Danzo hadn't expected Hajime Hoshita to make such a shocking statement, and his eyelids twitched involuntarily. Deep down, an inexplicable sense of excitement stirred within him.
Did he want to become Hokage?
Of course he did!
Back then… he had only fallen short by a hair's breadth.
"If Hiruzen were to die… right now, I truly would be the most qualified to lead Konoha."
The thought sent a powerful surge through Danzo's heart.
But then, he remembered Konoha's recent revival, the newly stabilized power balance, the once-suppressed Hyuga and Uchiha clans, and the undercurrents brewing across the ninja world. In an instant, Danzo's excitement cooled.
"Now is not the time."
"And that kind of approach… is far too extreme."
"Besides, even with Wood Release, there's no guarantee it would be enough to take down Hiruzen…"
As his closest comrade and lifelong rival, Danzo understood Hiruzen Sarutobi's strength better than anyone.
Unless Hajime perfectly inherited the First Hokage's power, the odds weren't in their favor.
Looking at Hajime's fanatical expression, Danzo was inwardly very satisfied, but his face turned stern.
"Hajime, you must never speak those words again."
"Hiruzen is the Third Hokage—personally appointed by our sensei."
"His strength is beyond question."
Hajime understood instantly.
He still wasn't strong enough to take on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
He nodded immediately, his tone firm.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. I understand!"
Danzo nodded in satisfaction.
But Hajime quickly shifted gears and added, "Lord Danzo, I believe Root's current strength is far from sufficient."
"We need more elite ninja to truly fulfill Root's role—protecting Konoha and maintaining peace throughout the ninja world."
This idea aligned perfectly with Danzo's own ambitions.
He had already been considering expanding Root's ranks to seize more power.
And now was indeed a perfect opportunity.
The Anbu were overextended, forcing Root—originally just a training division—to start taking on missions as well.
In fact, another thought had begun to take root in Danzo's mind:
Restructure Root even further, so that the entire division would answer solely to him, and him alone.
That seed had been planted because of Nakamura.
If he wanted to truly control powerful assets like Hajime Hoshita, he first needed to tighten his grip on Root itself.
After dismissing the other two Root members, Danzo finally asked,
"What do you think is the best way to expand Root?"
In the past, he never would have asked such a question of a subordinate.
Hajime's fanaticism and aggressive thinking made Danzo extremely satisfied—this was exactly the kind of mindset he appreciated.
"Lord Danzo," Hajime began, "the Anbu can no longer meet the current demands of the situation, and the Third Hokage also needs you to handle tasks he himself is unsuited for. This is Root's opportunity to grow stronger."
"However, the Third holds a natural advantage—he can recruit the best talents in the village."
"Although Root was originally established to support the Anbu by training personnel, and to ensure members of all major clans—excluding the Uchiha and Hyuga—had a place in Root, it's clear those weren't the most exceptional individuals."
Hajime continued his analysis: "The Third doesn't just rely on the major clans. He also has the Ninja Academy, which allows him to identify and train geniuses among civilians."
Danzo nodded in agreement.
There wasn't a single flaw in that analysis.
Most of Root's current personnel had been recruited with the Third Hokage's approval, drawn from major clans and the Ninja Academy.
Root had originally existed to serve the Hokage's Anbu directly.
But with changes in the shinobi world and Konoha's rapid rise, the pressure on the Anbu had increased, prompting Root to evolve from a simple training division into something more operational.
Just as Hajime pointed out—Konoha's best talents went to the Hokage. Root only got the leftovers.
So under such circumstances, how could Root ever hope to rival—or even surpass—the Hokage's personal Anbu?
Almost instinctively, Danzo began comparing Root to the Hokage's Anbu, just as he always viewed Hiruzen Sarutobi as his eternal rival.
"Your analysis is excellent," Danzo praised.
Hajime reacted with exaggerated excitement, then quickly added, "Lord Danzo, we can't compete with the Third when it comes to the ninja clans. The same goes for the Academy—he would never allow Root to interfere freely."
"But the orphanage… I believe it holds great potential."
"We can select talents from there, train them from the ground up, and ensure their absolute loyalty—to you, Lord Danzo, and to Root!"
That final statement struck directly at Danzo's heart.
It made the vague ideas he'd been toying with suddenly snap into clear focus.
"Excellent."
Danzo nodded in satisfaction. "Tomorrow, at Training Ground Nine, I will personally teach you the Wood Release secret techniques."
Hajime immediately expressed his loyalty, though inwardly he couldn't help but mock the statement.
Teach me personally? Please—you talk like you actually know how to use Wood Release.
Still, it didn't matter whether Danzo could use it himself.
As long as he had access to the secret techniques, that was enough.
After parting ways with Danzo and the others, Hajime returned to his quarters within Root's base. While showering, he began to reflect on his position within Root—or rather, within Danzo's eyes.
Just as he had told Nakamura: he had to be second only to Danzo, and above all other Root operatives.
Should he rely on the power of Hashirama's cells? In other words—raw strength?
No.
Hajime didn't think that was enough. He needed to use his mind, too.
"Danzo sees everyone but himself as pieces on a board, tools—disposable at any time."
"One day, he might cast me aside too."
"So not only do I need strength that Danzo can't easily suppress, I need to make him rely on me."
"Becoming his strategist… now that's a solid role."
After finishing his shower, Hajime admired his marble-sculpted physique in the mirror before wrapping a towel around his waist and stepping out.
"The Root mark on me can no longer be removed. If I want to step into the light someday, I'll need to plan carefully."
Dressed in his sleepwear and lying down on his futon, Hajime continued thinking.
Being the leader of Root was great and all—but who didn't want to bask in the sunlight?
Danzo wanted that.
And so did Hajime Hoshita.
"Lord Danzo, you'd better work hard too," he muttered under his breath with a faint sigh.
If the superior doesn't make progress, how can his subordinate make progress?
If Danzo doesn't become Hokage, how can he rise to become the leader of Root?
Before he knew it, the time had reached midnight.
Lost in thought, Hajime Hoshita was startled awake.
The status bar had refreshed!
> Current Status: Heart and mouth in unison <
> Note: Sincerity is a deadly skill; it can kill others, but it may also kill yourself. Under this status, you cannot lie or go against your true thoughts and feelings. Anyone you direct your focus on will also trigger this status. <
> Refresh Countdown: 167:59:55 <
Hajime stared at the newly appeared status, momentarily dumbfounded.
Heart and mouth in unison?
Sincerity is a deadly skill?
What the hell?
Is this something a ninja is supposed to have?
Hajime's face immediately darkened.
Because this status could place him in an extremely dangerous situation.
What if, one day, Danzo suddenly asked him, "Am I more familiar with Hiruzen Sarutobi than with anyone else?"
That would be the end of him.
"It seems I'll have to reduce my time with Danzo over the next seven days,"
This was the only solution Hajime could think of.
Because when facing Danzo, he couldn't simply refuse to answer by staying silent.
Once he opened his mouth, it was inevitable that he would speak with sincerity.
"This status doesn't seem like something to look forward to…"
Hajime sighed.
Who knows what kind of bizarre states might appear in the future?
(End of Chapter)