Three days later, Danzo quietly returned to Konoha with his Root.
In the Hokage Residence, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat at his desk, head bowed as he worked through a pile of documents. Though close to retirement, Hiruzen found himself busier than ever.
At that moment, a familiar sound of footsteps approached. Recognizing the steps, Hiruzen knew his old friend had returned. As expected, Danzo's shadow appeared in the doorway.
"Why hasn't the peace treaty with Sunagakure been signed yet?" Hiruzen's face darkened as he took the initiative. "It's been months. What exactly have you been doing in the Land of Rain all this time?"
"Hiruzen, there's been a change in circumstances." Danzo's expression remained unfazed, showing no hint of surprise. "It's not that I don't want a peace agreement with Iwagakure. Someone is meddling, disrupting our relations with them, hoping to keep us at war."
"What are you implying?" Hiruzen frowned, taking a deep draw from his pipe. "Is Hanzo obstructing our peace talks with Iwagakure?"
Instead of answering directly, Danzo posed another question.
"Hiruzen, have you heard of a new organization in the Land of Rain recently?"
"A new organization?" Hiruzen looked at Danzo with curiosity.
Hiruzen wasn't too concerned about upstart groups from a minor country like the Land of Rain. As Hokage, especially near the end of a war, he had bigger issues on his plate.
"This organization advocates for mutual understanding and dialogue over warfare, claiming that true peace can be achieved through such understanding," Danzo explained briefly, summarizing the ideals of the Akatsuki.
Hiruzen frowned. The ideology felt oddly familiar—wasn't it similar to Jiraiya's beliefs?
"Young people might be naive, but their intentions seem well-meaning," Hiruzen nodded. "If their principles are sincere, they might even bring some positive change to the Land of Rain. Is there a problem with this group?"
"That's just the surface. Outwardly, they're shiny and idealistic, but underneath, they're wolves in sheep's clothing," Danzo sneered. "Surely, as Hokage, you understand this, Hiruzen?"
Hiruzen's expression hardened. "What exactly have they done?"
"The organization, calling itself the Akatsuki, disguises itself as shinobi from various villages, marauding and pillaging across the Land of Rain, even attacking our shinobi. Their objective?" Danzo's tone grew icy. "They don't want the Five Great Shinobi Countries to make peace."
"And Hanzo? What is he doing about this? Why isn't he keeping this organization in check?" Hiruzen asked gravely.
"Hanzo was defeated," Danzo replied nonchalantly.
Hiruzen was taken aback. "Hanzo was defeated? Has the Akatsuki's strength reached that level?"
Danzo's eyes narrowed, his expression serious. "Indeed. I witnessed it with my own eyes. My Root division lost three teams—considerable casualties."
"What condition is Hanzo in now?" Hiruzen pressed.
"I'm not certain of the specifics. I know he wasn't seriously injured," Danzo mused, "though he should be able to hold out for a while longer."
Seeing Hiruzen deep in thought, Danzo continued,
"The situation in the Land of Rain is growing more complex, Hiruzen. This Akatsuki organization has ambitions that can't be ignored."
"How much intelligence do you have on them?" Hiruzen asked.
"Almost nothing," Danzo shook his head.
"Almost nothing…" Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke in frustration.
"Hiruzen," Danzo said gravely, "we can't allow such a dangerous organization to run unchecked. Though Hanzo is aging, he's still formidable. Even if we can't eliminate this group, we should at least gather intelligence on them."
"Isn't covert intelligence work precisely what Root specializes in?" Hiruzen glanced at Danzo. "Now would be the perfect time for Root to show its value."
"Hiruzen, don't you think the Uchiha Clan has been getting a bit too influential lately?" Danzo shifted the topic to the Uchiha.
Hiruzen's brows furrowed slightly. "What are you trying to say?"
"With Fugaku leading them, Shisui rising in prominence, and now even a new talent, Akira Uchiha, emerging… I've also heard that Fugaku's son, Itachi, is a remarkable genius. He went to war alongside Fugaku before even starting his academy training. Doesn't it feel like the Uchiha are thriving just a little too much?"
Danzo's tone held a veiled message. "In contrast, on our side, we only have the Yellow Flash and the Sannin—veterans, without much promising new talent."
"The emergence of talent within the Uchiha Clan is a good thing for Konoha," Hiruzen replied calmly. "Shisui is a descendant of Kagami. He's different from the others, carrying the Will of Fire."
"I've observed Itachi as well. He has a mindset that aligns closely with the village's ideals, which is also beneficial for us," Hiruzen continued.
"As for Akira…" Hiruzen tapped his fingers on the desk thoughtfully. "He's harder to read. I'm not certain about his intentions…"
Hiruzen didn't mention Fugaku specifically—both he and Danzo understood Fugaku's temperament well. He was indecisive, to say the least.
"With Minato around, no troublemaker would dare raise their head," Hiruzen said confidently.
Danzo let out a cold chuckle. "The Yellow Flash has been getting rather close to the Uchiha, hasn't he? Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha share quite a close bond. You might want to remind him to keep things in check."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Minato is fully aware of his responsibilities. I don't need to remind him. Let's focus on deciding who to send to the Land of Rain to gather intelligence on that organization."
"Who better than the Uchiha?" Danzo said, his tone calm. "The Uchiha are strong, ideally suited to collecting information in the current state of the Land of Rain."
"The Uchiha…" Hiruzen nodded slowly. "That might work."
"I propose we call Shisui back from the front lines and have him accompany Akira on this mission to gather intel on the Akatsuki," Danzo suggested.
"No," Hiruzen shook his head. "Shisui is still young. This type of mission requires experience. Shisui may be strong, but he lacks the necessary experience. I intend to bring him into my Anbu upon his return to further immerse him in the Will of Fire."
"Then Akira it is," Danzo said. "I've heard he managed to fend off the Six-Tails alone. His strength is almost on par with Hanzo's."
Sending Akira would serve Danzo's purpose in ridding the village of an unpredictable Uchiha.
"That sounds reasonable," Hiruzen nodded. "Akira has the skill to investigate the Land of Rain."
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