https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-119-Initiating-the-Large-Class-Pilot-25-/12557928/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-121-Standing-Above-the-Skies-45-/12557932/
Chapter 120: My Shadow, Your Regret (35)
Chapter 120: My Shadow, Your Regret (35)
Danzo walked into the Hokage's office without knocking.
As he entered, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the large floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking Konoha.
The Hokage Tower was tall enough that one could take in the entirety of Konoha's main district from its heights.
"Is there something we need to discuss, Hiruzen?" Danzo asked, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
Hiruzen Sarutobi turned from the window, nodding as he spoke, "Take a look at the documents on my desk, will you?"
Danzo walked over to the desk and picked up the papers, and his eyes immediately fell upon the name 'Mu Yue'.
At the sight of her name, Danzo's eyes narrowed slightly, and a suspicion formed in his mind.
"I just reminded him to be careful about concealing his identity, and now he's been found out. How incompetent," Danzo thought to himself, his face remaining impassive.
However, as a seasoned actor, Danzo revealed none of his inner turmoil. He quickly scanned the rest of the documents and found that they only contained information about Mu Yue.
"So, you're concerned about a newly promoted Jonin teacher with exceptional teaching abilities, and you felt the need for both of us to review this?" Danzo said, his tone indifferent.
Since Hiruzen wasn't being straightforward, Danzo decided to play ignorant as well.
Hearing Danzo's words, Hiruzen let out a laugh.
"Hah! Danzo, are you sure this is just an ordinary Jonin? " Hiruzen asked, his eyes fixed on Danzo with a hint of amusement.
"Are you suggesting that there's something unique about him beyond his documented teaching abilities?" Danzo continued to feign ignorance.
There was no way he would admit to sending one of his spies to the Ninja Academy.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe, the smoke swirling around him as he spoke, "Don't play dumb with me, Danzo. I know he's one of your illegally cultivated Root members."
He then tossed another set of documents to Danzo, who quickly scanned them, his face turning grim.
These papers not only contained information about his secret training of Mu Yue but also details about his other spies.
"How did he find out?" Danzo was stunned. He never imagined that his carefully placed spies were so transparent to the Third Hokage.
Although Danzo had established Root under the pretext of training the Anbu, Hiruzen Sarutobi was no fool. He wouldn't allow Danzo's power to expand unchecked, so he had restricted the number of members in Root.
This was the very reason Danzo had cultivated spies like Mu Yue—he couldn't openly increase Root's numbers, so he had no choice but to train them in secret.
"I did all this to protect Konoha. With the limits you've placed on Root's membership, we don't have enough resources to safeguard the village," Danzo argued, refusing to admit any wrongdoing.
"A great war is about to begin, and Konoha needs more Root operatives to ensure its safety. Hiruzen, don't tell me you think we can stay out of this," Danzo attempted to shift the topic, turning the conversation from his illegal activities to the impending war and the defense of Konoha.
But Danzo was cunning, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, with decades of experience as Hokage, was even more so. He understood Danzo's intentions and was not fooled by his words. Tapping the desk, he said, "Let's put aside the other matters for now and discuss the fact that you've been training extra members without authorization."
"There are five individuals listed here, and three of them are descendants of war heroes. How dare you target them, Danzo? Are you trying to destroy Konoha's Will of Fire?" Hiruzen's eyes narrowed, his gaze intense and piercing.
The term 'war heroes' referred to ninjas who had sacrificed their lives in past conflicts, like Mu Yue's parents.
Danzo remained silent; it wasn't easy to manipulate and target regular children, especially those with the natural talent often displayed by the offspring of ninjas.
"I'm also cultivating talent for Konoha's benefit," Danzo finally replied, opting to defend his actions.
"And what about this Mu Yue? Didn't you promote him to Jonin? Isn't he considered a valuable asset?"
"Perhaps he would have been even more exceptional if you hadn't interfered," Hiruzen retorted bluntly.
In his eyes, Mu Yue was indeed a promising talent—not only did he possess exceptional teaching skills, but he also had a natural affinity for sealing techniques and demonstrated proficiency in both water and fire-style jutsu. His social skills and demeanor were also commendable.
"Mu Yue doesn't belong in Root. Come to the Hokage Tower tomorrow and remove the curse mark from him," Hiruzen stated, revealing his true purpose for this meeting.
Acquiring Mu Yue for Konoha was his primary goal; reprimanding Danzo was merely a bonus.
"What do you mean, Hiruzen? I put a lot of effort into cultivating him. I am the leader of Root," Danzo said, his voice tight as he clenched his fists.
Although Mu Yue wasn't one of the Root members he valued highly, the idea of just handing him over irritated him. It felt like he had painstakingly nurtured a tree, only to have someone else pluck the fruits of his labor.
"If you refuse, you will regret it," Hiruzen said calmly, his eyes unwavering.
Danzo's expression shifted, his mind working through the implications.
"What about the resources I invested in him? Shouldn't I be compensated for that?" Danzo asked, his tone challenging.
Hiruzen took another puff from his pipe, pointing to the documents on the desk.
Danzo immediately understood Hiruzen's unspoken message—if he had broken the rules, he shouldn't expect any compensation.
Taking a deep breath, Danzo replied coldly, "I'll be there tomorrow."
Turning to leave, he added, "Hiruzen, you will be the one to regret this."
"I am the Hokage," Hiruzen reminded him, his voice calm as he sat in his chair.
Bang!
The wooden door of the office slammed shut with force.
As soon as Danzo exited the office, his expression returned to normal.
He might be annoyed about losing a Jonin, but he certainly wasn't furious. His display of anger in the office had been an act, a way to express his displeasure and hint at the expectation of some form of compensation.
Hiruzen had no intention of offering any such compensation, but in return, he was willing to turn a blind eye to the other four illegally cultivated individuals, aside from Mu Yue.
This was the unspoken agreement implied by Hiruzen's gesture toward the documents on the desk, which was why their conversation hadn't touched upon the other spies after initially mentioning them.
From then on, the four individuals, excluding Mu Yue, would essentially be treated as Root operatives, though they wouldn't be listed as official members.
"At least Ao hasn't been discovered," Danzo thought to himself, feeling a sense of relief.
When he had seen the list of spies, his heart had skipped a beat as he feared that his hidden Wood Release user had been exposed.
As long as his Wood Release ninja remained undetected, Danzo felt the loss of the other spies wasn't too significant. He had faith in the power of the Wood Release.
If he could successfully cultivate a Wood Release user, who knew how much influence he could wield in Konoha in the future?
However, as he made his way back to Root's base, Danzo still felt a twinge of irritation. Just the day before, he had been thinking about how Mu Yue's position in the Ninja Academy would give him another avenue to extend his influence in Konoha, and now, Mu Yue was being taken away from him.
"Send for Night; tell him to come to me," Danzo instructed one of his subordinates upon returning to the Root base.
(End of Chapter)
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