Dark Phoenix of Konoha by White Angel of Auralon

Part 16 - Deal with the Devil

"I want to talk to Danzo. Would any of you mind calling him?" The clone said calmly, not caring that he was threatened.

One of the four that held him gave a sign, which Naruto and his clone thought was the order to another ninja in the shadows. Five minutes later Danzo came out.

"I am interested why you would come down here, Uzumaki. And more so I would like to learn how you knew about this place." Danzo asked.

"I have known about this place for four years now. And I know what this place is, the headquarters of your little ANBU subdivision ROOT that 'should' have been disbanded. But I also know that the old man just turned a blind eye because you were useful for the village. By the way, I'm only a shadow clone, so I'd advise you to keep your ninjas on a leash before they pop me and I can't give you the message I was sent here to give you." The clone said still keeping an emotionless face.

Danzo gave the four a sign, which made them step back a little bit, still keeping the clone under control.

"Nice. Well, I guess you want to know the reason for my visit. The reason is twofold. My original wants to know if you have anything about the political situation of Wave Country because our new client is behaving a bit suspiciously. The second one is offering a mutually beneficial alliance. I know that you tried to get me into your unit since the day Kyubi was sealed in me. While I have no interest in becoming a mindless weapon, I know as well that with the public opinion of me, there will be hard times before I can live a halfway peaceful life in the village. And I also know that Itachi Uchiha killed the Uchiha clan on your orders." Naruto revealed.

Danzo's eye narrowed. This boy knew way too much in his opinion. But an alliance with him could be useful. The boy was jonin level and that at twelve. He only needed experience, which would be no problem with how Kakashi trained his team. The boy would reach the rank he deserved within a year.

"Intriguing indeed. You don't sound like you mind the Uchiha clan being dead." Danzo stated.

"I don't mind the least. They were power hungry bastards that would have risked a civil war in Konoha just to get the power. And my personal history with them is also nothing I care to remember. I won't shed a single tear about them. They tried to usurp the old man's power, he found out before they could strike, they paid the price. I know you have dealt with threats to Konoha for decades from the shadows. I also know you have ambitions to get the Hokage hat. Well, that I have to say is a delusion of yours. The daimyo would never appoint you as long as he has other suitable choices. And that sharingan you have from Shisui Uchiha won't really help you as well. Have any Hyuga there and you are busted." Naruto said.

Danzo looked like he wanted to attack, but Naruto just raised his hand.

"Hit a nerve? Don't worry, I didn't tell the old man about that little secret. While I didn't hate Shisui as much as other Uchihas, I didn't like him either. If you are into desecration of corpses is your problem, not mine. No, my interest is gaining power in this village. It will become much easier after I let loose in the chunin exams. At the moment, there are only rumours that I held back at the academy. After the exams everybody will know exactly how much. Konoha has been sleeping in the last twelve years. First we needed to rebuild after the Kyubi attack, then we needed to restructure after the Uchiha massacre, which cost us a fifth of our military. I know that the old man is planning to have Kakashi sensei take over the hat to make sure I stay in the village. What he doesn't know is that it was my intention to get Kakashi Hatake into the position." Naruto said making Danzo look at him interested again.

"What reason would I have had to reveal my escape plans? If I had really intended to run, I could have done it easier. I am a master of the shadow clone jutsu and of seals. Making a clone that kept my place for a week then disappear, which would probably give me a few more days until anybody noticed I was missing would have been easy. And nobody could have declared me a missing nin, because I wasn't a ninja yet. And within one and a half weeks I'd have left Fire Country without problem. Meaning there would have been nothing the Hokage could have done to get me back. But what advantage would running away have given me after the Uchiha were killed? None. But it offered me an opportunity - the massacre left a vacuum of power that still isn't filled.