Chapter 8: Danzo—Late, But Finally Arriving

"Lord Hokage, I still propose that Kawaki Aoba remain in my squad for the time being. Once he has grown in strength and gained more mission experience, we can consider transferring him to the Anbu. Given his talent, I have no doubt he will quickly become an outstanding Jonin."

Inside the Hokage Building, Kurenai Yuhi, Kawaki Aoba’s squad leader, was presenting his case to Hiruzen Sarutobi. He hoped to persuade the Hokage by highlighting Aoba’s potential, aiming to protect his gifted student.

As for Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, he was currently feeling quite conflicted.

Originally, he had earmarked Aoba—a genius who could barely be considered a civilian—as part of the support team for his youngest son, Asuma Sarutobi. Whether it was Aoba’s talent for inventing non-seal ninjutsu before even graduating or his brilliant performance during missions, Hiruzen was thoroughly satisfied.

However, who could have foreseen that the boy would awaken the Byakugan during a mission, thanks to a trace of Hyuga bloodline?

A clansman who had not been branded with the Caged Bird seal and had already awakened the Byakugan would have been easy to handle if the Hyuga clan hadn't discovered it. But now...

Hiruzen sighed internally, lamenting that he had learned of this too late. By the time he sent men to seal the information, someone had already sold the news to the Hyuga clan.

Kurenai Yuhi’s argument was certainly sound, but was a mere Kawaki Aoba worth the price of alienating the Hyuga clan?

Just as Hiruzen was pondering this, a ninja arrived at the door to report that the Second Elder of the Hyuga clan requested an audience.

Truly, a prestigious clan with a millennium of history; not only was their intelligence network as efficient as his own as Hokage, but their response was remarkably swift.

At this moment, Hiruzen’s gaze turned deep and still, like a stagnant pool of water.

However, since the principal party had come knocking, there was no reason to refuse. Soon, the Hyuga Second Elder was ushered into the Hokage’s office.

Upon entering, the elder immediately spotted Kurenai Yuhi standing to the side. Although Yuhi was the boy’s squad leader, the elder’s attention was not on him at all. He turned toward Hiruzen, skipping any pleasantries and getting straight to the point.

He had come to ask the Hokage directly: did the village intend to interfere in the private affairs of the Hyuga clan? If that were the case, the Hyuga were not unwilling to give the Hokage some face, but the cost of doing so would be...

Furthermore, perhaps irritated by the Uchiha—led by Fugaku—who had been blocking the entrance to their compound when he left, his tone was sharper and more urgent than usual.

Sitting in his chair, Hiruzen kept his eyes lowered. He could tell that despite the formal courtesy in the elder’s words, the underlying stance was extremely rigid.

While Hiruzen could understand the elder’s feelings, he was, after all, the Hokage.

Well, while he was the Hokage, he was not the only voice in Konoha. Even though he had led his peers to victory in the Second Shinobi World War and gained enough prestige to secure his position, in the eyes of certain prestigious clans, his authority still seemed slightly insufficient.

The Hyuga clan before him, while not as brazen or arrogant as the Uchiha, possessed a sense of superiority that was undeniably real.

Hiruzen felt a tightness in his chest. The internal scale of interests began to tilt. Sometimes, balance and the hearts of the people were more important than mere profit. This was a lesson he had learned after many years as Hokage.

With his mind made up, Hiruzen decided to stir the waters further. His goal was not necessarily to save Aoba or to trade him for favors from the Hyuga; rather, it was to strike a blow against the Hyuga, to dampen the pride of these so-called noble clans.

He wanted them to understand that this was the era of the shinobi village, and even the most prestigious clans were merely a part of the whole.

Kawaki Aoba was undoubtedly a pawn in this. Hiruzen didn't need to cling to him; as long as he kept the boy out of the Hyuga’s grasp, the old men would surely analyze the message he was sending.

Aoba’s appearance was an accident, but as long as he, Hiruzen, was Hokage, such "accidents" could be cultivated through artificial intervention.

Having decided on his strategy, Hiruzen had no intention of waiting for the Hyuga clan head and their Great Elder to return before playing his hand.

Compared to those two old foxes, the man before him was a god-sent opponent. Although he looked intimidating, Hiruzen knew his only real merit was his birth.

Yet, as a leader with ambitions to surpass his two predecessors, Hiruzen did not want his own hands stained. He needed someone to act as his "white glove," someone to charge into the fray for him.

Danzo Shimura: "That would be me."

As if hearing Hiruzen’s thoughts, a figure exuding a sinister aura stepped into the office. Half of his body was wrapped in bandages, leaving only his left eye visible.

"Sarutobi, I just heard some rumors outside that are quite detrimental to the village. They say an elite ninja of the Hyuga clan attacked a civilian ninja without provocation. I wonder if there is any truth to this?"

A masterstroke. As expected of the "Darkness of the Shinobi World," Danzo Shimura went straight for the throat, making no attempt to hide his intentions.

Originally, the Hyuga Second Elder had come to corner the Hokage and demand an explanation regarding Aoba, essentially trying to bully the "honest" Hiruzen. But with Danzo’s appearance, the situation had inverted. The nature of the incident had shifted from a private dispute to an accusation that the Hyuga were intentionally creating conflict within the village.

Being accused of using one's status as a noble clan to oppress civilian ninjas was a heavy burden to bear in these times.

Moreover, Danzo clearly wasn't interested in being reasonable. Compared to Hiruzen, Danzo was far more reckless. If the Hyuga elder recalled correctly, Danzo had recently tried to recruit members of the Hyuga clan into his Root organization, specifically demanding they be branded with a secrecy-sealing curse.

At the thought of this, the Second Elder’s expression turned grim.