One cool afternoon, as the sky turned golden and long shadows stretched across the dojo courtyard, Mizuki bowed deeply before Danzo. Sweat still dripped from her temples, her small body clearly exhausted, but her eyes gleamed with fierce determination.
"Thank you for today's training, Danzo-sensei," Mizuki said, breathless.
Danzo nodded slowly, his sharp gaze lingering on Mizuki for a moment before turning away.
"You've improved. But don't get complacent. Your body hasn't reached its full potential yet. We'll start strengthening your deep muscle network tomorrow."
"Yes, sir!" Mizuki responded quickly, even though her body could barely stand upright.
After Mizuki left, Danzo walked down a long corridor in the underground headquarters toward a hidden meeting room beneath the village. There, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already waiting, lounging in an old chair with his usual pipe in hand.
"You're right on time, Danzo," Hiruzen greeted, exhaling smoke.
Danzo sat down without a word, then unrolled a scroll containing the proposal they had discussed some time ago. The paper contained highly sensitive material—the formation of a secret military division: ROOT.
"After thorough consideration, the village elders have agreed," Hiruzen said. "We'll begin by recruiting from the existing ANBU training units. They will officially become part of ROOT."
Danzo gave a slight nod, his eyes scanning every detail.
"And for new recruits?" he asked.
"Orphans from the shelters, and children from Konoha clans without guardians."
"That could work. They have no strong ties, no chains. They can be shaped."
"Not everyone agrees. The Uchiha, as usual, are strongly opposed. But the Aburame support it. The Hyuga have also expressed their willingness—at least from the branch house."
A faint smile crept across Danzo's face. "The Hyuga know who they can trust."
"Because of Mizuki?" Hiruzen asked, raising an eyebrow.
Danzo didn't respond, only stared off to the side of the room.
"Speaking of Mizuki… How does it feel to train a student?" Hiruzen teased.
Danzo's eyes narrowed, but his expression softened slightly—a subtle shift, nearly invisible except to someone like Hiruzen, who had known him since their first days wearing forehead protectors.
"She's... persistent. Never complains. Focused. She has high potential. I'm merely... refining it."
Hiruzen grinned. "Listen to yourself. You sound like a proud old man. Next thing I know, you'll be feeding her by hand."
"Hmph," Danzo grunted, folding his arms.
"I'm not that soft."
"But your face isn't exactly denying it," Hiruzen said, laughing heartily.
Danzo looked away toward the small window in the stone wall. "Don't be foolish, Hiruzen."
But there was no anger in his voice. Hiruzen just laughed louder, slapping his knee.After the laughter faded, the atmosphere slowly settled into a calmer mood. A breeze from the underground vents whispered through, carrying the scent of damp stone and earth.
"Remember when we trained under Tobirama-sensei?" Hiruzen asked quietly.
"Of course," Danzo replied. "He was strict. Unlike Hashirama. But his teachings... saved many lives."
"And now the Senju clan is no more…" Hiruzen murmured.
Danzo nodded, his expression flat. "That was Hashirama and Tobirama's decision. Complete assimilation. No one uses the name anymore—not even Tsunade or Nawaki."
"I still remember the day Nawaki was sent on that mission," Hiruzen said softly. "He was so much like Tobirama… too brave."
"And he died because of it," Danzo said bluntly. "That's natural for a ninja."
Hiruzen lowered his gaze, staring at the floor. "You're as cold as ever. But sometimes… I wonder if we could've done more to prevent it."
(note : for the sake of the plot, i purposely made nawaki die during the mission before the 2nd shinobi war. writing a character like nawaki gives me a headache, his status is too important to be ignored, so let him die early ╥﹏╥)
"Don't live with regret, Hiruzen," Danzo said. "It's a burden that will destroy you from within."
They fell silent, the soft ticking of time echoing faintly in the stone chamber. Two old men who had seen generations come and go. Two comrades who had chosen different paths, yet still sat side by side in a world that never stopped changing.
Danzo finally stood."I should go. Mizuki awaits tomorrow's training."
"And I need to finalize the new team missions," Hiruzen replied. "Maybe one day, our students will fight each other… or protect one another."
"That is the fate of the ninja world," Danzo murmured before walking away, his black cloak trailing in the artificial twilight of the underground base.
That afternoon, the sun shone gently over the rooftops of the Konoha Ninja Academy. A soft spring breeze carried the scent of falling cherry blossoms. In the training yard, two small figures stood facing each other, their breaths still heavy after a short sparring match that had caught many eyes.
Minato Namikaze smiled, wiping a bit of sweat from his brow. In front of him, Mizuki stood tall, arms crossed, her pale white eyes fixed on Minato with a mix of admiration and analysis.
"You win again, Mizuki," said Minato with his usual warm smile. "But I think I did a bit better today, right?"
Mizuki nodded slightly. She wasn't boastful, but she didn't deny the facts either. "Yes. You made me take this more seriously. More than I expected."
It surprised Mizuki. Her training with the Hyuga elders and Danzo over the past six months had honed her body and mind to their limits. She had been raised in a military discipline system, forged through harsh methods, and pushed to master every clan technique before graduation. But Minato… was just an orphan who learned from textbooks and observation. And still, he had nearly touched Mizuki during the match.
"How did you learn techniques like that just from the academy?" Mizuki asked suddenly, her tone more curious than condescending.
Minato shrugged. "I guess… I just love ninjutsu. And I often watch the chunin train from the orphanage rooftop. I try to copy them behind the building. Sometimes I fail. But sometimes I get it right."
The answer left Mizuki silent for a moment. She looked at Minato deeply—not with the Byakugan, but with her own eyes. Over the past six months of knowing him, Mizuki had begun to realize that there was something in Minato that… shone. Not power. Not technique. But a kind of light.
She had started to think of Minato as a friend. Not quite a best friend—such a bond, to her, was a luxury. But when she spoke with Minato, there was no pretense, no hidden strategy. Mizuki felt like she could be herself. The only other person who made her feel that way was Danzo.
During lunch, they sat on a long bench in the small garden behind the academy. Minato opened a worn-out bento box—plain rice and rolled egg. Mizuki took out her own neatly packed meal, full of side dishes, sent from the Hyuga clan's central kitchen.
"Whoa, your lunch looks like a feast fit for royalty," Minato joked with a small laugh.
"It is. The main house doesn't allow sloppy meals," Mizuki replied flatly, though the corners of her lips curved slightly.
Minato glanced at Mizuki with his clear eyes. "Sometimes I envy you, you know. You have family, special training, and connections to someone like Danzo-sama. But… yeah, I'm also grateful for how things are now. I can move freely. No one controls me too strictly."
Mizuki turned to him.
She searched for signs—was that hidden jealousy? Was Minato pretending? But no. Minato's face remained bright, full of genuine warmth. Even his smile seemed sincere. As if there was no room in his heart for envy.
"You're strange, Minato," Mizuki finally said.
"I hear that a lot." Minato chuckled. "But from you, I think that's a compliment."
They shared a quiet laugh. In the distance, other academy kids played chase, throwing wooden shuriken and fake kunai with cheerful shouts.
Though often top of their class, Minato and Mizuki weren't outcasts. They still socialized, though it was clear both carried inner worlds far larger than their peers'.
That day, Danzo sent a brief message through his personal guard: afternoon training was canceled. ROOT was in the formation phase, and as its leader, Danzo had to attend a high-level meeting with the village elders. Mizuki, for the first time in weeks, had free time.
After school, Minato caught up to Mizuki at the gate.
"Hey, are you free today?" he asked.
Mizuki turned. "Yes. Danzo-sensei is busy."
"Then want to hang out? There's a place in the Southern District that sells ice cream mochi. I heard it's good. And… I thought it'd be fun to check out the evening market."
Mizuki thought for a moment. She should probably use her free time to study technique scrolls, or meditate as the elders advised. But…
She nodded. "Sure. But I'm paying."
"Haha! You really are from the main house!" Minato laughed.
"And you're still a beggar who knows how to exploit an opportunity," Mizuki replied flatly, though her lips curved upward.
They walked side by side through the bustling streets of Konoha, surrounded by the laughter of children, the smell of food from stalls, and the calls of merchants. For a moment, Mizuki felt like an ordinary child.
And in those small steps, the world felt just a little lighter.