Chapter Text
Itachi stood at the edge of a high cliff. It had rained the previous night and, as the light breeze ruffled through his hair, it carried the forest's clean scent together with more of the river's greasy algae smell.
The teen's gaze moved from the horizon to the shimmering river down below, and he stared for a while, imagining the sheer drop stretching into infinity, into an unknown. The ground beneath his feet felt both solid and precarious, reminding him of the thin line that separated him from the vast expanse just over the cliff's edge and became the ledge that demanded to make a decision between jumping into that unknown or standing still, frozen in place—between confronting one's fears, one's doubts, and letting them control one's life.
Slowly, Itachi closed his eyes. The world gradually fell away as he lifted his arms and took a deep breath.
"Yo, Itachi!"
A kunai was out of his weapon pouch and en route for the speaker before the identity of the latter could even register in his brain. Body tense and senses on high alert, he spun around, ready for confrontation, but the moment the person came into view, Itachi's mind ground to a halt.
Rei Uzumaki. The Golden Ghost.
The man held the kunai between his fingers, after catching it in mid-flight with ease. "What's up with you and Shisui flinging a kunai at my face the moment I greet you?" he asked as he flipped the blade around into his grip and then flashed a wide grin. "Do I look that bad?"
Itachi's brow furrowed. This person snuck up on him. It had been years since anyone managed to sneak up on him. He would be lying if he said it didn't bother him. It did. A lot.
Rei observed him in return. Despite the bright smile lingering on his face, those blue eyes were sharp and cut deep just like the kunai, which the man was now twirling carelessly between his fingers, would.
Shisui trusted this person, but Itachi didn't. There was no reason for Rei Uzumaki to come looking for him. Apprehension filling him, he asked, "Why are you here?" He couldn't quite stop the irritation from seeping into his voice and made an effort to push it down.
Regardless, the blond must have noticed it, because his motion with the kunai halted and his response, "I was searching for Shisui?" rose slightly at the end of that sentence, making it sound more like a question. His expression softened, smile smoothing out into something milder, more temperate. "Do you know where he is?"
"Mission," was Itachi's curt reply.
"Ah, I see." Rei hummed under his breath, obviously thinking something as he once again started spinning the kunai around his fingers.
It was pretty distracting. Itachi didn't notice when his attention flitted from the man's face down to watching his skilled finger movement.
"Hey, Itachi, you've ever been to the beach?"
Itachi blinked, caught off guard, his gaze snapping back up. He expected the Golden Ghost to leave the moment he got his answer, not to start a random small talk. "I've seen one," he replied, because it would be rude not to, but then his eyes narrowed, suspicion growing. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, really?" Rei perked up, the kunai in his hand coming to a stop again. "What kind of stuff did you do there?"
"I killed two enemies before leaving to pursue a third."
Rei stared for one long moment before his mouth shifted into a sympathetic smile. "I meant fun stuff like, um, swimming? Or building sandcastles?"
"Why would I do that?" Itachi's eyebrows drew together. He saw no merit in such childish actions. They were nothing but a waste of time. "I'm not a child."
Rei shook his head before fixing the boy with that specific look that the latter had seen Shisui using sometimes. He couldn't quite understand it.
"Have you ever done anything fun?"
"Training can be fun."
"Well, not arguing with that one, but training shouldn't be all you do for fun."
"Training is important," Itachi said, deadpan. "I have no time to waste."
Rei rolled his eyes. "That's boring, kid."
Against all odds, Itachi felt himself bristle at the blond's casual use of 'kid'. He may have been younger than the man, but he didn't appreciate being spoken down to. Especially in such an exasperated tone. "Boring or not, it serves a purpose," he stated, sounding defensive even to his own ears, but his hackles were up now. "I don't see the need to indulge in frivolous activities when there's so much at stake."
Rei tapped his chin with the tip of the kunai, staring at the boy. "You know, Itachi," he finally spoke, "it's okay to have some fun once in a while. Fun has its meaning. Life can't be all about missions and battles. There's more to living than just survival."
Itachi vainly tried to smother yet another flicker of annoyance at those words. He had always prided himself on his discipline and dedication to his missions as a ninja of Konoha. The idea of diverting his focus to trivial amusements felt foreign and unnecessary. "Fun won't make me stronger," he retorted, the conviction in his voice unwavering. "I need to be strong to fulfill my duty of protecting people and defending my village."
Rei flipped the kunai between his fingers, his easy-going demeanor contrasting sharply with Itachi's seriousness. "Of course, strength is important. But don't forget that happiness and connections with others are equally vital. We fight to protect the people we love and cherish, but if we don't take the time to enjoy life with them, what's the point of it all?" He tilted his head when no response came from the boy. "Are you happy being a ninja in the way you are now?"
Irritation returned with full force. The life of a ninja was far too dangerous for anyone to prioritize being happy or having fun. Itachi considered himself a good ninja and he didn't have time for frivolity; the fate of his clan and village depended on him to remain dedicated.
The blond breezed straight past the growing tension between them with another question, "Are you content with yourself?"
Instantly, a protest formed on the tip of Itachi's tongue, only to quiet into silence as Rei's question broke through the veil of his growing anger. He took a moment to mull over it. He had always been focused on his duty, but lately, he couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness gnawing at him.
The sudden realization made Itachi deflate, his swelling fury dispersing into numbness. He had never considered such a perspective before. His father's wishes, his mother's hopes, his clan's demands, and his Hokage's expectations weighed down his shoulders, and his own contentment got somewhere lost in between those multiple heavy burdens.
He had to admit that he was hardly content with himself for a very long time now.
Looking back at the river down below, he was grateful that Rei didn't push him to answer. "Why do people kill each other?" he murmured after a beat of silence.
"Because it's easy."
The answer startled Itachi enough to snap his head toward the blond with wide-eyed incredulity. He didn't know why, but he expected something different from this person. In the end, the Golden Ghost was also a killer. Like Itachi. Like any other ninja out there.
"But that's exactly why," Rei started as he squatted down and jammed a tip of the kunai along the edge of the rock that was partially buried in the ground, "we need to treasure life." He flicked the kunai up and the rock rolled down the cliff, revealing a small plant sprout underneath it. "Because it's fragile and easy to snuff out and would never thrive without help."
Itachi stared at the sprout. It was yellow in color, tiny, weak, and would have definitely died if no one had moved the rock that pressed on it. "Do you think life has a meaning?" he whispered.
Standing up, Rei answered, "Of course, it does," with no hesitation whatsoever.
Itachi frowned at the confidence the words were delivered. "But if life is so fragile that it can be easily lost, where is the meaning to it?" he asked. "Wouldn't it mean that only eternal life would have a meaning?"
"You sound like Orochimaru," Rei chuckled, seemingly amused by that fact. "Eternal life has its meaning, sure, but it's different. Mortal life has a meaning precisely because it's so fleeting. Impermanence gives it value and purpose, limited time makes each moment precious, especially with your loved ones."
Itachi listened intently, drawn in by the soft voice and meaningful words. He had always been contemplative, but this conversation was unlocking new perspectives he had never considered.
Rei let the boy ponder on what was said for a moment, before inquiring curiously, "What do you want to do yourself, Itachi?"
Itachi gawked, uncomprehending.
"You know what your parents want for you, what your clan and your village want," Rei said, expression kind and tone gentle, but not any less assertive. "But what do you want?"
The young Uchiha opened his mouth to respond, but all he could manage was a quiet, "I…" before his throat tightened to the point where he couldn't speak anymore. Rei's question hit hard. Everyone always wanted something from him, someone else always chose for him. No one had ever stopped to ask what he wanted. Not even his parents.
"Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher?"
Itachi felt so lost, he didn't even try to hide it anymore. It was clear that this conversation wasn't going the way he had expected it to, but Rei seemed determined to confuse him even more.
Such a bewildered look elicited a fond smile from the man. "I think you'd make a wonderful teacher," he stated without an inkling of doubt. "Nurturing young lives is harder than killing enemies, but you're calm, patient, and kind. Those are qualities perfect for someone working with children."
"I—" For once, Itachi's mind was completely blank and utterly unhelpful. "But my clan…"
"There aren't many kids in Uzushio, but eventually more will come, and I'll need teachers to teach them. If your clan becomes a problem, you can take a mission to help the allied village and come for a visit. Pretty sure I can persuade the Old Man into letting you do it," Rei said with a dismissive hand wave. "Our beaches are amazing! You could try going for a swim or build a sandcastle in your free time." Mischief glinted in his blue eyes. "And who knows, maybe you'll enjoy your life there and decide to stay. You'll always be welcomed in Uzushio."
Rei offered the kunai Itachi had thrown at him earlier back to him. The boy took it without thinking, staring at it as if the first time he had seen a kunai.
"My suggestion is just something for you to think about, but remember, Itachi, the only thing you need to listen about what you need or want is," Rei poked the kid's chest, "right there."
Itachi glanced at the place where he got poked. "…My heart?"
"That's right, because this," Rei flicked the boy's forehead then, "is not always as helpful as you think."
Itachi rubbed his forehead, frowning, but after a moment gave a tentative nod. He realized that he genuinely appreciated this entire conversation. The Golden Ghost was strange, but that was exactly why he could offer a completely different perspective on things. He also seemed genuinely kind and approachable. Itachi started to see why Shisui liked and trusted this person so much.
"I'll be going now." Rei gave a little farewell wave. "See you around, kid." Not waiting for a reply, he disappeared.
Itachi didn't even get annoyed by being called a kid again. It wasn't a sign that the blond looked down on him, he knew now. He called the Hokage an old man after all. Rei Uzumaki was just that kind of person.
Looking down the cliff again, Itachi gathered his thoughts. He never considered becoming anything else but a ninja. No one ever suggested him to become anything else but that. No one allowed him to even think about becoming something else.
A teacher, huh.
Rei felt the tug from his Hiraishin kunai right when their little party was about to set out after another night camping. A special call, the one that he had been waiting for from the moment he gave that kunai to Jiraiya.
Unable to contain his excitement, he promptly straightened up from where he was cleaning up the campfire, chakra building up for a shadow clone, before vanishing just as the latter poofed into existence.
It had been years, but Mount Myoboku looked exactly like Rei remembered it: mountains surrounding a valley with a forest of giant plants and towering dwellings of toads with water cascading down from their tops.
And also natural energy.
It was fresh and vibrant, the entire environment saturated with it. So dense and potent that it overwhelmed even Rei's senses. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the natural energy of this place fill his lungs and his being to the brim. It carried a slightly different impression, left a different footprint on his acute senses. More dominant, more ancient, more resonating with the being inside him.
No wonder these toads evolved into strong warriors and sages. Living in this unique environment and being in constant contact with such strong nourishing energy inevitably affected their bodies in a way that was impossible outside of this place.
Bright blue eyes snapped open, gleaming with eagerness. According to the feeling of natural energy, his theory about Mount Myoboku was correct. It was situated in a small pocket dimension, attached directly to the main one. While it had a small passage, connecting it with the world outside, fundamentally it exited outside its boundaries, isolated for centuries. That was why it retained the environment of ancient times.
Rei wanted nothing else but to explore this place more thoroughly right now, because, surely, here lay answers to the riddle that was his current project.
But first—
The blond finally offered his attention to a lineup in front of him: Jiraiya, Fukasaku, and Shima with Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken towering behind them. All tense and ready to retaliate in kind at the slightest sign of danger from the guest they had just invited.
—he had to deal with this.
Lining up all the strongest fighters to meet him, huh. The toads didn't even attempt to hide their suspicion of him. Quite understandable. Rei would never hold it against them—he knew them, but they didn't know him. They didn't know that he would never harm any of the toads or their home.
Flashing a wide, friendly grin to appear as unthreatening as possible, Rei waved his hand in greeting with a cheerful, "Hello!"
"Welcome, Rei Uzumaki," Fukasaku spoke first politely. "Jiraiya-chan mentioned that you wished to visit Mount Myoboku?"
"Ah, it's nothing complicated," Rei replied, his gaze unconsciously wandering away again to take in all the lush plants around him. "I simply want to take a look around your place."
The toads blinked at him, then shared a bewildered look. Even Jiraiya raised an eyebrow in question.
"Are you serious?" Gamabunta rumbled, narrowing his eyes at the blond man. "Just to look around?"
Rei's flittering focus snapped back to the group. "Yeah! Just to look around." He paused before grinning up at the giant toad. "Actually, I didn't come empty-handed, I brought you a gift!" He snatched a scroll that suddenly appeared mid-air with a poof and tossed it forward.
The moment the scroll unrolled mid-air, a huge chakra cloud filled the area. It didn't take long for it to disperse, revealing three giant tokkuri*.
Rei patted the closest one and said, "This is sake I got in Peach Country." A knowing smirk appeared on his face at the sight of Gamabunta's eyes widening. This was exactly why he went through all the trouble to get this specific sake for this visit. "I've heard it's considered the best sake in the world."
Gamabunta's eyes zeroed on the label glued on the side of the tokkuri. "Is that their peach special?"
"Indeed!" Rei exclaimed cheerfully. "It was hard to get this one. I hope you'll enjoy it."
Gamabunta's body relaxed and his joyful laugh shook the air. "Oh, I definitely will!"
"Bunta-chan!" Shima suddenly yelled, tapping her foot impatiently as she glared at the giant toad.
"What?" he asked in return. "It's a great gift! Do you know how hard it is to buy peach special from those brewers in Peach Country?" When the only reaction to his question was a disapproving glower from the old sages, he turned to his comrade. "Right, Gamaken?"
The magenta-coloured toad jolted from his intense staring at the tokkuri. "Yeah, indeed," he agreed. "I remember that time when we tried to make a deal with—"
"Ken-chan!"
"Ah." Gamaken shifted awkwardly under Shima's glower. "My apologies. It was very clumsy of me."
Fukasaku shook his head with a sigh. "Rei Uzumaki," he called out to the man who simply watched the scene with a soft smile. "The Great Toad Sage wishes to see you."
Of course. There was no way the old geezer would simply overlook the existence of someone so abnormal. Rei wanted to avoid meeting the Great Sage, but if he wanted to gain the trust of the toads, he had to. "I expected that," Rei muttered, obviously reluctant. He could only hope now that this meeting wouldn't end up disastrous. Prophecies seeing toad could easily destroy his disguise. "Alright. Lead the way, please."
Fukasaku nodded, waved for Jiraiya to follow, whispered something to Shima, and only then said, "Follow me," as he turned and walked away.
Rei sidelined Jiraiya as they followed Fukasaku through the giant plant forest and into the building. "Why do you look so down?" he asked, eyeing his past mentor with concern. Jiraiya was yet to speak even a single word.
"Urgh…" the other man groaned, tiredly rubbing his forehead. "The toads summoned me early for preparations to meet with you and," he dropped the volume of his voice, "I had to eat breakfast with them."
"Was it worms and bugs?"
Jiraiya's face paled, and he slapped his hand across his mouth.
Rei burst out into laughter. "Sorry, sorry," he mumbled after a moment, half to Jiraiya and half to Fukasaku who shushed him for disturbing the peace in the hallway.
Soon they entered the great hall where the Great Toad Sage usually spent his old days. Jiraiya stayed behind, fixing a heated glare at the back of Rei's head while the latter continued deeper into the hall after the toad sage.
"I have brought Rei Uzumaki as you requested, Great Honorable Geezer," Fukasaku announced when the two of them stopped in front of Gamamaru.
"Hello!" Rei greeted the elder with exuberant energy. This reminded him of the old days. "Nice to meet you, Giant Gramps Sage!"
"G-Giant Gramps—" Fukasaku stammered out, gawking at the blond man, completely flabbergasted. "What did you call him?"
Rei used the old nickname for the Great Toad Sage on a whim. Fukasaku's reaction only made him grin. He looked up and froze the moment his eyes met the Great Sage's eyes. They looked sharp and felt on his being even sharper. It had been ages since the last time Rei felt unsettled, despite how faint this feeling was right now. This ancient toad never before made him nervous, but those eyes obviously saw more than any other. How intriguing.
"You do not belong here."
Those words sounded especially loud in a silent hall.
While the others frowned in confusion, a bitter chuckle escaped Rei. "Harsh," he said, his previous bright grin replaced by a sad curve of his lips. "But you're right."
Gamamaru stared at him. "Why are you here then?"
Rei stuffed his hands into his pockets and hummed, rocking on his heels. "My place was a desolate graveyard with thousands of dead and no one left to erect tombstones for them." His tone was surprisingly light for speaking words that were weighted down by the unimaginable tragedy. "And so I came to a crossroad where I had only two choices: go right where nothing was left, or go left where nothing was right."
The blond paused as the slew of memories surged forth. His chest tightened. Still, it was nothing compared to the past, when he lost his mind multiple times after getting overwhelmed by memories and grief, enhanced by the insane being inside him… It had been so long though, and with Kurama's final gift, he made peace with what happened many years ago.
Rei's lips twitched into a bitter smile. "Power becomes meaningless once you have nothing left, but it can help to fix things that aren't right. That's why I'm here now."
The Great Sage's gaze was piercing as he stared at the man for another excruciating long moment. "I see," he muttered finally, shoulders relaxing and eyes fluttering close. "Hmmmm…" Then they opened again into small slits, wandering around the hall for a few moments before settling back on Rei. Another few seconds passed in silence. "…Who are you again?"
Fukasaku facepalmed, grumbling something under his breath, but the blond himself only grinned. "Rei Uzumaki!" he reminded joyfully.
"Oh, that's right, that's right. Rei Uzumaki, the boy who shouldn't be here. Your name fits you," Gamamaru rumbled. "You're very far from your home, Rei."
Rei ignored a pang in his heart. "Yes."
"Let this place at this time be your home then."
Those words were so special and cut so deep, Rei would have lied if he said his throat didn't close up around myriads of emotions. Acceptance did miracles on the lonely and out-of-place soul. The soft, "Thank you," was filled with nothing but sheer gratitude.
However, the true meaning was lost on the other two in the hall. With a frown plastered across his brow, Fukasaku asked, "Are you sure, Great Honorable Geezer?"
"It's okay, it's okay," Gamamaru dismissed his worries without a thought. "Rei will never bring harm to our lands."
"Does that mean I have permission to look around Mount Myoboku?" Rei wondered.
"You can stay here as you like."
"That's great!" Rei's bright grin was back with its full power. "Thanks, Giant Gramps Sage!"
Fukasaku heaved another sigh. "Jiraiya-chan, lead our guest out," he said. "I want to speak with the Great Honorable Geezer."
Rei didn't linger. He waved his goodbye to the Great Toad Sage and strolled out, happy getting his permission to explore this place. Whatever Fukasaku wanted to talk about was not his business.
Jiraiya eyed him with a curious, inquisitive gaze from where he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of his chest. "You're surrounded by more and more mysteries, it seems," he said, joining the blond on his way out of the great hall. "I don't even know where to start peeling them off."
Rei rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the warmth that swamped his chest at the casual banter with his old mentor. "Some things are better left where they belong—in the past," he retorted before increasing his pace after spotting the sunlight spilling through the entrance further down the hallway. "Let's focus on fun things." He exited the building with an excited shout, "Exploration!"
Jiraiya followed him out with a chuckle.
"You lads must be hungry. The dinner is ready!"
Rei froze. Jiraiya flinched. Wide-eyed, their heads snapped to the side, only to be met with a sight of smiling Shima, eager for them to taste her food.
Jiraiya's face lost all its blood.
With the unforgettable menu of Shima's dinner passing through his mind, Rei somehow managed to crack a nervous smile. He ate enough of that to last dozens of lifetimes, thank you very much. "I have no doubt your cooking is lovely, but I've already eaten before coming here," he lied. "But thank you. I appreciate your kindness."
"What?" Shima quacked. "But—"
"And I, uh, I need to guide this fellow around," Jiraiya chimed in in a rush as he motioned toward Rei.
"But the dinner—"
"No, no, thank you, but the man's in a hurry and so we need to go now."
Rei winced when Jiraiya elbowed his side, none too gently, but still careful to keep it from Shima noticing. "Yes, I'm in a hurry," he immediately agreed. "My kids are waiting outside for me to finish my business here."
The old lady sage huffed, crossing her arms and fixing them with a stern stare. She didn't believe the two in the slightest.
That didn't stop them from turning and fleeing before she could find an excuse to keep them for dinner. Neither of them wanted to taste more of those delicacies.
"Phew…" Jiraiya brushed sweat off his brow once they were far enough to feel safe, allowing himself to relax now. "Thank goodness, we managed to escape." He flashed a lop-sided grin at the blond. "I owe you one."
Rei laughed. "You helped me out of her dinner too. We're even." Though his attention was fully on his surroundings now, eyes tracing the natural energy path only his senses could see.
"So, anyway…" Jiraiya squinted at the spot the other man was staring at, but saw nothing unusual. "Looking around this place is your inspiration?"
"Yes." Rei got distracted by a weird turn of the flow. Was there a pattern here perhaps? Naturally formed ancient seal formation? "This looks like a natural pocket in the dimension and I'd like to examine how it sustains its form without collapsing or detaching itself," he explained after another moment. "I want to know if it's possible to replicate that artificially."
Jiraiya whistled in appreciation. "That's one hell of a project. What's it for anyways?"
"To create a haven."
"For who?"
Rei's features softened, smile taking a fond edge. It was something Kurama mentioned at one point in passing, how he would like to have a safe place for himself and his siblings after the war. A place they could have just for themselves without pesky humans coming to bother them.
"For a few friends that like to keep to themselves."
His Kurama never saw his dream come true, so Rei swore to let Kurama of this time experience it instead. In one way or another, Rei would make it happen. Even if he would have to carve that place out of the fabric of reality, he was going to find a way.
He was going to create a haven for the Bijuu.
In his office within the Hokage Tower, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his features etched with a sense of gravity. Scrolls and various documents covered the desk, but a scroll of utmost importance lay before him, bearing the seal of the Daimyo's court.
With a deep sigh, Hiruzen carefully broke the seal and unrolled the scroll. His eyes scanned the lines of text, and, as the content of the message registered, his expression shifted to a mixture of conflicting emotions.
Daimyo's court had made a decision not to interfere with the imminent arrest of Danzo Shimura.
Hiruzen's fingers tightened around the edge of the scroll, the weight of the decision bearing down on him.
There was a time when he and Danzo had fought side by side as comrades, forging their bond in the fires of battle and shared ideals. But as years went by, that bond and loyalty frayed and crumbled under their unspoken regrets and growing disagreements.
Danzo Shimura's name now carried mostly shadows within the hidden corners of Konoha. Hiruzen had known for a long time that his old friend's methods were questionable at best, his actions driven by an unwavering desire to protect the village at any cost, but he chose time and time again to close his eyes to his transgressions.
He couldn't do that anymore.
At that moment, a mix of emotions surged within Hiruzen. He felt a pang of heaviness for what lay ahead—confronting an old friend and teammate and the shadows that he had cast. Yet, there was also a sense of relief, like a heavy burden finally being lifted from his shoulders.
This would come to an end, one way or another. The Daimyo's message was a validation of his decision. There was no way back now.
His gaze drifted to the photographs on his office wall. Previous Hokages watched him from their photo frames as if gauging his worth in the world. Hiruzen's attention lingered on the last one, on the successor whom he had chosen and who left this world way too early.
With a steady breath, the Sandaime solidified his resolve, pushed back the chair, and rose from his desk. "Crane," he called out.
An Anbu silently landed in the middle of the office and kneeled before the Hokage.
"Assemble two teams of the most skilled Anbu members and meet me on the roof in half an hour," Hiruzen ordered.
Crane nodded in mute affirmation before vanishing in a shunshin.
The Sandaime walked to the window and stopped with his hands cupped behind his back, watching the bustling life of Konoha outside the Hokage Tower. The sky was quickly darkening with every minute that passed by, but the number of people in the streets only grew, happy chatter and fragments of laughter slipping through the open window into the office.
The path ahead seemed treacherous and painful, but Hiruzen was ready to traverse it to ensure that this peace remained untarnished.
The air hung heavy with silence inside the entire Danzo Shimura's residence. The last rays of sunset cast eerie, fractured patterns onto the wooden floorboards through the windows, but the darkness was quickly eating away at the last source of light, sprawling throughout all the rooms and hallways.
In a room at the end of a second-floor hallway, the darkness was ever-present. The feeble light of a single desk lamp flickered on a half-empty table, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
A solitary figure stood next to the only window, shrouded in the dark. Danzo Shimura, a man of secrets and shadows, awaited in silence. He gazed into the garden of the residence through the window, posture relaxed with his hands cupped behind his back, and expression calm and focused. As if contemplating the weight of lifetime's decisions.
He didn't react when the floorboards outside the room creaked. Neither did he move when the door swung open and masked ninjas rushed in. Nor did he turn around when they parted, leaving a passage for the old Hokage to come in.
For a moment, no one spoke.
"I see you made your choice, Hiruzen." Danzo's voice was a steady rumble, devoid of any surprise.
"And I see you made yours."
With a quiet scoff, Danzo finally turned around. The room seemed to hold its breath as the two former comrades locked eyes—Hiruzen's gaze heavy with a mixture of sorrow and resolve, and Danzo's gaze a reflection of convictions and confidence in the choices he had made.
"The Hokage must be able to make hard choices." Danzo's chin jutted out, his eye flashing with contempt, as he uttered the next words, "Looks like you're still unable to do that without regrets." If he expected to get a rise out of his old friend, the attempt seemed to fail.
Hiruzen stared at him, his features awash with sadness and resignation. "Danzo, we were comrades once," he said, tone soft and weathered. "We trained together, fought together. What happened to the young man who dreamed of a better future for our village?"
"I've done what needed to be done for the sake of Konoha," Danzo stated. Not a single drop of regret was heard in his voice. He didn't believe in regrets. "I've made the sacrifices you were unwilling to make."
"But the choices you made, the secrecy and manipulation, they tainted the ideals we stood for."
Danzo might not have believed in regrets, but he too once was a naïve young man chasing after lofty dreams and ideals. His lips curled into a faint smile tinged with bitterness. "Ideals, Hiruzen, are fragile things. They shatter when confronted with the harsh reality of the world." His expression suddenly turned grave with determination. "Sacrifices must be made for the greater good."
"But at what cost?"
"You're a naïve fool, Hiruzen," Danzo sneered. "I had always done only what was necessary to ensure the village's future."
A pang of grief crossed the old Hokage's face. After a moment, he shook his head with a sigh and straightened up, smoothing his expression into something more neutral. "Your actions have crossed a line that cannot be ignored anymore," he said. "I warned you not to confront Rei Uzumaki again and look where it led us. We should be grateful that he didn't hold Konoha accountable for your actions."
"You surrendered our Jinchuuriki to a stranger from outside of Konoha and permitted him to exert undue influence over our affairs." Danzo's face remained completely stoic, his piercing eye regarding Hiruzen with disdain. "Someone so detrimental to Konoha should be eliminated. Rei Uzumaki is but one man—"
"Should I remind you that he went around Konoha, doing whatever he wanted, completely unnoticed by any ninjas for three months? Yes, Rei Uzumaki is but one man, but he is a man of great power and skills, capable of more than an entire army," Hiruzen pointed out. "One man who has enough power to destroy a ninja village single-handedly in mere minutes. One man with a flee-on-sight order from Suna and more following soon no doubt. One man who has an entirety of Iwa ninjas on their toes, especially the Tsuchikage." He paused, letting all of it sink in. "You experienced what Rei Uzumaki can do despite being just one man."
Danzo's eye twitched. The decimation of his Root was a great miscalculation on his part. He hadn't quite expected retaliation of such brutality. Yeah, he had to admit that Rei Uzumaki was powerful, but no mortal man was truly infallible. They simply needed to bid their time to find the right time to strike.
"You think allying yourself with that man, giving the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki away, and getting rid of me are the correct choices?"
"It's about upholding ideals we once stood for," Hiruzen replied, his voice unyielding. "It's about protecting the village and ensuring that no one individual's ambitions overshadow the wish for peace."
"You'll come to regret this decision," Danzo scoffed. "A tree cannot survive without roots."
"If you cut only damaged parts of its roots, the tree can not only survive, but flourish," the Hokage retorted. "Perhaps I'll come to regret it; perhaps I won't, but you don't have to care about consequences any longer." He closed his eyes, taking a deep steadying breath. Then they opened again, steely resolve burned deep inside them. "It's time to bring the light to the shadows, Danzo."
A tense silence enveloped the room as the two men stared at each other, the weight of their shared history and the gravity of the moment settling between them.
Danzo pursed his lips into a thin, crooked line. "Very well, Hiruzen, arrest me, then. But know that my actions were taken for the love of Konoha, for the protection of the village above all else."
Hiruzen gave a signal and watched as the Anbu operatives moved to apprehend his old comrade. After a moment, he turned away, his shoulders weighed down by the choices that had led them to this moment.
As they exited the residence, the clouds parted and the moonlight cast long shadows across the empty streets of Konoha, mirroring the path that Hiruzen and Danzo had walked together, and the diverging roads they had ultimately chosen to travel.
Danzo sat on the edge of the bunk, back straight, hands clasped in his lap and his eye closed, and waited. It was late morning of the second day since he was arrested and brought into the Anbu detention center. Chakra suppression seals lined the walls, glowing faintly in the dim cell.
A clank resounded throughout the area and then barely audible footsteps.
Danzo's eye slowly fluttered open once the footsteps halted in front of his cell. He turned his head, sharp gaze quickly flicking up and down the person on the other side of the bars. The usual Anbu uniform, a common white mask with a soft black material covering the hair perfectly hid the identity of the ninja from any prying eyes.
And yet the corner of Danzo's mouth twitched slightly up. A tiny red ribbon weaved into the sleeve was invisible to anyone who didn't know what to look for.
"Lunchtime," the Anbu said as he reached to open the little window to push through the tray with food onto the little table that was attached to the bars.
"Would you kindly bring the food inside?"
The ninja froze. Only for a second, because on the next he slowly pulled his hand back and instead grabbed the keys from his pouch. Unlocking the door, he entered, put the tray on the table, and then kneeled in front of Danzo. "Danzo-sama," he called out reverently. "Give me your orders."
A satisfaction twisted Danzo's lips into a smirk. Hiruzen was a fool indeed if he believed that just because he lost the majority of his Root, he was helpless. His old friend must have thought he surrendered because he didn't have any other choice left. But it was far from the truth. Several contingency plans were prepared for situations like this.
"Five," Danzo rumbled, staring the kneeling man down. "Meet with Seven and start the plan 'Higanbana'."
"Understood." The Anbu operative stood up, bowed one more time, and then swiftly left after locking the doors to the cell.
Hiruzen would come to regret his decisions, recent ones and those in the past. All things considered, he had lost all qualifications to be the Hokage a long time ago.
Danzo smiled.
Time for a change.
Five dropped his Anbu mask into his locker and grabbed his backpack. With a quick sweep over the locker room, he made sure no one else was there, except him and another man a few lockers away. Glancing at the latter, he asked casually, "Hey, you wanna go grab a drink at seven?"
The other ninja's hand paused on his vest for a split second before he continued to take it off. "How about five instead?"
Five's locker closed with a soft click, and he turned to the other man, expression going blank. "Danzo-sama gave orders," he muttered audible enough only for Seven to hear. "Plan 'Higanbana' is a go."
"Understood."
Five left without any other word. Seven threw his Anbu things into his locker, pulled out the backpack, and left. With a smile, he greeted another Anbu operative coming in to change before exiting the building and moving to the roofs to avoid traffic in the streets.
After several minutes of travel, he reached the edge of the village. Perching on the edge of the roof, Seven scanned his surroundings for any tails, and upon not finding any, he hopped off and slipped into the forest.
He kept running forward for another few minutes until he finally reached a certain tree. It was no different from any other tree around it, but Seven knew that this was here. He walked around the tree, carefully inspecting the ground, before noticing what he was looking for. Brushing grass and moss away, he gripped the handle and pulled. With a creek, it popped out of the ground, revealing an entrance into a secret vault. Seven jumped into it, letting the hatch close behind him.
It opened again only once the moon hung high in the sky, the darkness covered Konoha, and people were mostly safely sleeping in their beds. A dark shadow slinked out of the hole in the ground, a white markless mask barely reflecting moonlight off its surface. Seven carefully closed the hatch and tucked it into the grass so it wouldn't be found. Jumping into the trees, he moved back toward the village.
As he neared the first houses, he slowed his pace and chose to travel through the dark streets and alleys. He stopped a few times, hiding behind the corners as he let ninjas pass, before moving out again.
When he neared the territory of his target, Seven took extra caution not to get caught. Danzo-sama put a lot of confidence in him when he entrusted him with the 'Higanbana' plan. He would do his best to fulfill his part in this plan without a hitch.
Landing on a branch of a tree, safely hidden in the shadows, Seven scanned the small fenced yard of the water tank. The light in the guardhouse was out and no one was walking around. Seven waited a little bit. Pricking his ears, listened.
The guard was either asleep or not even around.
Hopping down, he vaulted over the fence and froze, listening for any sudden movement. When he found none, he quickly climbed the water tower. Once on top, he kneeled beside the hatch and unlatched it. Pulling out a vial with a red liquid from inside his clothes, he dumped its content into the water and watched as the red gradually spread around the surface.
Mission accomplished, Seven closed the hatch, gaze lingering on the uchiwa symbol painted on top for a second, and then disappeared into the night.
*tokkuri: a special flask for sake. It usually has an elongated neck, bulbous base, and sometimes a rope around the neck to carry it.