In Konoha, there were many who earned the title of hero during the war—like the nearly one thousand shinobi who had just returned. Strictly speaking, all of them were deserving.
But this was the first time he'd encountered someone who openly called himself a hero.
And to top it off... a mansion?
Shimura Danzo's lone eye scanned Aoba Kawaki's modest courtyard and fell silent.
Cough cough.
With a dry cough, Danzo shifted his thoughts away from the so-called "hero" and the surprisingly decent courtyard. He turned to Aoba Kawaki and asked bluntly, "Aoba Kawaki, are you truly willing to accept this?"
"What?" Aoba blinked, momentarily stunned. He had a vague idea of what Danzo might want, but he hadn't expected such a direct approach. Shouldn't he at least lay the groundwork first?
"You don't need to pretend," Danzo said coldly. "You can't hide your intentions from me."
His remaining eye gleamed with confidence—harsh, unwavering.
Aoba Kawaki: …You're so sure of yourself, what am I even supposed to say?
Danzo continued, voice slow and deliberate. "I know you better than anyone. No one else realizes what you truly accomplished on the battlefield. You captured two Tailed Beasts and brokered the ceasefire between Konoha and Iwagakure."
"That victory should have been yours alone—but now? No credit. No reward."
"Thanks to you, the village barely paid a price to secure a major front. And yet, who's the one being celebrated? Minato Namikaze? Leading the charge against Kumogakure, hailed as the Yellow Flash?" Danzo snorted. "All propaganda to appease the masses. But you know the truth—victory always comes at the cost of countless lives."
Aoba Kawaki: …Ah, this again.
He seriously wondered if the old man had taken the wrong prescription today. Since when did Shimura Danzo ever care about the lives of shinobi?
This man was either losing his mind, or he was scheming something deeper.
Aoba's gut leaned toward the latter.
Danzo leaned in slightly, lowering his voice.
"Do you know what it cost Konoha to win Minato's final battle? Hundreds of lives. Hundreds, Kawaki. And yet he's deemed worthy to command? He's not even in your league."
Danzo chuckled—low and eerie.
"Do you even know? That boy, Minato Namikaze—Hiruzen has already decided on him as the next Hokage. Yes, Minato. Not Orochimaru, his most promising student, but that golden boy."
Danzo's expression darkened. "Soon, they'll spread word of Orochimaru's 'defeat' at the Suna front. Hiruzen will recall Minato and send him there instead. With his support, Sunagakure won't stand a chance."
Aoba resisted the urge to rub his temples. He finally understood.
Danzo wasn't here to recruit him into Root—he was planting a seed.
A seed of resentment.
He wanted to manipulate him into believing he was the more suitable Hokage than Minato Namikaze.
Danzo's grudge toward Hiruzen's favoritism was on full display, and Aoba had become a pawn on the board.
Perhaps Danzo had plans for Orochimaru as well, but in the end, both he and Orochimaru were nothing more than chess pieces to him.
Danzo was playing a dangerous game. Stirring people up, stoking ambitions, inflaming jealousy—these were his specialties. He began with praise for Aoba's accomplishments, then sowed discontent, followed by flattery and hints of favoritism. Then, as if offering help, he suggested Aoba persuade Hiruzen on his behalf. The routine was textbook.
If Aoba had truly been a naïve teenager, he might have fallen for it.
But despite having the body of a fourteen-year-old, his mind had already outgrown childish dreams.
He waved Danzo off casually. "Elder Danzo, if you came to my house this late just to say these things, then I suggest you take that energy and visit the families of the shinobi who died in the war."
"As for the next Hokage... it's not my concern. If the Hokage-sama has chosen Minato-senpai, then I'll only feel proud to serve under him."
"I'm content remaining a consultant elder for the rest of my life—perhaps even replacing a certain other elder who no longer contributes anything of value."
Before Danzo could speak again, Aoba cut him off.
"As for the matter of merits and rewards... I trust in the Hokage's judgment. If it wasn't brought up earlier, it's likely due to timing. I've no reason to be anxious."
With a few pointed words, Aoba had blocked every angle of Danzo's manipulative ploy.
What a joke. So long as he didn't get involved with Danzo, the recognition he earned would come in due time.
After returning to the village and seeing Instructor Makoto leading the welcome procession, with Aoba and his companions honored behind him, Aoba had already known—his contribution was acknowledged. His role in unlocking the first part of the Scroll of Seals would not be forgotten.
Only someone like Danzo would think he could twist that into political leverage. Little did he know that all his movements were likely already under Hiruzen Sarutobi's watchful eye.
That's right—even this late-night visit.
Perhaps Danzo didn't know, but Hiruzen's Telescopic Jutsu had long since evolved—possibly upgraded just to watch him.
Who knows?
Regardless, it was late, and Aoba had lost interest in entertaining him.
"Enough, Elder Danzo. Out of respect for your rank, I won't hold you accountable for trespassing. But this is my home, and I don't welcome people who try to incite division in the village."
A sharp glint flickered in Danzo's eye—a subtle, unmistakable flash of killing intent.
Aoba kept his face relaxed, but inside, he was already on full alert.
Danzo's malice was suffocating. If he summoned the shinobi hidden outside to attack, Aoba wouldn't be surprised in the slightest.
But Danzo didn't act.
Not yet.
Instead, he gave a cold snort and slammed his cane into the ground.
Unfortunately, Aoba's courtyard wasn't paved—so the cane sank into the soil, making Danzo's expression even grimmer.
"Kawaki Aoba," he growled, "you'll regret this. And when you do... you'll come crawling back."
Aoba: Good grief. Say one more line like that, and people will really think I've already become Hokage.
---
Possibly leading to "The Final Battle with Sunagakure?"
The next morning, Kawaki Aoba was summoned by an ANBU operative to the Hokage's office.
He wasn't surprised. After the Danzo incident the night before, he had successfully passed his final test under Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Now that the trial was over, it was time for rewards.
When Kawaki Aoba entered the Hokage's office, Hiruzen wasn't seated behind his desk as usual. Instead, he stood by the window with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing solemnly over the Hidden Leaf Village.
Respectfully, Kawaki Aoba didn't interrupt. He stood silently, awaiting the Hokage's words.
As expected, Hiruzen didn't keep him waiting for long. Without turning around, he gestured for Aoba to approach the window.
Hiruzen had originally intended for Aoba to see the view of the village from his perspective, as many Hokage had done for their most trusted shinobi. But when he turned slightly and noticed Aoba's blindfold, a flicker of regret crossed his face.
He had forgotten — again — that Kawaki Aoba was blind.
Aoba's strength and achievements were so remarkable that his disability was often overlooked, even by the Hokage himself. With a sigh, Hiruzen rubbed his temples and dispelled any ceremonial words he had planned. Instead, he spoke plainly:
"Aoba, your role in securing the ceasefire with Iwagakure was critical. The capture of the two tailed beasts tipped the scales in our favor. If I, as Hokage, failed to reward you for such a service, I'd be derelict in my duty."
He paused, then smiled slightly.
"So this time, you're not allowed to decline a reward like you usually do. That would only make things harder for me."
Aoba understood the tone immediately. Hiruzen was encouraging him to speak freely — to ask for whatever he truly desired.
Without hesitation, Kawaki Aoba made his request: access to the Book of Seals.
Hiruzen wasn't surprised. As a genius in the art of ninjutsu development, it was natural for Aoba to seek the village's most dangerous and advanced techniques. In fact, it was impressive that he had waited this long to ask.
After brief consideration, Hiruzen granted him permission to learn three forbidden techniques.
While the capture of two tailed beasts had involved other shinobi, Aoba's contributions were vital. Technically, such a feat might warrant access to two techniques at most. However, his long list of completed S-rank missions — some yet unrewarded — gave Hiruzen ample justification for the additional favor.
After thanking the Hokage and bidding him farewell, Aoba was escorted by ANBU deep beneath the Hokage Residence. They passed through numerous barriers, chakra locks, and sealing formations until they reached a heavily fortified chamber.
There, behind several layers of protection, rested the Book of Seals.
Aoba did not dare touch it. Even from a distance, the powerful sealing jutsu inscribed on its cover radiated a suffocating pressure.
When Minato Namikaze had taught Aoba the Rasengan, he had also shared some basic Uzumaki sealing techniques as repayment. With that foundation, Aoba could recognize the influence of Uzumaki craftsmanship on the seals before him — dense, multilayered, and terrifyingly complex.
When the defense team carefully opened the Book of Seals, Aoba saw its true contents — not just a collection of dangerous techniques, but a treasure trove of Konoha's arcane history.
Interpretation of the Five Basic Chakra Nature Transformations – Senju Tobirama
Theoretical Notes on Yin-Yang Release and Elemental Fusion – Senju Tobirama
Yang Release Training and Enhancement – Senju Tobirama
… and many more.
Technique after technique bore the name of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. He hadn't just created jutsu — he had documented the entire scientific framework behind chakra manipulation, sealing arts, and nature transformations.
Even the unfinished entries — such as a method for synthesizing a Kekkei Genkai by combining Water and Earth Release — were clearly his work. The goal, obviously, had been to artificially recreate the legendary Wood Release, a feat once believed unique to Hashirama Senju.
But beneath the final entry lay three words: "Not yet perfected."
Aoba's admiration grew with each page. He realized that, despite the Second Hokage's well-known prejudice against the Uchiha, his contributions to the village far surpassed those of any other Kage. The Book of Seals wasn't just a compilation of forbidden arts — it was a blueprint for survival, intended to ensure Konoha's continuity even in the worst-case scenario of civil war or betrayal by the great clans.
If even a smaller nation like Kusagakure or Amegakure gained access to these secrets and had time to develop them, they could potentially rival the Five Great Nations.
In addition to forbidden techniques, the Book contained hundreds of advanced sealing formulas, barrier techniques, and high-level elemental ninjutsu — all in Tobirama's terse but precise handwriting.
By the time Aoba closed the final page, his impression of Tobirama had transformed. Whatever personal flaws the Second Hokage may have had, his legacy as a protector and architect of the Hidden Leaf was undeniable.
After paying his silent respects, Kawaki Aoba turned his attention to the matter at hand.
He was allowed to select three techniques. Two of them, he had already decided upon long before arriving:
Flying Thunder God Technique (Hiraishin no Jutsu)
Dead Demon Consuming Seal (Shiki Fūjin)
And now, it was time to choose the third.
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