62 Little Nightmare (1)

"Maito Dai."

Ninjas. In front of him—Sarutobi Hiruzen, the third Hokage. Kunais on his neck, with his body tied by a rope. Here in the Hokage's office, Dai found himself kneeling, with nothing but confusion.

"You betrayed the village, and blatantly walked in our main entrance without a single remorse... what blasphemy." Hiruzen, who adjusted the Hokage's hat above his head, said coldly, "And to think everyone was fooled by you, up until now..."

Dai, having his eyes filled with nothing but a mix of disbelief and horror, murmured, "H-Hokage-sama—"

However, Dai wasn't able to finish his words, as one of the Anbus, who stood nearby Dai, placed the kunai in Dai's mouth in a threatening manner.

"If not for Danzo having informed me of this situation, I can't fathom just what would've happened..." Hiruzen massaged his temple, before glaring at Dai,

"Tell me, from which village are you from? Is your supposed son, Maito Gai, also a spy like you?"

Dai, whose eyes began to moisten, shook his head as much as possible, as his mouth was still gaped open by a kunai that was shoved into it.

"...No matter. We will be finding it out soon enough, anyway," Hiruzen stood up with his face darkened, before ordering the Anbus, "Send Maito Dai to the Torture and Interrogation Force. Tell them that everything is allowed except for killing, and that every single possible information must be spoken."

Despair.

'Spy? Traitor? Me?' Dai's eyes shook uncontrollably, as he was being dragged by one of the Anbu members, 'Torture? Interrogation? Killing? Danzo?'

'What of my son, Gai? I... I was going to tell him that I defeated Kakuzu. I was going to stand up and become the better father for him...'

Dai wished that this was a dream, a nightmare. He wished that he'd wake up at any minute, with his son next to him.

However, reality was more cruel than the nightmare itself. There was no such thing as waking up, and the only thing that awaited him now...

...was nothing but the gruesome tortures.

__________

[Amegakure]

Within the land of never-ending rainfall, there lies the fortress of a village, surrounded by thick walls all around. Within such village, there existed many tall buildings, however, one in the middle was notably taller than the rest; this was the place in which Hanzo of the 'Salamander' dwelled.

And inside such a building, the one-eyed man with black-hair, Shimura Danzo from Konohagakure, was seen to be walking n an elegant manner, across the long wooden hallway. At the end, there lied two maidens, who bowed while moving away from the huge entrance that they were blocking, allowing Danzo to open the door and enter through.

"...Shimura Danzo."

And within the entrance, there lied nothing but pitch darkness. Within the darkness, a rough, yet refined voice of a man was heard.

"To what do I owe a pleasure..."

Danzo, who maintained a calm expression, though a cold sweat was dripping from his back, voiced out while bowing formally, "I greet the legendary shinobi of Ame, Hanzo of the 'Salamander.'"

From the darkness, the pair of eyes opened. Giving off the predatory gleam, those eyes were narrowed at Danzo. They seemed to be saying, that if Danzo's words fail to satisfy him, there will be consequnces.

"I am not here to ask for help from Ame. This Third Shinobi World War is to be dealt with by us alone." Danzo, suppressing his emotion, spoke firmly, "Instead, I am here as Shimura Danzo, and I request that you aid me in becoming a Hokage."

"...And for what reason must I help you?" Hanzo asked coldly.

"The Land of Rivers," Danzo immediately followed, "The rich and fertile land that you have been desiring for years, but was unable to acquire due to the threat of Konohagakure—such land will fall within your hand if I were to become a Hokage."

Danzo's offer was simple yet mind-blowing. However, Hanzo didn't seem to be as accepting,

"And why won't I simply do that right now, with or without your help?"

"Because of the presence of Sunagakure, who aren't showing any particular movement at the current moment," Danzo replied astutely, "along with the infiltration of Kiri ninjas into the Land of Rivers. You, alone by yourself, cannot afford to leave this village."

Hanzo didn't say anything, but silently gazed at Danzo. Danzo, knowing that this was the chance, continued his talk,

"It's surely worth the trade, is it not?"

Danzo's face twitched, trying his best not to express his joy. He knew, that Hanzo was persuaded. At this rate—

"Go back, Shimura Danzo." Hanzo then closed his eyes, "A man with ambition, yet no sense of loyalty—the quality of a leader is non-existent in a lowly being such as you."

Danzo froze midway, not having expected Hanzo's words at all.

"Such baseless words, to think that I will involve myself in a petty assassination... how laughable you are."

The door began to close back on Danzo, as Hanzo said for the final time,

"It seems that old Yamamoto was wrong this time around, to recommend me a cockroach... don't return here, unless you wish for death."

Then, the door fully closed, leaving Danzo, still frozen, by himself with two maidens blocking the entrance now.

'Me... unfit to become a Hokage...?' Danzo then made a deep frown, with his fists clenched so hard that they shook uncontrollably. Suppressing his fury as much as he could, he stormed his way out of the hallway,

'WRONG! Hiruzen... he is soft-hearted and indecisive!! Without a doubt, Konoha will fall into declination, if someone like him were to continue ruling Konoha over me!!'

Danzo, reaching the balcony that led to the outside, dashed away from the building, back to the Lane of Rivers which he came from.

'...The Land of Grass, under the rule of the Yamamoto clan. Such authority was acquired by blood—eradicating their only adversity to the throne: Shizen clan, years ago. However, the heir of the Yamamoto clan, feeling remorse from the inhumane act of his clan, and befriended a member of Shizen clan, ran away during one fateful night, with the most important treasure of Shizen clan in his hands.'

Danzo dashed through the cold rain with a deep frown on his face, toward the Land of Rivers.

'Though Hanzo wasn't aware, that man's destination was none other than here, the Land of Rain. And in here, he met a woman who restored him from the brink of death... I managed to acquire this information during my mission to Kusagakure, and decided to use this to my advantage. Fulfill the Yamamoto clan's wish and gain a connection with Hanzo of the 'Salamander.' Form a mutual relationship with these two villages, and with their strengths supporting me, take over Konoha.'

However, now, years of effort were wasted. Kusa was currently suffering under the control of Iwa, and Danzo managed to do nothing but earn Hanzo's dislike. Instead, he was in a danger now.

'...If Hanzo learns that his grandson is still alive, and that I am the man responsible for the death of his daughter...'

Danzo now stood on the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers.

'...War. He will do anything he has to ensure my death.'

Danzo let out a chuckle, unable to believe the situation he was placed within. He wished to raise his head up and shout at the sky, of why nothing seemed to be going in his way. However, concealing the negative emotions in his mind, Danzo stepped over to the Land of Rivers, the land without the rain.

Swoosh! Then, three ninjas, who were wearing masks over their faces, appeared around Danzo, kneeling on one knee.

"...Report," Danzo spoke in a low tone.

"Danzo-sama," One among them, the one wearing a mouse mask, said stoically, "Maito Dai's case was resolved just as you intended. Even after the interrogation by the member of Yamanaka clan, Maito Dai was deemed faulty for interrupting our operation—according to the decision made by the third Hokage."

"What of the case regarding that accursed grandson of Hanzo."

"He..." The ninja with mouse mask paused momentarily as if the words were stuck in his neck, before continuing, "...noticed that we were watching over him."

Danzo's eye trembled, not having expected such words.

"Twenty of us remained to engage him, while we, here, returned back to inform you of this, Danzo-sama."

"...How long has it passed since the battle started."

"Approximately three hours, Danzo-sama."

"And yet, none of them returned...?"

Danzo felt as if something was going wrong.

'The incident at the Koahi village... the scene where the entirety of the bounty hunters, including Kakuzu, along with ten of my ROOT ninjas... I believed that killed each other, allowing that boy to sneak away.'

Danzo placed his hand on top of his face, and crackled,

"Ha... hahaha... hahahaha!!! Are you saying that a 12-year-old boy managed all that, by himself?"

Kakuzu's monstrous feat was well-known world-widely. Danzo knew, that strength-wise, even he won't be able to match that bounty hunter. And Akashi defeated him, and now, he was on his way.

The little nightmare was on his way.