Danzo had been handed the job in a crisis, and she accepted it without the slightest politeness.
Inside the Hokage Building, she immediately summoned Konoha's upper leadership and the heads of every major clan.
Before long, the people who represented Konoha's various centers of power filed into the room one after another.
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio clans.
The Sarutobi clan.
The Uchiha clan.
The Hyūga clan.
The Four Great Clans sat in front.
Behind them were the smaller clan heads, and after that came elite jōnin—Orochimaru among them.
Konoha's entire foundation had gathered in one place.
Expressions differed from face to face, but there was an unspoken tacit agreement between them: everyone stayed silent, all eyes fixed on Danzo.
The woman who ruled Root had now "become" the Acting Hokage.
It was hard not to feel uneasy.
Especially the Uchiha.
Fugaku's gaze was openly hostile—after all, the blood debt and grudges between the Uchiha and Danzo weren't something that began yesterday.
Soon, one intelligence report after another was delivered into the Hokage Building.
Danzo sat in the Hokage's chair, flipping through blood-stained scrolls. With each one she read, her expression grew darker.
The situation was far worse than she'd imagined.
Southwest:
Sunagakure—once leaning toward Konoha—had torn up the treaty without hesitation. Hundreds of Sand shinobi had already crossed the Land of Rivers border and were marching toward Konoha's homeland.
Northwest:
Iwagakure—normally ambiguous, opportunistic, always waiting for the perfect moment—had acted completely out of character. They were pressing the border with heavy forces, and the Tsuchikage himself was leading them, clearly wearing the posture of total annihilation.
Northeast:
Kumogakure was still gathering its main force, but had already dispatched elite squads moving toward the Land of Hot Water—which bordered Konoha.
Southeast:
Kirigakure, on the sea-islands across the water, had thousands of Mist shinobi already fighting Konoha forces along the maritime border.
Even from the reports alone, it was obvious:
Konoha stood in the greatest crisis since the village was founded.
One wrong step—
And the village could fall, with its people buried in the same grave.
Danzo pinched the bridge of her nose, temples throbbing.
For a flicker of a moment, she even regretted taking the seat now.
If Konoha were destroyed under her watch…
She'd be nailed to the pillar of shame for all time.
She shoved the messy thoughts down and forced herself calm. Her index finger tapped the tabletop as her cold gaze swept the room.
"Everyone."
"Konoha is facing the greatest crisis in its history."
"I want your proposals—"
"Not for you to sit here without a word."
"My opinion is negotiation."
Nara Shikaku spoke first.
"Four great villages declaring war at the same time is too much pressure. We need to win at least one ally."
"And who do you think we can win?"
Danzo nodded. It was a practical idea.
"Sunagakure," Shikaku answered. "First, the Sand's strength is solid—only slightly weaker than Cloud and Stone. Second, we don't have blood hatred with them. We can offer benefits and pull them to our side, reducing pressure on the southwest."
"Good."
Danzo approved immediately.
"Then you handle it."
"But negotiations are negotiations—we still have to show deterrence."
"Ino–Shika–Chō—take five hundred shinobi with you."
Shikaku nodded and stood at once.
"The situation is urgent. We leave immediately."
Danzo's eyes moved to the rest.
"Southwest is handled for now."
"Now we deal with Cloud, Stone, and Mist."
"What are your thoughts?"
The Hyūga clan head spoke slowly.
"I suggest we immediately send for Jiraiya and Tsunade. Konoha is lacking top-tier combat power. They must return."
"I already dispatched people," Danzo said heavily. "But Jiraiya and Tsunade don't stay in one place. Even if we call them back, it will take time."
"We can't place all hope on them."
Off to the side, Orochimaru watched with a cold, bored expression.
And he suddenly realized something.
His old idea of becoming Hokage as an "ideal"…
Was laughable.
Hokage?
Heh.
In the end, it was only a tool of power.
Danzo's gaze shifted—and landed on Orochimaru.
This meeting wasn't just about strategy.
It was also about putting down those who weren't satisfied with her.
Orochimaru… and Uchiha Fugaku were the main targets.
"Orochimaru."
"I'm assigning you to the Iwagakure front."
Danzo opened by throwing him the hardest battlefield—and wrapped it in a flawless justification.
"You're the only one in the village who can shoulder this."
"As one of the Sannin, I trust you."
A big hat, thrown over his head the moment she spoke.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, snake pupils glinting with cold light.
Everyone knew Orochimaru had been competing for the Hokage position.
Yet when Hiruzen collapsed, the authority hadn't gone to Orochimaru—
It went to Danzo.
That alone was abnormal.
Just as everyone expected Orochimaru to erupt—
He smiled.
He licked his lips.
"Sure."
"No problem."
Danzo blinked, clearly not expecting him to "submit" so easily.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go back."
Orochimaru folded his arms, voice uninterested.
"I still have experiments to do. Once the forces are assembled, I'll depart."
He tossed that line into a room full of stunned faces, then pushed the door open and walked out.
Danzo froze for a moment, then recovered.
This wasn't the time to dwell.
There was more important business.
"Next."
"A proposal."
Danzo interlaced her fingers. Her gaze swept the room like frost.
"It concerns…"
"How we handle Uchiha Sogetsu."
The moment those words fell, Fugaku slammed his palm on the table and stood up. Veins bulged on his forehead as he glared at Danzo.
"Danzo—what do you mean by that?!"
"Nothing special."
Danzo's face was expressionless. She tapped the tabletop lightly, acting as if Fugaku's fury didn't exist.
"Just discussing the matter."
"Uchiha Sogetsu assassinated the Mizukage, killed the Raikage, and indirectly triggered this shinobi world war."
"Does he not need to take responsibility?"
"Bullshit!"
Fugaku's rage surged. Spit nearly flew into Danzo's face.
"The Mist and the Cloud attacked us first!"
"Sogetsu was executing the Hokage's orders!"
"And besides—he killed two Kage alone. Isn't that a hero?!"
"Danzo, I know you have personal grudges with him, but this is not a reason for revenge!"
"Uchiha Fugaku—watch your words."
Danzo gave a thin, cold laugh.
"No matter the reason, he killed two Kage."
"And because of that, four great villages declared war at the same time."
"He must pay a price."
"Otherwise, what do we use to calm the war?"
"Then we fight!"
Fugaku, an outright hawk, answered without hesitation.
"Four great villages? It's not like we've never fought them before!"
"Good."
Danzo's smile was waiting for him there.
"Since Clan Head Fugaku is so confident—then the Cloud front is yours."
"The disaster Uchiha Sogetsu caused…"
"Your own people can solve it."
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