Danzo led his Root members back to Konoha in complete silence, their return causing not even the slightest ripple.
No comrades welcomed them, no civilians cheered. In fact, most people weren't even aware that another group of shinobi had returned from the battlefield.
Later, Danzo was summoned for a private meeting with the Third Hokage, where he received Sarutobi's praise and commendations.
The Hokage also inquired about the details of the war.
...
As Danzo stepped out of the Hokage Tower, he looked up at the vast, cloudless sky.
"So it's come to this."
He recalled Sarutobi's words just moments ago—though they were filled with praise for Root, admiration for his unwavering will of fire…
The true meaning behind them could be summed up in a single sentence:
"You did well. Now, don't do it again."
As expected, the first obstacle in stepping out of the shadows was none other than the Third Hokage himself.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Danzo's lips. What an absurd world.
The so-called 'Will of Fire' that the Third propagated shone brilliantly in the daylight, like a delicate bubble shimmering in the sun…
Meanwhile, Root's ideology—the truth they were willing to give their lives for—was only permitted to exist in darkness.
Danzo turned his gaze back to the Hokage Tower.
"There are things that don't just disappear because someone wishes them to. How long has it been since you last set foot on the battlefield?"
Even he found it astonishing how deeply Root's ideals had taken root, almost beyond his own control.
Just as Nonō Yakushi had once said—shinobi live for their convictions and goals. Even if it meant dying for them, they would not feel sorrow.
To Danzo, this 'new Will of Fire' was something he had created.
Yet on the battlefield, Root members turned it into reality with their lives.
Danzo understood this well—even if he were to die suddenly, there would be another to carry the torch, leading the next generation down this path.
In a world where most people did not even know why they lived, a confirmed ideology was like a ship sailing forward—a salvation for countless lost, suffering, and tragic shinobi.
For an entire year, the war had reached a stalemate.
But none of the great villages were willing to concede.
Only Sunagakure, having suffered an early assault from the Raikage, a battlefield rampage from a Tailed Beast, and later, a crushing defeat at the hands of Tsunade and Jiraiya… was truly at its limit.
Adding to that, the Wind Daimyō's constant interference had only worsened the situation. As a result, Sunagakure could no longer sustain the war effort.
The conflict in the Land of Rivers had largely come to a halt, and their emissaries had already begun peace negotiations with Konoha. However, due to political complexities, no final agreements had been reached yet…
Throughout this year, Root had seemingly vanished from public view.
Internally, they faced increasing restrictions from Konoha's higher-ups—budget cuts, personnel reductions…
The Third Hokage justified it as a necessary measure due to the war's financial strain.
Even Danzo's request for war orphans was denied.
The tacit understanding between him and the Third was long gone.
Danzo rarely even attended high-level meetings anymore.
The core reason for this fracture was the growing influence of Root's interpretation of the Will of Fire.
The Third's version had always been vague—more a political slogan than a tangible doctrine.
In truth, it was nothing more than words.
Just look at the prominent clan shinobi in the village. They had little regard for it. Only among civilian-born shinobi did it find some level of support.
But the ideology that Root had been cultivating…
After a year of being tempered in the flames of war, it had taken on a life of its own.
"Courage. Compassion. Honor. Sacrifice. Protecting the weak and standing by your comrades."
The contents of the Root manual had been embraced by the civilian shinobi on the battlefields of the Land of Rivers. They treated it as an absolute truth, shaping their actions and beliefs accordingly.
Yet, these principles clashed with the policies of the Third Hokage's administration.
The greatest contradiction lay in the fundamental role of a shinobi—to prioritize the mission above all, even at the cost of one's life.
However, the Root manual explicitly stated:
"When a mission is beyond your power, do not make a meaningless sacrifice."
"Comrades are far more important than most other things. Stay true to your heart."
...
Like bamboo shoots sprouting after spring rains, these ideas had taken root on the battlefield.
In the face of war's cruelty—amidst fear, sorrow, confusion, and death—shinobi had chosen to embrace these beliefs without hesitation.
Even Tsunade, the battlefield commander, had silently approved of Root's principles.
Her status as the First Hokage's granddaughter gave Root's ideology an undeniable legitimacy.
Not even the Third Hokage could suppress it.
As a result, the name of Root began spreading among returning shinobi.
Among the village civilians, tales of a hidden organization of shinobi dedicated to protecting Konoha under the true Will of Fire became widely known.
And as its leader, Danzo's name had started gaining recognition within the shinobi ranks…
'Konoha's Elder.'
'The Successor of the Will of Fire.'
'The Student of the Second Hokage.'
'A Kage-level Powerhouse.'
Even those who had never encountered Root's ideology found themselves heartened by the notion that Konoha had gained another Kage-level figure in such turbulent times.
...
Inside the Hokage Tower,
Sarutobi sat with furrowed brows, puffing on his pipe as he read a letter from Jiraiya regarding the Land of Rivers.
The warfront situation was highly favorable—Sunagakure no longer had the means to continue the fight.
By all accounts, this should have been good news.
But what troubled him was the overwhelming support and admiration for the 'Will of Fire' that had taken hold on the battlefield.
Sarutobi had always known Danzo was ambitious.
But he had never feared it. In fact, he had granted Danzo strength, permitted his actions, and even tolerated his ambitions.
He had buried Danzo in the darkness, using him to stabilize Konoha.
He had even anticipated that Danzo might resort to underhanded means in his pursuit of the Hokage seat.
But he had never imagined that his old friend would become a threat in this way.
What puzzled him even more was Danzo's restraint—he had not capitalized on the war to build his reputation further.
Instead, he had led Root into complete silence.
Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling a slow plume of smoke as he gazed down at the village from his window.
For the first time, he felt as though he had never truly understood this old friend of his.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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