...

  **Root Headquarters**

  *Bang!*

  A wooden teacup was violently smashed to the ground by Shimura Danzo, his heart filled with untrolble rage.

  "...that i Gojo Kaigetsu dares to speak to me in such a manner."

  "To demand that I go to see him? The audacity! Who does he think he is? Hiruzen?"

  It was no surprise that Shimura Danzo was so infuriated. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, might have the authority to say, "I am the Hokage," but who did this Gojo Kaigetsu think he was? He was nothing.

  In Danzo's mind, even Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was merely a young upstart who had seized the Hokage position from him through luck, rgely due to being the "husband of the ails Jinchuriki." But at least Minato's strength aation were undeniably Kage-level.

  Gojo Kaigetsu, oher hand, was merely a in, daring to speak so boldly to the Shadow of the Ninja World, Shimura Danzo? Someone like him, if he were in Root, would be nothing more than on fodder.

  What gave him such fidence? Minato? The ws of Konoha have protected him too well!

  After venting his anger, Danzo fell into a ptive silence.

  After a long pause, he muttered to himself, "I 't act against him now. He is still someone valued by Minato, and he hasn't shown any signs of betraying Konoha..."

  Danzo furrowed his brows. Gojo Kaigetsu was truly someone who didn't py by the rules. Acc to the unspoken rules of power, as an elder aeran of Konoha, it was not demeaning fojo Kaigetsu to e to him in private.

  These are the rules of the game of power!

  After a simple exge of is and the satisfa of each other's political demands, the matter of funds would be resolved, and he might even allocate more to him.

  But Gojo Kaigetsu, like a reckless fool, was threatening to escate the matter to the Fourth Hokage.

  "Hmph, foolish child, it seems you have no uanding of how the game is pyed."

  Although esg the issue to the Fourth Hokage wouldn't cause any actual harm to Danzo, suderhanded as would damage his dignity.

  "Then I'll meet with you myself."

  In the shadows, Danzo's expression became increasingly ominous.

  - Gojo Kaigetsu.

  During his time at the Ninja Academy and the in Exams, he was unremarkable, one of those ninja without any notable talent, a small character not worth attention.

  But ever sihe Sed and Third Great Ninja Wars, he had bee increasingly active, pying a signifit role in Konoha's cultural and eic sectors. With Minato Namikaze's rise to power, he began to shine politically as well.

  Aside from the "military" aspect, which was tightly trolled by the major ninja s, Gojo Kaigetsu had dipped his toes into every field he could.

  Putting aside his ck of ninja talent, he was undoubtedly a capable individual.

  But this guy... as a subordinate, he would be very satisfying, but as an oppo, he was quite vexing.

  It was as if there was a thin, imperable veil ojo Kaigetsu, making it hard for Danzo to uand him.

  "Gojo Kaigetsu, just what do you desire?"

  Everyōne has desires.

  Some ninjas are obsessed with training, aiming to bee renowned powerhouses in the ninja world; some ordinary ninjas chase fame and fortune, seeking a position on the Hokage's advisory cil; some crave wealth, doing whatever it takes to use their power to amass riches; and some lechers desire all sorts of py...

  But these basic desires... Danzo couldn't find clear evidence of them in Gojo Kaigetsu.

  He wasn't fixated on training; he never sought positions from the Third, Fourth, or even from Danzo himself in the higher echelons of Konoha; acc to Root's iigations, he even ied his own moo maintain "orphanages," "publishing houses," and "ration pill shops"; and as for women... in his twehere hadn't been a single rumor about him and any kunoichi.

  The most terrifying person is ohout desires!

  For this reason, Danzo once suspected that Gojo Kaigetsu y from another try or a deeply ambitious person with pns to overthrow Konoha.

  He inteo use this issue of funds to uncojo Kaigetsu's true motives! Danzo was very curious. what mission would make Minato Namikaze, with his servative nature, allocate an astounding 350 million ryō to Gojo Kaigetsu?

  "If I find even a trace of disloyalty to Konoha in your heart... not even the Fourth Hokage save you. I will personally se Konoha."

  "Report. !"

  At this moment, a Root ninja wearing a standard mask k at the door of the secret room aed: "Gojo Kaigetsu did not follow his usual route home. After leaving the official publishing house, he headed to the Uchiha 's territory."

  "Oh?"

  "Did he try to ceal his movements?"

  "His movements were publid many people saw him on the way."

  Danzo's eyes narrowed into slits. "Publients? That's ued. But why are you associating with the ily evil Uchiha? What are you pnning, Gojo Kaigetsu..."

  "Regardless, I will find out today."

  "Keep a close wat Gojo Kaigetsu's movements. Once he leaves the Uchiha 's territory, I will meet with him personally."

  ...

  ...

  "Gojo-kun, long time no see."

  "Indeed, it has been a while, Leader Fugaku."

  Uchiha Fugaku, born in Year 19 of the Konoha dar, was just barely someone Gojo Kaigetsu could sider a peer.

  Gojo Kaigetsu greeted Uchiha Fugaku with a smile and a handshake.

  Uchiha Fugaku was one of the rare, sane individuals iherwise mentally unstable Uchiha d was retively moderate, belonging to the dove fa. In several colborations, he had suppressed the hawks within the Uchiha Gojo Kaigetsu's behalf.

  He loved the Uchiha d felt a sense of belonging to Konoha. However, if forced to choose between the d the vilge, he would uatingly choose the former.

  If it weren't fojo Kaigetsu, iure, uhe stant pressure and distrust from Konoha's leadership, Fugaku would eventually choose to "fight for the honor of the Uchiha ."

  This was something Gojo Kaigetsu uood very well.

  But before such a situation occurred, Uchiha Fugaku was a trustworthy partner.

  As they walked side by side towards the Uchiha 's territory, Fugaku spoke first:

  "Gojo-kun, the voices of dissent... I barely suppress them anymore. If it weren't for you, I might have already allowed those voices to spread throughout the d joihem myself."

  Fugaku smiled bitterly.

  The Konoha Police Force was the pride of the Uchiha , but it was also the source of their flicts with the ordinary vilgers and ninjas.

  Polig is a thankless job. Konoha's public safety was better than that of other vilges, but that didn't mean it erfect.

  The Konoha Police Force was housed together with the Konoha Prison, stantly dealing with criminals.

  Over time, whether it was the snder from released criminals or the 's own harsh enfort methods, the Uchiha faced increasing criticism. bined with the i "ive energy" associated with the Uchiha, these criticisms were like a fuse, igniting the darkness in the hearts of the Uchiha members.

  ...