Naruto: Call of Cthulhu

Although Daimyō's tone was gentle, the meaning was clear: he intended to remove Hiruzen from his position as Hokage.

Shikaku's eyes narrowed as he processed his words. This is far worse than I anticipated.

Across the table, Danzo smiled. Hiruzen, your time is over.

Since the death of the Fourth Hokage, Hiruzen had been managing the village's affairs in an orderly manner, never making any mistakes. But now, suddenly, the Daimyō suggested ending his role as acting Hokage.

The message this conveyed was undeniable—he no longer trusted Hiruzen.

However, removing Hiruzen from his acting position wasn't the most significant issue. The real question was: who would become the new Hokage after Hiruzen stepped down? In other words, who would be the Fifth Hokage?

This was a major matter for Konoha, and discussing it in the meeting room raised concerns. It wasn't just Shikaku who sensed something unusual; other leaders of Konoha's ninja clans also noticed the hidden tensions.

The meeting seemed straightforward, a simple decision of whether to go to war or not, but beneath the surface, there was an undercurrent. It could potentially lead to a reshuffling of power within Konoha.

While the powerful ninjas at the meeting table remained silent, Shikaku was the first to speak up.

"Daimyō-sama, with respect, at a time when Konoha and the Land of Fire are facing a significant external threat, wouldn't a change in leadership affect the village's stability?"

"Or it could reinvigorate us, Shikaku. Fresh leadership for a new threat." Danzo said.

Since Konoha's foundation, the Nara clan had sworn loyalty to the Sarutobi clan. It wasn't surprising that Shikaku immediately spoke up for Hiruzen. The Nara clan wasn't the only one to swear loyalty—this also included the trio of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans.

"Shikaku is right," Choza added, his large frame leaning forward. "Changing the village's Hokage at this time is bound to shake the people's confidence."

Inoichi nodded in agreement. "Hokage-sama studied under the First and Second Hokages and has governed the village according to their teachings. Right now, no one is more suitable than him to lead Konoha."

The Ino-Shika-Cho clans immediately voiced their support for Hiruzen, but no one else spoke up in his favor. The Aburame and Inuzuka clans, although not small, were not significant enough to discuss the Hokage's selection, as they had not participated in past discussions regarding the Hokage's appointment.

Wasn't this meeting supposed to be about deciding whether to go to war with Mi-Go? Why had the conversation shifted to choosing a Hokage? Tsume felt uneasy.

And the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, which held considerable influence due to their bloodline limits, remained silent. The Uchiha clan had been treated unfairly after the Nine-Tails incident, having their territory moved outside the village. While it was known that Danzo was behind this, it couldn't have happened without Hiruzen's approval.

Thus, he didn't care much about who became Hokage, as long as it wasn't someone from his clan. As for Hiashi, he still harbored resentment over the kidnapping of his daughter, Hinata, by Kumo. He hated Kumo's treachery, but he was also dissatisfied with Hiruzen's weakness in handling the matter.

Seeing that none of the other clan leaders wanted to speak in favor of Hiruzen, Tsunade was about to stand up, but Hiruzen subtly placed his hand on her leg under the table, shaking his head slightly, signaling her to remain silent.

Sensei, why are you letting this happen? Fight back! Tsunade's fists clenched in frustration.

Danzo then spoke from across the table, "Hiruzen wasn't the only one taught by the First and Second Hokages."

As he spoke, he straightened his posture, making his intentions clear to everyone present. "I too learned from the First and Second. I've safeguarded Konoha from the shadows for decades."

The Daimyō, who had been silent for a while, suddenly clapped his fan and said with a pleased expression, "That's right! Danzo has been a high-ranking figure in Konoha for a long time. He should be capable of handling this crisis."

"Yes, Danzo has long controlled the village's Root faction and has done an excellent job," one minister chimed in.

Another added, "And Daimyō-sama has already appointed him to lead the allied ninja villages against the Mi-Gos."

The ministers behind the Daimyō began discussing it, all in favor of the idea.

At this point, even the other two Konoha advisors fell silent, either choosing not to speak or never intending to speak in the first place.

"But Hiruzen could still—" Shikaku tried to argue, but the Daimyō cut him off firmly.

"It's settled! Danzo, I appoint you as the Fifth Hokage!"

Hiruzen's face remained calm. So be it. The Will of Fire will burn on, with or without me as its keeper.

As the Daimyō made his swift exit, Danzo's gaze met Hiruzen's for a brief moment before the meeting abruptly concluded.

---

"Hokage-sama, there's something I don't quite understand," Shikaku said, staring at the shogi board but clearly referring to something other than the game.

"Ask away, but don't call me Hokage anymore. I'm just an old man in retirement now," said Hiruzen, who without his Hokage attire looked like a simple elderly man.

"Then I'll call you Hiruzen-sama. Why didn't you fight for yourself, Hiruzen-sama? If you had been a little more forceful, you could have kept your position."

"Even if not you, Tsunade and Jiraiya are both capable of becoming Hokage. Why give the position to Danzo?"

"Shikaku, you're so clever, but why do you lose your clarity when it comes to the issue of the Hokage?" Hiruzen smiled faintly.

"This time, the Daimyō's palace suffered heavy casualties. No matter how much we debate, as a ninja village under the Land of Fire, we can't remain idle."

Shikaku nodded. He had already considered this before the meeting began.

A lord commands, and his retainers must obey. The Daimyō's palace had suffered, and as subordinates, Konoha couldn't remain silent.

"The real question is how much Konoha should commit. Do we gamble the village's future or leave room for maneuver?"

"If I hadn't opposed the war, Konoha would have gone all in against the Mi-Gos. But as long as I voiced opposition, the village wouldn't be able to recklessly commit to the battle."

Shikaku began to understand. "You were playing the role of the opposition to keep the village from fully committing..."

When one person wanted to open all the windows, another would argue against opening any, and in the end, they would compromise by opening half.

Hiruzen smiled again and took a puff from his pipe. "The Daimyō's losses won't be fixed just by Konoha declaring war. As the Hokage, I must also take responsibility for our failure to protect him."

"But..." Shikaku hesitated. "Couldn't Danzo have played that role? Why did you have to bear the burden?"

Hiruzen gently patted Shikaku on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Even though Danzo is the Hokage now, I'll still be watching Konoha from my position as an advisor."

"Shikaku, always remember: where the leaves dance, the fire burns bright."

"Now, I'm off to visit the Fourth Hokage's child. Retirement isn't so bad. I have more time to spend with the children. It's a way to honor the Fourth Hokage's memory."

With that, Hiruzen left, while Shikaku knelt deeply in respect, watching his former Hokage depart.

---

Ever since Konoha announced that Danzo had become the Fifth Hokage, the entire village entered a state of emergency preparation. Konoha began stockpiling a large amount of medicine and ninja tools, and under Danzo's unified command, the Root and ANBU joined forces to conduct large-scale searches across the remote regions of the Land of Fire.

Villagers gathered in small groups, whispering among themselves.

"Have you seen all the ninja running around? What's going on?" one villager asked.

His companion leaned in close. "I heard it's because of those Mi-Go monsters. Danzo-sama is preparing us for war!"

In the supply depot, a young ninja wiped sweat from his brow as he catalogued the incoming resources. Medicine, weapons, food... We haven't prepared like this since the last great war.

In one of these operations, Kakashi encountered a Root ninja named Ko. Though they were from different departments and only met during a coincidental search mission, the two got along well.

"You're quite skilled," Kakashi commented to Ko. "It's rare to see someone from Root out in the open like this."

Ko's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Kakashi-senpai. Even we must step out of the shadows sometimes."

"I look forward to meeting you again, Ko."

Ko nodded. "You as well. Perhaps next time, it won't be under such dire circumstances."

Contrary to the deep friendship that blossomed between them, the large-scale search of the remote regions of the Land of Fire yielded no results. Despite Konoha sending out many ninjas, no one was able to gather any information about the Mi-Go species.

The search team leader slammed his fist against a tree in frustration. How can an entire species just vanish? Are we looking in the wrong places, or have they truly left the Land of Fire?

It was as if the Mi-Go had completely vanished from the Land of Fire.

With no other option, Danzo reported the matter to the Daimyō, who was still taking refuge in Konoha.

"So, you're saying that those monsters are no longer in the Land of Fire, and I can safely return to my mansion?" The Daimyō lazily waved his fan. The conditions in Konoha, while good, couldn't compare to the luxury of his mansion, and he had grown impatient.

"Well…"

Danzo hesitated, unable to promise anything. If the Daimyō returned and the Mi-Gos attacked the mansion, Danzo, as the Fifth Hokage, couldn't bear that responsibility.

At this moment, Hiruzen stepped forward. "Since we couldn't find any Mi-Go in the Land of Fire, Daimyō-sama should be able to return home safely."

"As for safety, Konoha can provide ninjas to protect you. I believe twelve jonin would suffice. With twelve jonin ensuring your safety, you can rest easy."

Hearing Hiruzen's approval of his return, the Daimyō immediately brightened and nodded happily. "As expected from a former Hokage, always so thoughtful!"

"Twelve jonin, how reliable. In that case, I'll give these twelve a name."

"Hmm…"

"How about the Twelve Guardian Ninja?"

Hiruzen smiled and praised, "The Daimyō's naming sense is excellent, as always."

"Danzo and I will finalize the list of twelve jonin as soon as possible, and they will be dedicated to your protection."

"Great! Finally, I can return to my mansion!"

Though Danzo was displeased with Hiruzen's influence in front of the Daimyō, the latter had already enthusiastically accepted the proposal and even named the group himself. Danzo couldn't find a way to oppose it.

Even now, Hiruzen manages to undermine my authority. I must find a way to solidify my position, his fingers tightened on his cane.

"Let's leave it at that."

In the end, the Daimyō returned home under the protection of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, and the preparations for the Mi-Go threat in Konoha, which had seemed urgent, ultimately amounted to nothing. With no Mi-Gos found, the matter was temporarily set aside.

However, the news of Konoha's intense preparations soon reached the other ninja villages.

Danzo becoming the Fifth Hokage, combined with Konoha's emergency state, made it easy for others to assume that Konoha was preparing for war.

In response, the other four great ninja villages also began increasing their patrols and sentries near their borders, ready to face any potential aggression from Konoha.

After some time passed with no further action from Konoha, the other villages were left confused. They eventually concluded that Danzo, being new to the position, was simply trying to assert his presence in front of the other villages.

Aside from the unresolved preparations, there were other developments within Konoha. A month after he officially became the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade suddenly announced she was leaving the village once again.

This time, she wasn't leaving alone—she intended to bring her Shizune with her.

"You can't leave now!" Danzo exclaimed. "Konoha needs your strength, especially with the Mi-Gos."

"I returned for personal reasons, not to be your war asset, Danzo."

"Your grandfather helped found this village," Danzo pressed. "You have a duty to protect it!"

"Tsunade has given much to this village already," Hiruzen said calmly. "We cannot force her to stay against her will."

Though Danzo had successfully become the Fifth Hokage, as long as Hiruzen remained, Danzo's authority wasn't as great as he had hoped.

In the end, with farewells from Hiruzen, Anko, and others, Tsunade and Shizune set off on their new journey of training and gambling.

---

Three days after Tsunade's departure, Jiraiya returned to Konoha. He noticed some changes in the village. Most notably, on the Hokage monument, beside the face of his disciple was the face of an old man with a cross mark on his chin.

Why is his face up there?

After some inquiries, he learned from Hiruzen that Danzo had already become the Fifth Hokage.

"I let my guard down. I never expected something so major to happen while I was away. If I had been here…"

"Well, forget it. Danzo's already the Fifth Hokage, so there's no use talking about it now. What's done is done, Jiraiya. We must look forward now."

"By the way, how did your investigation in the Land of Snow go?" Hiruzen asked while pouring tea for Jiraiya.

"I stayed there for a while. The coup d'état crisis in the Land of Snow has been suppressed with my help, and I also investigated several places."

"I found the ninja who went crazy after the mission with Kakashi, a man named Nadare. After he lost his mind, he would scribble nonsensically every day, but I found this in one of his drawings…"

Jiraiya took out a sketch from his backpack. The drawing showed a cluster of green eyes, but one eye stood out.

This eye wasn't green—it was red, and it was a Sharingan with three tomoe!

"According to the servant who took care of Nadare, he suddenly drew this one night after being mad for a while. So it's unlikely that this is a depiction of Kakashi's eye."

"I then probed his memory and discovered that on that night, a ninja appeared in his room and used hypnosis to read his memories. I believe this person is the one who helped Orochimaru obtain materials for the Shoggoth and Elder Things experiments."

"And this Sharingan belongs to that person."

After Jiraiya finished speaking, he finally sipped his tea. Hiruzen looked at the sketch, deep in thought.

Could it be that someone from the Uchiha clan is secretly helping Orochimaru?