Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long breath, exhaling a thick cloud of smoke from his pipe. The Hokage's office was dimly lit, the soft glow of a lantern casting long shadows over the wooden desk covered in scrolls and documents.
Seated across from him, Shimura Danzo was watching him intently, his single visible eye as sharp as a predator's.
"Hiruzen," Danzo began, his voice low but firm. "What do you think about today's events?"
The Hokage let the question hang in the air before answering with deliberate calm.
"How do I see it? With my own eyes, of course."
Danzo's fingers twitched against his wooden cane. "Hiruzen," he repeated, his tone carrying a hint of impatience. "You understand what I mean."
The Third Hokage raised an eyebrow. "No, I don't."
Danzo inhaled sharply. This was the part of Hiruzen he despised the most—the feigned ignorance, the mask of righteousness.
Danzo tightened his grip on his cane and spoke with unwavering conviction.
"Hiruzen… give Shouta Kazuki to me. I will train him to become an exceptional shinobi—one who will bring great strength to Konoha."
Hiruzen's expression didn't change, but the air in the room grew heavier.
"Danzo, your hand reaches too far," Hiruzen said, his voice carrying a quiet authority. "Root has no shortage of capable shinobi. Every year, the village provides you with promising recruits. Do you truly lack one more?"
Danzo narrowed his eye.
"This boy is different."
Hiruzen took another slow drag from his pipe, his thoughts hidden behind the swirling smoke.
"So, everything you do is for Konoha, is it?"
Danzo stiffened. "Yes, Hiruzen. Everything."
The Third Hokage exhaled, tapping the ash from his pipe into a small dish.
"Then let me tell you this—Shouta Kazuki will not be handed over to Root. I have already summoned Jiraiya back to the village. He will take Shouta as his disciple."
Danzo's jaw clenched.
Jiraiya.
So Hiruzen had already moved to secure the boy.
Danzo had lost this round.
His fingers dug into the wood of his cane as he struggled to suppress his anger.
"You always do this, Hiruzen," Danzo said coldly. "You did it with Uchiha Sasuke. You did it with the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. And now you're doing it again—with Shouta Kazuki."
He leaned forward, his one eye gleaming with something dangerous.
"You are too greedy."
Hiruzen's gaze darkened. "Danzo—watch your words."
Danzo scoffed. "Greedy? Is that not the truth? You refuse to let go of these special individuals. You keep them under your direct supervision. But in doing so, you make them soft. Weak."
Hiruzen's fingers curled around his pipe.
"And you would turn them into tools for war."
A heavy silence settled between them.
Danzo exhaled through his nose. He had no more patience for this.
"Hiruzen… you will regret this."
Hiruzen's gaze remained unmoving. "I am the Hokage."
Danzo's expression twisted. He stood abruptly, his cloak billowing behind him.
"Hmph!" He turned sharply, striding toward the door.
BANG!
He slammed it shut behind him, the wooden frame trembling from the force.
Hiruzen sighed and leaned back in his chair. His thoughts drifted to Shouta Kazuki and what he had said earlier.
"I felt like I left too early… like something—someone was calling me back."
Hiruzen had no doubt that the boy was telling the truth.
But what exactly had summoned him?
Even he, as Hokage, knew little about the three great summoning realms. Compared to him, his three disciples—Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade—knew much more.
Unfortunately…
Orochimaru had defected.Tsunade had abandoned the village, lost in grief.And Jiraiya—well, Jiraiya lived like a carefree wanderer.
A long sigh escaped the Third Hokage's lips.
Perhaps it was time for Jiraiya to return.
Konoha Streets – After School
The sun was beginning to set, casting golden light over the rooftops of Konoha.
Shouta Kazuki walked alone down the quiet streets, his hands in his pockets. His thoughts were heavy.
"I never expected today's events to reach both the Hokage and Danzo…"
He had hoped to keep a low profile for a while longer. But that wish was now completely shattered.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was someone Shouta could somewhat trust. The old man had many flaws, but he was predictable.
Danzo, however…
"That old bastard is another story."
Danzo was someone who never gave up on something he wanted. If he had set his sights on Shouta…
"I need to be careful."
But before he could think further, a deep, commanding voice echoed in his mind.
"Brat."
Shouta's body tensed.
Deep within his spiritual space, a figure stirred.
Inside his mind, standing with arms crossed, was none other than Uchiha Madara.
The legendary shinobi's crimson Sharingan glowed faintly in the void-like space. His expression was one of deep irritation.
"You fool," Madara muttered. "You've drawn too much attention."
Shouta exhaled, shifting into his mental space. A small sphere of chakra floated between his fingers as he addressed the towering figure.
"I didn't do it on purpose," he replied. "Things just… happened."
Madara scoffed. "Excuses. You're starting to awaken—and they're beginning to notice. Hiruzen. Danzo. Even that Uchiha brat—Sasuke."
Shouta frowned. "Sasuke?"
Madara's eyes narrowed. "The Uchiha can sense their own kind. And you… you are becoming something more than what you were."
Shouta didn't respond immediately.
Ever since he had inherited Indra's chakra, he had noticed changes in himself.
His chakra control had improved.His extraction speed had doubled.And most importantly—his body itself was changing.
He couldn't fully explain it, but… he was growing stronger.
Madara studied him in silence for a moment before speaking again.
"Brat… I hope you understand something."
Shouta met his gaze. "What?"
Madara's expression was unreadable.
"Strength invites enemies."
A chill ran down Shouta's spine.
He already knew that.
But the way Madara said it—the weight behind those words—felt like a warning.
A foreshadowing of what was to come.
And in the distance, hidden in the shadows of the village, Shimura Danzo was already planning his next move.