Somewhere within the borders of the Land of Rain.
Danzo sat calmly on a tatami mat, staring at the reply letter lying on the table.
Byakuya was the first pawn he had placed in the Akatsuki organization, so he anticipated the letter's contents. The information might bring quite a surprise.
After opening the letter, Danzo carefully read its contents.
In the first part of the letter, Byakuya did not follow his instructions to immediately develop the Akatsuki organization. Instead, he countered Danzo's orders, telling him not to meddle in other people's affairs.
Though Danzo was displeased, it was still within an acceptable range. Byakuya was not a ninja he had trained from a young age and now held a relatively high position in the Akatsuki. It was normal for him to be dissatisfied with Danzo's interference.
Young people always learn to restrain their sharpness and respect their elders after certain experiences.
Continuing to read, Danzo saw that Byakuya mentioned he was already working hard to develop the Akatsuki. However, due to a lack of manpower, money, and ninjutsu, the plan had been delayed. Danzo was accustomed to this kind of rhetoric. It was a way to express dissatisfaction with the amount of support provided, seeking more benefits from him.
Ninjas who rose from small villages often treated A-rank ninjutsu as treasures and were willing to risk their lives for a few million ryo. They were easy to handle.
However, support had to be given carefully—not too little to cause resentment and not too much to encourage independence. In training spies, Danzo prided himself on his considerable expertise.
Continuing to read, Danzo's expression became exceedingly complex with mixed feelings when he saw that Byakuya's suggestions at the Akatsuki meeting were unanimously rejected by the leadership, led by Yahiko.
He was pleased that his assessment of Byakuya was accurate. Byakuya was indeed the one doing the dirty work within the Akatsuki and had the ambition to climb higher.
However, due to various reasons, his proposals were dismissed by the self-righteous ninjas, preventing him from fully showcasing his abilities.
The sadness stemmed from seeing himself in a similar situation, but in a worse state. Whenever Danzo proposed something, it was always met with opposition from Hiruzen Sarutobi. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado would also side with Sarutobi, jointly rejecting his proposals.
Unlike Byakuya, Danzo was just one step away from becoming the Hokage.
During the incident involving the rear guard, if he hadn't hesitated and had suggested it before Hiruzen Sarutobi, he might have become the Third Hokage. Then, he wouldn't have to protect the light from within the darkness.
If given the choice, who would want to remain in the darkness as a root instead of becoming the Hokage in the sunlight?
Seeing Danzo lost in thought, Ryoma Aburame felt a bit puzzled. Wasn't it just a letter from Byakuya? Why did Danzo-sama look so gloomy? Had Byakuya offended Danzo-sama?
With this in mind, Aburame Ryoma cautiously asked.
"Danzo-sama, did Byakuya refuse your order?"
Danzo shook his head and glared at his pawn.
"You do not have permission to ask questions."
Hearing this, Ryoma obediently shut his mouth.
Not asking unnecessary questions was one of the rules in the Root handbook. As Danzo's right-hand man, he usually didn't need to follow this rule. But since Danzo had spoken directly, even he couldn't inquire further about this secret.
However, this made him even more curious about the letter's contents.
At that moment, Danzo reached the end of the letter, where Byakuya inquired if there were any methods for seizing power and promised to strengthen cooperation with Konoha after becoming the leader of the Akatsuki.
Reading this, Danzo fell silent again. Byakuya seeking his help was a good thing; it allowed for better control and could turn Byakuya into a complete pawn.
However, as the leader of the Root, Danzo had carried out many covert missions, assassinated officials under the Daimyo, and even plotted against the Third Raikage.
But when it came to seizing power, he had little experience. If he had the experience, he would have already dethroned Hiruzen Sarutobi. The position of Hokage should belong to him, while Hiruzen Sarutobi was more suited to be the leader of the Root, living underground.
At this moment, Danzo couldn't help but imagine himself standing atop the Hokage Residence, wearing the Hokage hat, waving to the crowd as they roared in response, respectfully calling him Hokage-sama while, Hiruzen was hiding in a corner of the crowd, showing hiding his face with embarrassment.
After the fantasy ended, Danzo looked at Ryoma beside him, pushed the letter towards him.
"Ryoma, Byakuya needs support. Do you have any good ideas?"
Ryoma quickly glanced at the contents of the letter, his face gradually turning serious. The support Byakuya needed was simple, but he neither knew nor wanted to answer Danzo.
The relationship between Byakuya and the Akatsuki leadership mirrored that between Danzo and the other Konoha higher-ups. Danzo asking him how to assist Byakuya was essentially asking how to stage a coup within Konoha.
With a straight face, Ryoma scratched his head.
"Danzo-sama, why don't we help Byakuya kill the Akatsuki leader and its top executives? Without the other leaders, Byakuya would naturally become the head of the Akatsuki."
"Killing them is indeed an option, but it's too difficult and could foster others's resentment towards Byakuya."
Danzo frowned, dissatisfied with this suggestion.
If all the other leaders died, the sole surviving leader would become the prime suspect. Although others might know the truth but would not speak out, this would inevitably weaken the organization's strength.
If an external invasion occurred, the newly acquired leader position wouldn't last long.
After his suggestion was rejected, Ryoma breathed a sigh of relief and then proposed.
"How about we stage a scenario where Byakuya rescues the Akatsuki during a crisis? This way, Byakuya would become a hero in the Akatsuki and naturally ascend to leadership."
"Not bad. This plan is much more reliable than the previous one."
Hearing this suggestion, Danzo's expression softened considerably. If Byakuya could become a hero in the organization, Danzo's own chances of becoming Hokage in the future would indeed increase significantly.
But there are no significant battles in the village right now. Even if the village were in crisis, it's highly likely that Minato or Hiruzen would be the ones to save it. He wouldn't have any chance at all. This plan still isn't very reliable.
Thinking this, Danzo looked at Aburame Ryoma before rubbing his chin.
"Do you have any other plans? I don't think these are good enough."
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BONUS CHAPTERS!
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Please get this book in ranking so I can translate more chapters in a batch.