After hearing Uchiha Ran's secret, Ran used the excuse of continuing to promote the card game to have Inabi keep touring different parts of Konoha.As for himself, Ran headed alone toward Training Ground Seven.
This was the place where Uchiha Ran could request an audience with Danzo.
After all, Ran had every intention of giving his dear Elder Danzo a proper "report" on the current state of the Uchiha clan—and on himself.
Not long after, someone—likely one of Shimura Danzo's subordinates—noticed the mark Ran had left earlier at Training Ground Ten.
Before long, a member of Root appeared before Ran and silently led him away.
This time, the Root operative did not take Ran on a long, winding route. Soon enough, the two arrived directly at the entrance to Root's underground base.
Even Ran himself found it unexpected—It hadn't been that long, yet he was already returning to Root again.
The Root operative was equally surprised.Danzo clearly despised the Uchiha, and yet the moment Uchiha Ran requested a meeting, Danzo had responded almost immediately.
"Danzo-sama, please forgive the intrusion," Ran said calmly as he looked toward the elderly figure hidden in the darkness."I've been rather busy with official matters lately and didn't have the chance to properly exchange views with you. This time, I came specifically hoping to seek your guidance."
Danzo observed him in silence.
It hasn't been that long since we last met…And yet his manner has completely changed.
Ran now carried himself less like a child and more like someone accustomed to authority—almost like a seasoned administrator.
Is this the influence of a great clan?He's only thirteen, yet he already resembles an old political fox…
"Of course not," Danzo replied with a faint smile."Minister Ran, you flatter me. Please—have a seat."
Danzo personally guided Ran to the desk and even poured tea for both of them.
Before Danzo could speak again, Ran gently ran a finger along the rim of his teacup and said:
"Danzo-sama… aren't you curious about the recent actions taken by the Uchiha—and by me?"
Ran didn't drink.Danzo, on the other hand, lifted his cup and drained it in one go.
"You already explained yourself in your earlier message," Danzo replied."There was no need to come here in person. The village and the Uchiha have no inherent conflict. As Konoha's advisor, I'm quite pleased to see someone like you—someone who understands the bigger picture—emerge from the Uchiha."
To Danzo, "understanding the bigger picture" meant one thing:Sacrificing clan interests to satisfy the village's demands.
Unfortunately for him—Uchiha Ran only intended to go halfway.
"Danzo-sama is too kind," Ran said evenly."The village and the Uchiha can only prosper through unity and cooperation. I believe a mutually beneficial partnership is what we should be striving for."
The village needed the Uchiha's combat strength, needed them to continue defending Konoha.At the same time, the Uchiha longed for stability and peace within the village—a safe environment for their younger generation and civilian clan members alike.
Ran explained the hardships he faced as the Uchiha clan's head of public relations, the difficulty of restoring the clan's reputation—and the effort he had poured into it.
Danzo suppressed his deep-seated distaste for the Uchiha and offered measured words of encouragement.
In his mind, however, both Uchiha Ran and the Uchiha clan were still useful pieces.
He had already begun brewing a plan.
A plan that required Orochimaru—And the Uchiha.
If everything went smoothly:Hiruzen Sarutobi would die.The other four great nations would suffer devastating losses.Orochimaru and Uchiha Ran would be expelled from Konoha.And the Uchiha clan… would be wiped out completely.
The only thing missing was a spark—a suitable fuse to ignite it all.
Lost in his thoughts, Danzo fell silent.
"Danzo-sama…?"
"Danzo-sama, are you listening to me?"
Danzo snapped back to reality.
"My apologies, Ran-kun," he said slowly."I was lost in thought. I didn't quite catch what you said just now."
Ran had no choice but to repeat his proposal.
As Danzo listened, his expression hardened.
"I see… but your thinking is far too extreme," Danzo said coldly."This is blatant whitewashing, Minister Ran. I will not approve such a plan."
Ran had proposed the following:
Now that the Uchiha clan's public image was gradually improving, he wished to produce a large-scale Konoha film.
The movie would be adapted from Uchiha historical records, detailing the founding of Konoha and the complex bond—love and hatred alike—between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Ran hoped to create one or two Uchiha star figures through the film and, by jointly promoting it with the village, gradually eliminate civilian prejudice against the Uchiha.
Danzo rejected the idea immediately.
He—Shimura Danzo—held immense influence even within the strongest village in the shinobi world.For years, he had worked tirelessly to smear and vilify the Uchiha clan, all to protect his own interests.
And now—Uchiha Ran was proposing a film about Konoha's founding?
Worse still, the proposal involved cooperation between Danzo, the village, and the Uchiha clan themselves.
Its purpose was clear:Use Konoha's early history to reshape public perception and elevate the Uchiha's standing.
Danzo knew full well that approving this plan would undo years of his propaganda in a single stroke.
That was something he would never allow.
Danzo had long understood one truth:Whoever controls public opinion controls destiny.
Back then, even a hero like Konoha's White Fang had been driven to suicide by the power of public condemnation.
Danzo would not relinquish that battlefield.
Still, he also knew better than to speak openly against unity.
So he shifted the conversation to Uchiha Madara, declaring that a traitor of such unforgivable crimes must never be whitewashed under any circumstances.
On this point, Ran readily agreed.
Madara's personal storyline could be removed.His role could instead be merged into a broader collective portrayal of the Uchiha clan.
"Danzo-sama," Ran said calmly, watching Danzo's unchanged expression,"As Konoha's advisor, you must surely wish to see genuine reconciliation between the village and the Uchiha."
After a brief pause, he added:
"I doubt you'd want to see conflict erupt between the village and the Uchiha clan."
Ran's request was reasonable—measured, even.
Danzo fell silent for a long moment…Then still refused to give his approval.
Seeing Danzo deep in thought, Ran rose to his feet.
He took his leave politely, stating that he would present the proposal to the Third Hokage, and that under the Third's guidance, mutual trust between the Uchiha and the village would one day be restored.
After Uchiha Ran departed—
The sharp sound of a teacup shattering echoed through Root's underground halls.