Red Haired Supremacy

One day later, as dusk settled over Konohagakure, the glow of lanterns filled the Hokage's office with a muted golden hue. The air inside was heavy—thick not only with smoke from the Sarutobi pipe but also with the weight of political gravity.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, sat at his desk, his expression somber as his eyes moved between two reports laid out before him. One bore the formal seal of the Uchiha clan, sent by Yashiro Uchiha from the Land of Hot Water. The other, unmarked but written in the cold, clinical tone he had come to recognize too well, had come from Root—authored by Danzo Shimura himself.

Both reports spoke of the same man: Shanks Uzumaki.

Hiruzen finally looked up, his gaze steady and sharp as it landed on the man seated across from him. Danzo sat there, posture rigid.

"So... Shanks has grown this powerful," Hiruzen said, voice calm but edged with weariness. "I assume you're not just here to inform me. What is it you want from me, Danzo? Eliminating potential threats from the shadows is your domain—not mine."

Danzo didn't flinch. "You're correct. Normally, I wouldn't bother you. But as you know, due to the current warfront, I am needed in the Land of Rain. My presence is essential for coordinating Root operations against Sunagakure's advances near Ame."

Hiruzen exhaled slowly, watching the smoke curl upward before he replied. "Go on."

Danzo leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering. "We both know Shanks Uzumaki cannot be allowed to grow unchecked. His recent actions in the Land of Hot Water—eliminating dozens of Kirigakure shinobi, including over ten Jōnin, and even maiming Jūzō Biwa—this isn't just power. It's momentum. And if he ever discovers the truth—that it was Root operatives who killed his father and orchestrated the purge of his bloodline..."

Danzo paused deliberately.

"He will not stop. And by then, he will be beyond even our reach."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

"That is why," Danzo continued, "I came here to request that you lend me Orochimaru. With his skills and a hand-picked team of Root operatives, we can eliminate Shanks quickly and quietly."

At this, Hiruzen's hand clenched slightly around his pipe. "You want me to lend you Orochimaru to carry out an assassination? Don't be absurd, Danzo. The presence of a Sannin on the battlefield is critical. We're barely holding the line against Amegakure. I won't risk weakening our forces there."

Danzo's single visible eye narrowed. "Don't be naive, Hiruzen. For a few days, Orochimaru's absence won't change the outcome in the Land of Rain. Hanzo hasn't made any significant moves in two years. After the legendary battle with the Sannin, he's kept his forces in check. Besides, Tsunade is more than capable of maintaining the front. And if an emergency does arise, Jiraiya is nearby—training orphans, yes—but he can be mobilized instantly if needed."

Hiruzen remained silent, but his brow furrowed.

Danzo pressed further. "I cannot entrust this mission to anyone else. Only Orochimaru has the precision and power to ensure Shanks is dealt with swiftly. And I don't need to remind you—if Tsunade or Jiraiya were to learn that an Uzumaki still lives, and that we were sending them to kill him..."

He let the rest hang in the air, heavy and unspoken.

Hiruzen sat in silence for a moment, fingers steepled beneath his chin as he stared down at the reports once more. Danzo's words echoed through his mind, and as much as he hated to admit it, the Root leader had a point. The strength Shanks had displayed—killing dozens of Kiri-nin, including Jōnin, and wounding one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—was not something to be taken lightly.

Only someone of Orochimaru's calibre, or Danzo himself, could guarantee a successful elimination.

Finally, Hiruzen exhaled a long, slow breath and spoke. "Very well. I'll ask Orochimaru to get in contact with you directly. He's worked with Root often enough; he understands your methods."

Danzo gave a brief nod and rose to his feet without another word. As he stepped toward the door and opened it, Hiruzen's voice came from behind, quiet but resolute.

"And make sure," he said, "that the name Shanks Uzumaki never reaches her ears. If she were to learn of his death after the fact... it would only deepen her sorrow."

Danzo paused, his hand still on the doorframe, and gave a brief, sneering smile—without turning around.

He knew exactly whom Hiruzen was referring to.

Kushina Uzumaki.

He walked away without acknowledging the Hokage, but his thoughts were sharp and bitter. You call yourself the light of Konoha, Saru, Danzo thought. But in moments like this, you're every bit as cruel as I am. We simply wear different masks.

––––

Meanwhile, far from Konoha, the wave of chaos triggered by the deaths of over a hundred Kirigakure shinobi was beginning to crest.

The upper echelons of Kirigakure had not taken the news lightly. The defeat of so many of their operatives—particularly the loss of over ten Jōnin—was a major blow to their reputation. The fact that Jūzō Biwa, one of their Seven Ninja Swordsmen, had returned from battle injured and maimed, missing a hand, only deepened the outrage.

Thanks to the swift actions of the fellow Jōnin, who had retrieved Jūzō's severed hand from the battlefield and carried him back to safety, the damage had been reversed. A skilled medical-nin in the Mist Village had successfully reattached the limb.

Now, with their pride wounded and the integrity of their elite threatened, Kirigakure's leadership had reached a decision.

They would retaliate.

Three members of the current generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—including a fully recovered Jūzō—were dispatched on a high-priority mission. Their objective: eliminate Shanks Uzumaki.

They left the village under the cover of night, moving like wraiths through the shadows, their intentions crystal clear.

––––

Unaware of the storm silently building in the distance, Shanks spent his days in peaceful routine within the Daimyō mansion. Most of his time was devoted to training, honing both his physical and swordsmanship abilities. In the quiet hours, he read—what had started as a necessity for understanding the ninjutsu better had now blossomed into a genuine hobby.

By night, he entered his mental realm, where he sparred 5-6 times against the Red-Haired Emperor. The battles were fierce, each loss brought growth.

On the fourth morning since his arrival, Shanks concluded his training session just as the sun rose over the tiled rooftops. His muscles ached pleasantly, and his breath came steady. As he reached for a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow, he paused.

His Observation Haki had detected a familiar chakra approaching the training ground.

He turned toward the entrance gate and waited, eyes calm.

Within a few moments, the figure appeared.

"Mikoto," Shanks said, a small smile forming on his lips. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Mikoto Uchiha, dressed in her typical blue jacket bearing the Uchiha clan emblem, smiled softly in return. "Ah, yes. I came to let you know—our clan will be moving out today. We're heading toward the water borders of the Land of Hot Water."

Shanks nodded thoughtfully as she continued, "Our goal is to form a defensive perimeter. If Kirigakure attempts an invasion or a coastal infiltration, we'll be there to stop it."

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