Chapter 90: I Will Not Walk in This Glory Alone
Following the direction of Hiruzen's pointing finger, the eyes of every shinobi and civilian in the arena shifted in a single, massive wave.
The ninjas who made "outstanding contributions" to the Leaf?
Who is the first name on the Hokage's list?
Danzo felt his heart tighten. Hiruzen was pointing directly at the VIP observation deck—directly at him.
Recalling what Hiruzen had said before leaving the office, Danzo felt a rare surge of stage fright. Is he actually going to do it? Is he really going to share this level of public prestige with me?
To be honest, if the roles were reversed, Danzo knew he wouldn't have done it. Why dilute your own legendary status by letting someone else stand in the light? It seemed dangerously over-generous.
But if Danzo had been able to read Arata's modern political mind, he would have understood: Authority is not a zero-sum game.
By "sharing" the glory, Hiruzen wasn't losing power; he was acting as a force multiplier. A leader who doesn't hoard credit appears more confident and "Kage-like." It signaled to everyone that the prosperity of the village was a systematic triumph led by Hiruzen, rather than a stroke of individual luck.
"The Hokage's Assistant and Commander of the Anbu... Danzo Shimura!"
Hiruzen's voice echoed through the stadium speakers (reinforced by Wind Style).
"The man who has worked tirelessly to purge our enemies, maintain our internal discipline, and whose strategic coordination was the engine behind our partnership with the Land of Fire!"
The arena went momentarily silent.
Danzo Shimura's reputation in the Leaf was... complicated. To the average ninja, he was the guy you avoided in the hallways. He was the "Boogeyman" of the administration.
Danzo stood there, a stiff, awkward smile plastered on his face, his mind racing. He had no idea what to say. He felt like a deer in the headlights of a divine spotlight.
Hiruzen smirked. He knew that if he left Danzo hanging in that silence, the man would go home and spend the next week overanalyzing it until he turned into a villain again. He'd think the village hated him and that Hiruzen had set him up to be mocked.
"I won't let him blacken his own heart," Hiruzen thought. "Let's give the 'Shadow' some polish."
"Our Assistant has spent decades in the most high-pressure, deep-cover environments," Hiruzen continued, his voice taking on a tone of heavy, paternal respect. "He has operated in the darkness so that we may live in the light. He has faced the worst of our enemies night and day, without rest."
"Because of the weight he carries, his methods can sometimes be... blunt. He has recently expressed a great deal of self-criticism regarding his 'rough' exterior, but I told him: Danzo, the village knows your heart belongs to the Leaf!"
The "self-criticism" line was a total fabrication, but the effect was immediate.
The ninjas in the stands—especially the younger ones who loved a "hard-boiled hero" trope—looked at Danzo with newfound awe. They didn't see a bureaucrat; they saw a weary warrior who had "stained his hands" for their sake.
It was the ultimate "Edgy Hero" PR spin. It appealed to the shinobi's innate respect for sacrifice and grit.
Danzo froze. Self-criticism? When did I—?
But then he saw the eyes of the crowd. For the first time in his life, they weren't looking at him with fear. They were looking at him with admiration.
The "Darkness of the Shinobi" felt a lump in his throat. He realized he liked this. He liked it a lot.
Danzo stood up, channeling chakra to project his voice. He kept his face like a mask of iron, offering only the smallest, most "tough-guy" smirk. "I... I will continue to fulfill my duties under the Hokage's direction. I will fight for the Leaf until my last breath."
"That is all. Carry on with your training," Danzo added, his voice short and sharp.
Orochimaru, sitting nearby, let out a soft, mocking hiss of a laugh. Sensei is a magician. He actually turned that old crow into a sympathetic martyr. And Danzo is so thirsty for approval he's already reciting the script.
"Let's hear it for Commander Danzo!" Hiruzen shouted.
The stadium erupted into a roar of applause. Danzo remained standing, his eyes locked on Hiruzen. He realized that Hiruzen had just "laundered" his reputation in front of ten thousand witnesses.
I won't let you leave me behind, Hiruzen, Danzo vowed internally. You gave me this light. I'll make sure it burns for you.
"Next: Orochimaru!"
Hiruzen continued the introductions. "The architect of our scientific future and a legendary hero of the Great War!"
Orochimaru rose with a graceful, predatory elegance. "Serving the village is a trait I learned at the feet of my Master. I will continue to ensure that Konoha's technology remains the shield of our people."
Orochimaru didn't need a PR spin. He was already the village's "Golden Boy." The cheers for him were deafening.
"And the team behind our new prosperity! Tsunade, Hiruko, Jiraiya, Shikayama Nara, and Torifu Akimichi!"
The five of them stood up together, waving to the crowd. Even Hiruko, the "invisible Jonin," was glowing. He had never received a standing ovation before. He looked at Hiruzen with a look of such fanatical gratitude that he seemed ready to charge a Tailed Beast with a toothpick if ordered.
"And our guardians! The eyes that never sleep!"
Hiruzen pointed to the highest points of the stadium roof.
"Sakumo Hatake and Hizashi Hyūga!"
The crowd searched the rooftops until they spotted the two Anbu officers in their full gear. They removed their masks, waving to the masses.
In the staging area, young Kakashi saw his father being honored as a "High Commissioner" and forgot all about being a "cool genius." He started jumping up and down, waving frantically at the roof.
Sakumo laughed, giving his son a sharp, stylish salute.
Hizashi, meanwhile, remained stoic, but he caught the eyes of the Hyūga clan members in the stands. He saw the shock on the Sōke elders' faces and the burning pride in the eyes of the Branch House. He turned his gaze back to Hiruzen, a silent vow of loyalty written in his expression.
Danzo scowled slightly. Hizashi and Sakumo... they're essentially Hiruzen's personal guard now. They report to him before they report to me. The Monkey has built a perfect check on my power while making me feel like a hero.
"And finally," Hiruzen's voice dropped to a warm, respectful tone. "En Uchiha!"
"A veteran who has carried the fire since the Warring States! When the village needed him, he stepped out of retirement to lead our youth, passing on a century of combat wisdom to the next generation!"
The arena went silent again. An Uchiha?
Not the Clan Head. Not the famous Fugaku. But a one-armed old man from the Patrol Net.
The Uchiha in the stands were stunned. They had always felt the administration ignored them unless they were "useful." But here was the Hokage, highlighting a veteran who didn't even have a high rank.
En Uchiha sat in the front row of the stands, his face a mask of traditional Uchiha aloofness. But the moment his name was called, his "cool" evaporated. He stood up, his one good arm waving wildly, a huge, toothy grin on his face.
Minato Namikaze, standing on the arena floor, gave En a double-thumbs up.
Isshin Uchiha, the Clan Head, felt a cold weight in his stomach.
If Hiruzen had ignored the Uchiha, Isshin could have used that as propaganda. If Hiruzen had picked Fugaku, Isshin could have claimed the Uchiha were "taking over."
But picking En? Picking a grassroots veteran who was currently "best friends" with Minato Namikaze? It was a surgical strike against Isshin's authority. He was being bypassed. The Hokage was building a direct relationship with the Uchiha people, ignoring the management.
I'm being marginalized with a smile, Isshin realized, looking at his cheering clansmen. And I can't even complain because the village is literally throwing money at us.
"Alright!"
Hiruzen raised his hand, and the stadium fell into a respectful hush.
"I've talked enough. You didn't come here to listen to an old man ramble! You came to see the future!"
"On one side, the pride of our Academy: The Azure Dragon Brotherhood!"
Asuma, Kakashi, and Obito led fifty students onto the field. They looked determined, their small faces set in grim lines of "warrior spirit."
"And their opponent... the man who single-handedly neutralized a Cloud strike team: Minato Namikaze!"
Minato stepped into the center of the arena, the sunlight catching his golden hair.
"The rules are simple!" Hiruzen announced. "If the Brotherhood can land a single mark on Minato, they win! If not, they are officially renamed the 'Azure Dragon Study Group' for the rest of the semester!"
The crowd roared. The "Raid Boss" battle was about to begin.
☆☆☆
-> 20 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you