As for the talents of the Hokage line, Shimura Danzo had always adopted a two-pronged strategy: attract and divide. If a promising individual could not be brought to his side, then he would find a way to suppress them or eliminate them the moment an opportunity presented itself.
Danzo had initially planned to win over Senmei Asahi, the latest genius to rise from the Hokage lineage. But what he never expected—what he couldn't have imagined—was that Asahi was the same kind of person as Orochimaru. More than that, the two had already been working together for a long time.
It had to be said: Asahi was truly an expert at deception. Not only had he fooled Danzo, but even the Third Hokage himself had been deceived by this young man's facade.
Danzo now sensed danger. The existence of someone like Asahi posed a potential threat. He wasn't just good at hiding his true nature—he was also deeply ambitious. That combination was lethal. Someone like that couldn't be trusted, especially when they were still young and growing rapidly in strength and influence.
Asahi's development potential was immeasurable, and Danzo, who was already aging and weakening, knew that in just a few more years, he might not be able to suppress the boy even if he wanted to.
What troubled Danzo further was the fact that Asahi had already begun pulling away from Orochimaru. That alone proved one thing—this boy wasn't loyal to anyone. If he had once been willing to abandon a monster like Orochimaru, then what reason was there to believe he wouldn't one day abandon Danzo as well?
The thought chilled him.
Danzo briefly entertained the idea of killing Asahi here and now, before the threat could blossom. But the idea was crushed almost as quickly as it appeared.
Asahi had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. Killing him in a single blow was no longer feasible. The moment he sensed true danger, he could disappear in a flash. Unless Danzo had the perfect trap prepared, Asahi would simply vanish.
At first, Danzo had even considered threatening Asahi with Shinohara. But just a few moments of conversation had made him realize that Asahi wasn't the type to care about such things. He was cold, detached—someone who would never be held back by emotion or attachments.
"You won't refuse." Asahi said with certainty.
That calm, unshakable tone carried weight. It was precisely this confidence that gave Asahi the courage to negotiate with Danzo Shimura. He knew that Danzo couldn't afford to say no.
In the shinobi world, strength was everything—and Danzo knew it better than most. But his own strength had long since begun to decline. If he wanted to remain relevant, to one day sit in the Hokage's chair, he would need to compensate for that loss.
The only viable path forward was the same forbidden path he was already treading—merging the Sharingan and the Hashirama cells into his body to create an unnatural strength.
But to become Hokage, Danzo would need to eliminate the most dangerous competitor: Orochimaru. Their fallout was inevitable. The moment Danzo no longer needed Orochimaru, he would have to discard him.
And that, precisely, was what Asahi had calculated.
He had made himself Orochimaru's successor in Danzo's eyes—one who possessed not only the Sannin's knowledge of Hashirama cells, but also a unique edge. Asahi was also Tsunade's disciple, giving him access to the secrets of the Senju clan.
More importantly, Asahi had no interest in becoming Hokage.
For Danzo, that made him the perfect replacement.
"Are you so sure?" Danzo asked in a low voice.
"After all, neither of us wants Orochimaru to stay in Konoha. Our goals align. And I can continue Orochimaru's research on your behalf." Asahi answered calmly. "Most importantly, I pose no political threat to you. I have no interest in becoming Hokage."
"Then what is your purpose?" Danzo asked.
"Power." Asahi replied without hesitation. "Unlike you, I don't care for authority. What I seek is strength—nothing more."
"So you want to transplant the Hashirama cells into your body." Danzo stated coldly, already seeing through the young man's true intention.
Asahi nodded. "That's right. But Orochimaru won't give them to me. That's why I left him."
The Hashirama cells had become an obsession for Asahi. In the original history, only a select few had managed to achieve perfect Sage Mode: Senju Hashirama, Uzumaki Naruto, and Yakushi Kabuto. The common thread? Hashirama and Naruto were descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, and Kabuto only achieved perfection after fusing Hashirama cells into his body.
Even Jiraiya, revered as one of the greatest shinobi, had failed to fully master Sage Mode.
From this pattern, Asahi had developed a hypothesis—only those who possess the blood of the Sage of Six Paths could fully control Sage Mode. If true, it meant he would need those cells to realize his full potential.
But the cells were not only essential for Sage Mode. They held the key to far greater transformations—possibly even the foundation for transcending human limits entirely.
"Hmph. I almost believed your lies." Danzo scoffed. "But you're still far too green to negotiate with me. You're not qualified."
"Then it seems there's nothing more to talk about." Asahi said indifferently. "Even without you, I will find a way to obtain the Hashirama cells."
If Danzo refused to cooperate, then so be it. Asahi already had a secondary plan: to collaborate with Uchiha Chizuru. With his fully awakened three-tomoe Sharingan, there was a possibility he could undo Orochimaru's laboratory seals and open the door to the research vault.
The only real advantage in cooperating with Danzo was that he could protect Asahi from the fallout once Orochimaru inevitably defected.
"Wait!" Danzo called out, just as Asahi turned to leave.
"Oh? Changed your mind already?" Asahi asked, a touch of amusement in his voice.
"You seem very confident that I'll agree to your request." Danzo said.
"That's because I know you far better than you know me." Asahi replied without hesitation. "You don't have a complete picture of who I am, yet you still chose to meet me face-to-face. That tells me everything I need to know."
"You think you understand me?" Danzo chuckled darkly.
"At least right now, I do." Asahi said, still calm, still confident.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. "So your request to Hiruzen to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique—that was part of your long-term plan?"
Asahi didn't answer. Instead, he posed a question of his own. "So... have you decided to cooperate?"
Danzo didn't answer directly either. "How far did your collaboration with Orochimaru go?"
"I have all his research data on the Hashirama cells." Asahi said. "I even know the details of the experiment he's conducting right now. Out of fifty test subjects, only one will survive."
"You're saying... one subject successfully fused with the cells?" Danzo asked, visibly shaken.
*****
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