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Several days later, Hiruzen and the others returned to Konoha without Izuna.
Their teacher disappeared after staying behind to help them escape. Days passed with no word or sign from him.
No one had to say it out loud: Izuna Uchiha probably was not coming back.
They took everything they had learned to Konoha's two surviving elders, Mito Uzumaki and Hyūga Tennin.
At first, Konoha's leaders wanted to keep the news quiet to avoid panic. But once people in Kumogakure heard that both the Second Raikage and the Fourth Hokage had been killed, it was impossible to hide the truth.
The rest of the shinobi world already knew.
After a short talk, Mito and Tennin announced Izuna's death and started picking the next Hokage. They met alone in a sealed room to talk about who should lead.
"The Fourth thought Danzō could handle the job. Why not make him the next Hokage?" Tennin asked.
"Danzō? Absolutely not. I can sense the malice in a person's heart, and Danzō is full of it. I won't put Konoha in his hands." Mito rejected the idea on the spot.
Hardly anyone in Konoha could overrule her. As Hashirama Senju's widow and Kurama's jinchūriki, she controlled the village's strongest weapon.
Tennin nodded. He represented Konoha's oldest and strongest clans, so he had his own reasons to oppose Danzō.
Danzō had spent years ignoring the old clans and their interests. If he became Hokage, he would eventually try to take their power. The clans would never let that happen.
"Then how about Hiruzen Sarutobi?" Tennin suggested.
He had once thought about trying for the job himself, but he was even older than Izuna. He no longer had the drive to fight for the position.
"Hiruzen… I suppose he'll do." Mito considered the choice before giving a reluctant nod.
There was no better candidate in Konoha. Neither the Senju nor the Uchiha had a younger shinobi ready to lead. Hikaku Uchiha, Setsuna Uchiha, and Naori Uchiha didn't have the judgment or character needed to run the village. (All three are canon characters.)
The Senju were in even worse shape. Their younger members were mostly unknown and ranged from average to forgettable.
"Send for the daimyō, the clan heads, and Hiruzen. He's young, but with both of us at his side, we can keep him from making any serious mistakes." Mito made her decision.
"Agreed." Tennin saw no reason to argue.
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Soon, word got out that Hiruzen Sarutobi would be the Fifth Hokage. Whether it was leaked on purpose or by accident, the rumor quickly spread through all of Konoha's upper ranks.
Danzō could hardly believe it. He kept telling himself it was just gossip, but deep down he knew the truth.
Only two people in Konoha really had a shot at the job: Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura.
Then he remembered Mito's visit to the Sarutobi compound a few days before. It was almost as if she had announced the decision to the whole village.
Danzō clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"If Teacher Izuna were alive to make the call, he'd choose me. I know he would! But who gets to decide now? Mito Uzumaki! Hashirama Senju's widow! The wife of that traitor to the Will of Fire! Why the hell would she ever hand me the Hokage's hat?"
Then his gaze caught on two large kanji hanging on the wall.
[PATIENCE.]
Years ago, Danzō had asked the First Hokage for the secret to success. That single word had been his answer.
"That's right. I'm not out of this yet…" Danzō pulled in a breath and unclenched his hands.
Hiruzen had been his best friend since they were kids. He would never betray Danzō. If anything, he would give him real power.
Danzō could remain at Hiruzen's side, much like Madara once had with Hashirama. Maybe, after a few years, Hiruzen would decide to step down and hand the position over to him.
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Far to the north, Izuna lay on a flat stone bed in a hidden cave. A faint flow of Hashirama's chakra moved through his body.
No one knew how long he had been out. Then his fingers twitched. He opened his eyes and saw two familiar faces.
"Brother?? Tobirama??" Izuna shoved himself upright.
Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju sat nearby on stone chairs. They both turned to look at him, and Madara smiled.
Izuna was awake, and that was all that mattered.
"What are you two doing here? Weren't you in Konoha? Why did you leave the village? And where are we?" Izuna asked, one question after another.
One was his brother, the other his childhood friend. Neither should be hiding together in a remote cave.
"You're in the narrow space between the living world and the Pure Land…" Tobirama began.
"Enough, Tobirama... Izuna, this is a hidden cave in the far north of the shinobi world. We call it the Mountains' Graveyard." Madara scowled at him.
"Why did you leave Konoha?" Izuna pressed.
Before either of them could answer, Izuna closed his eyes and focused on his chakra. Something felt different.
"Wait. My Mangekyō Sharingan… Why don't my eyes hurt anymore?"
He recognized the chakra moving through him. The pain and tiredness that used to bother his eyes when he used the Mangekyō were gone.
"I put my brother Hashirama's cells into your body. Their power took the strain off your eyes and let your Mangekyō heal. Your body is unusual. The cells should have overwhelmed you, but you resisted them. Otherwise, you'd be dead," Tobirama said.
"So that's it… I knew I recognized this chakra." Izuna looked down at his hands.
"Tobirama and I left Konoha because we chose a different path. We're going to unite the whole shinobi world in our own way," Madara said.
"Brother, you're still after that? Even Great-Grandfather wouldn't go that far. Why can't you let it go? You're willing to risk your life for something impossible." Izuna frowned at his brother.
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