Naruto - Leader of Kusagakure

"You're here," Hiruzen said, his voice sounding a bit more strained as he heard footsteps approaching.

"I'm here," Danzo replied, his gaze fixed on Hiruzen, who was lounging in the hospital bed.

When Danzo entered the medical department, he found Hiruzen comfortably settled on the Hokage's private hospital bed, casually reading a newspaper. In reality, Hiruzen wasn't in any grave condition.

However, the moment Hiruzen heard that Danzo had been inspecting fire safety measures, a rush of anxiety had surged through him. The memory of the Uchiha clan rebellion—its devastation and the tremendous loss it caused Konoha—still weighed heavily on his mind. The thought of any potential disaster resurfaced those painful memories, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.

In response, he'd opted to rest in his special hospital bed, just in case. If something did happen to him, the medical ninja would be close by, ready to attend to him immediately.

Hiruzen let out a deep sigh, his eyes fixed on Danzo as the latter settled into a seat nearby. After a brief moment of silence, he spoke, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and weariness. "Can we just stop all this? Can't we just live in peace, Danzo?"

Danzo, however, stared at Hiruzen for a long while, a surge of emotion welling up inside him. Shaking his head in disappointment, he finally spoke, his tone tinged with bitterness. "You still don't understand me, Hiruzen."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, irritation creeping into his voice. "What more do you want me to understand? I've already let go of the issue with those billions. I've moved past it."

Danzo's expression grew more intense, and he leaned forward, frustration spilling out. "All you see is money! Do you really think that's what I care about? No, It's not about the money, Hiruzen!" He raised his voice, almost as if defending himself against an accusation, his words laced with the feeling of being misunderstood.

"Then tell me, what do you want, Danzo?" Hiruzen snapped, his frustration bubbling over. "The Uchiha incident wasn't that long ago!"

Danzo's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with irritation. "I've already apologized for that! What more do you want from me? I didn't foresee things turning out like they did, and yet you put all the blame on me. Don't you have any responsibility in this?" His voice rose as the old wounds reopened, his anger simmering at the distrust he sensed in Hiruzen's eyes.

The tension between them quickly escalated into yet another heated argument. The Anbu guards stationed nearby, though accustomed to witnessing these kinds of exchanges, couldn't help but feel that today's argument was different. There was an unfamiliar edge to it, a weight in the air that wasn't usually there.

They exchanged uneasy glances, wondering what had shifted. Was it the influence of the Shinobi Times, causing them to view the Hokage-sama and Danzo-sama in an entirely new light? N-No, they quickly dismissed the thought. The idea of Hokage-sama and Danzo-sama being involved in such rumors was preposterous. It couldn't be. Yet, deep down, something about this confrontation felt… off.

Hiruzen fell silent at Danzo's words, the weight of them settling heavily between them. He knew Danzo well enough to understand that his old friend was unyielding when it came to his goals. If Hiruzen didn't find a way to ease the tension, this argument would stretch on endlessly.

Sighing deeply, Hiruzen softened his tone. "Yes, I've made my mistakes too. But…" He took a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Konoha can't afford any more conflict, Danzo. Let's give the village some peace, for everyone's sake."

Danzo's expression remained hard, his pride still wounded. "I'm not causing chaos, Hiruzen. But this time, I'm sorry… I have to go all out against Grass Village."

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "What now? Didn't those billions already set you up? Wasn't that enough?"

Danzo shook his head, frustration evident in his voice. "It's not enough!"

Hiruzen's brow furrowed. "How much more do you need?"

Danzo paused, a rare seriousness in his eyes, before replying firmly, "Fifteen billion."

Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock, his face reflecting his disbelief. "Fifteen billion… just to set up a factory? What do you need that kind of money for? What are you planning, Danzo?"

Danzo hesitated, his gaze flickering around the room as he weighed the situation. He knew he had to explain himself if he ever hoped to secure the funds. Leaning in closer, he whispered something into Hiruzen's ear.

As Danzo spoke, Hiruzen's brow furrowed deeper, the weight of the words sinking in. Once Danzo finished and leaned back, Hiruzen's voice was tinged with skepticism. "Is that really true?"

Danzo's eyes glinted with a calculating sharpness. "It's still uncertain. But I've made a deal—if it turns out to be false, I won't pay a single ryo. This is an opportunity, Hiruzen. If I can make it work, I'll finally have the chance to break into Grass Village's market."

Hiruzen let out a deep sigh, his expression full of concern. "It's still too risky, Danzo. You shouldn't go through with this."

Danzo's eyes narrowed, a flash of frustration crossing his face. "Do you think I'm doing this for my own gain, Hiruzen? It's for Konoha."

Hiruzen's gaze softened slightly, but his voice remained firm. "I know, I know. You're always thinking of Konoha. But that doesn't make this any less dangerous. The village needs stability now more than ever. If you fail, it won't just be a personal loss—it'll be another disaster for Konoha."

"Failure! That's all you ever talk about!" Danzo's voice rose, his anger growing. "When I set up the Root Daily, you thought I'd fail, too, but I proved you wrong! Can't you trust me just a little bit more?"

"Failure! You always bring up failure!" Danzo's voice rose, frustration breaking through. "When I established the Root Daily, you doubted me too, but look where we are now! Can't you just trust me for once?"

Hiruzen's patience wore thin, and his voice rose in turn. "Danzo!"

Danzo shot back sharply, his own voice matching Hiruzen's in anger. "Hiruzen!"

With a deep breath, Hiruzen reminded him, his voice cutting through the tension. "I'm the Hokage, Danzo."

The words hit their mark, and Danzo's eyes flashed with fury. "You'll regret this, Hiruzen," he spat, rising to his feet as he stood up to leave.

Hiruzen's heart raced as he saw Danzo's back turned, ready to leave. Panicking, he called out, "Wait! Wait! Let's not end this like this, Danzo. No more arguing, please."

Danzo, his back still to Hiruzen, shot back with a cold tone, "No. There's nothing left to discuss."

Hiruzen, desperate, quickly added, "The Sarutobi clan will contribute five hundred million."

At those words, Danzo paused, his posture stiffening as he slowly turned around to face the Hokage. He lowered himself back into his seat with a sharp snort. "You said it," he muttered, though there was no warmth in his voice.

He studied Hiruzen closely, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. "But didn't you say the Sarutobi clan was robbed? How do you expect me to believe you can come up with that much money?"

Hiruzen cleared his throat, a slight flush creeping up his face as he awkwardly avoided Danzo's gaze. "Ahem, well, I have a bit of personal savings," he explained, knowing full well how that sounded.

He could practically see the skepticism in Danzo's eyes, and he understood why. Despite claiming to be low on funds, here he was, producing five hundred million almost out of nowhere. It certainly didn't look good.

He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he met Danzo's gaze. "With Biwako's savings added in, it should total five hundred million," Hiruzen added, his voice carrying a note of reluctant truth.

Danzo's eyes softened for a moment, a warmth flickering in them as he gazed at Hiruzen. For a brief second, it seemed like he might say something more, something heartfelt.

"Hiruzen…" he began, his voice tinged with an emotion Hiruzen couldn't quite place. But before he could finish, Hiruzen, ever the pragmatist, waved him off with a dismissive gesture.

"No need for more words. We are friends, after all," Hiruzen said with a knowing smile. "I know you care about Konoha."

Danzo froze, his expression hardening for a moment before he shook his head in exasperation. "No! That's not what I meant. I just wanted to ask if you could give a bit more."

Hiruzen blinked, caught off guard. He narrowed his eyes, already sensing what was coming. "This is all I have! Take it or leave it!"

Danzo's expression shifted, but his resolve remained firm. "I'll take it, I'll take it!" he said quickly, eager to secure the funds. After all, he wasn't one to turn down an opportunity, especially when it came wrapped in the form of a few hundred million.

"You can have it, but you must agree to one condition," Hiruzen said, nodding thoughtfully as he added the stipulation.

Danzo paused, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. He had expected Hiruzen to insist he pull back or abandon his plans entirely. Shaking his head, he spoke firmly, "I can't pass up this opportunity, Hiruzen. You know that."

"I know," Hiruzen sighed wistfully. He reached for his pipe, but as he brought it to his lips, he hesitated and set it down slowly. "Just stop the fire safety inspections. Don't interrupt me, just listen for a moment."

Danzo opened his mouth to protest, but Hiruzen cut him off, his voice calm but firm. "In a few days, I'll gather all the clan leaders. You'll concede a portion, and we'll sit down to discuss everything openly. If we lay it all out, they won't let their imaginations run wild. The Uchiha incident still has too much of an impact."

Danzo fell silent, his mind racing as he considered Hiruzen's words. After a long pause, he reluctantly agreed, "...Only twenty percent. I must retain fifty percent!"

Hiruzen let out a bitter smile, shaking his head with resignation. "Twenty percent is fine," he said softly. He knew it was the best solution—there was no convincing Danzo to back down fully. But if things went awry, Hiruzen feared it would all spiral out of control. Konoha couldn't afford to lose himself, now now atleast.

On the other side, Akihiko remained unaware of Danzo's plans to issue stocks. But even if he did know, there was little he could do about it. After all, buying shares from Danzo was out of the question.

As for the Grass Village, life continued at its usual pace. And Before long, the time for the new school term arrived.