Naruto: The Hidden Danzo

A dimly lit corridor stretched into a vast, shadowy chamber. At its center, on a raised platform, sat a stone chair—solemn and imposing. Flickering candlelight cast ghostly shadows on the walls, offering only a hazy glimpse of the surroundings.

Seated in that chair was a man, his right hand and the right side of his face wrapped in bandages, as still as a statue. The only visible eye reflected a storm of emotions—confusion, shock, fear, and disbelief.

Right now, Leon was struggling to process the memories flooding his mind. He had actually experienced the legendary phenomenon—transmigration.

Late at night, he had been in his office, indulging in his passion for writing. Out of nowhere, a sharp, searing pain shot through his chest. He knocked over his cup of goji berry tea, and before he could react, his computer tower burst into flames. The cheap office desk caught fire instantly. As thick, suffocating smoke filled the air, everything faded to black.

And now…

Leon scanned his surroundings again, his mind still flashing with fragmented memories and unfamiliar emotions, as if a memory card was struggling to load.

He lifted his left hand, flexing his fingers. The skin was slightly wrinkled, marked with old scars. The sensation in his palm, the chill of the stone chair beneath him—it was all undeniably real.

The memories surging through his mind were sharp and vivid, as though he had personally lived them.

Fire… Konoha… Root… Ninjutsu…

Have I become Danzo?

If there were a list of the most hated characters in the Naruto world, Danzo would undoubtedly be on it.

Recalling what he knew from the anime, Leon's expression darkened, his eyes flickering with unease. The Naruto world was filled with bizarre and terrifying jutsu. If Konoha ever discovered that he was merely an imposter wearing Danzo's face, he would undoubtedly meet a gruesome end.

After all, in this world, even the memories of corpses could be extracted.

Just imagining the possibility sent a shiver down his spine.

Taking a deep breath, Leon forced himself to steady his nerves. He closed his eyes and focused on his current predicament. Moments later, he reopened them, a glint of anticipation flashing within.

If he had directly taken over this body… then that meant…

Raising his palm, he instinctively channeled the chakra within him. Instantly, a visible air current surged above his hand.

Wind Release…

The sensation of power washed away his initial fear, replacing it with uncontainable excitement. Increasing the chakra output, he watched as the air currents compressed, causing his clothes to ripple. The flickering candle flames swayed wildly, casting eerie shadows throughout the chamber.

Then—

Snap! The chakra dispersed in an instant. A sharp pain shot through his arm.

"Ugh…"

The thrill in his expression twisted into discomfort, but the exhilaration in his eyes didn't fade.

"Just as I thought—having power and knowing how to use it are two different things. I haven't fully adapted yet… But…"

Leon could feel it—given time, he would gain complete control over this body and everything that came with it.

But before he could fully absorb all of this…

His gaze swept across the chamber.

Right now, he was most likely inside the Root headquarters.

As the leader of Root and one of Konoha's elders, Danzo commanded numerous jōnin skilled in assassination, torture, and interrogation. These were individuals with keen perception and deadly instincts. The last thing Leon wanted was for any of them to notice something was off.

He thought of the Curse of the Tongue Eradication Seal—a technique that not only ensured secrecy but could also be used to punish or even kill its targets. It was comparable to the Caged Bird Seal of the Hyūga clan.

Going through a series of hand seals, he slowly familiarized himself with how to activate the curse mark.

Thankfully, it was simple to use, even in his current state.

Feeling reassured, he exhaled in relief.

Memories of his past life flickered through his mind. There wasn't much to miss.

Orphaned at a young age, shunned by relatives due to poverty, and disconnected from most of his family. The only relationship he had during college ended in humiliation and regret.

His job barely kept him afloat—an exhausting, monotonous existence of long hours and little reward. He worked over ten hours a day, trudging between home and office like a lifeless drone.

Years of stress had worn his body down. At just twenty-six, he felt older than his uncle back home.

"…Did I actually luck out?" Leon chuckled bitterly.

Well, no point dwelling on the past. His expression grew firm. From now on, I am Danzo.

As for leaving Konoha? That wasn't on the table—at least not yet.

Surviving in this dangerous world as a rogue ninja was pure folly. Even S-rank missing-nin spent their days on the run, constantly hunted down.

Right now, as Root's leader and a Konoha elder, he had a far better chance of staying alive.

Having made his decision, Leon mentally repeated to himself—I am Danzo… I am Danzo…—while recalling Danzo's demeanor and movements.

Just then—

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor, pulling him from his thoughts.

Danzo closed his eyes, maintaining a neutral expression, his hands resting naturally on the armrests of his chair. When he finally opened them, his gaze was calm and unreadable.

Emerging from the shadows was his trusted subordinate—Aburame Ryoma.

A jōnin of the Aburame clan, possessing their unique insect-based jutsu, and one of Danzo's most valued confidants.

"Lord Danzo, the mission has been completed." Ryoma knelt respectfully.

Danzo quickly searched his memories, his mind racing. There were too many instances of him assigning missions to Ryoma, but his recollections were still a chaotic mess. He couldn't pinpoint which mission this was referring to.

Forcing himself to remain composed, he half-closed his eye under the dim candlelight, keeping his tone devoid of emotion.

"Mm. Very good." Then, after a brief pause, he asked, "What of Sarutobi?"

"All is as usual, Lord Danzo."

"Continue to monitor him. Report any developments immediately."

"Yes." Ryoma responded respectfully before vanishing in a blur, using the Body Flicker Technique.

However, Danzo had keenly noticed it—just before leaving, Ryoma's gaze briefly flickered toward his left hand, which still bore the faint marks of his earlier chakra exertion.

His sense of caution immediately heightened. The thought of using the Curse of the Tongue Eradication Seal crossed his mind—but he ultimately held back.

Reflecting on the exchange, Danzo reassessed his performance.

His tone, his mannerisms, his responses—nothing seemed amiss.

And in his memories, he did have knowledge of assigning Ryoma to keep tabs on the village's higher-ups.

Glancing at his slightly injured left hand, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Ninjas truly are terrifyingly perceptive. I need to be more careful.

At the same time, his urgency to master this body's chakra grew even stronger.