This Danzo Is Weird!

The news of Danzo taking on another disciple spread as expected.

"Who would have thought that Danzo would take in an orphan as his disciple? What is he planning?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen gazed at the report delivered by the Anbu, his face clouded with unease.

"Is the orphan exceptionally talented?"

He turned to the Anbu ninja who had come to report.

The latter shook his head and replied:

"From what I've observed, he's just an ordinary child. His parents were commoners, and I didn't notice any special talents. He hasn't even mastered chakra yet."

His words made Hiruzen's frown deepen.

"Then why would he take in such an unremarkable orphan as his disciple?"

Hiruzen believed he understood his old friend well. Danzo was the type who never acted without a purpose.

Everything he did was for his own benefit. He would never act out of sheer kindness, especially not in something as significant as taking on a disciple.

The Anbu ninja also expressed his confusion.

"However, Lord Danzo has gained quite a bit of popularity because of this. At least, the people of Kikyō Castle see him as a hero."

After three consecutive victories in battle, coupled with his seemingly approachable demeanor, Danzo had indeed garnered a lot of goodwill in Kikyō Castle.

"Is he really trying to build his reputation?"

Hiruzen didn't voice this thought aloud.

No matter what he thought, he couldn't reveal the intricate power struggles among the higher-ups so bluntly in front of an Anbu.

"Where is Danzo now?" Hiruzen asked.

"After taking in the disciple, Lord Danzo is returning to Konoha with the orphans."

The Anbu was clearly well-informed about Danzo's movements.

Of course, Danzo hadn't made any effort to hide his whereabouts.

"I see. You may leave."

Hiruzen waved his hand irritably, signaling the end of the conversation.

After the Anbu ninja disappeared, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane arrived together.

"Hiruzen, have you thought about how to deal with Danzo?" Homura asked first.

It was evident that the humiliation he had suffered at Danzo's hands still lingered.

At their age, nothing mattered more than their pride.

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes slightly and replied in a complex tone:

"Homura, Danzo led Konoha to repel the combined forces of Kumogakure and Sunagakure, and he also defeated Kirigakure and Sunagakure. He is a hero of Konoha."

Homura grew agitated.

"Hiruzen, precisely because he is a hero, you should rein him in!"

"Danzo's prestige is at its peak now. On the frontlines, he disregards the Hokage's orders. If this continues, the ninja will only know Danzo, not the Hokage!"

"Enough!"

Hiruzen slammed his hand on the table, cutting off Homura's tirade.

"Danzo is a hero. If I punish him now, wouldn't that demoralize the troops?"

Seeing this, Koharu quickly stepped in to mediate.

"Hiruzen, it's true that Danzo has made contributions, but disobeying the Hokage's orders is a capital offense. If we don't deal with him, won't everyone start disregarding the Hokage's commands?"

"In my opinion, why not let his merits offset his faults?"

"We won't publicize his heroic deeds, nor will we punish him. Instead, we'll have him stay in the village and lead the Root in intelligence work. How does that sound?"

Koharu's suggestion struck a chord with Hiruzen.

On one hand, he didn't want to punish Danzo and risk alienating others.

On the other hand, he didn't want Danzo to continue gaining prestige, which could threaten his position as Hokage.

So, this was indeed a good solution.

If Danzo kept winning battles, what would they do when there were no more rewards to give?

Moreover, his repeated disobedience had indeed irritated Hiruzen.

This was a good opportunity to keep him in the village, ensuring his safety while giving other young ninja a chance to prove themselves.

"I understand your thoughts. I'll consider them carefully."

Hearing this, Koharu and Homura exchanged glances, both seeing through Hiruzen's intentions.

"In that case, we'll take our leave."

After they left, the large office was left with only Hiruzen, leaning back in his chair, lost in thought.

——————

With Danzo's departure from the border, the war involving Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Konoha finally came to a temporary end.

Among them, Konoha was undoubtedly the biggest winner.

As for Kirigakure and Sunagakure, both sides suffered significant losses.

The former lost five of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, leaving only two.

The latter lost a senior advisor, nearly lost their Kazekage, and had to cede a large amount of mineral resources, making them the biggest loser.

Meanwhile, to ensure that Mei Terumī and Ao, two key combatants, could quickly return to Kirigakure to participate in the war, the village elder Genji personally went to the capital of the Land of Water to negotiate with the daimyo about opening trade ports.

According to the treaty, the Land of Water had to open four trade ports in exchange for the freedom of Mei and Ao.

After intense discussions, the daimyo of the Land of Water finally agreed to open three small fishing villages on the northern coast as trade ports.

Additionally, they would hand over a small island located between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water to Konoha.

Danzo, who was on his way back to Konoha, was quite satisfied with these terms.

For him, the small fishing villages were not an issue. As long as trade flourished, even the smallest fishing village could become a world-renowned port city.

As for the island, although it was relatively far from the mainland, it could serve as a transit point between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water.

Moreover, due to the island's relative independence, Konoha could station troops there as a precaution.

In short, this deal was definitely not a loss.

Thus, Danzo quickly issued orders to Minato, who was on the frontlines, to release the prisoners.

He also instructed Minato to settle accounts with Mei and Ao, allowing them to take some prisoners back to fight against Sunagakure.

——————

The news of Danzo taking on a disciple and the order to release the prisoners reached Minato almost simultaneously.

"I didn't expect Lord Danzo to take on a disciple so quickly. It seems you'll have to work harder."

Minato held the letter, smiling as he spoke to Shisui beside him.

It had to be said that although Shisui was a few years younger than Kakashi, his learning ability was impressive.

In just a few days, he had already become capable of handling many tasks independently.

Of course, having the status of Danzo's disciple made many things easier for him.

Hearing Minato's teasing, Shisui chuckled sheepishly.

"I hope I won't disappoint my teacher."

Minato rolled up the scroll and said to Shisui:

"Come on, let's go release those two Kirigakure prisoners."

"Okay."

Shisui nodded and followed.

When they arrived at the prisoner camp, Minato quickly found Mei and Ao.

To be honest, they were easy to spot in the camp.

Aside from the two of them, the rest of the prisoners were mostly from Sunagakure.

The Sunagakure ninja kept their distance, their eyes filled with murderous intent.

Kirigakure and Sunagakure had a long-standing feud, and now these two had aided the enemy, drawing even more hatred.

Of course, Mei didn't care.

The hatred of her enemies was proof of her strength.

If you were surrounded by the enemy's admiration, it only meant you were a fool.

Seeing Minato's arrival, Mei guessed what was happening.

"It seems the daimyo of the Land of Water has finally agreed."

Minato nodded, taking out the keys to unlock their handcuffs and remove the seals on their bodies.

"Congratulations, you're free again."

Minato smiled warmly, but to Mei, his smile was more terrifying than a demon's.

"As for the prisoners you can take with you, I've already ordered the southern front to release them. You can either go meet them or return to Kirigakure first."

Since they were in different war zones, Minato had already sent someone to inform Hiashi Hyūga on the southern front to release the prisoners as soon as he received the order.

"Hmph, I see."

Mei tossed the handcuffs aside, feeling her chakra gradually returning.

"Where's that old man Danzo?"

Mei narrowed her eyes and asked.

Shisui stepped forward, his tone serious.

"Please show some respect when speaking of my teacher."

Although Shisui didn't specify the consequences of disrespect, his stern expression and tone made it clear.

Recalling the image of this kid summoning a Susanoo, Mei decided not to push her luck.

She snorted lightly, then turned to look at the camp that had held her captive for so many days, as if committing the scene to memory.

"Tell your teacher that we'll meet again."

With that, Mei left the camp with Ao, heading straight for the battlefield in the Land of Wind.

Shisui silently watched them leave.

Minato gently placed a hand on his shoulder and teased, "What? Planning to eliminate this threat for Lord Danzo?"

Shisui shook his head. "No, enemies like this don't require my teacher's attention. I'll handle them."

Hearing such words from the usually gentle Shisui, Minato couldn't help but chuckle.

"Now that's the Uchiha I know, haha."

Shisui scratched his head sheepishly and smiled.

"But with this, the war in Konoha should finally come to an end, right?"

Shisui looked at Minato, hoping for a positive answer.

Unfortunately, Minato shook his head.

"As long as the five great nations exist, such conflicts will never cease."

"The treaties we've signed with Kirigakure and Sunagakure only guarantee a temporary peace."

"Once they recover, the first thing they'll do is try to take back everything they lost from Konoha."

Minato's words plunged Shisui into silence once more.

After a long while, he finally asked, "Is there no way to end the war permanently?"

Minato smiled faintly. "Perhaps your teacher has the answer to that."

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This Danzo Is Weird 320 advanced chapters: (5-10 ch updates everyday)

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