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People absolutely cannot compromise with their own hesitation.

These were Danzo’s most painful and regret-filled memories from back in the day.

Because of a moment of hesitation, he lost the battle for Hokage to his dear friend Hiruzen, missing out on the position of Hokage.

From that moment, he understood that when doing something, one must follow through completely, without any hesitation or fear, without being overly cautious.

Those who are overly timid can’t achieve great things.

Hesitation leads to defeat.

One compromise leads to another.

Therefore, Danzo, who broke this fate, always believed himself to be an excellent and powerful ninja.

Breaking free from the shackles of fate, carrying out his will to the end, discarding former hesitations and cowardice.

To do something, never hesitate, and never compromise with anyone, that is the true ninja way.

Because of this, he was able to gather so many ninjas, establish Root, and become the sole pillar in the hearts of all Root ninjas.

"Lord Danzo."

In the forest at the eastern border of the Land of Fire, Aburame Ryuma caught up.

Accompanying Danzo on this mission, besides himself and Aburame Ryuma, there were twenty-two people, more than half of whom were Jonin.

To achieve victory on the Hidden Cloud battlefield, Root dispatched its elite forces this time.

Danzo slightly turned his head to look at Aburame Ryuma.

"Speak."

"News from the village."

Aburame Ryuma said softly.

"What is the final situation? Did Hiruzen justify that brat named Naruto?"

Danzo asked.

Aburame Ryuma shook his head, smiling, and said, "No, the Third Hokage did nothing, compromising with us Root."

This was the first time Root truly won the fruits of victory.

Since its establishment, Root had been suppressed by the Third Hokage.

Successfully reversing this time required taking advantage of the Nine-tailed Jinchuriki’s special status, laying down a strategy of deception, confusing the Third Hokage.

"Is that so? He compromised, huh..."

Danzo spoke these words.

Aburame Ryuma glanced at Danzo strangely, thinking he would be happy to mock the Third Hokage upon hearing this news.

"Lord Danzo, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing, just feel that now Hiruzen resembles my past self."

Danzo’s eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Heartache, regret, sighs, sadness.

But there was no ridicule or excitement.

Aburame Ryuma fell silent, not speaking.

"What’s happening with Jiraiya?"

Danzo asked again.

Naruto was the child of Jiraiya’s disciple, as one of the Sannin, it was impossible for him to remain indifferent within the village.

"According to intelligence, it was only known that on the second day after the incident, he drank heavily alone in a tavern, and was eventually carried home by Anbu, seeming heavily intoxicated."

Aburame Ryuma sighed with emotion.

Hiruzen compromised with Root, Jiraiya compromised with his teacher, what an interesting pair of mentor and disciple they were.

Was the legacy of the Third Hokage the policy of weak compromise?

Aburame Ryuma thought of the prematurely dead Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, if he hadn’t died in the Nine-tailed battle, Root might never have had a chance to rise.

He was a Yellow Flash who showed no mercy to enemies on the battlefield.

Ninjas who fought him wouldn’t want a second encounter.

Even within Root, there were many ninjas who admired him.

"Looks like Jiraiya is now also deeply disappointed in his teacher, like Orochimaru. Hiruzen... has ultimately grown old. Now he’s become cautious, swapping positions with my past self. Orochimaru’s defection hit him harder than I anticipated."

Danzo knew that in Hiruzen’s heart, a seed of fear he planted had already been left, ready to root and sprout at any moment.

Then, his tone shifted, his eyes becoming sharp.

"However, his hesitation and compromise is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us Root. The more flourishing the branches and leaves of a great tree, the deeper its roots must delve into unseen darkness. Since light has lost its significance, then let the darkness of Root completely replace the village’s light!"