Naruto : Cruel Rebirth

At the Land Of Fire Daimyo's residence, discussions are underway regarding the reconstruction of Konoha Village.

A long table was set in a grand hall.

The Land of Fire's Daimyo, Mitsuhide Akechi, sat at the southern end.

On the eastern side were five advisors wearing dark hats, representing the Daimyo's council.

On the western side were five representatives from Konohagakure: Advisors Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, an ANBU squad captain in a white cloak and animal mask, Jonin representative Nara Shikaku, and the head of the Root organization, Shimura Danzo.

Mitokado Homura said, "We plan to continue the policy against the Akatsuki alongside our allied nations…"

Across from him, an advisor wearing glasses and exuding scholarly grace replied, "Given the village's current state, the Land of Fire will fully support its reconstruction. First, we'll handle the budget… then we'll work on repairing tense relations with other nations."

At this moment, Danzo interjected, steering the discussion. "More pressing than any of that is deciding the next Hokage."

Nara Shikaku immediately grew alert. *As expected… he's making his move!*

Before the meeting, as Konohagakure's Jonin representative, Shikaku had proposed Kakashi as the next Hokage. But he knew another man coveted the position: Shimura Danzo. Kakashi's path to becoming Hokage was not without obstacles.

The Daimyo waved a small fan and asked, "Can't we wait for Tsunade to recover?"

Utatane Koharu responded, "Daimyo-sama, Tsunade is still in a coma. We don't know when she'll wake up, and considering the current state of the village, it'll be difficult to carry out policies effectively. Besides, she bears some responsibility for the village's destruction…"

The "responsibility" Koharu referred to was Tsunade's decision to hide Naruto in the secluded Mount Myoboku, forcing Pain to invade Konohagakure in an attempt to find him.

The Daimyo said, "Originally, I was considering Jiraiya. I greatly admired him, but alas, he's no longer with us. Are there any other candidates?"

At this moment, Danzo opened his mouth. "If that's the case—"

"I nominate Hatake Kakashi!" Nara Shikaku interrupted forcefully, ignoring Danzo's icy glare.

"Oh, the son of White Fang, huh? Hmm, that's not a bad choice!" The Daimyo's mood brightened as he looked toward the council. "What do you all think?"

"His reputation, strength, and character are all exceptional."

"But isn't he still a bit young?"

"Well, wasn't the Fourth, Namikaze Minato, even younger at the time?"

The council members began expressing their opinions, and the situation was turning in Kakashi's favor.

At that moment, the bespectacled head of the advisors asked, 

"Hatake Kakashi, whose student is he?" 

Mitokado Homura replied, 

"He's the student of the Fourth Hokage!" 

The Daimyo clapped his hands. 

"The Fourth Hokage was Jiraiya's student, and Jiraiya was the Third Hokage's student. Hmm, seems fine. Very well..." 

Just as things seemed to settle, Danzo suddenly interrupted, 

"The teachings of the Third Hokage have brought the village to the brink of ruin!" 

The Daimyo was startled by Danzo's intense gaze and quickly covered half his face with a small fan. 

Danzo seized the opportunity to continue, 

"The leader of the Akatsuki, who nearly destroyed the village, was once Jiraiya's student. This is the result of naively teaching outsiders powerful techniques. It was utterly foolish!" 

"This misguided kindness, passed down through generations, led to betrayals by allied nations, which in turn gave Orochimaru the chance to attack the village!" 

"And now, among the younger generation of the Akatsuki, Uchiha Sasuke, a rogue ninja and survivor of the Uchiha clan, is leading the charge..." 

Hearing Danzo's words, Nara Shikaku's expression grew grim.

Suddenly, Danzo smirked, revealing his true scheme. 

"But worse than all of this is the greatest failure yet—Jiraiya's other student, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki of Konohagakure, Uzumaki Naruto, has betrayed the village!" 

"!?" 

Shikaku's face changed dramatically, and the entire meeting hall erupted in shock. 

The head advisor asked, 

"Wait, isn't Naruto the hero who defeated the Akatsuki's leader? He's supposed to be resting and enjoying his honors!" 

Danzo sneered and glanced at Shikaku. 

"That's something you should ask the Jonin representative, Nara Shikaku..." 

The Daimyo turned to Shikaku, 

"Shikaku, what's going on here?" 

Shikaku began to sweat. 

So, Danzo had managed to uncover the truth! But he quickly regained his composure and replied, 

"Daimyo-sama, after the battle, it's true that Naruto hasn't returned to the village. However, it's too early to conclude he's betrayed us." 

Danzo pressed on with his claims, 

"We've received critical intelligence suggesting that Uzumaki Naruto is in contact with the second-in-command of the Akatsuki and is plotting against the village..." 

The crowd frowned. 

"Is this information reliable?" 

Danzo exaggerated further, 

"It's reliable enough. I even suspect that Nagato's attack on Konohagakure was a coordinated scheme between him and Uzumaki Naruto." 

The Daimyo pondered. 

"That can't be true. He's just an innocent boy with a good reputation—an inspiration to many ninjas..." 

Danzo responded gravely, 

"Whether it *should* be true or not doesn't matter. Inside him is the Nine-Tails, the embodiment of evil. Even the purest boy would eventually be tainted by that darkness. Moreover, Jiraiya's inadequate guidance, Tsunade's shielding as Hokage, and Kakashi's failure as a mentor all contributed to this outcome." 

The head advisor adjusted his glasses and said, 

"Daimyo-sama... Even if Danzo's claims aren't fully verified, Kakashi is temporarily unsuitable to become Hokage." 

"..." 

Shikaku wanted to refute, but Danzo's accusation about Naruto's supposed betrayal left him at a loss for words. The situation was now almost impossible to salvage. 

Bang! 

Danzo slammed the table and declared, 

"What kind of Hokage does the village need now? Someone who can turn the tide in the worst circumstances! Someone who can bring change to the ninja world and reshape its laws. That Hokage can only be me!" 

"..." Daimyo closed his eyes, deep in thought. 

Shikaku quickly said: 

"Daimyo-sama, you mustn't listen to Danzo's one-sided claims. Konohagakure's Anbu are also tracking Uzumaki Naruto's whereabouts. I believe the truth will come to light soon..." 

Daimyo opened his eyes and made his decision. 

"Alright, it's decided. Danzo, I appoint you as... the Sixth Hokage!" 

Danzo's lips curled into a triumphant smile. He thought to himself: *I had planned to use my right eye's power to control Daimyo's decision if things didn't go my way. But using Naruto's situation to discredit Kakashi's chances as Hokage went smoother than expected. Shikaku, even you can't turn this around now.* 

After leaving the Daimyo's residence, Danzo walked with his cane alongside a white-clad Anbu. 

"How's the task I assigned you coming along?" 

"It's done as you ordered. Rumors have been spread among the village's lower ranks, claiming that Naruto and the Akatsuki leader, Pain, staged a show to gain the villagers' trust. But after being exposed by you, Danzo-sama, he fled the village overnight..." 

Danzo smirked. 

"Good." 

The white-clad Anbu hesitated. 

"Danzo-sama, there's no solid evidence that Uzumaki Naruto betrayed the village. Also, he's one of the few in the village with strength comparable to Jiraiya. Isn't this risky?" 

Danzo replied: 

"Whether Naruto betrayed the village or not, as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, he's a destabilizing factor. It's best to nip this budding threat in the cradle." 

"Furthermore, no matter how powerful someone is, if they can't be used by me, they're a burden. This is a necessary sacrifice for Konohagakure." 

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