Naruto: Not a Ninja, the System

Inside the Hokage's office, Jaxon stood face-to-face with Hiruzen Sarutobi. Neither spoke at first, but the silence between them was heavy—palpable, even.

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a kunai.

Finally, Jaxon broke the silence, his voice calm and courteous.

"Long time no see, Third Hokage-sama."

"Indeed," Hiruzen replied with a small nod, his eyes glinting with a mix of recognition and calculation. "Ten years already. Time truly flies."

He spoke with a tone of gentle nostalgia, but his expression revealed nothing. Sarutobi Hiruzen was a seasoned master of manipulation. Sentiment was easy to fake when you'd been playing politics your entire life.

"I've been keeping an eye on you," the Hokage added, smiling faintly. "Your intellect surpasses even that of the Nara Clan."

"You flatter me, Hokage-sama," Jaxon replied coolly, offering a modest wave of his hand.

He wasn't the type to fall for sweet words. He understood Hiruzen's game: praise them high, so the fall hurts more when you cut them down.

Still, he played along.

"But truly, compared to you, I'm nothing," Jaxon said with feigned admiration. "Look at Konoha now—it's more prosperous than ever. Even in the midst of war, the villagers are safe and thriving. That's all thanks to your wise leadership, Hokage-sama."

He paused for effect, then added slyly, "Frankly, not even the First or Second Hokage achieved what you have."

It was a bold statement—borderline blasphemy for anyone who revered the Senju brothers. But Jaxon knew exactly what kind of bait this particular old man couldn't resist.

Sure enough, Hiruzen's face lit up, his smile widening until the creases around his eyes deepened.

"Ha ha ha!" he laughed, raising his pipe with a hint of embarrassment. "You're too kind. But I never forget the teachings of the First and Second Hokage. Their example guides me even now."

He said it with fake humility, but anyone paying close attention could tell: he absolutely loved being compared to his predecessors—especially if the comparison favored him.

Jaxon nodded politely, hiding the disgust building in his chest.

This old snake… Always preaching virtue while swimming in manipulation.

"In any case," Jaxon continued smoothly, "I'm confident Konoha will reach even greater heights under your continued rule, Hokage-sama."

His voice was so sincere, it could fool even the most suspicious.

Inwardly, however, he was resisting the urge to shudder.

He hated having to suck up to this scheming relic—but in politics, wearing a mask was part of survival.

Hiruzen Sarutobi. The man who always smiled, but never moved unless there was something in it for him. The other Kage of the world fought and died on the battlefield, but not him. No, the Third Hokage stayed behind in the safety of his office—pulling strings.

Just as Hiruzen was about to respond, the office doors creaked open.

Danzo entered with his usual cold, stiff gait. His face wore its signature scowl—equal parts disdain and paranoia.

His gaze landed immediately on Jaxon. Without even offering a greeting, he scoffed.

"It's been years," he muttered. "Never thought you'd grow this tall. Quite the surprise."

Jaxon didn't miss a beat.

"Yes, it has been many years," he said, his tone equally cold. "But I didn't expect to see you still clinging to life. If you don't move faster to seize what you desire, I'm afraid you'll miss your last chance."

There was venom in his words, but a smile on his lips.

The jab was deliberate—everyone knew what Danzo coveted most. It wasn't a secret. He wanted the Hokage's seat more than anything.

Danzo's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he didn't rise to the bait.

"Hmph. Still as sharp-tongued as ever," he muttered, though his eyes flicked—not at Jaxon, but toward the Hokage's chair.

He didn't bother hiding the desire in his gaze. But neither did he speak it aloud.

Instead, Danzo turned back toward Jaxon, his tone icy.

"Why are there so many Uzumaki with you? And why so many elite-level ninja? Konoha deserves an explanation."

"Oh?" Jaxon said calmly. "And what kind of explanation do you think is appropriate?"

"This is Konoha, not the capital of the Land of Fire!" Danzo barked, fists clenched.

His killing intent began to leak into the room, coiling like a snake ready to strike.

Hiruzen, meanwhile, remained silent—watching.

He had no intention of intervening. Let Danzo be the attack dog. That way, if anything went wrong, he could always push the blame on him later.

Typical.

"You're right. This is Konoha, not the Land of Fire's capital," Jaxon said smoothly, unfazed. "Which is why I made sure to bring sufficient protection on the way here. Are you implying I shouldn't care about my own safety, Danzo-sama?"

The sarcasm in his voice was sharp, but still wrapped in velvet.

Danzo's gaze hardened further.

Even with all this provocation, Jaxon remained perfectly calm.

Because he knew something Danzo didn't dare test:

They couldn't touch him.

If they did, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire would cut off all funding to Konoha. And once that happened? The village's internal factions would collapse faster than a house of cards.

Jaxon smiled slightly and continued, "We're here purely for business. We pose no threat to Konoha. So please, stop with the pointless provocations."

He took a step closer, lowering his voice just enough to make the warning feel intimate—and dangerous.

"This is wartime. Konoha's mission income has already dried up. If something... unfortunate were to happen now, well, the economic fallout would be disastrous, wouldn't it?"

Then, without waiting for a reply, he casually strolled over to the office sofa and sat down—like it was his own living room.

Danzo's forehead twitched, veins bulging in barely contained fury.

His clenched fists trembled slightly, but he didn't move.

He couldn't.

Because Jaxon was right—they couldn't afford to lay a finger on him.

If they did, the Land of Fire would strip them of everything. And without funding, the already war-weary village would fracture internally.

Danzo ground his teeth, his voice sharp but slightly more controlled.

"We can tolerate your presence, Jaxon. But those you brought with you—especially the Uzumaki—must be handed over to Konoha. We'll take responsibility for managing them."

It was a demand—but also a retreat.

Danzo had realized he couldn't outmaneuver Jaxon with force, so he tried to shift to negotiation.

But Jaxon, reclining on the sofa, didn't even look fazed.

"Oh? You want me to give up my allies just like that?" he asked lazily, resting his chin on one hand. "That's funny. I don't recall anyone saying Konoha has the authority to make such a demand."

He looked at Hiruzen now—directly.

"Third Hokage-sama, is that how we're doing things now? Seizing others' people and calling it 'management'?"

Hiruzen coughed slightly, pretending to consider it.

"This is all just for Konoha's safety," he said diplomatically. "You must understand, the current war situation demands caution. The Uzumaki Clan has always been strong in sealing techniques—"

"And your village has always been good at using people," Jaxon interrupted, still smiling but now with unmistakable coldness in his voice.

Danzo's face darkened further.

Jaxon stood up now, slowly.

"If that's your decision, then I'll return to the capital. And I'll let the Daimyo know that Konoha no longer wishes to cooperate with us economically."

Both Danzo and Hiruzen froze.

That wasn't just a threat. It was a detonation switch.

"…Wait," Hiruzen said finally, raising a hand. "Let's not escalate needlessly. We can revisit this conversation after a proper meeting. Perhaps we all need to cool our heads."

Danzo looked away, teeth grinding.

Jaxon said nothing. He simply nodded and turned toward the window, admiring the Hokage Monument in the distance.

He didn't need to say it out loud.

He'd already won.

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

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