Danzo's eyes gleamed with a cold light.
"For now, we can't confront them directly," he said darkly. "But we can disrupt them from the shadows—keep them too busy to continue their research."
His voice lowered, brimming with icy resolve.
"Hiruzen… let's start a war."
The Third Hokage's brows twitched. Danzo leaned forward.
"Begin a new Shinobi War, immediately."
He continued without pause.
"Hasn't Hanzo of the Rain Village recently annexed two smaller nations and even clashed with the Land of Iron? Their forces have already begun probing our borders. Use that as justification. Force a conflict with the Rain Shinobi Village—and drag the other major villages into it."
Danzo's tone was chilling, methodical.
"If war breaks out, we'll have a legitimate reason to dispatch Tsunade to the front lines. Uchiha Ren Takashi will graduate early—send him out on high-risk missions or straight into battle. He won't have the time or safety to continue any kind of alchemical research."
He paused, letting the implications settle.
"Better yet… we arrange for both of them to die in combat. Once they're gone, everything else will be simple."
The more he spoke, the more fervent his expression became. Danzo was practically glowing with grim satisfaction, as if he'd found the perfect solution.
"This should have been done long ago," he muttered. "I've been too restrained."
Though his confinement hadn't been harsh, and he still received intelligence through his Root operatives, the humiliation had festered. Now, he saw a path to revenge.
But the Third Hokage hesitated.
"Isn't that… excessive? To trigger a war?"
He was clearly tempted, but his usual reluctance to bear public blame clouded his expression.
A war meant casualties. Civilians and shinobi would die. And regardless of the outcome, the Hokage would bear the weight of the bloodshed. His public image might not survive it.
But then again… if Uchiha Ren Takashi truly succeeded in creating a longevity elixir, the Third Hokage's entire political foundation would collapse.
After a long silence, he made up his mind.
"Let's do it," he said coldly. "Start the war."
He narrowed his eyes.
"But everything must be carefully arranged. We need to maintain the moral high ground—no one can accuse Konoha of initiating the conflict."
Danzo scoffed.
"You're still as hypocritical as ever."
Still, he nodded.
"Fortunately, it won't be hard. Everything I said about Hanzo is true. He's ambitious, reckless, and deluded enough to think he can elevate the Rain Village into a sixth great power."
Danzo's gaze sharpened.
"But the real powers won't allow that. Not Konoha, not the Land of Fire, and certainly not the other Hidden Villages. Hanzo's doom is inevitable. We just happen to benefit from accelerating it."
He sneered.
"We'll use the Rain Village to eliminate Ren Takashi and Tsunade. Once they're gone, we dismantle the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki clans."
He raised a finger.
"Of course, we won't declare war openly. I'll send elite Root teams disguised as Rain nin to ambush shinobi from Konoha, Iwagakure, and Sunagakure. We escalate tensions, ignite conflict, and sit back."
Danzo's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Once Ōnoki and the Third Kazekage are provoked, they'll retaliate. Hanzo won't back down. The flames will spread quickly."
Hiruzen nodded, suppressing his anxiety.
"Good. Proceed."
Danzo's eyes glinted.
"One more thing. To ensure this mission's success, I need to go in person. Let me leave the prison. I'll disguise myself and direct the operation from the shadows."
The Third Hokage didn't even hesitate.
"Fine. We agreed you'd only remain locked up until public attention shifted. This is the perfect opportunity. Just stay out of sight. If Mito-sama discovers your release, I'll be held responsible."
Danzo gave a dismissive grunt.
"I know."
Without another word, he summoned several Root operatives. One was assigned to impersonate him and remain in prison. Danzo himself slipped away under a new identity.
Watching him leave, the Third Hokage murmured to himself.
"I hope he brings back good news."
With that, he departed the prison alongside Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, returning to begin covert preparations for war. It would have to be swift and decisive—minimizing losses was crucial to protecting his reputation.
Once they separated from Hiruzen, Koharu and Homura each found a secluded location, summoned Shadow Clones, and quietly made their way to Uzumaki Mito's estate.
They recounted everything.
Koharu spoke first.
"Lady Mito… what should we do? Should we stop them?"
Mito's eyes gleamed with calm wisdom. She shook her head, smiling.
"No need. Their timing may have moved up, but no strategy is ever perfect. In fact, starting a war with the Rain Village now might work in our favor."
She gazed into the distance.
"Ren Takashi is already strong enough. Ordinary Kage-level shinobi can't match him. This is a good chance for him to test himself."
"The Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki clans are prepared. If Hiruzen and Danzo want to force a final confrontation, let them. The sooner we finish this, the better."
Koharu and Homura blinked, momentarily stunned by her confidence.
"We… didn't expect that."
"Even so," Koharu cautioned, "Danzo and Hiruzen will use underhanded tactics. They won't fight directly. More likely, they'll leak information to other villages and hope someone else takes Ren down."
"Other Kage would love to see him fall."
Mito nodded.
"I've considered that. Let's call a full council and plan contingencies. No unnecessary risks."
She activated the Flying Thunder God seal marked on her body.
Swish!
Ren Takashi arrived in a flash of chakra light.
He immediately noticed the presence of Koharu and Homura's clones. His expression sharpened.
"Something serious happened?"
Koharu stepped forward and explained everything.
After she finished, Mito turned to Ren.
"So? What's your assessment? Should we sabotage Danzo's plans and delay the war?"
Ren shook his head.
"No need."
He crossed his arms, voice calm but firm.
"With my current strength, whether the war comes two years early or not makes little difference. Hiruzen and Danzo can't stop us."
"The only real threat is Uchiha Madara."
Mito's face hardened.
"Madara? What do you mean?"
Ren's eyes narrowed.
"I haven't told you, have I?"
He began his explanation.
"A few months ago, I found strange lifeforms underground. I call them White Zetsu. They're artificial constructs bred by Madara using the Gedo Statue."
"I captured one and extracted its memories. That's how I learned the truth."
Ren's tone grew colder.
"Madara never died at the Valley of the End. He activated Izanagi in advance and faked his death—resurrecting himself shortly after. He's been hiding ever since."
Mito and the others stiffened.
"He also harvested Hashirama's cells during their battle and fused them with his own body. That's how he awakened the Rinnegan. Though he's on the brink of death, he still has a dangerous amount of chakra left."
"He plans to revive himself fully using a proxy. He's been watching the Uchiha—looking for a successor."
Ren clenched his fists.
"I suspect the First Shinobi War… even Tobirama's death… may have been influenced by him."
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Finally, Mito took a sharp breath.
"That bastard… he's still alive?"
Ren nodded.
Mito closed her eyes.
"This explains so much. Tobirama always suspected something. He told me once that Madara's body vanished too cleanly."
She opened her eyes again.
"And the Rinnegan… it really is the evolution of the Sharingan?"
"Yes," Ren confirmed. "The Uchiha and Senju bloodlines are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' sons. Only by combining their power can the Rinnegan manifest."
Mito shook her head.
"It all makes sense now. You pushed for this alliance between our three clans because you understood the truth."
Ren said nothing, but his silence was answer enough.
Mito's voice dropped low.
"Madara is a threat greater than Danzo, Hiruzen, or any other. We must be ready. The real war… is with him."