"Hm..."
Hiruzen pondered for a moment.
"No matter what, village regulations must not be violated, and Seisui's wishes and those of the other party must be respected."
"Let's leave it at that. Don't interfere any further. Just let things take their natural course."
Hiruzen decisively chose to stay out of it!
No involvement.
No questions.
If something went wrong, it had nothing to do with the Monkey.
As Hokage, he really shouldn't be concerning himself with matters like this anyway.
At the end of the day, it was just the usual squabbling between young men and women.
As for political marriages, the only circumstance in which Hiruzen would take the matter seriously would be if a female shinobi from another village appeared who was approaching the level of Hashirama or Madara.
Then he might personally try to get acquainted with her.
Unfortunately, no such woman existed in the shinobi world.
The thought left Hiruzen somewhat regretful.
After all, Biwako had already told him she wouldn't mind...
Danzō shook his head in dissatisfaction, clearly having ignored every word his old friend had said.
"Hiruzen, you probably don't know this..."
"I asked Tobirama-sensei. He supports sending Seisui into a political marriage. It's a necessary sacrifice."
That was what Danzō told himself inwardly.
The Second Hokage had already approved!
As for how he had asked, Danzō spent every night staring at Tobirama's photograph and talking to it.
Somehow, he simply felt that Tobirama agreed with his reasoning.
Just as he felt certain that he himself would have become the Fourth Hokage, and that Seisui would become the Fifth.
If one wanted to become Hokage, one should first sacrifice a measure of personal freedom for the village.
"Hiruzen, enough about that. How should we handle Hanzō?"
Danzō changed the subject.
As for Seisui's situation, he had his own plans.
After all, he was Seisui's teacher!
Hiruzen replied calmly: "Hanzō entered Konoha alone. That demonstrates a certain degree of sincerity. It shows the trust he has in us."
"But viewed from another angle, it's also a display of his prestige."
"After all, he was once known among shinobi as a man who stood on the threshold of the summit of the shinobi world. During the Second Shinobi World War, he defeated Jiraiya and the others. The village's shinobi still remember him very clearly."
Still, Hiruzen found the situation somewhat surprising.
Ever since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzō—once one of the most active figures in the shinobi world—had all but vanished from the stage.
Amegakure had likewise remained silent for a very long time, as though the entire village had entered a state of collective hibernation.
During that period, even Kusagakure, a village far weaker than Amegakure, had a louder voice in the shinobi world.
Yet once Konoha began its rise, Hanzō started moving again.
He unified the narrative within Amegakure and the Land of Rain, openly promoting the idea that the true culprits behind the previous Shinobi World War had been Iwagakure and Sunagakure, while positioning both Amegakure and Konoha as victims.
To be fair, Hanzō was not entirely wrong.
Although he had escalated tensions and sought to showcase his power on the grand stage, it was indeed Sunagakure and Iwagakure that had attempted to further expand the war afterward.
As a result, this narrative gained widespread acceptance throughout Amegakure.
And in recent months, Hanzō had repeatedly engaged in communication and exchanges with Konoha's administrative departments.
At the very least, his attitude had displayed considerable sincerity and a genuine desire for deep cooperation with Konoha.
By today, he had gone a step further and come to Konoha entirely on his own...
"I have to admit, Hanzō's actions carry the bearing of a true hero."
Hiruzen smiled.
"A man like that is someone I'd very much like to befriend myself."
"Since he has come alone, I'll welcome him alone as well."
"Whatever he brings to the table, I'll handle it as Hokage."
Hiruzen spoke casually, yet beneath that relaxed demeanor lay immense confidence.
It was only Hanzō, after all...
Not Senju Hashirama or Uchiha Madara.
What kind of storm could he possibly stir up?
Danzō froze for a moment, staring directly at Hiruzen.
You talk about Hanzō having a hero's bearing...
But aren't you the same?
Damn it, I really want to learn how to do that!
"Should I bring you Hanzō's file?"
"We preserved intelligence on his salamander poison mist, Body Flicker Technique, and other abilities after the last war. Root has also conducted extensive investigations on him."
"Take another look, Hiruzen. The chances of a fight are slim, but it's always better to be prepared."
Danzō spoke quietly.
"Then I'll leave that to you, Danzō."
Hiruzen nodded with a smile.
"Your intelligence work is always so thorough."
Danzō frowned.
"Thorough? Why does it feel like you're mocking me?"
Even so, he found the praise rather satisfying.
A short while later, Hiruzen flipped through the materials Danzō had hurriedly brought over and nodded.
The dossier really was exceptionally complete.
Interestingly enough, some of the details allowed Hiruzen to infer that the Danzō of years past had likely reached some sort of cooperation agreement with Hanzō.
That was something Hiruzen had never known before.
Still, since Danzō had handed over the information voluntarily, the matter could be considered settled.
Hiruzen straightened his Hokage robes and picked up his pipe.
"Pass the word to the Konoha committee members and the jōnin in charge of each division. Hanzō and I will most likely be taking a walk through the village."
"Tell everyone not to panic or become overly curious. Maintain normal order."
Danzō nodded.
"Leave it to me, Hiruzen!"
At that moment, Danzō suddenly thought of Orochimaru in the Research Department, and the corners of his mouth curled upward.
So what if you're the Hokage's disciple?
'Hiruzen's most trusted and relied-upon person has always been me!'
The thought filled Danzō with satisfaction.
...
Outside Konoha.
Hanzō slowly made his way toward the village gates.
Along the journey, he had already noticed something unusual.
As a veteran warrior who had fought on the front lines of countless battlefields, he knew that the surveillance methods of the Aburame, Inuzuka, and Iburi Clans were subtle.
But no matter how discreet they were, they could never remain completely undetected by someone who had come prepared.
Even so, Hanzō found himself secretly astonished.
Deep down, he knew that even if he had tried to conceal his movements, he most likely would have been discovered anyway.
Observation posts, hidden sentries, reconnaissance techniques, and patrol squads formed a tightly interwoven network.
Evading them was practically impossible.
'Perhaps only a technique like the Second Tsuchikage Mu's invisibility could infiltrate this place unnoticed...'
'Then again, perhaps not. Uzumaki Mito is still here. With her sensory abilities, even Mu would probably be detected.'
As he walked, Hanzō continuously gathered information.
Ever since recovering his fighting spirit, he felt as though he had become ten years younger.
It was as if he had transformed back into the bold warrior who could remain on the battlefield for five days and nights without tiring.
The human spirit truly was a remarkable thing.
'But since they've already discovered me, why haven't they made a move?'
This visit had been arranged through prior communication between Konoha and Amegakure's official channels.
He had not arrived unannounced.
The only unusual part was that he had come without guards or an official delegation.
'Did my approach catch them completely off guard?'
Hanzō smiled faintly.
He could practically picture Hiruzen convening an emergency meeting to analyze his intentions.
'Even if we're here to cooperate, negotiations are still a contest of wills.'
'I can't let things proceed according to your rhythm.'
With that thought, Hanzō increased his pace.
Yet several kilometers from Konoha's gates, while moving at high speed, he suddenly came to a halt.
Because in the distance, standing plainly in his line of sight, was Hiruzen.
Pipe in hand, smiling as he watched him approach.
Hanzō's heart tightened.
Why was the other man alone as well?
But the surprise quickly faded.
He slowed his pace and continued forward at a measured walk.
As he approached, he carefully studied the Hokage.
And the more he looked, the more shocked he became.
After rediscovering his resolve, Hanzō genuinely felt younger than before.
Prior to coming to Konoha, he had deliberately changed into a brand-new set of clothes and a fresh cloak. Even his breathing mask was new, and the chains on his gear had been polished until they gleamed.
A leader who looked powerful and well-kept naturally inspired respect.
Yet compared to Hiruzen, Hanzō's rejuvenation seemed insignificant.
"When did he become so broad and imposing? And that face—it's exactly how he looked more than a decade ago... This isn't just renewed vigor. He's turned back time itself!"
"That overwhelming chakra... and that sense of power practically overflowing from him..."
Hanzō quietly activated a sensory technique. He was no novice in that field.
In his perception, Hiruzen resembled a blazing furnace.
Simply standing there, he radiated abundant vitality and powerful chakra fluctuations.
"Made it here, have you?"
As Hanzō approached, Hiruzen exhaled a stream of smoke and spoke as casually as though chatting with an old acquaintance.
"I never expected Hanzō-dono to come alone."
Even if Hanzō didn't want to admit it, he knew he had already fallen behind in the first round of their negotiation.
One man against one man.
Originally, Hanzō had intended to seize the initiative by presenting himself with the renewed vigor and spirit he had regained.
But the outcome was obvious.
Hiruzen's current condition had completely exceeded his expectations.
What exactly had happened over the past few years?
For the first time in a long while, Hanzō found himself questioning reality.
He had met Hiruzen shortly after the end of the Second Shinobi World War.
Back then, Hiruzen had still appeared sturdy enough, but there had been a deep exhaustion about him, a weariness that seemed to seep from the inside out.
He had felt like an aging man.
Now, however, he was the very picture of a man in his prime.
At the height of his strength.
Before coming here, Hanzō had even found himself hoping that Hiruzen wouldn't disappoint him...
'But this is far beyond merely not disappointing him!'
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