"I wonder if you have any intention of taking part in this operation?"
The Third Hokage smiled gently at Hiroki as he posed the question.
Danzo slammed his hand on the desk so hard that the inkpot rattled."Sarutobi Hiruzen, have you lost your mind?! He's a child!"
"Danzo, calm down." Hiruzen sighed, looking at him with a heavy expression.
"Calm down? Who exactly needs to calm down—you or me?!" Danzo almost laughed in disbelief. "I think you're completely confused! Maybe it's time you stepped down as Hokage!"
"How old is he? And you want him to fight Hanzo? Are you asking him to die?!"
"…"Hiruzen inhaled deeply, eyes locking onto Danzo's. "Of course not. Danzo… believe me."
Danzo forced himself to take two steady breaths.As the leader of Root, he never let his emotions show so openly—but this time, Hiruzen's suggestion was beyond reckless.
Hiroki had already proven his worth, his talent, and exactly what he was capable of. All he needed was time at Root under Danzo's training while Orochimaru and the Sannin handled Hanzo. From there, Hiroki would rise to jonin in no time.
Then he would naturally become the youngest Kage candidate in the village's history.
Why on earth send such a prodigy onto a battlefield with the Salamander? Why let him throw his life away?
Still, Danzo knew Hiruzen wasn't a fool—he wouldn't make such a suggestion without a reason.So he waited.
Hiruzen turned back to Hiroki.
"Hiroki-kun, you surely understand this by now—your ability isn't merely useful in jonin-level combat. It might tip battles far beyond that."
His tone wasn't that of a superior speaking to a subordinate. It was almost… equal.
Hiroki wasn't even a genin yet—not officially—but at Hiroki's rate of growth, jonin was only a matter of time.
One year?Two?
At most two years and Hiroki would become a twelve-year-old jonin—an unprecedented genius in the ninja world.
But that also meant something dangerous:
Once Hiroki's existence became known, every nation would prepare counters to his abilities.
He would still be valuable—but not the decisive edge he was now.
War was, after all, the combination of intelligence warfare and individual power.
"So I believe you have the potential to help Konoha kill Hanzo the Salamander," Hiruzen said quietly.
"If you can get close to him—even just for an instant—Hanzo, who knows nothing about your abilities, might freeze up for a moment."
"During that moment…"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen! The Yamanaka and Nara clans can do something similar!" Danzo snapped.
Hiruzen remained calm."That's the issue. Hanzo knows their techniques. He knows the signs of mind-transfer jutsu, he knows when shadows are manipulated—he'll be on guard from the first second."
He gestured toward Hiroki.
"But Hiroki? Nobody knows the activation conditions of his technique. Nobody knows how it works. Even if Hanzo is cautious, he will not be able to fully guard against something he has never encountered."
Danzo fell silent.
Because Hiruzen was right.
"…Even so, the risk is too high, Hiruzen," Danzo said finally. His voice was cold and resolute.
This boy was the prodigy he and Orochimaru had finally nurtured. A potential future Hokage—not from the Uchiha clan, not bound by politics, not tied to old mistakes.
Danzo had already failed to seize his own moment in the past when the Second Hokage made his final choice. He had regretted it ever since.
And now Hiruzen wanted him to risk this possibility?
"Danzo. This decision isn't yours," Hiruzen said softly.
He turned to Hiroki.
"It depends on Hiroki-kun's will."
Hiroki stood frozen.
Old man… are you seriously asking me to go fight Hanzo?!
"What decision can a child make?!" Danzo barked.
Orochimaru, who had been silent, looked utterly stunned.Even he couldn't understand his teacher's thinking. Hiroki was talented—yes—but Hanzo was a living legend.
But then—
Hiroki actually lowered his head and began thinking.
A long silence passed.
Then he lifted his head.
"…What do I get if I go?"
"…And what happens if I refuse?"
Orochimaru and Danzo flinched so hard their pupils contracted.
He dared to negotiate with the Hokage?!
Both men instinctively looked at Hiruzen.
The Third didn't seem surprised at all.
"Don't worry," Hiruzen said, voice steady. "Nothing will be rushed. I'll explain the strategy, the risks, and the rewards. You'll have at least a month to decide—and to train—before any operation begins."
He continued:
"Hiroki-kun's ability creates a mental blank… well, an illusion of sorts. Kakuzu, Jiraiya, even you, Orochimaru, couldn't shake it off completely."
He tapped the desk.
"The effect can range from a few seconds of paralysis… to half a day of impaired thinking. That is the key."
He continued outlining the plan.
"If you agree, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru will help you master any ninjutsu you want over the next month. Anything within reach, they will teach you."
"We'll also bring in the best smiths in the Land of Fire to forge a temporary armor set—something strong enough to keep you alive even if Hanzo strikes a vital point."
"Konoha's medical division will mass-produce antidotes for every poison Hanzo is known to use."
"We'll challenge Hanzo in a way he cannot refuse, forcing him into single combat."
"Yamanaka and Nara support will cover your approach."
"Teleportation specialists will assist you in closing the final distance."
"And at the critical moment, you will use the information-transmission technique you demonstrated during the kidnapping incident to signal the assisting shinobi."
"All you need is a single moment of contact."
"The rest… will be handled by Konoha."
Hiruzen leaned back slightly.
"And after success, you will be promoted directly to jonin. You may choose any three techniques from the Forbidden Scroll, and I—or another master—will personally instruct you."
"You may choose to serve as my guard, or Danzo's, with the same status and privileges as the Sannin."
Then Hiruzen paused, eyes sharpening with a hint of caution.
"And… you will gain access to the Second Hokage's restricted experimental archives."
He smiled faintly.
"Well? What do you think?"
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