Chapter 4 : Two Old Men, One Agenda, Zero Chill
"Heh. Knew it. Hiruzen's been grooming you for exactly this."
Danzō's internal monologue in four characters: HYPOCRITE SIMP.
Qingguang—sweet summer child. Mirror's kid, raised on village charity while Hiruzen "managed" the inheritance like a shady landlord. I spotted his potential first, wanted to mentor him, but every time—bam! "I'm the Hokage, back off."
MY PROTÉGÉ. MINE.
…And now the kid's wearing Hiruzen's rose-tinted goggles. Tragic.
"Lord Danzō, I get where Lord Hokage's coming from. Uchiha's just part of the equation. It's also Dad's dying wish—and my dream."
Look at him still caping for that monkey-loving thief!
Precious.
Good thing the boy's got brains. He vibes with the Will of Root—way more pragmatic than that campfire sing-along nonsense.
"Spare me. I know Hiruzen's script by heart."
"'Be the bridge between Uchiha and Konoha.' 'Forge bonds.' He fed you that exact line, right?"
Danzō's one good eye lasers into Qingguang's soul.
Kid instinctively looks away—GUILTY.
"Can't sneak anything past you, sir."
Danzō swishes his sleeve like a drama queen, strides outside, and strikes a pose under the crescent moon.
"Konoha's like this chipped moon. Uchiha alone can't patch it. Some things can't be fixed with quantity."
Cue dramatic turn—moonlight halo, instant protagonist filter.
"Don't think Hiruzen spilled all the tea. Madara's defection? Yellow Springs mess? Surface-level lore."
"You know the Sharingan's final form?"
Qingguang blinks. "Three-tomoe is the cap. Only elite-of-the-elite unlock it."
"Tch. Figures Hiruzen skipped the DLC."
Danzō closes in, looming like a final boss.
"Peak Sharingan isn't three-tomoe. It's the Mangekyō Sharingan—legendary, unique pattern per pair, no more basic commas."
"Madara—the guy who curb-stomped Konoha and remote-controlled the Nine-Tails? Mangekyō user."
Qingguang's pupils shrink to pinpricks.
"No wonder he ghosted the village. Even Hashirama's Wood Release couldn't cage him…"
"Exactly. He came back for revenge, died to Hashirama's wood… but the First croaked from injuries soon after."
Danzō GRABS Qingguang's shoulders like he's the last Poké Ball.
"Listen up. Matching Madara or Hashirama? Impossible. Thousand-year lottery—only two winners."
"But you? Fuse Wood Release and Sharingan—just enough to leash the Nine-Tails—and Konoha's back in the golden age!"
Voice drops to ASMR gravel. "Don't waste time on Hiruzen's side quests. Train. Both powers."
"Konoha's counting on you."
Danzō yeets into the night.
Only when the coast is clear does Qingguang roll his neck like he just survived a timeshare pitch.
These geezers run the exact same playbook.
One wants me as village pack mule, the other as Wood Release battery.
Sorry, fellas—I'm just here to farm skill points. Why so clingy?
Orochimaru stays winning. Mad science + mutual grinding = OTP.
Qingguang crashes. Zzz.
Next Morning – 6:59 AM
Sunbeam sniper shot through the window. A black-haired silhouette creeps across the yard like a ninja cat burglar.
"Senpaaai~ If you don't wake up, the sun's gonna roast your butt~"
Voice = honey + Red Bull.
Qingguang cracks an eye. Mikoto—face inches away, hair tickling his neck, smile weaponized.
"Girl, personal space. How am I supposed to get up? Launch you?"
Instant tomato blush. Mikoto vaults off the bed.
"RUDE! You can't say that to a lady!"
She's literally a walking strawberry right now.
Qingguang sits up, clocks the wall: 6:59.
"What's the emergency? Also—how'd you know I moved back?"
Mik 100->10 mood swing. Tosses his clothes like a disgruntled butler.
"You promised to teach me fire jutsu after your mission. You ghosted me."
Puffs cheeks. Angry hamster activated.
Qingguang facepalms. Wood Release arc ate my brain.
"My bad. Got… sidetracked. No missions today—deal. We train."
Eyes land on breakfast: onigiri, tamagoyaki, miso.
"Solid wife material, Mikoto."