Danzo: Hiruzen, Your Son Has the Makings of An Anbu

A dozen minutes drifted by...

Sarutobi Ryo and Yamanaka Hui finally made it to a little breakfast shop.

Orochimaru's unexpected visit had thrown off their morning plans, leaving them without time to prepare anything themselves.

Yamanaka Hui took obvious pleasure in her food, frequently sneaking glances at her young master.

The memory of the previous night, and the surprising side of her usually serious young master, brought a blush to Yamanaka Hui's cheeks.

Meanwhile, Sarutobi Ryo, sat directly across from her, lost in his own thoughts.

Hokage...

My goal is to become Hokage and fix Konoha, and even the entire Ninja World.

But considering how young Minato and I still are...

The most likely candidate for the "Fourth Hokage" position right now is Hatake Sakumo, the famous Konoha White Fang.

Hatake Sakumo's reputation is incredibly high these days, even surpassing the Sannin. Unless something completely unexpected happens, he will almost certainly be the next Hokage.

However, judging by the way the Konoha Upper Echelon thinks and plans things, and considering what Orochimaru hinted at this morning, it's very likely that Hatake Sakumo will still face the same kind of pressure and persecution that he did in the original story.

And the easiest way to bring someone down is to destroy their good name.

You can see that in Hatake Sakumo's fate in the original timeline.

Maybe the Konoha Upper Echelon never actually meant to kill Hatake Sakumo, but Hatake Sakumo ultimately chose to die to prove he was innocent, refusing to play their game.

It was truly heartbreaking...and infuriating, that such a loyal person, a strong ninja who had done so much for Konoha, should end up like that.

"Young Master... what are you thinking so hard about?"

Yamanaka Hui asked, holding a warm steamed bun in her hand.

"Nothing," Sarutobi Ryo replied with a shake of his head, swallowing the bun in a single bite.

----

After their breakfast, the two of them strolled down the Street, making their way towards the Hokage Building.

A row of buildings known as the "File Warehouse" stood somewhat apart, rarely visited.

And one of these warehouses served as the Anbu reporting location, and also as Shimura Danzo's Anbu office.

Of course, that was just for show. The real heart of Danzo's operation was the complex underground network of Konoha's Root.

Arriving at the office door, Sarutobi Ryo unexpectedly encountered his father Sarutobi Hiruzen and mother Sarutobi Biwako.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, in his prime, was a picture of strength and energy.

Looking through the thermal vision of his right eye, Sarutobi Ryo saw his father Sarutobi Hiruzen as bright as the sun, radiating light and heat.

And Shimura Danzo, standing beside him, was a force to be reckoned with.

"Father, Mother, Lord Danzo."

Sarutobi Ryo greeted them casually.

He carried himself with his mother's poise, without being overly stiff.

In terms of looks, Sarutobi Ryo had inherited his father Sarutobi Hiruzen's youthful good looks.

Anyone could tell at a glance that Sarutobi Ryo was his biological son.

But only Sarutobi Ryo himself knew that his soul... came from another world.

"Sarutobi Ryo, joining the Anbu is not like staying at home. Don't act like a pampered Young Master; you need to start from the bottom..."

Sarutobi Biwako had been in the Anbu herself.

She was one of the first Ninja in the Anbu when Senju Tobirama founded it.

So, she had a deep understanding of how the Anbu worked.

Sarutobi Ryo naturally nodded in agreement to her heartfelt advice.

"Your son's upbringing is fine, but I question his abilities..."

Danzo stared at Sarutobi Ryo, as was his habit.

Hiruzen, your son... isn't dark enough. He's not suited for the Anbu.

Sarutobi Ryo had been in this world for over a decade and had interacted with Danzo a fair amount.

Danzo wasn't as foolish as he was often portrayed to be online, and wouldn't say something like... "Hiruzen, you'll regret this."

In Sarutobi Ryo's opinion, Utatane Koharu was more likely to say a line like that.

The real Danzo was an incredibly cunning Ninja.

He didn't show his emotions on his face, only giving people a sense of gloom and ambition.

Sarutobi Ryo had never once seen Danzo smile. He had impressive control over his emotions.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to kill Shisui, trick Itachi into wiping out his clan, and orchestrate Yahiko's death... among many other schemes in the original story.

"Hmm..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly, his gaze shifting back and forth between his son Sarutobi Ryo and his old classmate Shimura Danzo.

"Even if he doesn't succeed, it will still be a valuable experience," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

Sarutobi Hiruzen studied his eldest son. He had his mother's composure but wasn't overly serious.

He usually completed tasks without standing out, never showing off his abilities. But he was ruthless, didn't talk much, and his attacks were extremely precise. You could tell from the wounds on the bodies of his enemies.

If there was a flaw, it was probably that he was too upright and a bit aloof, which made him less sociable than Namikaze Minato.

And the Hokage... had to be recognized by everyone to become Hokage.

Thinking of this, Sarutobi Hiruzen had a sudden inspiration. Almost without thinking, he asked, "Sarutobi Ryo, what kind of person... do you think... can become Hokage?"

"Replying to Father, a person who is recognized by everyone can become Hokage..."

Sarutobi Ryo answered without a moment's hesitation. Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes shifted, and a smile appeared.

This was the standard answer, a sign of understanding the Will of Fire.

But Sarutobi Ryo's next sentence made him frown.

"But sometimes, if the masses are deceived by a small group of people, then... trying to please the whims of a misled public is simply agreeing with the few who deceive them... leading everyone towards disaster... Even if they become Hokage, they will only lead everyone into the abyss, causing the Village and everyone to be doomed... This is not a true Hokage but only selfishness to obtain the title of Hokage."

After Sarutobi Ryo finished speaking, his mother Biwako also began to frown.

The atmosphere in the room became strangely tense.

The two of them couldn't understand what their eldest son meant.

Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Sarutobi Biwako exchanged glances, trying to figure out what their eldest son was thinking, Danzo spoke.

"Hiruzen, I take back what I said earlier... Your son... might become the most outstanding Anbu Ninja in history..."

Danzo's sudden change of opinion surprised Sarutobi Hiruzen slightly.

Immediately, Sarutobi Hiruzen beamed with joy. "Danzo, since you say so, then I'm relieved... Sarutobi Ryo."

Sarutobi Ryo: "Yes."

Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Danzo is your senior and has accomplished much in the Anbu..."

In short, work hard with Danzo.

"..."

Finally, Sarutobi Ryo watched his father and mother leave before walking into the dim Anbu office with Danzo...