CHAPTER 243: 243. DANZO – MY OPPORTUNITY HAS ARRIVED!

"Sensei, I’m back."

Hanekawa opened the door and called out loudly, "And we have a guest."

Tsunade, who had been lying lifelessly on the sofa, immediately stood up and casually put on her coat.

Although she could be relaxed in front of Hanekawa, she paid a little more attention to her appearance when outsiders were present.

"Who is this?"

Tsunade raised an eyebrow upon seeing Yamato and said, "Looks like a Root ninja."

"You can tell just by looking?"

Hanekawa asked in surprise.

"His eyes and demeanor are too lifeless."

Tsunade explained, "In all of Konoha, only Root ninjas look like this."

"As expected of you, Sensei—sharp as ever."

Hanekawa gave her a thumbs-up in admiration.

"Smooth talker."

Tsunade shot him a glare and asked, "So what’s with this Root ninja?"

"His name is Tenzo, and he’s a survivor of the Wood Release experiment."

Hanekawa replied.

"What?"

Tsunade’s gaze sharpened as she examined Yamato closely.

"Show your Wood Release."

Hanekawa reminded him.

Yamato hesitated for a moment before forming hand seals.

Wood Release: Great Forest Technique!

Chakra surged as his arms transformed into multiple wooden vines.

"Tenzo is a terrible name. From now on, you’ll be called Yamato."

Tsunade thought for a moment and then decided.

"Yamato?"

Yamato instinctively looked at Hanekawa.

Compared to Tsunade, whom he had never met, he trusted Hanekawa more since he also possessed Wood Release.

"She’s Lady Tsunade. Have you heard of that name?"

Hanekawa asked with a smile.

"I have."

Yamato answered expressionlessly, "She is the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama."

"Does she have the right to give you a name?"

Hanekawa asked again.

"Yes."

Yamato replied dully.

"To think Danzo turned a Wood Release user into this... that bastard truly deserves to die!"

Tsunade couldn’t help but curse in anger.

Even if Yamato’s Wood Release was artificially created, it was still Wood Release.

Aside from its power, its symbolic significance to Konoha meant that he should have been carefully nurtured.

But instead, he fell into Danzo’s hands.

Filled with dark ideology, he was turned into a lifeless puppet.

"Sensei, I have an idea."

Hanekawa cleared his throat and said, "Yamato is still young, so he could join Minato-senpai’s squad."

"Minato?"

Tsunade pondered for a moment and said, "He’s actually a great choice."

Namikaze Minato was known as the "Little Sun," perfect for dispelling the darkness in Yamato’s heart.

And his team happened to be short on members.

A Wood Release user was too important to be placed in just any squad.

Minato, being both strong and Jiraiya’s student, was a safe option.

"I’ll take him there right now."

Hanekawa said immediately.

"Why do I feel like you had all of this planned from the start?"

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him.

"Because I’m capable."

Hanekawa replied shamelessly, "Does this qualify me to be your secretary?"

"You still have to work harder."

Tsunade smirked. "Now go and come back soon."

"Yes, Sensei."

Hanekawa glanced at Yamato and said, "Follow me."

First, they went to Minato’s house, but he wasn’t there, so they headed straight to Uzumaki Kushina’s home.

"Hanekawa!"

A familiar voice rang out.

Hanekawa was already used to it.

Uzumaki Kushina had an incredible sense of perception—she could always sense his arrival in advance.

"Sister Kushina."

Hanekawa greeted her.

"Minato-senpai."

"Who is this?"

Kushina looked at Yamato.

His behavior was unusual. Whether he saw her or Minato, he didn’t react at all—like a block of wood.

"A Root ninja?"

Minato had interacted with Root before, and Yamato fit the description perfectly.

Hanekawa couldn’t help but wonder—do Root ninjas have some kind of scent? Why does everyone recognize them at a glance?

"Why did you bring a Root ninja here?"

Kushina asked, puzzled.

"His name is Yamato. He’s a survivor of the Wood Release experiment."

Hanekawa explained.

"Survivor? You mean the experiment succeeded?"

Minato was immediately shocked.

He had attended the meeting yesterday and knew that Danzo and Orochimaru had restarted the Wood Release experiments.

But he hadn’t expected there to be a survivor.

That meant Konoha now had a second Wood Release user.

"Yamato."

Hanekawa waved his hand. "Show them."

Yamato once again used Wood Release: Great Forest Technique, transforming his arms into multiple vines.

"This is... unbelievable!"

Namikaze Minato marveled in amazement.

"Sensei’s idea is for him to become your student, Minato-senpai."

Hanekawa continued.

"Me?"

Minato was momentarily stunned.

"You know what I mean," Hanekawa said, implying something deeper. "He used to be a Root ninja."

Minato thought for a moment and understood the unspoken message.

This was essentially asking him to be Yamato’s psychological guide.

"Alright."

Minato agreed.

Having a Wood Release user as a student was definitely a privilege, and Yamato wouldn’t hold back Kakashi Hatake or Might Guy.

"Stay for lunch!"

Uzumaki Kushina patted Hanekawa’s shoulder.

"You can also help us with something while you’re here."

Minato suddenly thought of something.

"Help with what?"

Hanekawa asked, puzzled.

"Ahem... well..."

Kushina suddenly became shy. "I’m planning to marry Minato. Can you help us pick a date?"

"Congratulations!"

Hanekawa immediately responded.

He wasn’t surprised.

Naruto Uzumaki would be born on October 10th next year, so their wedding had to be soon.

Plus, with the Third Shinobi War just ending, Konoha was entering a relatively peaceful period—perfect timing for a wedding.

"Konoha needs time to recover from the war’s damage. I think next month would be ideal."

Hanekawa thought for a moment and suggested.

"We were thinking the same thing."

Minato agreed and asked, "Which day exactly?"

"October 10th."

Hanekawa randomly suggested, "Two tens—makes a perfect pair."

"Why are we already discussing this? Aren’t you staying for lunch?"

Kushina asked.

"If I stay, my teacher won’t have anything to eat."

Hanekawa joked.

"True."

Kushina nodded.

"Then I’ll leave him in your hands, Minato-senpai."

Hanekawa glanced at Yamato.

From start to finish, Yamato remained indifferent, as if he lacked any real emotions.

After leaving Kushina’s home, Hanekawa headed to the Hyuga clan.

"The Dragon of Konoha has arrived!"

Hyuga Hizashi greeted him warmly, much like Uchiha Fugaku.

"Dragon of Konoha?"

Hanekawa raised an eyebrow.

"You haven’t heard?"

Hizashi laughed. "That’s your new title."

"Who came up with it?"

Hanekawa asked curiously.

"No idea, but it’s already spread throughout the village."

Hizashi shook his head.

Hanekawa pondered.

The title clearly originated from his Dragon Transformation when he fought the Eight-Tails.

Well...

It sounded decent—definitely better than "Water Release Freak" from before.

"Is Uncle Hiashi home?"

Hanekawa got to the point.

"He’s out, but I can send someone to fetch him."

Hizashi paused before offering.

"No need. I can just tell you."

Hanekawa thought for a moment and said, "No matter what happens tomorrow, tell the Hyuga clan not to act rashly."

"...?"

Hizashi’s first thought was that Hanekawa was planning a coup.

But after a moment, he dismissed the idea.

Tsunade becoming Hokage was only a matter of time—there was no need for a rebellion.

"You’ll understand tomorrow."

Hanekawa added, "Don’t worry, it won’t be anything bad or troublesome for your clan."

"I understand!"

Hizashi nodded firmly. "The Hyuga clan will comply."

"Thank you."

Hanekawa secretly sighed in relief.

He couldn’t directly tell Hizashi the details.

After all, orchestrating Danzo’s defection was too shocking to reveal.

__

The Next Afternoon

After receiving word from the Anbu, Tsunade and Hanekawa arrived at Konoha’s main gate.

They weren’t alone.

Many Jonin and high-ranking officials—Hiruzen Sarutobi, Koharu Utatane, and others—were also present.

Led by Hiruzen, they stood at the gate, waiting.

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire was about to arrive.

Hizashi instinctively glanced at Hanekawa, remembering yesterday’s warning.

Could it be... that Hanekawa was planning something against the Daimyo?

What now?!

Hiruzen was also deep in thought.

Why was the Daimyo suddenly visiting Konoha?

Was it because of Konoha’s unprecedented victory in the war?

It made sense logically, but for some reason, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.

A few minutes later, a procession of carriages appeared in the distance, slowly making their way toward them.

"Daimyō."

Hiruzen took the initiative to step forward.

"Hiruzen."

The Fire Daimyō smiled. "You all performed admirably in this war. If I didn’t come to see it for myself, it would have been a mistake."

Hiruzen sighed in relief upon hearing this and replied with a smile, "Your presence brings great honor to Konoha."

"No need for formalities. Let’s enter the village."

The Daimyō waved his hand.

"Please, this way."

Hiruzen gestured, leading the Daimyō into the village.

__

Hokage Office - Conference Room

Normally, Hiruzen would sit at the head seat, but today, he ceded it to the Fire Daimyō.

"Daimyō."

Hiruzen handed over a scroll. "Please review this."

The Daimyō unrolled it.

It detailed all of Konoha’s achievements throughout the four-year-long war.

"Even better than I expected."

The Daimyō smiled in satisfaction. "Next year, I’ll increase your funding by 10%."

"Thank you, Daimyō!"

Hiruzen responded immediately.

A 10% increase might not sound like much, but given the overall budget, it was a significant boost—more than enough to keep Konoha thriving.

"Furthermore, the funds and resources needed for post-war reconstruction will also be covered by the Fire Country."

The Daimyō continued.

Hiruzen was visibly surprised.

That was no small amount.

Why was he suddenly being so generous?

"I heard the biggest contributor to this victory was your student, Tsunade?"

The Daimyō turned to Tsunade.

"That’s correct."

Hiruzen nodded. "Without her, the war wouldn’t have ended so quickly."

"It wasn’t just me."

Tsunade stood up, speaking firmly, "My student, Hanekawa, also played a crucial role."

"I know of him."

The Daimyō chuckled. "He’s quite impressive."

"You flatter me, Daimyō."

Hanekawa responded humbly.

The Daimyō then turned back to Hiruzen.

"Hiruzen, it looks like you have a worthy successor."

Then, his tone shifted. "Have you decided on the next Hokage?"

Hiruzen was momentarily stunned.

The entire conference room fell silent.

Koharu Utatane, Fugaku Uchiha, Hiashi Hyuga, and Shibi Aburame exchanged glances.

"Daimyō."

Hiruzen regained his composure. "We haven’t discussed it yet, as the war had been our primary concern."

"Now that the war is over, it’s time to start considering it."

The Daimyō spoke calmly. "Once you decide, inform me as soon as possible so I can make the necessary preparations."

"Understood, Daimyō."

Hiruzen had no choice but to agree.

"I’ll return to the Fire Capital after the celebration."

The Daimyō stood up. "Don’t keep me waiting too long."

Hiruzen’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively glanced at Tsunade.

It wasn’t paranoia.

The Daimyō was one step away from outright declaring his support for Tsunade.

And considering their close relationship, it was clear what was happening.

__

After the Meeting

Hiruzen escorted the Daimyō to the Konoha Daimyō Residence while the other Jōnin dispersed.

Hanekawa walked alongside Tsunade as they left the Hokage Office.

"The old man probably figured out that I arranged for the Daimyō to come."

Tsunade muttered absentmindedly.

"So what if he did?"

Hanekawa was indifferent.

"He’s still my teacher, after all."

Tsunade sighed.

"Everything is for Konoha."

Hanekawa replied casually.

"That sounded just like something Danzo would say."

Tsunade flicked his forehead. "Don’t turn into him, kid."

"I won’t!"

Hanekawa assured her. "Don’t worry, Sensei. If you tell me to go east, I’ll never go west!"

---

Konoha High-Security Prison – Midnight

In the dead of night, the sound of a door unlocking echoed through the dark prison.

"Lord Danzo!"

A Root ninja entered hastily. "Apologies for the delay!"

"You did well!"

Danzo’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Please follow me, Lord Danzo."

The Root ninja—Hanekawa in disguise—led Danzo out of the high-security prison.

"I can’t just escape like this."

Danzo said grimly. "If I leave Konoha, I’ll be marked as a rogue ninja. My only hope now is the Daimyō."

He had been caught in Shisui Uchiha’s genjutsu, and his first instinct was to turn to the Daimyō for help.

"The Daimyō arrived in Konoha this afternoon."

Hanekawa reminded him.

"What a coincidence?!"

Danzo’s face lit up with excitement. "This is fate! My chance has finally come!"

__

Patreon.com/rashta