Ninjas gathered on both sides of the entrance, some holding flowers, seemingly ready to welcome the arrival of an important figure.
However, none of their expressions looked pleasant.
And rightly so.
After all, being summoned early in the morning to drop everything and welcome a new commander wouldn't put anyone in a good mood.
But due to the presence of those masked figures maintaining order, everyone had to keep up a 'smile.'
If anyone dared to show a sour face, they might just find themselves dealing with Root's retribution later on.
This wouldn't happen in other departments.
But Root's pathological worship of Danzo made it a real possibility, so to avoid trouble, everyone tacitly put on a welcoming front.
Fortunately, ninjas aren't as ceremonious as nobles, and they quickly got to the point.
Danzo had arrived!
He didn't come alone; he brought the second wave of reinforcements with him.
Originally, the Kikyo Mountain Fortress, after accommodating the previously retreated Southwest Ninja Army and the first wave of support, already held over a thousand. Now, with these few hundred more ninjas, the number was nearing two thousand.
With the fortress's own defenses added, it's no wonder Danzo came with such confidence to take over.
With such overwhelming numbers, how could they lose?
The Sand Ninja wouldn't dare to attack, and even if they did, he could make them regret it.
Danzo looked at the welcoming lineup on both sides, his face expressionless, but inside, he was excitedly muttering to himself.
"Sarutobi, I'll prove that only I can 'make Konoha great again.' The teacher's choice was wrong!"
Soon, the meeting commenced.
Only Jonin were allowed to participate.
Uchiha Takashi had been promoted to Jonin, so he naturally had the right to join.
As for his 'acting commander' status, it had been officially revoked before Danzo's arrival.
Yes, his position as commander, which he held for less than a few days, was terminated just like that.
So when he entered the meeting room, the Jonin who had arrived early looked at him with complex expressions.
There was no 'schadenfreude' in their eyes.
After all, even if he wasn't the commander, he was still a Jonin, standing on equal footing with them. Not to mention his terrifying strength, which made their years of experience seem insignificant.
Enduring those gazes, Uchiha Takashi scanned the room before approaching Kobayashi Hei, who was huddled in a corner with a few civilian Jonin for warmth.
"Uchiha Takashi, Jonin!"
Kobayashi greeted him softly.
"Kobayashi, Jonin!"
Uchiha Takashi cheerfully replied before sitting down.
He couldn't help but be cheerful, because the scapegoat had arrived, and how could he not be pleased?
Danzo truly lived up to his reputation as the 'Scapegoat Shadow.' Taking the blame seemed to be second nature to him.
With no burdens, Uchiha Takashi was now free to relax and enjoy the show.
The benefits of previously showcasing his strength were evident.
Even if Danzo disliked him, he couldn't easily make a move against him and had to respect his voice.
Tap, tap!
The sound of a cane lightly tapping the ground echoed from the entrance of the meeting room.
Danzo, now in civilian attire, entered with a group of Root ninjas.
Yes, he understood the importance of 'making an entrance.'
The number of Jonin among the Root ninjas could be counted on one hand, illustrating their strength.
It's worth noting that there were only about twenty Jonin in the Kikyo Mountain Fortress, and Danzo brought five, showcasing Root's formidable power.
But this wasn't surprising.
Root's brutal training methods, while turning ninjas into killing machines, did push their potential to the limit. Coupled with Danzo's constant targeting of talented ninjas from both clans and civilians, it's no wonder they were so strong.
And this was just a part of it; who knows how much more he had hidden.
With such strength, it's no wonder he coveted the position of Hokage.
"Now, I will assume the position of commander of the Southwest Ninja Army, stationed at Kikyo Mountain to fend off the Sand Ninja!"
Danzo announced his role before even taking a seat.
No one voiced objections or doubts.
The Hokage faction wouldn't disrespect him, and Kobayashi Hei and the other Jonin were as quiet as quails.
The example of White Fang was still fresh in their minds.
"If you really offend someone, do you believe you'll end up 'committing suicide with seventeen kunai in your back' in no time? 'Uchiha Takashi, from now on, you'll be responsible for this important place, the warehouse!'"
Danzo kicked Uchiha Takashi into the position of warehouse manager.
Warehouse manager! Above him was the logistics department, below him were administrative ninjas, constantly under pressure from both sides, and always at risk of being blamed.
"Yes!"
Uchiha Takashi's face showed indifference, yet his eyes carried a hint of amusement.
This was the outcome he had planned for himself.
So, being kicked to the warehouse manager position or even being thrown into prison wouldn't affect his good mood in the slightest.
Danzo frowned at his attitude but didn't explode.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, but doing so would make him seem intolerant. He was aiming to become Hokage in the future, so he had to be mindful of his image.
From the moment he stepped onto the stage, Danzo was destined to fail.
Because he was more adept at working in the shadows, otherwise, he wouldn't have earned the fearsome title of 'The Darkness of the Shinobi.'
But once he stepped into the light, his previous advantages vanished completely. It was no surprise he would fail.
"Everyone else..."
Danzo issued orders methodically.
Just from his command, it was clear he was no stranger to leading a ninja army, which boosted the morale of the Hokage faction.
Even civilian jonin like Kobayashi and others, though still fearful and apprehensive, looked more reassured.
No one likes an incompetent superior.
Especially ninjas! Because if your superior is incompetent, they might use your life to compensate for their shortcomings.
The meeting was quite 'successful.'
Danzo took control of personnel, intelligence, finance, and all other powers. Even Nara Jukumo's assistant authority was stripped away. How could it not be successful?
"Uchiha Takashi, can you explain your previous actions?"
Just when everyone thought the meeting was about to end, Danzo suddenly spoke up.
Here it comes, here it comes.
Uchiha Takashi's smile was harder to suppress than an AK's recoil.
He felt something was off with Danzo today. Just kicking him to the warehouse without any follow-up seemed unlike him. Originally, he thought Danzo had changed his ways, but it turned out he was waiting to consolidate his power before making a move.
Confronting the F4 directly was indeed a satisfying thing.
These old guys were either foolish or malicious, and they had double standards, causing the deaths of so many 'honest people.' Not confronting them would leave him feeling uneasy.
In the past, he didn't dare to play like this because if you dared to confront them, you'd end up 'committing suicide.'
Now that he had power, if he didn't dare to confront them directly, what kind of transmigrator would he be? Might as well be a turtle.
The behind-the-scenes approach is outdated now.
"I don't know what you want me to explain. Isn't the most important thing right now to strengthen the defense of the Kikyo Fortress?"
Uchiha Takashi retorted while throwing dirt on Danzo.
Because this would make Danzo appear as someone who liked internal strife.
"Hmph, where did the two million ryo worth of nutrient solution from the hospital go?"
Danzo questioned triumphantly.
Root had been monitoring him, and the missing two cans of nutrient solution from the hospital naturally became leverage.
"I accidentally broke them."
Uchiha Takashi remained seated, completely unfazed.
If I don't see you as a threat, what can you do to me?
"Those were two cans of nutrient solution that could save many lives. If because of you...!"
Danzo stood on moral high ground to criticize.
This was an attempt to tarnish his reputation, making it easier to manipulate him once his name was sullied.
And Uchiha Takashi didn't bother to defend himself.
He wasn't trying to build a 'clean' reputation to gain prestige. Like White Fang, who had immense prestige but lived a hard life and was easily manipulated.
So such accusations didn't matter to him, as they couldn't lead to a conviction.
Accidentally breaking two cans of nutrient solution while temporarily inspecting the hospital as the acting commander was understandable, right?
Finally, after venting his frustrations on Uchiha Takashi, Danzo announced the end of the meeting.
However, before he could enjoy the feeling of holding power for long, he realized he had celebrated too early.
(End of Chapter)