Konoha Ninja Shop System

Sarutobi Hiruzen felt the world go dark around him upon hearing the news. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man before him. "Danzo… are you joking?"

He desperately hoped Shimura Danzo was playing some kind of twisted prank. The idea of his own failure was already hard to swallow—but seeing his old friend succeed where he had failed? That was unbearable.

But when his gaze fell upon Danzo's face, and saw that familiar smug grin stretching from ear to ear, an icy chill ran down his spine. He suddenly realized his prayers had been for nothing.

Shimura Danzo, smirking in a way that seemed tailor-made to provoke, slowly reached into his cloak and pulled out an official scroll. The seal of the Fire Daimyo glinted in the light. He handed it over to Hiruzen with a sneer.

"I don't know what you were expecting," Danzo said coldly, "but this is reality."

Hiruzen's hands trembled as he accepted the document. The moment his eyes registered the words written in ink, his vision swam. The blood rushed to his head, and he nearly coughed up blood on the spot.

This... this was real.

He now understood why Tsunade had declined the position of Hokage. He had suspected she simply didn't want the responsibility, but in hindsight, it was clear she saw what was coming—and walked away, leaving the opportunity wide open for Danzo to seize.

As Danzo stood there with that insufferable grin plastered on his face, Hiruzen could barely breathe. His chest felt tight. Every breath was shallower than the last, and his body trembled under the weight of this cruel reality.

No—why? Why did it have to turn out this way?

Being forced to abdicate was already painful enough. But the knowledge that Danzo of all people had taken his place made the wound even deeper. It was unbearable.

After what felt like an eternity, Sarutobi Hiruzen finally forced a bitter smile. "Haha… Congratulations, Danzo. Over sixty years old, and you finally made it. The position you've always dreamed of. Quite the achievement, I must say."

Danzo was clearly enjoying himself… until he heard that.

His smile faltered.

Shimura Danzo: "..."

He had been basking in the glory of his moment—but Hiruzen's words struck a nerve. Though spoken with a smile, every syllable felt like a dagger.

Because the most painful words are always the ones that are true.

Danzo's expression soured. His lips twitched, and his eyes grew cold.

"I didn't come here to waste time trading sarcasm with you," he said sharply. "I'm here to inform you—now that I am Hokage, several plans that were postponed under your leadership will now move forward. For instance... the eradication of the Uchiha."

Hiruzen's face darkened instantly. His eyes sharpened as he spoke in a deep, solemn voice.

"Danzo, some actions are too dangerous to carry out recklessly. We must think of the village's future."

"Reckless?" Danzo scoffed. "Have you seen the Uchiha lately? Walking around with those bitter faces as if the entire village owes them a fortune! I've had enough of them."

Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock. "That's why you want to destroy them? Because they look angry?! That's absurd, Danzo!"

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "Of course not. The Uchiha have grown more and more dissatisfied with the village over the years. They're plotting rebellion. It's obvious to anyone with eyes."

Hiruzen let out a weary sigh. "Yes... I admit much of this stems from my own failure to mediate properly. But your methods are too extreme, Danzo.

We should be focusing on reconciliation—finding ways to repair the fractured trust between the Uchiha and the village. If we attack them now, the consequences could be catastrophic!"

Danzo barked a laugh, cruel and mocking. "Hahaha! Hiruzen, you're still so soft. Always dreaming of peaceful solutions, even when the storm is right on your doorstep. The Uchiha are a ticking time bomb! You want to reason with them? That's naive!"

To Danzo, Hiruzen's insistence on diplomacy was foolish beyond belief. The tensions had grown beyond repair, and any attempt at compromise now would only be seen as weakness. That would embolden the Uchiha—not pacify them.

Danzo thought Hiruzen was living in a fantasy. In Danzo's eyes, decisive action was the only viable course. The longer they hesitated, the greater the risk to Konoha.

But Hiruzen wasn't about to give up.

Seeing that Danzo had no intention of backing down, he suddenly shouted, "Enough, Danzo! I am the Hokage!"

Danzo froze.

His face turned white.

Wait… what did Hiruzen just say?

But—no! That was wrong. Hiruzen wasn't Hokage anymore. He was!

Danzo reached up, touching the Hokage hat resting on his own head as if to reassure himself. "Right… I forgot. I'm the Hokage now."

Hiruzen blinked, momentarily stunned. Only then did he notice the hat. The truth hit him like a brick. The title of Hokage no longer belonged to him—it was Danzo's now.

"Ahem," Hiruzen coughed awkwardly. "Sorry, old habit. I've been Hokage for decades. Slipped out without thinking…"

Danzo: "…"

Of course it had slipped out. That line was etched into Danzo's soul. Every time they'd clashed in the past, Hiruzen would shut him down with those very words: I am the Hokage.

That sentence had haunted Danzo for years.

And now? The tables had turned.

Danzo clenched his fists. "Hiruzen… all these years, every time we argued, you'd hide behind your title. Always using 'Hokage' to silence me. Do you know how that made me feel?"

Hiruzen laughed nervously. "Well, I only ever had the village's best interests in mind—"

"Is that so?" Danzo said coldly.

"Yes, Danzo! Listen to me! We can still avoid disaster. Don't take violent action against the Uchiha—it will tear the village apart!" Hiruzen pleaded.

Danzo's expression was unreadable. "The Uchiha must be wiped out. I've already made my decision. As for you, go live out your retirement in the Sarutobi compound. Leave this matter to me."

Hiruzen's face turned pale. "No, Danzo! You don't understand what you're about to unleash! If civil war breaks out in the village, the surrounding nations will take advantage. The Fire Nation is already under pressure!"

Danzo waved him off dismissively. "If other nations dare to invade, we'll crush them. I'm not afraid of them."

"You... You fool!" Hiruzen's voice cracked. He wanted to say more, but Danzo cut him off sharply.

"That's enough, Hiruzen!" Danzo snapped. "I am the Hokage now. I didn't come here to negotiate. I came to inform you. I will annihilate the Uchiha—even Jesus himself couldn't stop me!"

Hiruzen: "..."

So that's what it feels like. That phrase. That arrogant, unshakable declaration of authority. Now he finally understood what Danzo had felt all those years ago—powerless, silenced, furious.

Hiruzen stood frozen, his mind racing, heart heavy. Meanwhile, Danzo—basking in the role he had coveted his entire life—couldn't help but feel an overwhelming rush of satisfaction.

Yes… this was the power he had dreamed of.

This was what it felt like to finally win.

pàtreøn (Gk31)