Zander
patreon
Chapter 62 – "Eyes in the Shadows"
🕑 Added 2025-07-01 23:04:44 +0000 UTCChapter 62 – "Eyes in the Shadows"
Far beneath the surface of Konoha, hidden in the forgotten chambers of Root, the air was thick with stillness. Pale light from chakra crystals glowed faintly along the carved stone walls. Danzō Shimura stood at the center of a war table surrounded by scrolls, ledgers, and coded reports. His right arm, still wrapped in bandages, rested beside him as he leaned on his cane.
A masked Root agent knelt before him, delivering the latest intelligence.
"The Healing Tags and Chakra Soap are being mass-produced," the agent said in a level voice. "Tsunade authorized full village-wide distribution. All teams from the Medical Corps are involved."
Danzō’s single visible eye narrowed.
"And the profits?"
"Thirty percent goes directly to the creator. Hajime. The rest to the Hokage and village accounts."
Danzō said nothing for a moment. Then his voice came low and cold:
"So the child not only earns coin… he earns her trust."
He dismissed the agent with a flick of his fingers.
As the masked operative disappeared into the corridor, Danzō turned toward a sealed compartment along the wall. He opened it slowly. Inside were records, faded ledgers showing the state of Root’s funding, dwindling by the month. Since Tsunade had taken office, the budget for Root had been cut to nearly nothing.
His operations now survived through side channels: a few industrial holdings, black-market favors, and the support of Homura and Koharu, the only two of the old council who still whispered in his ear.
But whispers did not pay soldiers.
And now, Hajime’s inventions, cheap, useful, adored by the people, were not only raising Tsunade’s popularity, they were making her economically independent of the elders.
Danzō clenched his cane tighter.
"Without war, money becomes the battlefield," he muttered. "And Tsunade is arming herself with him."
Inside the Hokage Tower, tension simmered.
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane stood stiffly in front of Tsunade’s desk. The air was heavy with disapproval.
"You’ve authorized a 30% profit cut to a teenager with no clan, no allegiance, and no oversight," Koharu said, her voice calm but pointed.
Tsunade didn’t look up immediately from her paperwork. She finished signing the document in front of her, then raised her golden eyes.
"Yes. I did."
Homura frowned. "That money could have gone to rebuilding the eastern districts. Or to reinforcements on the border. Or to Root, which still protects this village even without funding."
Tsunade’s tone didn’t waver. "He made it. He deserves it."
"Reward him," Koharu insisted, "but a one-time bonus would’ve sufficed. Or a scroll technique in exchange. This? This is ownership."
Homura leaned forward slightly. "Why grant a portion of village profit to an unknown?"
At that, Tsunade stood.
She walked around her desk slowly, her arms folded.
"Say ‘unknown’ again and I’ll assume you mean ‘outsider.’ Or ‘threat.’"
Homura’s mouth closed.
Tsunade continued. "This village let the Uchiha bleed in silence. Let orphans vanish in the alleys. If someone, anyone, finally builds something to help others instead of destroy, they get paid. That is the new law. My law."
Koharu stiffened. "You speak of change, but give no council."
"Because your counsel is always the same," Tsunade snapped. "Silence threats. Cut funding. Control loyalty. That ended with Hiruzen."
For a moment, all three stood in silence. The elders finally bowed their heads, not in respect, but in retreat.
"We meant no disrespect," Koharu murmured.
Tsunade didn’t answer. She turned and returned to her desk. As the elders left, the air behind them grew colder.
Later, in Root’s chambers, the agents relayed the Hokage’s response to Danzō.
He listened without interrupting, then dismissed the operatives.
He turned to the cabinet at the edge of the room and opened it. Inside were scrolls, ancient, sealed, and dangerous. Some contained forbidden memory techniques. Others, remnants of old Uchiha surveillance. At the top, one new looking folder in particular
Information Of Tsunade Apprentice: Hajime
Danzō sat slowly, tapping his cane against the ground.
"If wealth cannot win the game," he said to the dark, "then perhaps memory will."
He stared at the folder long and hard.
Then whispered:
"I’ll learn what he is… and I’ll learn how to break him."
End of Chapter 62 – “Eyes in the Shadows”
