Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

"Hiruzen, we have information about the Earth Grudge Fear you're looking for."

Danzo Shimura reports: "In the hands of a troublesome fellow..."

"His name is Kakuzu, and he is currently a bounty hunter, active in bounty offices around the world."

"We strongly suspect that he is the Hara Takigakure that Mito-sama mentioned."

Hiruzen Sarutobi began examining the relevant documents.

He was quite satisfied with this level of efficiency…

Danzo, if his ambition can be kept in check, is quite capable.

At least that's how it is from the outside...

But after reading the intelligence report, a huge question mark seemed to appear above Hiruzen Sarutobi's head.

Did I praise you for nothing?

"Loves money? So much so that you'd take on any kind of mission, even one to find a cat?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked suspiciously, "Did you mix up some of the information about Might Guy with his...?"

"No," Danzo Shimura said expressionlessly. "I'm a professional."

"You mean, a dangerous rogue ninja who stole Takigakure's secret techniques and assassinated many high-ranking members..."

"Once they arrived at the underground black market, they became orderly, hardworking, and had an excellent reputation, never betraying anyone, diligently completing all kinds of tasks like a model citizen?"

"It's been going on for over twenty years, and he's still a seventy-year-old at the very least?" Hiruzen Sarutobi remarked expressionlessly.

Do you think this is reasonable?

Rogue ninjas and wandering ninjas are among the most dangerous people in the entire ninja world.

It's not that they are necessarily that strong, but given the current atmosphere in the ninja world after betraying the Hidden Village.

They won't gain anyone's trust; after all, no organization likes a biting tool.

The notion that ninjas are merely tools didn't form overnight; it's a subconscious construct developed over hundreds of years…

The inertia brought about by time is enormous.

Therefore, once they became individuals despised by the entire ninja world, each rogue ninja became extremely aggressive, disregarding all order, and were truly desperate criminals.

But the man named Kakuzu acted like a model soldier from the Great Hidden Village…

Intelligence indicates that he has a zero-negative-review rate in the black market, and even refunds deposits if a task is not completed.

A gentleman loves money, but he acquires it in a proper way, right?

"Hiruzen, my intelligence is absolutely correct. It has been repeatedly verified and tested." Shimura Danzo's expression also became somewhat strained, and his tone unusually carried a hint of grievance.

After seeing Kakuzu's information, he also found it indeed strange.

Are there really such rogue ninjas?

Even Danzo himself had to admit that Kakuzu was indeed a strange bounty hunter.

"This person is exceptionally cautious and rarely clashes with the five great hidden villages. His combat ability and experience surpass the level of an ordinary Jonin."

"If we want to capture him, we need to be fully prepared, Hiruzen."

Danzo Shimura added, "If we fail, it will damage our reputation, especially since it concerns the First Lord..."

"Why?" Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned. "What does this have to do with the First Hokage?"

"Hiruzen, didn't you say that Lord Mito said he once attacked the First Hokage?" Danzo Shimura said confidently.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples.

"Danzo, if you were to subdue an enemy who opposes you, demonstrating your magnanimity and tolerance, and the entire ninja world secretly admires your character..."

"How would you feel if your junior or subordinate was slashed by this person?"

Danzo Shimura's face darkened: "Then I'll definitely chop him up too, isn't that just sabotaging us!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shrugged: "You understand now? Lord Hashirama's renowned reputation and credibility in the ninja world are not only related to his strength, but also inseparable from every little thing he did."

"Those wolves-like Great Hidden Villages, even when I mention the name of the First Generation, they have to show some respect, and that's the reason why."

"Mito-sama described him as a pitiful young man who was forced to come and spar."

To use a somewhat inappropriate analogy.

If Hashirama Senju is Cao Cao, then Kakuzu is "the talented Chen Lin who once criticized him," not "the arrogant and self-important Xu You."

Danzo Shimura nodded thoughtfully.

Is Naruto really that complicated?

While the First Generation Lord was very strong, he had indeed harbored some doubts about his intelligence...

So it turns out he was wise in disguise!

"Then what do we do, Hiruzen..."

"Anyway, so many years have passed, not many people remember, so it should be fine, right?" Shimura Danzo said uncertainly.

Hiruzen Sarutobi lit his pipe and squinted.

He wondered why there were so many contradictions in this man named Kakuzu.

"A rogue ninja who possesses an immortal body is still interested in money..."

"Logically, money should mean almost nothing to him, so why does he act like he's obsessed with money? But if he's so obsessed with money, why would he return the deposit when the mission fails..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up the intelligence report and read it carefully from beginning to end.

He was assigned by Takigakure to attack Hashirama Senju, but upon returning to the village, he was imprisoned and used the Earth Grudge Fear technique to slaughter high-ranking officials…

Obsessed with money, diligent in performing duties, returning deposits, and fond of reading ancient books…

Thanks to Danzo Shimura's outstanding abilities, even a figure like Kakuzu, who was buried in history, was unearthed by him using intelligence from various sources.

These points, when strung together, combined with Hiruzen Sarutobi's understanding of ninjas.

He seemed to understand something.

The extreme cruelty and high pressure of the ninja world meant that ninjas generally did not have a beautiful mental state, and more or less all had strange obsessions.

For example, the middle-aged man with bandages next to him seems to care about the position of Hokage.

But upon deeper analysis, his behavior seems more like a desperate attempt to prove that he is no longer a "cowardly youth," reaching a point of fanaticism.

Kakuzu loves money, but perhaps what he loves isn't money itself...

Rather, as a traitor who witnessed the cruelty of the ninja world, he became fascinated by the sense of order that money represented through "equivalent exchange"...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flashed.

"Danzo, how can I possibly believe that Kakuzu could be influenced by the Will of Fire?"

"Hiruzen, I admit that the Will of Fire is indeed extraordinary in your hands..."

Danzo Shimura shook his head: "But I must remind you, the Will of Fire isn't omnipotent!"

"Want to make a bet?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a chuckle.

"If you lose, you have to keep smiling all day, like Might Guy did, and spend the whole day inspecting the village, greeting everyone warmly, including but not limited to the Uchiha..."

Danzo Shimura's face darkened.

Why does this monkey, at such an old age, still say such frivolous things?

They're already Hokage!

Besides, the content of this bet is far too childish...

Who would agree to such a strange thing!

"Hmph, then I'll teach you a lesson."

Danzo Shimura said coldly:

"I'm not kidding. If he's willing to do things for Konoha, then I'll consider you the winner!"

"If I win, you'd better be the first to stand up and applaud me the next time I do something for Konoha!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and shook his head.

"That's pointless. I would have done the same thing even without this bet."

"Then you can decide for yourself when the time comes!" Shimura Danzo maintained a cold expression, but inwardly he was quite pleased.

Hiruzen's words were truly like fine wine...

While this is undoubtedly due to his own excellence, it's also something he could learn a thing or two from…

"Let's get back to the main topic!"

Danzo Shimura coughed lightly, concealing his amusement: "What do we do?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

PS:

Thank you so much for your support, dear readers!

Little Fan felt even warmer inside than Danzo, who was praised by Hiruzen (seriously).

bow!!!