As the Shomyo Immortal Bug began to feed back the chakra imbued with celestial techniques, Danzo's wrinkles faded visibly before everyone's eyes.
At the same time, the dark injuries on his body from participating in two Shinobi World Wars healed rapidly, and his once-heavy frame began to feel lighter.
Danzo felt his physical abilities returning rapidly, as though he had been transported twenty years back in time.
The enormous amount of chakra fed back by the Shomyo Immortal Bug astonished him even further.
"Such an incredible amount of chakra—it's unbelievable!"
A single Wood-Style Immortal Bug could provide chakra equivalent to that of an elite jonin, yet the chakra from the Shomyo Immortal Bug was ten times greater! It was comparable to the reserves of a Kage-level shinobi at their peak!
With this newfound power coursing through him, Danzo felt stronger than he ever had before.
Even his transplanted arm containing Hashirama's cells, which he had constantly suppressed with chakra, calmed down completely.
"Ha... What a remarkable research achievement!"
He exhaled deeply and looked at Aburame Shigeo with a pleased smile.
"I can sense your sincerity. In return, I will support whatever you wish to do, even becoming Hokage!"
"Hahaha... Hokage? No, thank you!"
Aburame Shigeo laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
"I've said it before—I'm not suited to be Hokage. Lord Danzo, you, on the other hand, must continue to support Konoha. If Lady Tsunade ever falters, it will be up to you to lead the village."
"Is that truly what you think?" Danzo's eyes narrowed slightly. "I thought you would support Tsunade."
"I do support the Fifth Hokage!"
At this, Aburame Shigeo suddenly changed his tone.
"However, I prefer a Hokage with a firmer hand—someone like the Second Hokage. And as his ideological successor, you are undoubtedly the better choice."
"Is that so? I see."
Danzo seemed very satisfied with this statement, and his face lit up with another smile.
"It appears we are indeed kindred spirits. So, what are your plans next?"
"I'm planning to take Konan on a vacation."
Aburame Shigeo adjusted his sunglasses and grinned.
"I've been Konoha's Police Force Captain for quite some time now, and I'm feeling a bit fatigued. It's time to give the younger generation a chance to shine. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Danzo?"
"Indeed, that's true."
...
After reaching an agreement with Danzo, Aburame Shigeo submitted his resignation to Tsunade the next day, stepping down as Konoha Police Force Captain.
He recommended Fuuma Ran as the new commander of the Konoha Police Force, with Aburame Shimi as vice-captain, Sasuke as captain of the Special Operations Division, and Aburame Chien as deputy captain.
This apparent favoritism drew objections from Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado.
Danzo, however, expressed his support.
Fuuma Ran, after all, was a member of "Root" and bore the Tongue-Curse Seal, making him effectively one of Danzo's own.
With Ran as commander, Danzo felt confident he could control the Konoha Police Force.
Tsunade, aware of Danzo's intentions, was left with little recourse.
The Police Force had always been under Shigeo's control, and his resignation was more of a formality. If she refused, it might alienate the unit's members.
"Shigeo is aligning himself with Danzo... What is that guy scheming?"
Feeling uneasy, Tsunade issued the appointment orders but promptly dispatched a team to locate Jiraiya.
In her view, Jiraiya might be the only one capable of reining Shigeo in.
"I hope Jiraiya returns soon. Otherwise, Konoha could face serious trouble!"
Her concerns were well-founded.
After stepping down as Police Force Captain, Shigeo left Konoha with Konan, and Danzo began to take action.
A large number of "Root" operatives infiltrated the Konoha Police Force, taking control of all divisions except the Special Operations Unit.
With the Police Force under his command, Danzo began interfering in Hokage affairs.
In just one year, he had effectively sidelined Tsunade.
Within Konoha's clans, the Sarutobi and Inuzuka families backed Tsunade, while the Nara, Yamanaka, Akimichi, and Shimura clans supported Danzo.
The man once known as "Konoha's Darkness" had stepped into the spotlight.
Under his influence, Konoha's foreign policy shifted from conciliatory to aggressive.
The first target was Takigakure.
Still harboring resentment over the loss of the Seven-Tails, Takigakure had stationed forces along the Fire Country's border in an attempt to pressure Konoha.
Tsunade had chosen to ignore them, but Danzo took a different approach.
He dispatched the Police Force to expel them and sent assassins to eliminate Takigakure's leadership, using violence to quell the conflict.
This strategy wasn't limited to Takigakure. Neighboring Frost Country, Land of Fields, Grass Country, and Rain Country also faced Danzo's aggressive measures over various disputes.
This only exacerbated tensions, and small-scale skirmishes soon erupted along Konoha's borders.
Danzo personally led operations, utilizing the Wood-Style and tailed beast powers from the Shomyo Immortal Bug to crush opposition with ease.
Facing Konoha's might, the smaller nations had no choice but to retreat and compensate for their earlier hostilities.
When Tsunade confronted Danzo, warning that his actions were sowing seeds of hatred that could bring disaster to Konoha, he dismissed her concerns.
"The village has gained benefits, and my reputation has soared. There are even calls for me to become the Sixth Hokage. Everything is going as planned."
Tsunade, both angry and worried, found herself at a loss.
At this critical moment, Jiraiya finally returned with Naruto.
After learning about the situation, Jiraiya remained calm, even smiling.
"Relax, Tsunade. Shigeo must have his reasons. Let's wait and see what he's up to. As for Danzo, don't worry—I won't let him run wild!"
Jiraiya's confidence reassured Tsunade, and her anxiety gave way to a faint smile.
"Thank you, Jiraiya."
(End of Chapter)