“It’s just, regrettably, despite Lord Danzo’s immense efforts to save Konoha Village, your actions, Lord, were not understood or recognized by the other clans.”
“Under Hiruzen Sarutobi’s skillful manipulation of public opinion, Lord Danzo, you were ultimately stripped of all your duties and confined within Konoha Village for several years. Not only did you lose all power, but you were also completely isolated.”
Sai continued.
On the surface, Sai seemed to be expressing indignation on behalf of Danzo Shimura, but the outcome he described enraged Danzo Shimura.
Danzo’s eyes turned crimson, and his breathing became rapid, like an enraged beast.
“Hiruzen, he actually treated me like this!” Danzo Shimura’s voice was filled with anger and unwillingness, his fists clenched tightly, his knuckles white from the excessive force, “How dare he do this? Am I just a rag in his eyes, to be used when useful and discarded when not? Damn it, this is too much!”
Even Ryuma Aburame, who stood by, felt dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi and could not help but say, “The Third Hokage is truly a weak and incompetent person!”
Ryuma’s words also revealed his strong disappointment in Hiruzen Sarutobi, “He first handed over our Konoha Village’s precious Byakugan to the Cloud Ninja, which undoubtedly weakened Konoha Village’s strength.”
“Then, facing the Uchiha Clan’s rebellion, he remained indifferent, taking no effective measures to maintain the Village’s stability.”
“And for the hero who quelled the Uchiha Clan’s rebellion, which is you, Lord Danzo, he actually suppressed you unfairly!”
“How can such a person be considered a qualified Hokage! Lord Danzo, we cannot let Hiruzen Sarutobi continue to stay in the position of Hokage, otherwise, he will only mess up Konoha. Only when you, Lord Danzo, become Hokage, can Konoha become even greater.”
Ryuma Aburame continuously listed Hiruzen Sarutobi’s various misdeeds, his face showing a furious expression.
As a hawk-eyed figure personally trained by Danzo Shimura, he was truly in the same vein as Danzo Shimura himself, deeply imbued with the ideology of the “Root”’s will.
“Indeed!” Sai also nodded in agreement, expressing considerable approval for Ryuma Aburame’s remarks, and said, “Hiruzen Sarutobi is too weak. Only you, Lord Danzo, are worthy of becoming Konoha’s Hokage. Only under your leadership can Konoha become even greater! In my heart, you, Lord Danzo, are the only sun!”
As soon as these words were spoken.
Danzo Shimura’s heart stirred with excitement. He stared at Sai with delight, thinking, ‘This is truly the inheritor of my Root’s will.’
For a moment.
The three looked at each other.
It was as if they had found kindred spirits.
“As expected of the Root Ninja I personally trained, inheriting the same will as me! So loyal to me.” Danzo Shimura thought with satisfaction.
Afterward.
Danzo Shimura’s expression became solemn, and he asked Sai in a low voice, “What happened after that? What happened then?”
“Then, in Konoha Year 64, during the Konoha Crush Plan, the rogue Ninja Orochimaru and the Sand Ninja invaded Konoha. Hiruzen Sarutobi was trapped in the Four Violet Flames Formation and died with regret. None of the Ninja clans offered assistance, watching him pass away, ending his corrupt rule. After that, it was the Fifth Hokage…”
Fifth Hokage.
“Could it be me?!”
Danzo Shimura’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“With the support of Elders Utatane Koharu and Homura Mitokado, Tsunade succeeded as the Fifth Hokage!” Sai continued.
“Damn it!” Danzo Shimura was furious. He knew that at this moment, with the support of these two, he could have become Konoha’s Hokage. However, they chose Tsunade.
However.
Danzo Shimura quickly understood the reason.
He knew that if he became Hokage, he would certainly not allow them to continue meddling in Konoha’s affairs.
And even if Tsunade ascended to the position of Hokage, she would never pose a threat to them.
“You two, remember this!” Danzo Shimura gnashed his teeth, cursing silently in his heart, his resentful gaze seemingly penetrating through the two in front of him, directly into their souls.
Danzo had always been a vengeful person; the hatred in his heart was like a raging fire that, once ignited, would never easily extinguish. Even if this was just potential future hatred, he would never let go of anyone who caused him dissatisfaction.
“…In short, the final mission was to borrow the Ryumyaku sealing mission in Roran.” Sai continued, his voice steady and calm, seemingly completely unaware of the turbulent emotions within Danzo, “Due to the resonance of the Ryumyaku in two parallel worlds at the same time, a space-time transfer occurred, which led to the Seventh Squad’s four-person team accidentally arriving in this parallel world.”
Sai paused, then continued, “And even in this parallel world, as the inheritor of the Root’s will, Lord Danzo, I still have to contribute my strength for your Root’s will!”
After speaking, Sai turned his head to the side and pointed to Uzumaki Naruto, who was still unconscious, “So, after noticing these changes, I immediately brought the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki to meet you, Lord Danzo!”
“This is Uzumaki Naruto of the Seventh Squad, the son of the future Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and Uzumaki Kushina. He is the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki after Uzumaki Kushina! His current strength already allows him to fight against Kage-level powerhouses!”
Kage-level strength, Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki.
How did you capture him?
Danzo Shimura felt a surge of surprise.
Seemingly noticing Danzo’s confusion, Sai also took the opportunity to describe the mysterious Uchiha Clan enemy he had encountered earlier.
As Sai finished speaking, Danzo Shimura’s face showed an expression of sudden realization.
“So that’s it! So that’s it…” He couldn’t help but exclaim, his gaze like a torch, fixed on Uzumaki Naruto, his eyes sparkling with pleasant surprise.
Danzo Shimura was so excited he almost jumped.
His mood was like drinking a bottle of ice-cold beer on a sweltering summer day, utterly refreshing.
An indescribable feeling of comfort instantly spread throughout his body.
In the past, he had tried every possible way to get his hands on the so-called Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki.
Unfortunately, he was always rejected by Hiruzen Sarutobi, and with the extensive Anbu protection, he had no chance of contact whatsoever.
But now.
He didn’t need to worry about the other party at all.
He now had his own Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki.
This made Danzo Shimura feel as if this feeling of having his wishes granted was like a dream.
Danzo Shimura’s mouth curved upwards, an uncontrollable smile preventing him from calming down.
If it were before.
When he encountered a lone Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki, he would certainly try every means to seize it for himself, immediately sealing and controlling it without hesitation.
However, at this very moment, the situation was completely different.
The Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki was close at hand, right in front of Danzo Shimura, and there was no possibility of escape.
But Danzo Shimura’s heart, instead, calmed down. What he valued more at this moment was Sai, who stood before him.
This young man was not only a member of the Root organization but also the inheritor of will that Danzo Shimura had been desperately searching for.
This was someone who could help him ascend to the position of Hokage, a loyal and devoted successor.
This was the most crucial person to help him become Hokage!
Even if he eventually achieved his wish and ascended to the Hokage’s throne, he would still need sufficiently outstanding talent to assist him.
And now, Sai was undoubtedly such a person.
From his performance alone, it was clear that his loyalty to him was incredibly profound. Even if he traveled to a parallel dimension, even if the world underwent drastic changes, he would still steadfastly bind the Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki to his side, overcome various difficulties, and come alone to his Root Headquarters.
With such a display of loyalty, could he possibly be a spy sent by someone else?
Danzo Shimura immediately dismissed this thought.
So, facing Sai.
At this moment.
Danzo Shimura felt as if he had returned to the moment when he was taken as a disciple by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, as if there was a special mission for him to inherit his own will.