"What a hassle…"
Konoha, deep within the Root base.
Shimura Danzo sat in the shadows, a scroll in hand, though his mind was wandering elsewhere.
Lately, his ears had burned so often he suspected curses were flying his way. Then again, it wasn't surprising. 'If every man who despised me lit incense, they could encircle Konoha three times over.'
Enemies, traitors, and rivals—the shinobi world gave him no shortage of "troubles".
"That boy, 'Kinoe'…"
His gaze darkened.
He had dispatched that operative to track Hatake Kakashi, to seize the Sharingan at the first opportunity. Instead—failure.
Worse, Kinoe had not only failed but even helped the poisoned Kakashi escape danger.
And then he'd dared to justify it. 'I am not only a member of Root, but also a ninja of Konoha. I should not harm my comrades.'
Danzo's grip on the scroll tightened. "So, you've stopped putting me in your eyes, have you?"
He set the scroll down, thoughts grinding. Kakashi's Sharingan could no longer be relied upon. Very well. He would transplant Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan instead—and clamp down harder on Kinoe. Genjutsu. Cursed seals. Whatever it took.
'Wood-style cannot be abandoned. And I cannot allow that boy to develop a conscience.'
He exhaled slowly, mind shifting to another thorn. Hidezawa.
"That child has returned… and seems to be with Hiruzen now. What exactly happened this time…?"
Reports from agents buried in Sunagakure suggested chaos. Was Pakura dead? What about that Uchiha boy, Shisui?
Danzo still trusted Root's operatives. If it was Hidezawa, there was always a chance. Yet Pakura's death was not the heart of it. What mattered was Uchiha Shisui—an Uchiha with dangerous potential.
"Danzo-sama, I have information."
A voice broke his thoughts. Aburame Tatsuma stepped forward, bowing low, a scroll balanced in his hands.
Danzo took it with his usual calm, but when his eye fell on the symbol across the seal, his brows creased.
"…Kabuto?"
The boy embedded in Sunagakure. What did he have to report now?
Danzo broke the seal, scanning quickly. Then his face twisted, cold fury flickering across his features.
"This brat returned? Who gave him permission? Who allowed him to leave Sunagakure before the mission was complete?!"
Root operatives abandoning their posts—that was betrayal. Punishable by death.
But then his gaze caught on the final portion of the scroll. He froze, the words lodging in his mind like senbon in flesh.
For a rare moment, Shimura Danzo sat stunned.
…
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, a report spread open before him. He looked from the ink-stained paper to the three youths standing before him.
For a long moment, the Third Hokage could only stare, his pipe forgotten.
A mission this large—completed by children?
The silence dragged. Finally, he came to his senses, setting the pipe aside and folding his hands.
"You three accomplished the mission exceptionally well." he said at last. "But I have some questions I'd like clarified."
He almost laughed at himself as he said it. They had just returned from the Land of Wind, exhausted and dust-caked, and had already given their report in detail. Yet here he was, asking again. Perhaps it only proved how absurd the outcome sounded.
His gaze shifted to Hidezawa.
"Hidezawa. I heard you were in command. I'd like to hear your thoughts."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hidezawa nodded without hesitation. He had anticipated this. In fact, on the way back, he had already prepared his script—how best to "deceive superiors and subordinates".
"I want to know how you determined Sunagakure's motives." Hiruzen said. "And, according to reports, you sent Pakura back alone. I need a clearer explanation."
At that, Shisui and Yugao exchanged glances. Both wore faintly sour expressions.
Hidezawa had made the final move without them, even sending them to the border of the Land of Rivers as cover. They had helped with reception, yes, and weren't far apart—but the fact remained. Any teammate would feel a sting of exclusion.
"Actually, Captain Shisui explained the judgment process quite clearly already."
Hidezawa smiled awkwardly, acknowledging their feelings. "I based it on Pakura's abilities, the Kiri's logistics, and their mutual hatred. And of course… on what happened to our Hyuga clan a year ago—"
"Cough, cough, cough! I understand!"
Hiruzen's cough cut him off sharply. The reasoning was sound, the references sharp. But the Hyuga incident—he didn't want to hear that name again.
'You were the one who sent a Hyuga on a platter.' Hidezawa thought, suppressing his own smirk. 'And now you don't want to hear it? No wonder no one saves you later.'
He didn't dwell. He continued smoothly:
"As for the meeting with Ebizo—I deliberately kept Pakura conscious and presented my stance from Konoha's perspective."
He nodded once, calm as ever. "Sunagakure's alliance cannot be trusted. The one who trained me also believed this. Since they sought to use Pakura as a bargaining chip, I ensured that would never succeed. And when we encountered Sasori of the Red Sand—"
"You told Ebizo the intel on Sasori had already been transmitted." Hiruzen interjected, his eyes narrowing. "That if anything happened to you, it would spread across the Land of Wind. You fought Sasori, and he feared your strength. Meanwhile, Shisui and the others lay hidden, ensuring your return."
Hidezawa inclined his head. The Hokage had connected the dots quickly.
Hiruzen sat back, releasing a long sigh.
'This child is more dangerous than I imagined. He doesn't just think as Konoha's shinobi. He thinks like… me.'
Not only cunning, but decisive. A commoner, yet a genius—and one who could see the gameboard ten moves ahead.
Hiruzen thought suddenly of another genius. The shadow of Namikaze Minato flickered across his memory.
'It seems,' he thought to himself, 'we must accelerate matters. I thought only of Naruto… but now…'
Hidezawa's performance—and Shisui's and Yugao's—had exceeded all expectations.
How could such a talent be left in Danzo's hands? Once he entered Anbu, he would be Hiruzen's man.
"You've worked hard."
A rare smile broke across the old man's face.
"You three completed this mission exceptionally well. In light of this, and your prior performance, I will grant greater rewards. For now—rest. Heroes of Konoha."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
The word 'heroes' sent a thrill through Shisui and Yugao. In peacetime, that title was almost impossible to earn. To be commended personally by the Hokage—it was an honor they would remember forever.
Hidezawa, for his part, looked bored—until a familiar pulse stirred in his mind. His eyes widened slightly.
Ding!
[Completed Side Mission: Investigate Sunagakure's Secret]
[Mission Rating: S]
[Reward: 8 Free Points]
[Due to facing a great threat and exceeding expectations, special reward obtained]
[Title Acquired: Ninja World Dr.]
*****
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