IV - The Path of Dharma
It can be said that the world Kishimoto created was a hodgepodge of various influences- Indian, Chinese, Japanese. But one of the things that mattered most to me right now was the Hindu ideal of Dharma, which roughly means duty. Everyone is born into this world with a purpose- to work hard, to live, and to be happy. We all are part of this universal machine, each of our fates written by the God above who sees all.
There is no purpose in weeping over the past, over crying for the future- why should we, when our future is made in the stars? What matters now is the present, this very moment here and now. Forget your sins, your feelings, and submit to the flow of the universe.
Be at peace with oneself. My breathing was steady, and I slowly rose. There was no moving forward if I did not accept who I was now- I was Danzo Shimura, and he was me. His fate might have been written, but mine was not his. I had been given a chance to follow my own duty, and by hell I was going to find a way to make this accursed world find some semblance of peace. My eyes shifted towards the page in front of me. It was written in English, preventing any interloper from deciphering it.
Goals:
Remove Orochimaru.
Find way to create peace with Suna (& obtain Bijuu?)
Gain access to the Hokage Post (Hatake Kakashi or Tenzo?)
Keep Tsunade & Jiraiya from the village at ALL COSTS.
Gain access to Naruto Uzmaki.
Rebuild ROOT as an elite ninja force to rival the Akatsuki.
I sighed as I stared at the goals. They were certainly ambitious, but I could not do any less. Jiraiya and Tsunade had too much political weight to challenge my bid for the Hokage seat, so they would have to stay far away. Right now, my major goal was to rebuild ROOT. It had to become faster, stronger, and more efficient.
And I had figured out just the way. My footsteps were light as I exited my room, and disappeared in a poof of smoke. With a flick of my kunai, the blood seals opened, allowing me access to ROOT's latest investment. Tall tubes filled with green water surrounded me, and within, faces gazed back. The babies from the Orphanage, all treated to a new serum, containing the blood of Hatake along with that of a large amount of nutrients. Many of the subjects had recursive gene editing to blend their DNA together, to create a elite fighting force. I did not care for blood limits- no, I wanted intelligence and rapid growing agents that could last long. The Hatakes had always been prodigies, and I hoped that this batch did not disappoint.
I could only imagine the reaction of the boy when he found out. Did I take pleasure in it? No, but this fate would be better than what many of these children would have. Here, they would be given all the tools needed to become powerful shinobi, equal to that of the clans. I always hated the clan structure, and the importance on them. Perhaps it was why I taken Gai, Kakashi, and Tenzo on as students.
My blood boiled as I thought of the Uchiha clan. It was hard to describe how much the original Danzo disliked them, and I still wasn't entirely sure why he hated them so much. Inwardly, I had my own suspicions- the Uchiha were arrogant, and intensely so. They lorded over the rest of Konaha, and most of their shinobi relied so heavily on their blood limit that they would be useless without it. At least, that was Danzo's perspective. He saw the Uchiha wasting their Sharingan, relying on it as a crutch instead of a tool. It was akin to an aim-assist, in modern terms.
Even the more kinder clans were not spared from this form of elitism in Konoha. The would frequently receive promotions that orphans and civilian shinobi would be more qualified, all due to politics. This hierarchy endured to this day, and very few had defied it.
One was Minato Namikaze, but he was long gone now. No wonder he had received the Hokage seat- he was the embodiment of the Konoha dream. The ideals of teamwork, family, and respect. These ideals were amusing, but inwardly I knew how hypocritical they were.
What ideals can be found in the life of a shinobi? This peace of Konaha, it's happiness had been bought by the blood of hundreds of innocents from the other nations.
I would break this cycle of hatred, and create a new era of peace. One built from the shadows, and maintained by such. Naruto had proven such a thing was possible- all I needed to do was help him along the way. My eyes shifted back to the tanks, and I could some of the children look back at me.
A small smile blossomed on my face. Using Foo's Mind Transfer Jutsu and transferring select info on medical processes, genetics, and DNA splicing from Earth had been enough to give my personal Medic-nins a heart attack, To find out that most of their techniques could be replicated by machines, they had scrambled to combine the two very differing processes- chakra and technology. With some Fuinjutsu (I took inspiration from the seals of the jinchūriki & the Edo Tensai) we had been able to make a device to allow a complete genome breakdown and rebuild from other samples.
The process had a 27% mortality rate, but I ignored it. No one would remember these faceless orphans- they were nothing but a statistic to be noted in some file every cycle, and concealed behind walls of bureaucracy. Just another cog in the system of the village known as Konoha.
Gai stared at his two teammates. The three of them had been waiting for their sensei to arrive, and the silence was becoming quite bothersome. "It is quite a YOUTH-ful day, is it not?" He flashed them one of his trademark grins, his pearly whites shining in the rising rays of the Sun.
"I suppose it is." Kakashi stared back at him, before leaning against a tree. "Call me when Danzo arrives."
Their third teamate, Tenzo just sighed. "Shinobi should always be vigilant, Hatake-san. It would not be wise to rest. Perhaps we could warm-up?" Gai inwardly hopes that the ever sullen Kakashi would warm-up slightly, and moved into some light body stretches. Tenzo followed his lead, and with some prompting, even Kakashi did as well. For Gai, it was a small victory. When he had been given this opportunity to train with Kakashi, he had snatched it immediately. It was his duty to remind Kakashi that he did not need to become one with the shadow, and that he still had friends.
"Good on getting started." Danzo's voice crept through the trees. "Do not expect me to help in that department." The old man's eyes shifted between them, and it was hard to discern his true motive. Even now, he still gave Gai the creeps.
"Today we shall do team training, but first allow me to tell you a story." Gai nodded his head in sink with his team, and became attentive.
"Long before time had a name, the first Sage created the nine Bijuu from chakra and gifted this alien power to mankind." Gai's eyes widened- he was familiar with this story! "He above all, desired peace. He wished that his gift be used to allow people to understand each other and founded ninshu- but alas, he failed to understand mankind's imperfection."
"His sons, Indra and Ashura were to be his heirs. Indra was a prodigy, but easily swayed by power, while Ashura believed in the power of bonds and peace. Their twin ideals of hope were incompatible, and the two weaponized chakra into ninjutsu and fought for decades in a bloody conflict. So strong was their hatred, their twisted regret that they have been said to be reincarnated through the generations of shinobi to continue this fight, till one of them can end this cycle of hatred."
"Our village was founded on this ideal that the cycle of hatred could be broken, between Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju. But at the end, the two brothers betrayed each other over what the way to peace was-" Gai's eyes widened at the hidden message within Danzo's words. "And to this day, the shinobi world is locked in constant war."
The eldery shinobi's gaze carried the weight of a thousand years as he turned his eyes to them. "We old men have performed hundreds of atrocities to allow you young ones to grow in the peace and light of the leaf, untouched by the shadow. You all have known loss and sorrow, and I shall not ignore that. But never forget your friendship, your bonds- for when you enter the world of shadows, those are the only things that can pull you back."
He sighed slowly. "I only ask you to recall these words whenever you gaze at a foe: many who live deserve death, and many who have died deserve life. Who are we to judge their fate?" Gai shuffled awkcwardly as his thoughts turned to those he had killed. Being a shinobi meant to kill, but Danzo wanted them to think of it?
"To be a shinobi is to kill, but recall that each person has their own story. Your lost comrades, those who have died by your hand. They all are fighting for something." As Gai glanced to the side, he could see Kakashi's breathing was shaky.
"Kakashi Hatake, you are the last remaining member of Team Minato." Kakashi winced at that reminder. "Yet you scorn your duty in favor of your sorrow, and wallow in it from day to night."
"What right do you have to judge me, Danzo?" Kakashi's glare is murderous, and Gai readies himself to intervene. "Do you know what's like, to see them die in front of you? DO YOU?" And Hatake roared at Danzo, releasing his killing intent madly. Tenzo moved his hands into a ready position, but Danzo remained unbothered.
"We live and die as a warrior. There is no place for emotions on the battlefield- no place for hesitation, for regret. All we can do is act, to uphold our sacred duty." Danzo's eyes were chips of ice, and Kakashi glared right back.
"A shinobi has to have emotions- otherwise they're just tools! To love and feel and believe, can you do that, Danzo? Could you ever call anyone your brother, and cry over his corpse?"
"Your duty is to fight for your fullest, to protect your team, your comrades. Yet you waste your time continuously- can you not see your own hypocrisy? You are unable to move on to the future, and remain shackled to ghosts long dead." Danzo's voice thundered like the heavens as he continued.
"TELL ME, HATAKE! WHEN YOU FIGHT WITH THIS TEAM, WILL YOUR REGRETS BIND YOU?" Kakashi glared, but Danzo went on. "Tell me then, what will you do? Will you get stronger, and regain your will to live? Or will you be devoured by the shadows?"
"Tell me, HATAKE! 'friend-killer' they call you- how do I know you won't betray this team? No one fully knows the detail of Kannabi Bridge- all who were there are DEAD!" At this moment, Kakashi has had enough. His gaze was wild and unfocused, and Gai could see the sheer horror in his eyes. He moved forward, trying to stop before his friend did something he would regret—
But Kakashi was too fast, kunai in hand as he rushed towards Danzo. "YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND!" His killing intent rocketed through the forest, as he slashed widely. Danzo dodged most the strikes, but paused midleap, letting Kakashi hit his chest. Kakashi's eyes unfocused as he rushed forward, and through the madness, Gai could make out Danzo's tired chuckle.
"All your rage does is make you sloppy. All that regret and fear dulls your blade, and turns your heart to ash. All of that fear is buried so deep in your heart, and you can never let go of it, can you?" Kakashi paused, slowly realizing what he had done. "Let me teach you a lesson, boy. Life is never perfect. It is a horrible, cruel world and it will tear you apart if you let it. There isn't nothing that hits harder than life."
The elder rose to his feet slowly. "Let go of your fears and the past. The past is the past, the future is the future, but the present? It is a gift, one given to us all. We humans are not Gods- no, we alone have been blessed with the gift of mortality to teach us suffering, to teach us the limits of your reach. For their can be no salvation without first suffering. Remember your old team by their wishes, by their hopes. They would not want you to waste away here, rather they would want you to move on."
Kakashi's eyes widened. "Your sensei, everyone who ever cared about you- what would they think, seeing you here? A pathetic husk, lacking any will or drive?" Danzo's tone turned dark as his scornful eyes locked on Kakashi. "Then Hatake, wallow in your fears and die. Die and think of Gai, think of Tenzo, think of your sensei's little son and what they would think of you."
"Die and think on how you would leave this world behind, of your friend's bitterness and tears. Die so filled with the past that you cannot even see the future in front of your eyes!"
Kakashi turns toward Gai, and Gai just gazes slowly at Kakashi. "K—kakashi... I joined this team because I wanted to help you, my freind." His tone is somber, and lacks any of its usual enthusiasm. "I did not want you to wallow in the past— I wanted you to move on, to look to the future! Danzo-sensei's words speak true, please Kakashi! Don't walk down this path!"
Tenzo watches carefully, before speaking. "You taught me that a shinobi protects his friends." He smiles slowly. "What kind of teammate would I be if let you die?" The tears fall down on the three boys' faces as they embrace.
"Y—-you guys..." Kakashi mumbles softly. He isn't used to hugs, and is surprised by the speed in which Gai pulls the three together.
"We are a team, Ka-ka-shi!" Gai grins at his teammates, no—his brothers. "And we won't let such a tragedy befall you again!" Tenzo nods his agreement, and Kakashi smiles underneath his mask.
Gai continues. "If I fail, I will run 100,000 laps around Konaha using only my pinky!"
Kakashi sighs as he wipes his face. "Gai, you don't have too..."
"Nonsense! This is my nindo, my ninja way!"
Tenzo watches, and thinks of his own ideals. As he looks at Kakashi, he makes his decision. "We're a team. And teammates don't leave each other behind— isn't that right...captain?"
Kakashi inhales sharply before sighing. "I guess I have my hands full then..."
"Well done." The trio turn their heads sharply and remember that Danzo was there the entire time. A proud smile is on his face, and he taps his cane into the ground. "You are truly shinobi of Konoha."
They all will remember this moment for the rest of their lives.