Sitting in his seat, Masashi listened ily to the exge on both sides.

  After a while, he grasped the essence of the iations.

  In simple terms, due to the stantly expanding battlegrounds of the Great Ninja War, the flict had risen to the level of nations. With Konoha as the victor, the Land of Fire also naturally emerged as a victorious nation.

  Although Kiri and Konoha had signed a truce agreement, including some eic exge cuses, this agreement was limited to the two vilges.

  From the perspective of the two nations, a mere truce was far from enough.

  However, as this flict arose from the Great Ninja War, the iatioo the two major shinobi vilges, with their respective daimyō granting them full authority.

  This situation expined why, after Suna's defeat, the daimyō of the Land of Wind reduced military funding and cut baission orders.

  For the Land of Wind, Suna had decred war on Konoha using the Third Kazekage's death as a pretext but surrendered early on, essentially dragging the Land of Wind into a costly situation. sequently, the nation had no choice but to make cessions to the Land of Fire.

  The inner ws of the tral gover are pletely different—it's no wohe Third Hokage still hold a supp role.

  Refleg on this, Masashi gained a lot. These meisms were something the Uchiha had ruly uood before. It wasn't that they cked i; they had just never been part of the inner circle and were always isoted from both Konoha and the daimyō's national affairs.

  In the Uchiha 's uanding, a truce between vilges meant peace between nations as well. Due to their ck of insight, they had signifit misceptions about the nature of Hokage succession.

  Hiruzen's retirement wasn't simply due to a bad deal with Iwa. Though Konoha's reputation seemed damaged, the Land of Earth still had to make cessions.

  In fact, Iwa's stinginess had only strengthehe Land of Fire's iating position, f the Land of Earth to give up more. Hiruzen had secured all the bes Konoha was owed.

  His retirement was merely a move to elevate Minato into the inner circle, further solidifying their fa's influence.

  Masashi felt a bit of a headache. Though he valued the learning, he couldn't deny the toll it took.

  The habit stemmed from his previous life as a gamer. He'd always beeype to exhaust every possibility in a game before moving ohodically expl each path until nothing remained unknown.

  Where others might abandon their pursuits after failure, he would dive deeper, pushing himself to the absolute limit of what could be learned or achieved.

  The talks tinued. Minato's inexperience showed as he struggled to fully embody the mi of a shinobi vilge leader.

  He was often led astray by Fuguki, though the two veterans beside him would intervene immediately to set him ba track.

  "What alternatives we sider?" Minato asked. "Perhaps if we examihe trade routes—"

  "The northern sea routes are not iable," Fuguki jumped in quickly. "They're vital to our ey."

  "Your ey?" Danzō's single visible eye fixed on him. "Iing. Our intelligence suggests your northern ports are operating at less than half capacity. Tell me, what's really being protected there?"

  Fuguki's jaw tightened. "That's not—"

  "And these reports," Danzō tinued, sliding a folder across the table, "show your southern trade has increased threefold in the past month. Curious timing."

  Hiruzen took a long draw from his pipe. "Perhaps we should discuss those mert ships that were spotted he Land of Lightning's waters?"

  Color drained from Fuguki's face. He opened his mouth, then closed it.

  This is like watg a tiger and a wolf er their prey, Masashi observed as the two veterans systematically exposed every deception.

  "The port fees alone—" Fuguki tried again.

  "Would barely cover a tenth of the damages," Danzō cut in. "Let's not waste time with these peripheral issues."

  Sweat beaded on Fuguki's forehead as he shuffled through his papers. Each argument he raised was tered before he could fully voice it. Every alternative he suggested was revealed as already promised.

  Finally, his shoulders slumped. "Our daimyō says we offer a pensation of 1 billion ryō, but that's the limit. Anything beyond that is unmanageable for our try."

  At these words, Konoha's side perked up.

  They've been waiting for this number, Masashi realized. Everything before was just theater.

  Minato leaned back thoughtfully.

  Hiruzen took out his pipe and began smoking again.

  Tapping his e, Danzō spoke slowly but firmly. "2 billion ryō is the absolute minimum; if this war tinues, your try will only owe more."

  Fuguki shook his head, holding his ground. "1 billion is beyond our means already. Asking for more is impossible. Please sider redug the amount."

  "Redug it is out of the question. The war has brought us to this point; there's no way around it."

  However, given that the other side aying, Danzō made an effort to keep his posure, softening his tone slightly.

  "If you 't pay it all at once, you could spread it over forty years. The lohe installments, the smaller the burden. This is just a suggestion; please don't take offense."

  Fuguki retorted, "Forty years? Would you agree to such terms if you were in our pce?"

  "I'm not the one paying," Danzō said. "However, longer installments would ease your financial strain."

  Fuguki sighed, and Masashi could see the fight draining from him. "From the start of the war, our treasury has beeed. We would o borrow money, but after our defeat, our reputation has taken a hit."

  He's pying right into Danzō's hands, Masashi observed.

  Danzō tered, "The Land of Water is ri resources. Other nations will be willing to lend."

  "Though our nd is resourceful, we ck the means to fully develop it."

  "Your try has talented people; you harheir skills to gee wealth," Danzō remarked.

  Fuguki, visibly annoyed, muttered, "With such great ideas, maybe you should bee rand Minister."

  Danzō didn't take offense. "I would he daimyō's permission, but personally, I'd be gd to serve."

  This silenced Fuguki, who eventually sighed, his tone softer and almost pleading.

  "Since your daimyō hasn't approved you to serve in our Land of Water, you 't e. We ot pel our daimyō to pay. I ask you to be more siderate and passionate."

  "If we agree to 2 billion, other nations will know we must borrow money and impose heavy i. We'd be trapped i, uo repay, which would lead us back to war. Why push us so far?"

  Danzō felt a twinge of satisfa.

  heless, it was a formal iation, and as a former Hokage advisor, he had a reputation to uphold.

  "It's your try's responsibility to find a way to settle your debts."

  "But we 't afford it. What should we do?"

  Danzō reiterated, "That's why we reduced it to this amount—there's no room for further iation."

  Fuguki pleaded, "Please, just reduce it a bit more."

  "I'll be frank; I know your daimyō received a covert message yesterday firming the 2 billion as your bottom line. I included that in our proposal as a sign of goodwill. The number won't budge," Danzō responded firmly.

  Fuguki fell silent.

  Masashi looked at Fuguki with gey.

  Danzō, an expert in intelligence, wouldn't speak so fidently without solid information.

  One of the Five Great Nations, yet all its secrets id bare—what was left to py?

  After an intense verbal exge, the first round of talks between Konoha and Kiri came to an end, and the atteood up to leave.

  "The terms are... acceptable to Kiri," Fuguki said.

  Of course they are. We've left you no choice, Danzō thought, watg the Kiri representative.

  Fuguki, who had acted subservient and overly aodating during the meeting, now carried himself as if nothing had happened.

  His transformation was immediate—from a bowing diplomat to a proud ninja of Kiri.

  No one found this surprising. The other representatives exged knowing gnces, well-versed in this political theater. After all, everyone here was just doing their job.

  Why take it so seriously? As long as they tried their best, that was enough.

  As he reflected on how he had just secured 2 billion ryō for the Land of Fire, Danzō was filled with a sense of aplishment.

  These past few days had been exhausting. Managing fn intelligence work was mentally taxing.

  "The Uchiha representative showed remarkable restraint today," one of his advisors ented quietly.

  "Restraint born of y, nothing more," Danzō replied coldly.

  The only thing he wasirely satisfied with was that today, the Uchiha had been allowed to participate. Although Shikaku had promised an expnation, Danzō still had reservations.

  These ninja s always baogether in critical moments.

  But s were relics of a bygone era. In the era of oion and one vilge, they were bound to dee.

  The Shimura erfect example. Over the past few decades, they had steadily faded into insignifice. Some members had hoped Danzō would intervene, but he had refused.

  Old things should be buried.

  What kind of person did they think Danzō was? He wasn't ging to outdated traditions; he was aiming to bee Hokage, because he believed his methods were what Konoha truly needed.

  Why did they g to those tiny plots of nd? What was so bad about being an ordinary member of the vilge? The vilge wasn't stingy—aplishments were fairly rewarded.

  Why did they insist on relying on a pete with non-inja?

  The Sarutobi was no different. How many genuinely outstanding talents did they have? They couldn't withstand any major upheaval. It was only because Hiruzen protected them that they're still around.

  They would suffer iure.

  "The Uchiha's influence grows daily," a Root agent had reported earlier that m.

  "Then we must grow faster," Danzō had responded, his grip tightening on his e.

  But…

  The Uchiha and Hyūga s were still so powerful.

  Especially the Uchiha.

  Danzō's hostility toward the Uchiha wasn't just due to their strength.

  He still remembered how, after Tobirama sacrificed himself for the vilge, the Uchiha had rejoiced, eager to seize the vilge's highest authority.

  The Senju , who co-fouhe vilge, had never acted like that. If it hadn't been for the presence of the Senju at the time, he and Hiruzen might not have been able to hold their ground.

  Other s had beeless back then, but none were as btant as the Uchiha.

  Sihen, the Uchiha had repeatedly and clumsily attempted to challehe Hokage's authority. What they never uood was that the least likely didates for Hokage in all of Konoha were members of the Uchiha .

  No one wanted an Uchiha as Hokage.

  Still, the First Hokage had made the Hokage position a dream shared by all Konoha vilgers, including the Uchiha.

  Danzō uood this all too well. Hokage wasn't just a dream; it had bee a belief.

  Even he was caught up in it.

  For this reason, the Uchiha had bee the greatest hidden threat to the vilge.

  The soohis issue was resolved, the better. Unfortunately, the Uchiha stantly produced exceptional talent, and they were cohesive as a unit.

  Yet, Danzō hadn't made up his mind about this matter. This geion of Uchiha included individuals like Kagami. Danzō still felt a pang ret for his te panion.

  "Your desdant is so much like you. If you were still alive, would things be different now?"

  The first time he had seen Kagami's desdant, even Danzō's iron-hard heart had wavered slightly.

  But only slightly.

  He couldn't bring himself to trust the Uchiha.

  In the shadows of the shinobi world, there was no room for trust.

  After leaving the Hokage Building, he returo his ir uhe escort of Root ninja. The underground facility was quiet.

  Seated in his office, surrounded by the physical maion of his power, he didn't immediately start reviewing the dots on his desk. Instead, he struck the floor heavily with his e.

  "Where is Orochimaru? Has he fotten his assig? Hiruze him to act as my guard. I want to see him now."

  A figure disappeared swiftly into the darkness.

  Only then did Danzō begin processing the paperwork.

  Orochimaru had been ag increasingly out of liely.

  Of all Hiruzen's students, the Snake Sannin was the one Danzō couldn't quite figure out. Still, he knew ohing—Orochimaru couldn't do without his support.

  Just as he had been the only high-ranking official to back Orochimaru's didacy for Hokage, he remained his sole ally in the vilge.

  Though it was a forced alliance. Ahe position had goo that youngster Minato.

  How ughable.

  After a while, a thin figure emerged from the shadows.

  "Danzō."

  "You've been experimenting again?" Danzō asked coldly. "And you dared to attend a meeting afterward? If I hadn't ordered someoo up after you, you'd have been exposed."

  "This bataterials is time-sensitive. Deys would have affected the results," Orochimaru replied nontly. "Besides, I'm not your subordinate. Just focus on providing the materials I need."

  "Oh?" Danzō put down his pen, his gaze chilling. "Orochimaru, don't try that toh me."

  "What do you want from me?" Orochimaru asked dismissively.

  "What do you think of today's Uchiha?"

  "Oh? Is he the 'material'?"

  "Have your experiments rotted your brain? I'm asking if there's a way t him into my fold."

  "vin Uchiha to join Root? Sarutobi-sensei would never agree." Orochimaru lost i.

  Initially, Root had been a training institution for ANBU, but Hiruzen's inability to handle fn intelligence work had allowed Danzō to take over that responsibility, incorporating it into Root's funs.

  By now, Root had effectively bee an indepe entity, operating parallel to ANBU with only nominal affiliation.

  The increase in responsibilities had led to a she of talent. Despite Danzō's efforts to recruit from various s, the Hyūga and Uchiha s had always been excluded.

  As he aged, the plexities of fn intelligence work increasingly strained his existing resources.

  If only he could secure some Uchihas or even just o would be enough.

  The Hyūga weren't as suited to the work of Root. Fions required a different skill set, ohe Uchiha excelled at.

  The Hannya Bck Ops presented a clear case. They had the audacity to pull one over on Konoha. They had to be eradicated; otherwise, Konoha's prestige would be undermined.

  Those rats were excellent at hiding, but with the power of the Sharingan, they could be dealt with quickly.

  They had to die—sooner and more miserably, the better.

  "I'm not sure what you're pnning, but you know the Uchiha's temperament, don't you?" Orochimaru licked his lips. "If I could, I'd have dealt with them already."

  "Fet it. Talking to you is pointless. The b will be moved soon. Keep a low profile for now."

  Danzō felt sret about involving Orochimaru. This guy was being harder to trol. But without him, the experiments wouldn't have progressed this far.

  What a headache.

  After the unpleasant versation with Orochimaru, Danzō decided to focus on dealing with the Hannya Bck Ops first.

  As he pondered how to iate with Sarutobi, a Root ninja appeared, kneeling before him.

  "Speak."

  "Danzō-sama, the Third Hokage has arrived with Fuguki. They say they have urgent matters to discuss."

  "I don't have time totiate the reparations. Did they say what it's about? If it's about moell them there's nothing to talk about. If we 't rea agreement, we'll fight again."

  "The Third Hokage says it s the Fourth Mizukage. Fuguki hopes to cooperate with Konoha to uhe truth."

  "Ihem in immediately."

  ---

  Before some of you misuand - Danzo wasn't always the person we love to hate. His teammate was an Uchiha and there was likely a boween them. But then Tobirama died, and the Uchiha was likely celebrating. This might be where his hatred toward the Uchiha started, in my opinion, looking at it logically.

  Then came the ails Attack, Shisui revealing his MS' ability, and Obito posing as Madara. All these things piled up until his hatred outweighed having the be Konoha.

  I mean, losing a powerful means having fewer powerful ninjas to defend Konoha - it wasn't wise at all. Sure, there was the threat of a coup d'état, but there could have been other ways to maintaiatus quo without making Konoha look like a delieal for other vilges. That's just my opinion.