A/N : Sooooo… It's been more than 3 weeks huh? Sorry about that.
I got my hands badly burned while cooking, second degree to be precise.
Asians would know the intensity of high heat cooking and how common it is to get burnt at random.
Then, when it healed around 16-17th of April, a cylinder dropped on my left hand when moving it, breaking my index, thumb and upper metacarpals very badly.
Couldn't even twitch a finger without screaming like a banshee.
Hurts like a mother tucker ditch.
On the bright side, I've now learned how to operate a computer with only one hand! Yay!
…
(The Hokage Tower),
"I See… I thank you for your service to the village, Team Seven. I'll look into the matter so nothing like this ever happens again. Meanwhile, fair compensation shall be provided to all of you for the risk you had to go through."
"Thankyou as well, lord hokage. Now, if you'd excuse us. I'd like for my team to get some rest. They have been through quite a lot in the span of one month." Kakashi curtly said, bowing his head a little.
"Then you are dismissed." Hiruzen also gave a short nod. His smoke pipe dangling from his mouth.
"May you have a good day, lord Hiruzen." Kakashi bowed once again, and every member of Team Seven, even the ever-knucklehead Naruto, followed. Bidding their farewell in perfect coordination.
The door clicked shut.
Hiruzen exhaled loudly, setting aside his pipe, and narrowed his eyes sharply at no one in particular.
A figure in a grey cloak, covered hands and with a green tiger mask materialised in the room, on his knees and head bowed in a mixture of reverence, respect and fear.
Hiruzen just stared at the cloaked figure like a lion gazing at its injured prey, and it might be the testament of the training these people go through that they did not flinch.
"Report." The old Hokage casually uttered, picking up his pen and resuming his paperwork, not even gazing at them.
"We have confiscated all the wealth Merchant Gato had. Cleared his hideout in all the nations. Sent word to the Toad for assistance and further business handling. Eliminated every connection that may be the leaf's potential enemy. Scouted out their connection to the current civil war in the hidden mist. Retrieved Zabuza's and Yuki Clan's child's DNA for research. Eliminated every foreign witness to the Nine Tails' chakra." Ending at a hurried note, he produced a storage scroll containing all the samples for the Research Department and Company Documents and presented it to the lord of the village.
Another person appeared, this time in a sleeveless vest and red racoon mask, and took the scroll from the kneeling agent's hands.
Casting the necessary Jutsu for safety checks and potential traps, he further laid the scroll on Hiruzen's desk.
"Continue monitoring Naruto. Dismissed."
Thus, the old warrior began scribbling in the remaining silence of the office.
Not for long as there was a knock on the door.
"Come in, Danzo."
Hiruzen set aside the pen, knowing the coming conversation would require his full attention.
A man with a walking cane in his left hand, crippeled right arm bound to his torso and right eye in bandages slowly walked forward.
"Good evening, Lord Hokage." Danzo gave a small bow, a sign of feign respect.
Let it be known that Danzo was many things; a warmonger, a villain, certified sociopath and most of all a despicable human being but a fool he was not.
He knew when to lower his head and when to roar the best in the whole world.
'Truly the shadow of this great tree. Oh how mighty have fallen…' Hiruzen lamented his own helplessness and powerlessness over the matters concerning his old friend and teammate.
"You can forgo pleasantries Danzo. No need to put on such a show. Now speak, I still have some financial documents to attend to." He gestured to the one eyed monster to sit.
Danzo said nothing, just slid back to the chair and sat. Withdrawing a scroll from his seemingly crippled hand's sleeve, he directly presented it to Hiruzen.
"This is from Jiraiya. He is currently in the Stone Capital, as a guest of Earth Daimyo."
Hiruzen carefully pocketed the scroll, filing it to read it later in complete privacy.
"Anything else to report from…your sources?"
"Yes. Onoki is quite sick right now. It would be the best time for a subtle sabotage mission."
Hiruzen frowned. "Carry it out then. Make it seem like it was done by the Sand."
Danzo let out a humorous chuckle. "Quite ruthless of you, the so-called Grandfather Of Leaf."
The sharp glare on him made him shut up very fast. "What's necessary must be done. We haven't recovered from the Nine Tails' attack yet. Our forces are still the smallest in all five major villages."
"And a new war is on the horizon." Danzo stated. Already knowing everything through his agents in Foundation.
"Yes. Every pattern suggests the same. In less than 5 years, the world shall experience the 4th Great Shinobi War."
Hiurzen calmly stood up from his seat, once again picking up his pipe and lighting it up with a small application of Fire Style.
He walked to the window behind his chair at a sedate pace, opened it and exhaled, his mind already lost deep in thought.
'Should I? Or not?'
"Say, Danzo," Hiruzen prompted.
Danzo just hummed, so Hiruzen continued. "What would you have done with Naruto in my seat?"
Danzo just stared at him like he sprouted another head and began the slogan of Cloud's greatness.
Then Danzo just burst out laughing. After calming down, he plainly stated, "Are you still sane of your mind, Hiruzen? Has the age finally caught up to you? Have you been compromised and I am speaking with a plant from our enemies?"
Hiruzen did not dignify him with a response.
Danzo's voice became serious as he locked eyes with the hokage and spoke. "You very well know what I've done with Him. He is the greatest asset of our village. the last known Uzumaki as well as Minato' son." He let out a scoff, rare for him to show his emotions. "Genius is his birthright. But look what you are doing. Letting him play ninja with a potential traitor and a civilian girl."
"It was the right thing to do."
"No. It was an emotional thing to do. This was not the right choice." Danzo refuted. "Hmph. so much for being the 'God Of Shinobi'."
Understanding that it was going nowhere, Hiruzen changed tactics. "Forget I asked. You may leave now."
Danzo went quiet. Assessing the situation as he knew his rival well enough.
Knew what he wanted, but Danzo would not let him have it.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke in a low, calmer tone than before. "What I would have done depends entirely on what outcome I desired. Do I want him as the perfect tool for the leaf, or the perfect jinchuriki as the greatest tool for the leaf?"
'What game is he playing now?' "Elabotate."
"It's simple really. Controlled Isolation. And thought redirection."
"....." Hiruzen's face turned towards him, eyes tightening on his form, locking in with contained and hidden hostility.
Despite the threat, Danzo smiled. It was not at all a pretty sight. "Yes. lord Hokage. I would have done what you did, and continue doing such."
He slowly rose up from his seat, beginning to leave. "Keep doing what you are doing, and I shall do my part. Soon, we will have a perfect jinchuriki completely loyal to the village."
Danzo turned back one last time, "But know this Hiruzen, I still don't agree on the Nine Tails being part of a regular squad," with his piece said, he left, closing the door shut.
Leaving the old man with his own thoughts.
'Minato… Kushina… forgive me…'
…
P.S :- There won't be any hiruzen perspective from now on. I seriously wanted to write this one, even though it did not come as I imagined it to be. Ah well. Mistakes were made, I learned.