Chapter 72: Innocence
The rain relentlessly pounded on the windows, its monotonous rhythm increasing the feeling of confinement. An exasperated sigh broke the silence.
"Agh!" Nawaki ruffled his hair in frustration. "Will it ever stop? Three days and it's still falling as if the sky were falling to pieces."
A mocking chuckle escaped Chen's lips. Comfortably seated between Mikoto and Kushina, he seemed to be enjoying the others' discomfort. "Welcome to Amegakure, where the sun is a myth."
The scene caused several teeth to grind. Nawaki's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I don't know why, but seeing you like that makes me want to hit you so badly."
"I completely understand you!" Minato's voice joined in, his usual serenity evaporating.
A cracking of knuckles was heard before Hizashi added, "If there's a fight, count me in."
"The jackpot of all evils,"
Choza's growl was accompanied by the rumbling of his stomach.
In a corner, a reckless murmur rose, "Women are a real problem. I don't understand why you're so envious of them."
Chen looked at Shikaku with admiration, but he knew what was coming.
WHACK!
A red blur moved at dizzying speed. Shikaku's body flew across the room, landing in another room.
"Anyone else want to belittle women?!" Kushina's eyes sparkled as she scanned the room. "Huh? Any brave souls?"
A deathly silence fell over the group. Memories of Kushina in school, and her recent lethal demonstration, weighed heavily in the atmosphere.
"Cowards."
The snort of contempt was followed by the sound of footsteps returning to Chen. Hands rested on shoulders, a silent declaration of possession.
Looks of admiration were directed at Chen, his apparent control over the redheaded whirlwind earning reluctant respect.
But his expression remained serene, though internally, a smile of satisfaction was forming. The group dynamics were changing, and he found himself at the epicenter.
______
The atmosphere in Konoha contrasted drastically with the incessant rain of Amegakure.
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen's roar resonated through the hallways:
"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?! HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE KYUBI JINCHŪRIKI HAS LEFT THE VILLAGE WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING? WHO AUTHORIZED THIS?!"
His face was contorted with fury. The ANBU present cringed at every word, aware of the gravity of the situation.
One of them tried to explain: "Hokage-sama, we were... we were incapacitated. We couldn't..."
"Silence!" Hiruzen cut him off. He turned to Asama, the gate guard. "You. Explain yourself."
Asama swallowed hard. "An ANBU ordered me... ordered me to let Uzumaki Tomo out. I thought..."
"Out! Everyone out!" Hiruzen's voice dropped to a dangerous growl. 'Danzō... you've gone too far this time.'
As the ANBU hastily retreated, Hiruzen sank into his chair. Only Danzō could have orchestrated something like this without his knowledge. After a few moments of reflection, he called the ANBU vice-captain.
"Find Tomo. At any cost."
With Sakumo at the border, it was the best option available.
The Root base, hidden in the depths of Konoha, was a maze of dark corridors and secret rooms. Here, far from the sunlight, Danzō wove his intrigues.
Hiruzen burst into the main office, his chakra emanating a barely contained threat.
Danzō, seated behind an austere desk, didn't even look up. "Hiruzen, what are you doing here? The situation at the border is worsening and you're wasting time. Is this how a Hokage acts?"
"Enough games, Danzō!" Hiruzen roared. "Where is the Jinchūriki?"
"Jinchūriki?" Danzō arched an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb! You know very well that Tomo has left the village."
Danzō stood up abruptly, his single visible eye burning with indignation. "WHAT?! You've allowed the Kyubi Jinchūriki to leave? This is unheard of. I'll convene the council. Clearly, you're not fit to be Hokage."
Hiruzen felt his blood boiling. He had come seeking answers and instead found himself being accused. "Danzō," his voice dropped to a dangerous whisper, "don't force me to dissolve Root."
Hearing this threat, Danzō exploded: "Don't forget, Hiruzen! Without my help in secretly handling the previous council members, you wouldn't be so comfortable in your position as Hokage. And now you want to cross the river and destroy the bridge?"
Hiruzen was left speechless for a moment, the weight of truth in Danzō's words undeniable. But he quickly recovered.
"I can tolerate many things, Danzō," he said quietly, "But you don't play with the Kyubi. It's too dangerous."
Taking advantage of his edge, Danzō pressed: "Recover the Jinchūriki quickly, or I won't hesitate to join the elders in removing you."
The threat hung in the air. Hiruzen, frustrated and furious, left the office without having achieved anything.
As soon as the door closed behind Hiruzen, Danzō sank into his chair.
After a long moment of reflection, he spoke, "Eagle, go and bring me the Kyubi Jinchūriki as soon as possible. Those two useless ones still haven't returned. Something must have happened. I'm counting on you for this."
From the shadows emerged a ninja with a blood-red eagle mask. "Yes, Danzo-sama," he responded before disappearing as silently as he had appeared.
Alone in his office, a smile of satisfaction crossed his face. "Once I have control over the Kyubi Jinchūriki, the position of Hokage will be in my pocket. Then, the entire world will bow before Konoha. Hiruzen, watch! I'll prove to you that I'm better than you."
His eyes gleamed with unbridled ambition. He had coveted the position of Hokage for so long, convinced that he was the best option.
In his mind, Hiruzen was too soft. If he had been Hokage from the beginning, Konoha would be a hundred times stronger, maybe even having unified the shinobi world under its banner.
If Chen knew this, he would have found it hilariously obvious that his plans were doomed to fail. If Danzō became Hokage, Konoha would cease to exist.
Although Konoha was the strongest shinobi village, without Hashirama and Madara it was no longer invincible. If the other great ninja villages really united, destroying Konoha would be possible. And knowing Danzō's radical character, that's exactly what he would provoke: an alliance of all other villages against Konoha.
________
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