind.
Now, when people mentioned Hanzo, they thought of Sosuke, the man who defeated him using Fire Release, a counter element.
Worse, as more intelligence leaked, the shinobi world learned the exact jutsu that defeated Hanzo. A super high level Fire Release called Fire Dragon Dance.
Hanzo had practically become a backdrop for the technique itself.
"Why not?" Koharu pressed, looking more convinced than ever. "Maybe Sosuke is Hanzo's successor, the future leader of Amegakure. He is just waiting for the Shinobi Sect to grow strong enough, then the two forces will merge."
Danzo's mouth twitched again.
At that time, Hanzo had looked like he wanted to stab Sosuke to death on the spot.
Successor, indeed.
"According to Root's agents, Sosuke seems to have killed quite a few Rain ninja," Danzo continued, choosing his words carefully and keeping it deliberately vague.
"It's them eliminating dissidents," Koharu said, growing more confident by the second. "Those Rain ninja were probably all people who opposed Hanzo."
Danzo froze for a heartbeat.
For a moment, he truly wanted to tell Koharu that her thinking was a little too dark.
Eliminating dissidents?
A small place like Amegakure rarely produced someone like Hanzo. Who in that village could even meaningfully resist him?
"We cannot underestimate Sosuke's strength, regardless," Homura said, steering the discussion back to something practical. "Even if he cooperates with Hanzo, instantly defeating Pakura is a fact. Pakura has no reason to put on a show with Sosuke and damage her own reputation."
Homura's tone was firm.
Pakura was a hero of Sunagakure. There was no reason she would deliberately allow herself to be humiliated. That would not only shame her, it would disgrace her village.
"In any case, Sosuke and the Shinobi Sect are a major threat to Konoha," Danzo said, allowing their conspiracy theory to stand. "We must find a way to deal with them."
His real goal was simple.
He needed Konoha to target the Shinobi Sect.
Since he could not explain everything clearly, he was willing to ride their interpretation, as long as the result was the same. The Shinobi Sect would decline, and the Rinnegan and the sage art inheritance would fall into Root's hands.
"Iwagakure is avoiding battle anyway," Danzo continued, already pushing his prepared plan. "Let Jiraiya lead part of our forces into the Land of Rain and crush the danger at its source."
With Sosuke's strength, plus Kakuzu and Nagato, the Shinobi Sect would not be easily destroyed as long as Jiraiya did not bring Konoha's full power.
That was exactly what Danzo wanted.
In the chaos, Root would seize the Rinnegan and the sage art inheritance. The crisis would be resolved cleanly, and the spoils would belong to him.
Hiruzen removed his pipe, exhaled a stream of white smoke, and looked at Danzo with tired helplessness.
"The Shinobi Sect hasn't provoked Konoha," Hiruzen said. "What reason do we have to attack them?"
Konoha had only just managed to catch its breath in the war, and Danzo wanted to manufacture a new enemy. Hiruzen could not even be bothered to hide his disbelief.
"There are inhumane, high destructive ninjutsu hidden within the Shinobi Sect," Danzo replied instantly.
"If you truly believe they are a threat, then have Root keep a close watch on them," Hiruzen said. "Konoha cannot create enemies for no reason right now."
He could not send troops just because Danzo felt uneasy.
Sosuke was not made of mud. Attacking the Shinobi Sect would bring Konoha no benefit, only damage its reputation and drain its strength.
"We cannot allow the Shinobi Sect to keep developing like this," Danzo insisted. "With the teaching ability Sosuke has shown, the Shinobi Sect will not only gain high level fighters. Their mid and low level ninja will also become strong. That is the real danger."
Hiruzen chuckled softly.
"I actually think Mugetsu is better at teaching people than Sosuke."
Even though Sosuke's seven day lecture had earned an incredible reputation, and even though Hiruzen also believed Sosuke was extraordinary after reading the intelligence, Hiruzen still felt Mugetsu's teaching ability was stronger.
He had personally witnessed too many "miracles" created by Mugetsu.
The classes Mugetsu led.
The holiday trainings and ANBU trainings Mugetsu organized.
Asuma's changes after being taught by Mugetsu.
From large scale special training involving hundreds, to guiding individual disciples, Mugetsu's ability was undeniable. Hiruzen had seen it with his own eyes, so to him, Mugetsu remained the most terrifying teacher in Konoha.
"This is not a question of whose teaching is stronger," Danzo said, smoothly shifting angles rather than arguing. "We can keep Mugetsu, and ensure the Land of Rain does not have Sosuke."
Danzo also believed Mugetsu's teaching was unparalleled. Otherwise, he would never have entrusted Yamato to him.
"Compared to your aggressive plan," Hiruzen said, not budging, "it's better to discuss the Youth Martial Arts Tournament Sosuke is hosting. That matter has stirred the shinobi world recently."
Provoking a top tier powerhouse for no reason was foolish.
And Hiruzen was genuinely interested in the tournament's rewards. Konoha did not lack powerful ninjutsu, but Hiruzen specialized in Fire Release. He was curious what the rumored miraculous Fire Dragon Dance truly looked like.
"Everything so far is speculation," Homura said, siding with Hiruzen. "Konoha already has many enemies. It's not wise to create more."
Koharu also refused to support Danzo, especially after he had indirectly refuted her earlier. She began speaking for Hiruzen as well.
Danzo felt irritation churn in his chest.
He had devoted himself to Konoha, yet he was still being blocked by two people he increasingly felt were pretending to be competent leaders.
But Danzo did not lose his head.
Even without support from the council, he could still pursue his objective through his own methods.
As long as he cooperated with Hanzo, there was still a chance to suppress the Shinobi Sect.
Danzo's subordinates were dispatched to Amegakure as ordered.
The moment Hanzo learned Root had come, his face turned dark.
His current situation was largely Danzo's fault.
If Danzo had not approached him that day with Iwagakure corpses as leverage, he would never have clashed with the Shinobi Sect, and he would never have been defeated by Sosuke.
Still, Hanzo did not drive Root away.
Root represented Konoha, after all.
But Hanzo also refused to meet them personally, since Danzo himself had not come this time.
He sent subordinates to speak with the Root ninja and ask their purpose.
When Hanzo heard that Danzo wanted to continue cooperating to deal with Sosuke, his blood pressure nearly spiked through the roof.
Before, Hanzo had not been sure whether Iwagakure or Danzo had harmed him more.
Now he was certain.
Danzo was the one with truly vile intentions.
With the Shinobi Sect's current strength, even if Amegakure and Danzo successfully worked together to destroy them, Amegakure would be devastated in the process.
Hanzo was even more certain of something else.
He would not survive Sosuke.
If he entered the battlefield alongside Rain ninja, Sosuke would kill him.
But if he did not, then without him, Rain ninja could not defeat the Shinobi Sect at all.
"Refuse," Hanzo said coldly. "Our internal affairs in the Land of Rain do not require Konoha's concern."
Konoha was a great village, but if Danzo tried to force Amegakure with that status, Hanzo was not without options.
Konoha was not the only great village in the shinobi world.
When Hanzo's response reached Konoha, Danzo slammed the table, disbelief and anger flashing across his face.
He could not understand why Hanzo would refuse.
With the Shinobi Sect growing into such a threat, did Hanzo really not fear Amegakure being replaced?
Could the Shinobi Sect and Amegakure truly be one entity?
Danzo could not help recalling Koharu's ridiculous theory.
And annoyingly, from the outside, the theory did seem to fit the surface.
But Danzo knew the truth.
It was a facade.
The Shinobi Sect and Amegakure could not be one entity.
He had formulated the plan to encircle and kill the Shinobi Sect in the first place.
Could it be that he, Danzo, was also a ninja of Amegakure?
Impossible.
"How degenerate," Danzo thought with contempt. "Defeated once, and now he fears Sosuke like a tiger."
After discarding the other possibilities, Danzo settled on one explanation.
Hanzo had been beaten into submission.
Even if Amegakure was eventually swallowed by the Shinobi Sect, Hanzo would still not dare to make a final stand.
Danzo looked down on that kind of cowardice.
If it were him, even in a hopeless situation, he would act without fear of death for the continuation of the village.
"Since eliminating the Shinobi Sect is not possible for now," Danzo decided, temporarily shifting his plan, "we will investigate the sage art inheritance first."
Danzo had long wanted the inheritance Sosuke possessed, yet no one in the shinobi world knew what it actually was.
Was it the Sage of Six Paths' ninja tools?
Secret techniques left behind?
Some other relic entirely?
Even Danzo had no answer.
"It's a pity Yamato still needs time to grow," Danzo thought, recalling the Wood Release ninja he had placed such expectations on. "Otherwise, a mere Shinobi Sect would not require mobilizing any forces at all."
Unlike the Rinnegan and the sage art inheritance, which were still out of reach, the Wood Release ninja was a subordinate Danzo personally trained. Given enough time, that boy could become an overwhelming trump card.
At the same time, Danzo's future trump card was staring enviously at Mugetsu's disciples, listening to them discuss how to train their Nin Beast.
"I think they need more actual combat," Obito said enthusiastically, proposing his "training plan." "If they only train and never fight, problems might show up when it matters."
Kakashi nodded. That part was true. Combat experience could raise overall strength faster than repetitive drills.
"We're much stronger than they are," Obito continued, voice turning thoughtful. "If we do not control ourselves, we might injure them. So how about letting them fight each other? It could even make them train harder because they'll want to win."
That was the logic he presented.
His real intention was far simpler.
Even if he could not beat Kakashi right now, if his Nin Beast beat Kakashi's Nin Beast, then in a certain sense, it would count as Obito beating Kakashi.
And right now, his Charmeleon was the only one that had evolved. For this short period, it was the strongest, just like the moment Guy first entered Rock Breathing Chakra Mode.
If Obito did not enjoy this window now, he might never get another chance later.
.....
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