"Hiruzen, you promised me..."
The look in Shimura Danzo's eyes was dark and brooding as he stared intently at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who sat leisurely in the Hokage's office chair. His old friend was trying to take someone away from him, again.
This hypocritical old bastard had previously promised not to move Akihara Kagura away from the Root division, but now, what was this attitude!
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't even need to actively ask; it seemed as if that wasn't his intention at all. Yet, implicitly, he was stating the importance of Akihara Kagura's Wood Release abilities, and naturally, the two Hokage advisors would support him.
After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen was the Hokage...
And he was just a helper who did the dirty work for the Hokage!
"Everything is for the sake of Konoha!"
Mitokado Homura glanced at Shimura Danzo. Understanding his old friend, he spoke to persuade, "For the future benefit of the village, we must temporarily sacrifice the combat power of the Root training class. What did Hiruzen promise you?"
"I promised Danzo not to move that kid away from the Root division."
Sarutobi Hiruzen loosened his grip on his pipe, sighing deeply, "Although this may hinder the kid's growth and affect the overall situation in the village, especially during times of internal and external troubles in Konoha, I also can't break my promise..."
"Hiruzen."
Mitokado Homura immediately interrupted Sarutobi Hiruzen, speaking sternly, "Have you forgotten the promise you made to the village when you became Hokage? What could be more important than the promise to protect Konoha? The kid's Wood Release can protect Konoha!"
"..."
Hypocrisy! Such hypocrisy!
Shimura Danzo stared intently at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This monkey, the old bastard, had no intention of keeping his promise!
Mitokado Homura was deceived, as was the other advisor. Both Hokage advisors were fooled by this hypocritical old monkey!
However...
The current situation was three against one.
Danzo had no way to raise any objections.
"Danzo."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, noticing the uncomfortable look on Shimura Danzo's face, spoke gently, "It seems I have no choice but to break my promise."
At this point, Sarutobi Hiruzen even democratically asked one more question, "I'm transferring that kid here, you shouldn't mind, right?"
"..."
Shimura Danzo's face darkened.
You damn fool, use your brain and think, you should know I would definitely mind...
But can I even do anything about this kind of situation?
However, thinking of Akihara Kagura's Wood Release talent, Shimura Danzo couldn't help but add, "That kid has already been trained into a killing machine... Perhaps it's best to let him stay in the Root training camp."
Shimura Danzo glanced back at the screen showing the Forest of Death exam site and said coldly, "The darkness in that kid's heart is too deep, and his actions are too extreme. If it weren't for my orders not to kill indiscriminately, that kid would turn this Chūnin Exam into a bloodbath."
"Oh?"
The two Hokage advisors looked at Shimura Danzo with some curiosity.
Mitokado Homura seemed to see something unbelievable, as if looking at a liar, "Danzo, you're stopping that kid from killing..."
You're stopping that kid from killing?
How can you say such a thing?
Is there anyone in this world more extreme than you in their actions?
Everyone here is an old friend, who doesn't know the way you train kids?
Gathering a group of kids together to train, forcing them to kill each other, training them from a young age to be tools of murder, and Danzo, who likes to do this, is stopping a kid from killing?
"Alright."
"Since Danzo says so..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen picked up his pipe again, nodded, and said, "It seems we can only arrange for this kid to enter the Anbu now, right?"
"..."
Shimura Danzo clenched his teeth.
Does this old fool even listen to what I say!
He insists on transferring to your own Anbu?
Can't you just let that kid continue to stay in the Root division?
The main point I'm making is that this kid only obeys his own commands, it's not about which department the kid should be placed in!
Monkey, this equivocator and old rascal, has already assumed a conclusion, that Akihara Kagura must be transferred away, right? "After the Chunin Exam ends, have him report to the Anbu."
Sarutobi Hiruzen pretended not to understand Shimura Danzo's intention, took the opportunity to finalize the decision, and straightforwardly issued the order.
"Wait..." Shimura Danzo quickly spoke up, wanting to raise another objection.
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Shimura Danzo and continued, "As compensation for the loss of combat power in the Root division, you can freely choose two capable people from the village."
"..."
Shimura Danzo was speechless.
Who could be compared with the kid Akihara Kagura?
Moreover, as the Hokage's advisor, if he wanted to pull manpower from those small ninja clans into the Root division, would those clans dare to refuse? Shimura Danzo gripped his cane tightly.
If this old rascal wasn't the Hokage, Danzo would have loved to lift his cane and smash it hard on Hiruzen's unwanted old face.
"If nobody opposes it, let's decide it this way!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen leisurely picked up his pipe again and continued to watch the screen: "Let's continue to see if there are other outstanding kidren in this Chunin Exam…"
"Hmm?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt Shimura Danzo staring at him.
However, when Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look, he found Shimura Danzo was also staring at the screen displaying the Chunin Exam.
It seems Shimura Danzo is still resentful for him breaking a promise, sneaking glances at him from time to time. Sarutobi Hiruzen just chuckled at this.
This old friend…
Still so timid…
Not daring to confront him directly.
In the Forest of Death exam site.
A massive wooden dragon slowly roamed in the sky.
Akihara Kagura stood on top of the wooden dragon, using the "Ninja in the Shadows" to spy on the situation inside the Hokage building, the boy had already known in advance that he would be transferred to the Anbu.
After all…
This is also Akihara Kagura's intention.
Because there is so little free time at the base, always under the surveillance of Shimura Danzo and the members of the Root, at least he can have some breathing space in the Anbu.
The most important thing is...
The Anbu is an organization with a more complete structure compared to the Root.
The only superior in the Root is Shimura Danzo, but in the Anbu, there are superiors like squad leaders, battalion leaders, and a chief leader, offering more benefits.
Moreover...
Who says that while serving in the Anbu and being loyal to the Hokage, one can't continue to be loyal to Lord Danzo? And I can continue to serve Lord Orochimaru!
"Look up there... What is that?"
With the movement of the wooden dragon, shouts echo from time to time in the Forest of Death, and every Genin candidate who looks up at the wooden dragon has a trace of fear on their face.
How come this Chunin exam is so thrilling?
Why would such a thing pop up at the very start!
"Hello there…"
A young voice came from the wooden dragon.
Akihara Kagura, controlling the wooden dragon, slowly descended. The dragon's head hovered in front of a small team, its huge head larger than three people put together.
Akihara Kagura looked at the three and slowly said, "Can you hand over what I need? Lord Danzo said not to kill randomly, and I guess you wouldn't want me to disobey Lord Danzo's order, right?"
"What do you need?"
One of the leading tall ninjas, clearly aware of the situation, took the initiative to say: "Our scroll might be the same as yours..."
"It doesn't matter."
The young man tilted his head and said softly, "In this Forest of Death, scrolls are the real currency, more useful than money. Who would complain about having too much money?"