This Naruto is a player.

Chapter 109 Danzo: The Third Hokage Must Die
Konoha, somewhere underground.

The Root organization's base, buried deep underground in Konoha, naturally embodies the spirit of the Root organization—deeply rooted in pure darkness!

Today, almost all members of the Roots are in a state of near-total stillness, except for a few spies that have ventured out to catch the whispers of the surface world.

Deep within the base, in a quiet room.

Danzo sat alone in the center of the darkness, with only a single candle flame flickering before him—the faint flame licking at the darkness, casting leaping, uneasy shadows on the wall.

In his deep, pool-like eyes, the faint glow of the candlelight reflected the wild ambition that had been suppressed in his heart for decades and was now finally boiling over.

Today is the Chunin Exams, and also the day Orochimaru's plan is executed!
Danzo was fully aware of Orochimaru's "Konoha Crush Plan." Although he did not participate in it, he observed it from the sidelines and secretly helped to promote it.

He tacitly approved and provided the items needed for the Impure World Reincarnation—the remains of the Second and Fourth Hokage.

Orochimaru himself possessed the cells of the First Hokage.

In this way, Orochimaru would possess the supreme power of three Hokage.

Three Hokage combined their attacks on a fading Hiruzen.

Especially the first and second generation leaders, who were merely Hiruzen, had no chance of survival!

Once Higanbana dies, that empty throne will eventually fall into Danzo's hands!
Naruto!

The supreme ruler of a village!
He has been thirsting for this poison called power for far too long!

Suddenly, that shameful moment, etched into his very bones, tore open Danzo's thoughts once more!

That moment, which pierced him from his cold dreams, was etched into his mind like the most vicious curse.

That was the second generation leader and his six-member second-generation Shadow Guard, trapped in a deadly predicament by the elite forces of the Cloud Hidden Golden Horn and Silver Horn.

To leave alive, someone must stay behind as bait, and that bait is doomed to die!
Faced with the questioning gaze of the Second Hokage, he had already made his decision, but the words "I am willing to cover the rear" were cut short by Hiruzen.

It was just a tiny difference of half a step!

Hiruzen was immediately appointed Hokage!

Danzo, however, spent decades trying to reach that position, yet remained forever out of reach!
However, now the opportunity has arrived!

With Ri Zhan dead, Men Yan and Xiao Chun, two mediocre people with no opinions of their own, had no choice but to seek guidance from him, the 'last remaining' elder!

Feeling the restless, flickering heartbeat like candlelight, my heart, which had been tucked away in my chest, began to pound more wildly than ever before!
Boom boom boom~~~
The surging blood brought a sickly flush to his deeply lined old face.

The decaying body seemed to be infused with a fanatical aura, even its every breath carrying the illusion of power.

Is this what power tastes like?

In a daze, Danzo seemed to have broken free from the shackles of the Dark Roots, walking alone under the spotlight, possessing all the power in his body—the Hokage!
"The Fifth Hokage, Shimura Danzo!"

A low, hoarse murmur spread through the deathly silence, making his withered soul tremble!
Footsteps approached from afar, and then a knock sounded at the door.

The code is correct.

"Come in!"

Aburame Torune, whose body was completely wrapped up, entered from outside the door. The room was dimly lit, and when he looked up, even though he was wearing sunglasses, he was still startled.

Danzo's usually gloomy and calm face suddenly flushed with an almost excited, unnatural blush!
This bizarre change is even more bizarre than seeing a ten-thousand-year-old glacier bloom!
"Lord Danzo, new information has arrived regarding the Chunin Exams!" Aburame Torune suppressed his surprise and stepped forward to hand over the information.

Danzo examined the paper and unfolded it.

[May all your Chunin Exams go smoothly]
The plan is proceeding smoothly and can be carried out as scheduled.

Upon seeing this, Danzo's lips, which had seemed frozen for decades, twitched upwards in an extremely rare manner, forming a cold and twisted arc.

This miraculous sight almost made Aburame Torune doubt whether she was under a spell.

"Good, investigate further and report back!" Danzo's voice carried a barely perceptible hint of urgency.

He longed to hear definitive news of Hiruzen's demise!

"Yes!"

Aburame Torune, filled with astonishment and doubt, respectfully withdrew from the room.

Danzo's thoughts had already flown to the Hokage throne that was within his grasp, sketching out a blueprint for the future.

We must never again follow Hiruzen's weak and incompetent appeasement policy!
His ambition is to restore order to Konoha and even the entire ninja world!
The primary task is to transform all potential power into absolute force! Furthermore: the ninja village structure, clan influence, talent acquisition, and foreign strategy. The mess left by Hiruzen presents numerous opportunities for exploitation and unconquered territories!

That old man's stupidity and shortsightedness allowed so many good opportunities to slip away!
If I, Danzo, were to take power, I would surely show this corrupt ninja world what true power and intrigue are!

I don't know how long I sat there blankly, then—thump-thump—

Aburame Tokine once again delivered a secret report from the front lines.

The content mainly consists of two parts:

1. Naruto Uzumaki, relying solely on his taijutsu, managed to suppress the rampaging One-Tailed Shukaku, forcing it to escape back to its seal!

Second: Orochimaru has already launched the 'Konoha Collapse', and the Four Purple Flame Formation has completely sealed off the roof of the VIP building!

These two pieces of news were like venom, both hot and cold, instantly seeping into Danzo's heart!

The good news is that the plan is proceeding as scheduled!

Orochimaru and Hiruzen are both trapped in the Four Purple Flame Formation, a deadly trap. Hiruzen, the old rival, is doomed to die this time!

What's astonishing is that this mere Jinchūriki brat actually suppressed the One-Tailed Beast with brute force? How did he manage that?
You can only view the detailed information that follows.

Before we could catch our breath, another newspaper arrived!
Naruto Uzumaki has actually mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique? And now he's using it to rampage across the battlefield, reaping the lives of his enemies!

This report was like an ice pick, piercing Danzo's heart!

Where did this brat learn the Flying Thunder God technique?
Could it be that old man Hiruzen had a plan he was going to pull even as he was about to die?
Upon thinking of this, Danzo's fingertips trembled slightly!

He feared that Naruto's Flying Thunder God Technique would break through the barrier, drag Hiruzen out of the sky, and ruin the plan.

Even though Hiruzen was disgraced because of Orochimaru and could no longer become a Kage, if Hiruzen were still alive, his path to becoming a Kage would definitely be fraught with difficulties and obstacles!
After enduring excruciating anxiety, the latest news has finally arrived!
Naruto did indeed escape into the barrier—but he also managed to abduct the two reanimated bodies of the First and Second Hokage!
Although it is completely contrary to expectations, I can only hope that Orochimaru will not make any more mistakes and will definitely finish off that eyesore Hiruzen Sarutobi!

In the dead silence of the prison, Danzo's withered figure seemed to be restless with unease, even his breathing became unsteady and urgent.

Time flowed slowly in the deathly silence and torment, until finally—

Aburame Torune brought back the final battle report that nearly suffocated him.

Naruto Uzumaki returns to the battlefield! He joins forces with Jiraiya, Kakashi, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, who should have perished, to defeat Orochimaru!

Finished!

Upon seeing this news, Danzo's withered fingers nearly crushed the armrest of the chair!

Although the plan has gone far off track, the position of Hokage is now vacant.

however,
As long as that old codger Hiruzen still has a breath left in the upper echelons of Konoha, Danzo can forget about rightfully ascending to the top!
If that's the case, then Hiruzen must die!
The plan to remove obstacles needs to be put on the agenda.

But this is absolutely not the time to act impulsively!

The most urgent task is to remove all potential obstacles on the road to the throne—analyze the competitors!
There aren't many competitors for the Hokage throne; you need to be famous and have a solid foundation, and there are only a handful in total.

Jiraiya?
I heard he has returned to the village. But this guy has always been unruly and dissolute, seeing the position of Hokage as a shackle, and he will never amount to anything.

Kakashi?
A young man burdened with a false reputation and consumed by the regret of his deceased father.

After thinking it over, I realized there are no competitors?
We can only see who has recently risen to fame.

"So," Danzo's cold, hard voice, like the scraping of ice, asked his standing subordinates, "who is the most prestigious person in the village right now?"

He had expected it to be one of the other renowned Jonin or an advisor, but to his utter surprise, the name that was sent back was a familiar one—Naruto Uzumaki!
Naruto Uzumaki?!
That blond kid who just ruined his grand plan?!
Lately, I seem to hear this name all the time: "Golden Flash," "Incredibly Strong," "Handsome and Kind-hearted."
This sudden surge in fame
Was Hiruzen Sarutobi secretly pulling the strings?
He wouldn't actually want a twelve-year-old kid, who hasn't even grown any hair yet, to wear the Hokage's hat, would he?!
absurd!

He suddenly remembered something and casually picked up the political intrigue novel he had been pondering in his spare time, "Romance of the Five Kingdoms," from the table.

His gaze was fixed on Uchiha Mengde, the warlord who dominated the north and held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords in the book.

Uchiha Mengde = Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The Fire Country's Fire Lord = Naruto Uzumaki.

This comparison is exceptionally clear.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, you have such deep thoughts!
You want to put this greenhorn, clueless Naruto in the spotlight and make him your puppet Hokage!
And you! Remain hidden behind the scenes, manipulating puppets, the true, eternally powerful, uncrowned king!!
"Hmph! Don't even think about it!"

Danzo's withered body trembled slightly with extreme anger, and a beast-like growl came from his chest!
To place a mere child at the pinnacle of Konoha? To turn one's own aspirations into a stepping stone for others?
"As long as I, Shimura Danzo, am alive, Uzumaki Naruto will never become Hokage!"

(End of this chapter)