Chapter 27 – Suspicion
Danzō's doubts weren't without reason.
Upon returning to the village, one of the first things he did was make a round through the Anbu. This was an old habit of his—like a lion patrolling its territory, he needed to see for himself what had changed in his absence.
Overall, there wasn't much upheaval. A couple of Anbu squad captains had died of old age, a few members were lost on missions, and fresh blood had been brought in to fill the ranks… all perfectly routine. Nothing that would raise an eyebrow.
Indeed, under his assistance and guidance, Konoha remained peaceful, prosperous, and strong.
Since there was nothing pressing in Anbu, Danzō was ready to return to the clan compound. He might be the Hokage's adviser, but first and foremost, he was head of the Shimura clan.
However, on the way back, he overheard some villagers talking about the legend of the "Hannya Demon." His curiosity piqued, he stopped to ask a few questions. The answers he got were vague, so he returned to Anbu and called in a few trusted subordinates for details.
That was when an Anbu operative codenamed "Hannya" appeared on his radar.
Before, he'd paid no attention to this newly recruited operative—after all, anyone who could catch the Hokage adviser's eye was usually at least a squad leader. Someone like Ren, an ordinary rank-and-file member, wasn't worth the effort to investigate.
But when he pulled Hannya's file, Danzō's eyes widened.
Just a month ago, Hannya had been nothing more than a genin in the special Rain-nin expeditionary corps, clinging to Senju Tsunade's coattails to secure a spot in the so-called "Crown Prince Squad" of Konoha. Then came Hanzo's surprise attack, the Sannin's defeat, and the squad's disappearance.
Up to that point, Danzō could accept it. But what came next defied all his understanding of the shinobi world… "A genius on par with Minato Namikaze"? "Suspected to have killed a Rain-nin jōnin in battle"?
If jōnin were really that easy to kill, the villages would've been mass-producing them long ago. They were called jōnin precisely because their strength, versatility, and experience far outstripped that of chūnin.
At that moment, Danzō knew something was wrong. Reading further, he found a record of Ren sparring with Namikaze Minato, in which an Anbu kenjutsu specialist had written, "Technique polished—does not seem like a novice." If the earlier details were just hints, this line was the blaring alarm that set off Danzō's internal radar.
This little whelp was suspicious. Either he was a deep-cover infiltrator who had been in Konoha for years… or an old veteran who had stolen another's body through some forbidden reincarnation technique.
It wasn't that Danzō disbelieved in genius—Minato, Hiruzen, Orochimaru, all of them were geniuses. But no one's potential matured this fast. From genin to someone who could kill a jōnin in just one month? That was absurd.
Uneasy, Danzō donned his cloak, ready to storm into the Hokage's office and lay out the dangers to Hiruzen. The man was far too soft. If Danzō were Hokage, someone this dangerous wouldn't even make it out of the office alive, let alone join the Anbu.
But then he paused. His old classmate might be foolish, but Danzō was not. This naturally dangerous Hannya brat had clearly come prepared—earning the trust of the Sannin, building rapport with Anbu colleagues, and most importantly, gaining Hiruzen's trust. That last point was the most troublesome.
Many shinobi were little more than muscle-headed warriors, easy for Danzō to deal with because they followed Hiruzen's "Will of Fire." Ren, however, was different.
Just as in the original tale, Danzō had nine different ways to force Konoha's White Fang to his death—simply because Hiruzen trusted Danzō more than he trusted Sakumo Hatake. Sakumo might have been a great shinobi, but in politics and power, he was hopelessly naive.
"Send Shimura Yū to me."
As head of the Shimura clan, Danzō's word in the family was absolute. Soon, Yū returned from his Anbu shift to report.
"Tell me everything about your colleague, Hannya. No detail too small—say everything you know."
At the height of his prime, Danzō's presence was suffocating. His mostly black hair was just touched with silver, his features were sharp and unyielding, and the signature cross-shaped scar on his chin was a testament to his many victories.
Shimura Yū dared not hide anything. He relayed Ren's recent behavior truthfully.
"Skilled in swordsmanship, enormous chakra reserves, loves to study, friendly to others… a bit vain?" Yū concluded cautiously, adding a "flaw" that barely counted as one after listing a string of strengths.
Shimura Yū had always been a master at reading the clan leader's mind. When reporting to a superior, it wasn't enough to say only what sounded pleasant—one had to leave room for the leader to give instructions.
Unfortunately, this time, he had misread the situation entirely.
The qualities he praised had an entirely different meaning in Danzo's eyes.
"A drastic change in temperament, a sudden surge in talent, no notable record in the academy, yet after stepping onto the battlefield, he's branded a genius. A mere genin by origin, yet adept at currying favor and self-preservation… and for some unknown reason, unusually concerned with appearances—could it be due to some secret technique?"
Danzo said nothing, so Yū quickly added,
"The ninja blade used by Hannya to slay a jōnin on the battlefield is still in ANBU custody; the identity of its original owner has yet to be confirmed. However, Hannya evenly distributed the credit among his squad members, and even erected a memorial stone for Mizutorioka's deceased son, honoring his selfless sacrifice."
Knows how to blend in, to share glory, to weave himself into the fabric of others—!
Danzo's eyes flashed with fury.
This was no ordinary ANBU operative.
As a political animal himself—cut from the same cloth as Minamoto Ren—Danzo could smell the presence of a kindred spirit.
Every step Ren took was calculated.
He was eroding Konoha's power structure from within!
At that moment, Danzo completely lost his composure.
In his mind, Konoha only needed him and Hiruzen Sarutobi to handle the great affairs of the village; ninjas merely had to serve as tools on the front lines, completing missions as ordered. But he and Hiruzen had to consider matters far beyond the battlefield.
Casting a cold glance at Yū, Danzo became certain that even his own clansman had been deceived by Ren's facade.
Fools! Just like Hiruzen—utter fools!
With a single hand seal, Danzo's figure vanished instantly, rushing toward the Hokage's office with urgent speed, leaving Shimura Yū staring after him in bewilderment.
It had been a long time since Yū had seen the clan leader so unsettled.
Even Namikaze Minato had only earned Danzo's faint acknowledgment as "a somewhat talented shinobi." Never before had he seen Danzo give such weight to someone still lingering at the lower rungs of ANBU command.
But Yū knew one thing for certain—anyone marked by the clan leader never met a good end. He had seen the man's methods far too many times.
Now he was caught between two sides—his colleague and friend on one, his clan leader on the other. Rising to his feet, Yū's eyes showed deep conflict.
"For a matter this serious… I should have a drink or two before deciding." he thought.