Naruto: Starting with Infinite Chakra

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi relent and agree to let him establish an organization, a rare glimmer of satisfaction appeared on Danzo's usually brooding face. The gloom that seemed ever-present around him dissipated momentarily.

Danzo had never truly given up on the dream of becoming Hokage. To achieve this, he needed loyal supporters and a force of his own. Without that, Hiruzen would handpick the next Hokage, leaving Danzo with no chance.

Though he currently held a leadership position in the Anbu, his power there was minimal. After all, the Anbu directly served the Hokage, adhering to the Hokage's directives above all else.

To truly compete with Hiruzen, Danzo needed a force that operated solely under his own command—a private militia loyal only to him.

"I've decided to call it 'Root,'" Danzo explained. "Konoha cannot thrive by relying solely on the leaves exposed to sunlight. It also needs roots buried deep in the darkness to provide stability."

"Root, huh? Not a bad name," Hiruzen mused, tapping his pipe thoughtfully.

Danzo's vision for Root resonated with Hiruzen's own goals. By allowing Danzo to handle the village's darker tasks, Hiruzen could focus on maintaining Konoha's image as a beacon of light.

"Lord Hokage," Danzo began, "I'd like to request that Sakumo Hatake and Jiraiya join Root. Our fledgling organization needs talented individuals to take on key roles."

Danzo's intentions were clear—Hatake Sakumo and Jiraiya were both prodigies. Leaving them in Hiruzen's sphere of influence would only strengthen the Hokage's position and weaken Danzo's chances in the long run. He needed to win them over to his cause, ensuring their talents served him instead.

Hiruzen's expression hardened. "Danzo, I've already granted you significant authority by allowing you to establish Root. However, Sakumo Hatake and Jiraiya are off-limits."

"I've decided to make Sakumo the new leader of the Anbu, and Jiraiya has already been assigned a critical mission. Do not pursue them further—you know what the consequences will be."

Hiruzen's voice carried a weight that brooked no argument. He was well aware of Danzo's ambitions and schemes. Allowing too many talented individuals to gather under Danzo's banner would only exacerbate the threat he posed.

"I'm aware of your covert activities," Hiruzen continued. "Though I hadn't sanctioned Root officially, you've already built its framework and trained elite shinobi in secret. I turned a blind eye, but don't think for a second that you can overstep your bounds."

Danzo was silent, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he spoke. "May I at least recruit promising shinobi from the major clans?"

"If you can convince their clan heads, I won't stand in your way," Hiruzen replied without hesitation.

"By the way, how's that experiment progressing?" Hiruzen asked abruptly, changing the subject.

"No substantial progress yet," Danzo admitted. "The current batch of test subjects is nearly dead. We'll need new ones soon."

Hiruzen exhaled a plume of smoke, his brow furrowed.

"The First Hokage's cells aren't something just anyone can withstand. Halt the experiments. Seal away the cells."

"We can't abandon this project!" Danzo protested. "If we succeed, we'll regain the power of Wood Release—an ability that suppresses Tailed Beasts. With a Wood Release user, Konoha could reclaim its former glory."

"I understand the importance of Wood Release," Hiruzen replied, "but the cost has been too great. The resources we've poured into this experiment could have gone to preparing for the coming conflict in the Land of Rain. We don't have the luxury to continue."

Danzo's face darkened. "If we stop now, all our efforts will be wasted! Surely, we can slow the experiments instead of halting them entirely?"

"Danzo," Hiruzen said coldly, his eyes narrowing, "are you defying a direct order from the Hokage?"

After a tense pause, Danzo stormed out of the office.

"You'll regret this, Hiruzen," he muttered under his breath.

...

At an Akimichi barbecue restaurant, the atmosphere was far lighter.

"I'm stuffed! Thanks for the meal, Captain Sakumo!" Jiraiya exclaimed, patting his stomach.

"Same here," Orochimaru added, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

Sakumo Hatake, however, stared in dismay at the towering stack of plates in front of his two companions. Checking his wallet, his face turned pale. He hadn't expected their appetites to be this monstrous.

"Just… how do they eat this much?" he muttered to himself, already dreading the bill.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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