Chapter 21: From the Heart

"You're injured?" Sasori finally managed to crawl out of the Great Toad's esophagus. By the time he emerged, the battle outside had already ended, leaving him feeling like he'd punched cotton—a complete anticlimax.

"Are you actually worried about me?" Deidara teased, his voice dripping with amusement.

"Shut it!"

Sasori scanned the battlefield, his sharp eyes taking in the devastation. The intensity of the battle had clearly been far beyond his expectations.

Deidara... This brat had grown so much in such a short time. It was starting to make him feel like he couldn't keep up with him.

No. Unacceptable. He needed to up his game.

Fortunately, Deidara had mentioned the Wood Release puppets last time. Maybe it was time to team up with Orochimaru, speed up their research, and take his power to the next level.

"Oi! Sasori, where are you rushing off to now?" Deidara called after him, his tone puzzled.

"To find Orochimaru!"

...

Konohagakure

A heavy gloom hung over the village.

Though the casualties from this attack were far fewer than during their previous defeat, the Third Hokage was dead. And worse, he'd died within the walls of his own village.

This was a massive blow to Konoha's prestige. What would the other great shinobi villages think?

"Oh? Isn't this Konoha—the so-called strongest shinobi village? How did the mighty Hokage get assassinated in broad daylight, right under their noses? And the attacker got away scot-free? What a joke!"

In this dire, leaderless moment, the most urgent task was selecting someone capable of stepping into the role of Fifth Hokage. Internally, they needed someone to restore morale; externally, someone to deter their enemies.

By all accounts, the candidates for the position had narrowed down to two individuals: Jiraiya and Tsunade. Compared to them, everyone else fell short.

Kakashi? Too inexperienced.

Danzo? Too old, and his reputation was far from ideal.

In the original timeline, Danzo only got his shot after Jiraiya's death, Tsunade's disappearance, and Konoha's near-destruction. During the Third's death at the Chūnin Exams, nobody even considered him.

But things were different now.

Who dared say Shimura Danzo wasn't worthy?

If not for Danzo's Root eliminating Orochimaru's "reinforcements" and his personal efforts during the final battle, Konoha might have fallen entirely!

Shimura Danzo was a hero who had saved the village!

And in doing so, he'd also managed to launder his own reputation.

It turned out Danzo hadn't been meddling out of boredom all these years. No, he had been silently protecting Konoha, fulfilling the justice of the shadows.

Root's silent sacrifice had kept the village safe, unacknowledged and unrewarded. How could they have been so blind as to malign them before?

Thus, Danzo now stood only one step away from the Hokage's seat.

That step? A nomination from the Hokage's advisors, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu.

While these two didn't wield the same authority as Hiruzen had, their influence over the Hokage selection process was substantial. And though they had long been Danzo's allies, their true allegiance lay in preserving their own power.

Allowing Danzo—a man with an insatiable hunger for power—to become Hokage? That would render them obsolete, reducing them to little more than ornamental elders.

And so, as Koharu spoke, her voice was firm:

"Our recommendation is to choose either Jiraiya or Tsunade as the Fifth Hokage."

The Hokage's office was packed. Clan leaders, department heads, and notable jōnin, including Kakashi, Guy, Asuma, and even Root's reinstated head of security, Shimura Kiyoto, had all gathered for this critical discussion.

Unlike Hiruzen, they didn't have the authority to decide unilaterally.

Jiraiya. Tsunade.

Hearing those names, most of those present nodded in agreement, showing no dissent.

As for Danzo, while no one opposed him outright, neither did anyone actively support him.

This left Danzo seething internally. Couldn't any of these fools recognize his greatness?

Just as his frustration reached a boiling point, a lone figure stepped forward, breaking the silence.

"I object!"

The room fell into stunned silence, all eyes turning toward the unexpected voice.

Shimura Kiyoto, Danzo's loyal subordinate, stood tall, his gaze sharp and unflinching.

"There's someone far more qualified to become the Fifth Hokage," Kiyoto declared, his tone defiant.

"Yet you advisors choose to ignore him. What is your true motive?"

This wasn't just a challenge—it was an outright accusation, one that painted Homura and Koharu as scheming opportunists.

Homura's eyes narrowed. "Shimura Kiyoto, what exactly are you implying?"

"What am I implying?" Kiyoto sneered. "I'm stating facts. Danzo-sama surpasses both Jiraiya and Tsunade in every way."

He ticked off his points, his voice growing louder with each one:

"Experience? Danzo-sama is a peer of the late Third Hokage. Compared to him, Jiraiya and Tsunade are mere juniors."

"Contributions? Danzo-sama has worked tirelessly in the shadows, while Jiraiya and Tsunade have abandoned the village for years."

"Responsibility? Danzo-sama sacrifices his own rest to ensure Konoha's safety. And Jiraiya and Tsunade? Gallivanting around like carefree tourists!"

"Strength? Danzo-sama defeated Orochimaru—a fellow Sannin—with a single move. Do you think Jiraiya and Tsunade could last three moves against him?"

"Reputation? Who in the shinobi world doesn't fear the 'Shadow of Konoha'? His name alone is a deterrent to our enemies. But Jiraiya and Tsunade? Making one Hokage would turn Konoha into a bathhouse, the other into a casino!"

Kiyoto swept his gaze across the room, his words cutting through the tension like a blade.

"And yet, you propose to overlook him? What are your intentions?"

Danzo, who had remained silent, could barely contain his glee. His poker face twitched as he fought to maintain his calm demeanor.

"Kiyoto! Mind your manners!" Danzo finally interjected, his voice sharp.

"But, Danzo-sama, these are my heartfelt words!"

"I understand." Danzo sighed heavily, standing slowly. "To live up to everyone's expectations, I will reluctantly accept the position of Hokage."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

"…"

"Wait, who expects you?!" someone muttered under their breath.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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