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Hikaru would never have imagined—even in his dreams—that Danzō's self-centeredness had reached such an outrageous level.
After Minato decided to recover at Mount Myōboku, and Hiruzen regained control over the Hokage's authority… Danzō actually developed thoughts like that.
Not just Hikaru—Hiruzen himself likely never expected it either.
After all, Hiruzen had gone to great lengths to protect Danzō, and yet Danzō still ended up thinking this way.
In one thing, Hikaru's guess had been correct:
Hiruzen truly had made a massive compromise when it came to Danzō.
He already knew what Danzō had done during the Nine-Tails incident.
Danzō had actually gone out of his way to block the Uchiha Clan and forbid them from mobilizing?
Under normal circumstances, that could be argued as "being cautious."
But the problem was—Konoha was desperately short on manpower at the time.
Danzō had no solid evidence, no official Hokage order, and no authorization.
And during the entire Nine-Tails incident, he hadn't deployed a single ROOT operative to do anything at all.
That alone gave everyone an enormous handle to grab.
More importantly—whether it was Minato, Senju Hikaru, or even the ANBU who protected Minato—everyone had confirmed that the one who attacked Kushina and released the Nine-Tails was not an Uchiha of Konoha.
Meanwhile, the Uchiha Clan's performance during the crisis had been… respectable.
Compared to them, Danzō looked pathetic.
So Hiruzen had to act.
First, to appease the Uchiha Clan, he allocated them a new district during Konoha's reconstruction—one closer to the village core.
Second, to prevent Minato from continuing to pursue the matter… or more accurately, to stop Hikaru—who already had a long-standing grudge with Danzō—from tearing into it—
Hiruzen even tacitly allowed ANBU to change hands.
Because he understood something very clearly:
With Hikaru's performance on the night of the Nine-Tails… and with Wood Release displayed so openly…
If Hikaru truly went after Danzō, Danzō would be finished.
To keep Danzō alive, Hiruzen had paid a brutal price.
Because Danzō was—whether anyone liked it or not—one of Hiruzen's closest old friends.
Sitting in the Hokage's office again, looking at everything he once knew so well, Hiruzen couldn't help but sigh.
Konoha was in a truly difficult situation now.
But… he had lived through difficult times before.
He believed he could endure this too.
"Hokage-sama."
A shinobi entered suddenly.
"This is a file submitted by the Minister of ANBU. Please review it."
"A file from ANBU?"
Hiruzen snapped back to reality, his heart thumping.
He knew some things about ANBU—after all, he still had people inside who remained loyal to him.
He knew exactly how big Hikaru's recent movements had been.
First, Hikaru executed a Division Commander in front of the entire ANBU.
Then, he disbanded an entire division.
Those actions had already driven Hiruzen's blood pressure through the roof—but he had forced himself to endure.
He told himself: even if more happened, it couldn't possibly put him in an even worse position.
"Put it down."
Hiruzen took a deep breath, lifted his teacup, and took a sip—his eyes casually flicking toward the document.
"PFF—!"
He hadn't even read past the title before he sprayed tea across the desk and started coughing violently.
"Hokage-sama! Are you alright?" the shinobi asked anxiously.
"I'm fine. Leave." Hiruzen waved him off hoarsely.
Only after the shinobi exited did Hiruzen snatch the document up and begin reading seriously.
The more he read, the heavier his breathing became.
The more he read, the more his blood pressure skyrocketed again.
He had truly never expected that after Senju Hikaru revealed his strength… after he publicly displayed his surname in front of the world…
Hikaru would begin showing such an aggressive, domineering side.
And what made it worse was—
Hiruzen had to admit it.
That boy did have the qualifications and strength to act domineering.
But this plan…
It was too strong.
It was practically a declaration of war against decades-old ANBU tradition.
"Did Minato tell him to do this?"
Just like Trout had, Hiruzen's first thought went to Minato.
Hikaru was promoted by Minato.
Minato had even been willing to clash with Hiruzen to put him there.
If it was Minato's decision, then Hiruzen could understand the intent immediately.
And it really was a clever move.
"Using ANBU to build a foundation of power…"
"Good method."
"And using a Senju to break a system created by another Senju…"
"Interesting. Truly interesting."
Hiruzen couldn't help but feel a complicated admiration.
Everyone knew: ANBU was the Hokage's personal blade.
The closest force to the Hokage.
And its authority was enormous.
That made it a position countless clans desperately wanted to insert people into.
On one hand, it was loyalty to the village and the Hokage.
On the other, it was access—access to intelligence, authority, and influence.
And beyond that, if a clan member performed well near the Hokage, that prestige would "spill back" into the clan.
It was an unbelievably valuable place.
Which was why restricting ANBU's size—limiting how many clan members could enter—had become an unspoken rule over time.
Breaking that rule was never easy.
Because the original structure traced back to the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
But Minato's play was… sharp.
He used a Senju to break a Senju's rule.
And this Senju had just displayed terrifying combat power—he even demonstrated Wood Release, the very thing the Senju Clan longed for.
If anyone was suited to spearhead a reform like this…
It was Hikaru.
"Still…"
Hiruzen tapped the desk lightly, then shook his head.
"Minato… are you really sure the one you entrusted ANBU to can be trusted?"
Senju Hikaru was not some innocent child.
That boy was a hungry wolf.
Handing ANBU to him like this would never be a good thing.
Hiruzen's expression shifted slightly.
Could it be that this was actually Hikaru's own decision?
That boy's ambition… Hiruzen had already witnessed it.
But after weighing it back and forth, he still leaned toward it being Minato's plan.
"Enough."
Hiruzen sighed again.
"No matter who decided it… I've already pushed ANBU out."
"How they run it is none of my business."
In fact—
A part of him even hoped Hikaru would end up clashing with Minato too.
If that happened, Hiruzen might still find a chance to take ANBU back.
For now, he had more important matters.
He needed to travel to the Fire Capital and meet the Daimyō.
Minato wasn't dead—but he was severely injured and required long-term recovery.
That meant the acting Hokage would be Hiruzen.
Even if he was only "acting," etiquette demanded he meet the Daimyō.
To shinobi, the Daimyō was often little more than a money source—almost a "tool" to allocate funds.
But the relationship was mutually beneficial.
And among ordinary people, the Daimyō held prestige and authority.
On the surface, respect still needed to be shown.
"Soon, I'll go see the Daimyō…"
"And I need to secure funding."
"Rebuilding Konoha is going to cost a fortune…"
Meanwhile—
Danzō had formed a bold, terrifying plan.
He wanted Hiruzen to die.
A political assassination.
If the Hokage seat became vacant again, the village would be forced to choose a new Hokage.
Danzō analyzed it carefully.
The number of people who could compete with him wasn't small—but it wasn't endless either.
Orochimaru had already been rejected once, and he didn't seem interested in the position now.
Danzō didn't consider him a threat.
That left Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Those two were troublesome—but Danzō wasn't afraid.
Because during the Nine-Tails incident…
neither of them returned.
"If you contributed nothing," Danzō sneered inwardly.
"Then why would you dare lay a finger on the Hokage seat?"
Of course, he still needed to move quickly—complete the transfer of power as fast as possible and deny them any opportunity to interfere.
Even if he had arguments to block them, he couldn't afford to be careless.
After all…
he himself had done nothing on the night of the Nine-Tails either.
With that plan established, the rest became much simpler.
Among those remaining in the village who could compete for Hokage…
the most troublesome might be the Nara Clan.
Hiruzen and Minato had both apparently intended to appoint Nara Shikaku as the jōnin commander.
That alone proved how highly they valued him.
Shikaku also had merit, ability, and reputation.
His chances of becoming Hokage were real.
Which meant—
Shikaku was Danzō's greatest obstacle.
Danzō needed a way to handle him.
But then he thought of something.
A sharp, filthy path.
"Fortunately…"
"Ino–Shika–Chō are inseparable."
"That gives me an opening."
Once Danzō calmed down, his shinobi discipline and schemer's mind kicked into full speed.
He began with the structure of the three clans.
Akimichi handled defense.
Nara controlled administration.
Yamanaka specialized in intelligence.
And Danzō remembered something very clearly:
The Yamanaka heir, Yamanaka Inoichi, had once done "work" on Senju Hikaru.
Inside ANBU, that kind of thing wasn't strange.
Maintaining stability meant eliminating risks.
But outside ANBU?
In the broader shinobi world?
That was scandal.
How much did Inoichi dig up about the Senju Clan?
No one knew.
And even worse—
Inoichi's report had been sent directly into sealed archives without proper approval.
Because the approval name had already been written in advance.
That wasn't procedure.
That was corruption.
"If I expose all of this at once…"
"The Yamanaka Clan will be devastated."
"And since the Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Nara are one body…"
"To protect Yamanaka, the other two will be forced to sacrifice something."
"Three clans together are a large power."
"But if only one or two remain…"
"Then they won't be a threat."
Danzō's plan became brutally clear.
Gather evidence.
Collect information.
Then, at the critical moment, pressure the Yamanaka Clan into the corner.
Force the Nara Clan to choose.
And once the Nara were forced into compromise—
Danzō would personally negotiate with Shikaku.
Until Shikaku "voluntarily withdrew" from the Hokage selection.
"With my competitors dealt with…"
"The last problem is Hiruzen."
Danzō's eyes glittered with hatred and killing intent.
"I need someone close to Hiruzen."
"Someone who can give me his route, his schedule…"
"So I can strike at the right moment."
Danzō understood.
This wasn't something he could do carelessly.
His opponent was the one who knew him best—
and the one he knew best.
He had to prepare perfectly.
Because if he failed…
his position would become even worse than before.
He also knew Hiruzen probably wouldn't kill him.
There was still old sentiment between them.
People of their generation were rare now.
But Hiruzen could permanently exile him from Konoha's core.
Perhaps even bar him forever from touching power again.
And after tasting power…
Danzō could not accept that.
Strength?
He had no hope of naturally improving his strength anymore.
He was old.
Unless he found… another method.
Otherwise, all that waited for him was gradual decline until he could no longer fight.
For a shinobi like him, only two things mattered:
Strength. And power.
If he could no longer gain strength…
then he would use power to remain at the peak.
"Power… I can't lose it."
"But as a shinobi, I must also find a way to increase my strength."
Danzō took a deep breath, eyes solemn.
"Wood Release… Senju Hikaru has it now."
"But I also have someone who possesses something similar."
"Let him prove himself."
"If he performs well and remains stable…"
"Then one day…"
"I can experience the power of Wood Release too."
"Minato, rest here."
At Mount Myōboku, Minato lay collapsed on the bed, weak and pale.
Kushina stood nearby holding Naruto.
Fukasaku Sage glanced at them and spoke slowly.
"Your body has no major issues."
"The person who saved you used an incredible method…"
"But for some reason, he didn't completely restore you."
"Fukasaku-sama… what do you mean?" Kushina asked anxiously.
"Is Minato really alright?"
"Relax," Fukasaku said with a gentle smile.
"He's fine. He only needs quiet recovery."
"But the one who saved him…"
"He preserved a spark of Minato's Yang Release—his life flame."
"From my observation, Minato's own life flame should have been extinguished."
"What happened that made you choose such a path?"
Fukasaku genuinely couldn't understand it.
In his perception, Minato's "life fire" burned strongly—
but the fuel feeding it…
was not Minato's own.
That technique was astonishing.
In his memory, only Senju Hashirama had ever done something comparable.
But Hashirama's methods were usually limited to himself.
To grant life to another like this?
It was strange.
Long ago, the Great Toad Sage Gamamaru had mentioned—
perhaps only Asura could do such a thing.
But that was a legend from a thousand years ago.
What had Minato experienced?
How had he become like this?
"To be honest… it's embarrassing."
Minato sighed weakly.
"I believe you already know about the Nine-Tails."
"The method I used… was the Reaper Death Seal."
"What?!" Fukasaku stared at him.
"You used the Reaper Death Seal?"
"That's impossible—your soul should have…"
He stopped mid-sentence, then narrowed his eyes.
"Wait."
"Who saved you?"
"It was an ANBU shinobi from Konoha," Kushina said immediately.
"His name is Hikaru. He's a member of the Senju Clan."
"Senju…" Fukasaku froze, then slowly nodded.
"Then I understand."
"Fukasaku-sama, what does that mean?" Kushina asked, confused.
"I know the Senju are powerful, but—"
"The Senju were never a simple clan," Fukasaku said.
"If it was them, many things become explainable."
He hopped onto a wooden table, as if sinking into old memories—then returned to the present.
He shook his head lightly, then organized his thoughts before speaking.
"The Senju's inheritance is far older than you think."
"There are things I shouldn't say."
"But I can tell you this: the bond between Senju and Uzumaki is far deeper than people realize."
"I don't know what has become of the Uzumaki now—we haven't left the mountain in a long time."
"But judging by what I've heard…"
"They've likely suffered greatly."
"So it's normal that you lack certain techniques."
"Such as… the method to undo the Reaper Death Seal."
The method to undo it?
Minato and Kushina instantly sharpened.
This had been their greatest question.
Minato had used the technique with the intent to die.
He left life to Kushina and Naruto, and accepted death without hesitation.
But now he had survived—though he knew Hikaru had saved him for his own reasons.
Even so…
the mystery remained.
What exactly had Hikaru done?
How terrifying was he really?
"The method to undo it is derived from the technique itself," Fukasaku said calmly.
"Sealing techniques always have a way to be undone. That's not strange."
"It seems that Senju heir has mastered it."
"And I've heard that method is not simple at all."
"It may require… a life as payment."
"A life?" Minato's eyes widened, then he fell silent.
He remembered something.
According to ANBU reports, one prisoner had disappeared from the ANBU prison—
a man who was said to be almost immortal.
Where had he gone?
No one knew.
Perhaps he escaped during the chaos.
Or perhaps—
he became Hikaru's sacrifice.
Minato's silence deepened.
If he guessed correctly, that was likely the truth.
But he didn't know how to judge it.
In the end, he could only sigh.
Hikaru had done everything for him—
and even chose an "immortal" man as the sacrifice.
Perhaps Hikaru had made some deal.
And that was why the prisoner vanished from Konoha's prison.
"Yes," Fukasaku confirmed seriously.
"It requires a life."
"And saving you also demands terrifying control over Yang Release."
"To reach that level…"
"It might even surpass Hashirama Senju."
Surpass Hashirama?
Minato and Kushina exchanged a glance.
They both found it unbelievable—
and yet…
some part of them almost believed it.
Hikaru's power was monstrously strong.
Perhaps he hadn't reached Hashirama's true level yet—
but he was only fourteen.
His future potential was immeasurable.
And his mind… his schemes…
were frightening.
He truly felt like the fusion of Hashirama and Tobirama.
"Rest," Fukasaku said, waving them down.
"Don't think too much."
"I'll leave you to recover."
"Yes, Fukasaku-sama."
Minato and Kushina bowed.
"Thank you."
Fukasaku nodded and left.
Today, he had answered questions—
but he had also obtained information.
A terrifying shinobi existed in Konoha—
one who likely possessed extremely high mastery over Yang Release.
This needed to be reported.
And he couldn't help wondering:
Was this boy the true "child of destiny"?
But…
that child didn't seem deeply connected to Jiraiya.
Only connected to Minato.
Confused, Fukasaku stumbled away.
Minato and Kushina fell silent.
Ninja world politics felt distant here.
Naruto slept softly in Kushina's arms.
After a long time, Kushina finally lifted her gaze.
"Minato… don't think too much."
"Recover properly."
"Konoha's matters aren't ours to bear right now."
"I know," Minato said gently.
"Don't worry."
Then he smiled faintly.
"Actually… maybe this isn't so bad."
"At least I don't feel that crushing pressure anymore."
"And I can be with the people I love most."
"Maybe… this is the life I truly dreamed of."
"Minato…"
Kushina stared at him for a long moment.
Then she smiled too.
Here, Minato didn't carry the burden of being Hokage.
He didn't need to bleed himself dry for the village's darkness.
They were together—three of them—in nature.
It was hard to say whether this was truly bad… or secretly good.
"Maybe leaving that noise behind… really is a blessing," Kushina thought.
Being Hokage was their dream.
But after all that—
perhaps the real dream had always been simpler.
To protect and stay with those they loved.
Just like now.
"I feel the same," Kushina said, eyes reddening slightly.
"With you and Naruto beside me… that's the best thing in the world."
"Thank you, Kushina."
Minato reached out and wiped her tears.
"Thank you, Naruto… thank you."
For being with me.
Perhaps this truly was the best ending.
And yet—
Minato's eyes sharpened again.
Because he remembered the Nine-Tails night.
That masked Uchiha…
The one who nearly destroyed his family…
Minato would never forget.
Even if he could live peacefully here—
he still had to prepare for the future.
"Peace breeds danger."
That was a truth his shinobi life had taught him.
So he made a decision.
"While I'm at Mount Myōboku… I'll train."
"Hikaru's Sage power is strong."
"And Mount Myōboku has Sage Arts as well."
"I'll learn it properly."
"And… the Nine-Tails."
"Half of it is sealed inside me."
"I must learn to use its power too."
"Looks like I guessed right."
In the ANBU office, Hikaru finally received the response from the Hokage's office after two days.
His proposed reforms—
had been fully approved.
That meant he could now expand ANBU openly and legitimately.
He could grow his own power—without fear.
At the same time, he learned more.
Hiruzen's attachment to Shimura Danzō truly ran deep.
After making such a massive mistake…
Hiruzen still wanted to protect him.
Hikaru almost couldn't understand what was going on inside Hiruzen's head.
But in the end…
it didn't matter.
"No matter what you're thinking… it doesn't affect me."
Hikaru's smile was bright.
He had obtained what he wanted.
He had no intention of touching Danzō for now.
In fact—
he hoped Danzō lived longer.
A man who posed no threat to Hikaru, yet constantly caused trouble for Hiruzen and helped Hikaru expand—
was a "good person" in Hikaru's eyes.
He almost wanted the old man to live a hundred years.
"Of course…"
"He won't live that long."
"Once he starts demanding manpower from the clans and ruins Hiruzen's reputation…"
"I can move."
"And when I move…"
"I'll clean him up."
Hikaru silently set a death date for Danzō.
Maybe it would take time.
But the path was already clear.
After all—
if Danzō didn't die, how would Hikaru avenge the clans later?
Yes.
Danzō really was a "good man."
At least to Hikaru.
A truly good man.
"But Danzō can wait."
"The Nine-Tails chakra needs attention."
Hikaru rubbed his chin and thought.
There were only two urgent matters for him right now.
First: strengthen his Wood Release.
That was manageable.
Obito's severed arm had already been planted.
But how long would it take?
He wasn't sure.
Back when he planted Hashirama's flesh, it only took a week.
Now a week had passed—
and the White Zetsu tissue still hadn't shown much response.
Second: the Nine-Tails chakra.
He was considering how to travel to the Fire Capital "legitimately"…
and, while he was there, quietly deal with the so-called Guardian Twelve Ninja who had secretly collected Nine-Tails chakra.
The Daimyō couldn't just use random trash as guards.
At the very least, ANBU should be dispatched for protection, right?
And if a bunch of nobodies were collecting Nine-Tails chakra on the side—
Did the Fire Daimyō have… other intentions?
"Hm?"
As Hikaru was thinking through how to reach the Fire Capital—
his eyes suddenly landed on a file placed on the desk.
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