The Lost Dog
Danzo was forced to flee, and after the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, voluntarily relinquished his position, the village welcomed a new Hokage.
As one of the key orchestrators behind the transition, Kakashi Hatake naturally gained considerable influence. Jiraiya, now holding the Hokage title, invited him to become the new Head of the Anbu Black Ops. If he dedicated himself for over a decade, his path to becoming Hokage would be all but secured.
Yet, after achieving his goal, Kakashi found no satisfaction—only an abyss of emptiness.
He had opposed both Hiruzen and Danzo, aligning with Jiraiya to push for a change in leadership. Avenging his father, Sakumo Hatake, was one reason, but another was his deep disdain for the suffocating stagnation that had taken hold of the village.
But now that Jiraiya was in charge, would that oppressive atmosphere truly change?
Kakashi wasn't certain. Jiraiya, for all his brilliance, was too lenient toward Hiruzen. Could decades of misguided tolerance and incompetence be undone simply by stepping down?
Sighing, Kakashi lay back on his tatami mat, staring at the ceiling fan as it spun in slow, rhythmic circles.
After a few days of rest, he planned to request a mission to track down Danzo and the remnants of Root. A fugitive Danzo, now wielding the power of a Kaleidoscope Sharingan, posed an unacceptable threat if left unchecked within the Land of Fire.
As for his previous arrangement with the Third Hokage regarding mentoring a new batch of Genin? That promise had long been discarded. He had deemed the fresh graduates "unqualified," forcing them to return to the Academy for additional years of training before they could officially become shinobi.
After an uncertain length of time, Kakashi sat up, moved to his desk, and picked up a brush to write.
---
Within the Borders of Kawanokuni
After days of grueling travel, Danzo and a dozen Root operatives arrived at an underground hideout deep within Kawanokuni's territory. Stepping inside, Danzo finally allowed himself to relax—if only slightly—as his gaze grew cold and calculating.
Long before Jiraiya and Tsunade had returned to Konoha, Danzo had warned Hiruzen to be wary of his former students.
Tsunade's thorough inspections of the Academy and Konoha Hospital, along with Jiraiya's deliberate engagement with the Jonin forces, practically spelled out coup d'état in clear writing. The signs were there for anyone sharp enough to notice.
Yet, instead of resisting, Hiruzen had willingly stepped down, transferring power to Jiraiya and Tsunade.
That alone might have been tolerable. But Tsunade had taken it a step further—mobilizing Konoha's forces to surround Root's headquarters.
Had he not anticipated this and arranged an escape in advance, he would have fallen into Jiraiya and Tsunade's hands. He knew they wouldn't kill him outright, but they would strip him of his influence, effectively dismantling Root—an outcome he refused to accept.
After careful consideration, he had relocated to Kawanokuni with his most loyal followers, waiting for the opportune moment to rise again.
But with his current forces, taking on the Anbu was impossible. Even sustaining his operations was proving difficult due to dwindling funds.
Just then, a masked Root operative approached, dropping to one knee.
"Lord Danzo, a ninja claiming to be your ally requests an audience. Based on our intelligence, we suspect it may be… Orochimaru."
Danzo's eye narrowed. "Orochimaru?"
Murmuring the name to himself, he rose from his seat and ascended to the surface.
There, standing in the moonlight, was Orochimaru, clad in his signature loose-fitting robes, the thick Shimenawa rope coiled around his waist.
Danzo scowled. "Your nose is keener than an Inuzuka hound. How did you find me?"
Unfazed by the insult, Orochimaru chuckled.
"Oh, Danzo… I only learned of your misfortune when my subordinates informed me. Imagine my surprise—Jiraiya, of all people, orchestrating a coup and claiming the Hokage seat for himself, while you have been reduced to a wandering exile."
He smirked, his golden serpentine eyes gleaming.
"Though, I must say… I never expected Jiraiya and Tsunade to turn against their old master."
"Konoha is like an ancient, rotting windmill… but it seems the wind of change no longer requires our guidance."
Danzo remained silent. He had indeed conspired with Orochimaru before, subtly inviting external threats to force Hiruzen into retirement. But before they could put their final plan into motion, Jiraiya and Tsunade had made their move.
After a long pause, Danzo exhaled sharply.
"You're hardly in a better position," he countered. "Last I heard, you betrayed the Akatsuki, making you a wanted man by both them and Konoha."
Orochimaru's lips curled in amusement. "A necessary inconvenience. I have no interest in serving beneath anyone."
Then, his expression grew more serious.
"So, tell me, Lord Danzo… what is your plan? Will you wander the shinobi world aimlessly? Or do you still seek to claim the Hokage seat?"
Danzo hesitated. Orochimaru had struck at the core of his ambitions. After a brief silence, he locked eyes with the snake-like Sannin.
"What do you want, Orochimaru?" His voice was sharp. "I am no longer an Elder of Konoha."
Orochimaru sighed, feigning disappointment.
"Oh, Danzo… I simply wish to keep you warm, so to speak. I can offer you resources, a secure base of operations… But make no mistake—the shinobi world is not as it was a few years ago. There are… forces stirring beneath the surface."
---
Uzushio Village
Within the rebuilt Uzushiogakure, Naruto sat at the head of a grand hall, listening intently as Shisui Uchiha and Hyuga Homura delivered their reports.
As both village leader and Daimyo, Naruto had ultimate authority, but many of the daily responsibilities fell to his subordinates. His primary task was reviewing documents and delegating orders.
Despite their relatively low ranks, Shisui and Homura were highly skilled politicians—well aware that, in the absence of a direct mentor, mastering the art of subtle power plays was essential.
They had gradually consolidated their influence, securing favors for their clans while ensuring their own authority grew beyond what even a Hokage could easily dismiss.
Then again… Naruto was the First Uzukage.
And absolute strength could crush any opposition.
Unlike Konoha, Uzushio had no entrenched power struggles between ninja clans. Only the Uchiha stood out as a dominant force, but even they were manageable.
"Lord Mianma," Homura spoke, setting a scroll before him, "this is the financial report for the first half of the year. Please review it."
"Lord Mianma," Shisui added, "we've recently recruited several orphans and skilled individuals. Would you like to inspect their training?"
"Lord Mianma, Kirigakure has invited you to witness their Chunin Exams."
Naruto skimmed the reports. Uzushio's economy remained stable—largely thanks to the rapid productivity of its shinobi. However, this efficiency came at a cost: it pushed non-shinobi to the fringes of society.
In many ways, the divide between ninja and civilians was becoming irreversibly deep…
Just as he pondered his next move, space distorted before him.
A Flying Thunder God kunai clattered onto his desk, tied to a sealed scroll.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Someone had sent him a message.
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