I Got Reincarnated As Danzo!?

The Next Day

The central area of Konoha was livelier than ever.

Everything was brand new, full of energy, and the people carried bright smiles on their faces.

But who would have thought that in just sixty years, this village—once so full of life—would deteriorate into an old and ailing shadow of itself? In this life, now that I'm here, I won't allow Konoha's downfall to be orchestrated by those in power.

What? I'm one of them? Well... that's a problem for later.

As Danzo arrived at the venue, he was greeted by Konoha's officials—Hokage among them. After the brief formalities, they dispersed. The bureaucracy hadn't taken root in Konoha yet, so things remained refreshingly simple.

"Danzo! Over here!"

A five- or six-year-old boy waved excitedly at him.

"It's you, Senju Isao. What's up?"

"Didn't you notice? All the kids left the venue! We're heading to the training ground."

Senju Isao led Danzo out of the venue, running straight toward the training grounds.

When they arrived, the children had already divided into two groups—one well-dressed and looking well-fed, while the other wore more modest clothing, though still neat and clean. Among the well-dressed group, there were further divisions, likely by clan affiliation.

"Boss Danzo, you're here!"

The children in the simpler clothing immediately rallied around Danzo, treating him like their leader. Even some from the better-dressed group came over to greet him.

"What's going on?" Danzo asked, sensing a competitive atmosphere.

"Boss, Uchiha Godaiichi said he wants to be the leader of all the kids in Konoha, like the Hokage! We got into an argument about it."

"Oh? That's interesting," Danzo mused. "Count me in."

He leaped onto a nearby tree using the Tree Climbing technique and amplified his voice with chakra.

"Alright, listen up, everyone! Why do you want to be the boss?"

A chorus of voices responded from below.

"To do whatever I want!"

"To make my crush like me!"

"So my parents won't dare to scold me!"

Danzo sighed internally. Kids.

"Being the boss isn't about doing whatever you want," he explained. "It's about responsibility. You don't get to force people to like you or escape discipline. Leadership is about serving others, not fulfilling selfish desires."

Most of the children groaned in disappointment.

"Then it's boring."

"I don't even take care of myself. Why should I take care of others?"

"I'd rather take a nap."

Danzo smirked. Good. That weeded out the ones who weren't serious.

"So, how many are still in?" he asked.

A handful of kids stepped forward.

"I'm in."

"Me too."

In the end, eight children remained:

1. Shimura Danzo

2. Sarutobi Hiruzen

3. Koharu Utatane

4. Homura Mitokado

5. Akimichi Takakaze

6. Uchiha Kagami

7. Uchiha Godaiichi

8. Senju Isao

"What's the competition format?" Danzo asked.

"Obviously, a battle! The strongest should be the boss!" Uchiha Godaiichi declared.

"I disagree," Sarutobi Hiruzen countered. "A leader should be chosen by the people. We should vote."

The two immediately started bickering.

Danzo sighed and clapped his hands for attention. "Alright, we'll do both. First, a battle to prove strength. Then, a vote to decide leadership."

No one objected.

Danzo quickly prepared a random draw, using vines to pair up competitors:

1. Uchiha Kagami vs. Homura Mitokado

2. Uchiha Godaiichi vs. Akimichi Takakaze

3. Sarutobi Hiruzen vs. Senju Isao

4. Shimura Danzo vs. Koharu Utatane

The battles began.

Koharu made the first move, closing the distance swiftly.

Shuriken Art – Kunai Rain!

With a flick of her wrist, four kunai zipped toward Danzo.

Danzo tilted his head slightly, dodging the first.

'Not bad… but not good enough.'

Suddenly, two kunai curved midair, aiming for his back.

"Interesting."

Danzo sidestepped smoothly, faster than Koharu expected, and drew his wooden sword.

One Sword Style – Tiger Hunt!

Koharu's eyes widened as an illusion of a tiger lunged at her, accompanied by a gust of wind.

Panicked, she fell backward.

By the time she gathered herself, Danzo had already sheathed his sword. A few strands of her hair drifted to the ground.

It was over.

"…So fast," Koharu whispered, still in disbelief.

Danzo extended his hand, helping her up.

"Thanks…" Koharu mumbled, her face turning red before she scurried off.

The other matches ended soon after. **Uchiha Kagami, Sarutobi Hiruzen, and Akimichi Takakaze** emerged victorious in their respective duels.

With the battles done, it was time for the vote.

Each of the **195 children present** was given a ballot. Secret votes were cast, and Senju Isao counted them.

"The winner is—Shimura Danzo!"

A chorus of cheers erupted.

"Danzo Boss deserved it!"

"Yeah, I wouldn't accept anyone else."

Sarutobi Hiruzen, however, looked disgruntled. "Wait! I want to see the vote count!"

Senju Isao sighed. "I'd advise against that…"

"I'll check it myself!" Hiruzen declared and rushed to the ballots.

He counted aloud:

- Sarutobi Hiruzen – 13 votes

- Akimichi Takakaze – 29 votes

- Uchiha Kagami – 58 votes

- Shimura Danzo – 95 votes

Hiruzen's face turned pale. His own clan had ten members present, meaning **only three people outside his family had voted for him**.

He felt humiliated, as if everyone were laughing at him.

But in reality…

"There are still people who didn't vote for Danzo Boss?!"

"I knew he'd win."

Danzo observed Hiruzen's defeated expression.

'If he were an Uchiha, he'd probably awaken his Sharingan right now.'

After a moment, Danzo stepped forward and offered his hand.

"If you focus too much on others, you'll forget to improve yourself. Strengthen yourself—that's the best way to prove them wrong."

Hiruzen hesitated before swatting Danzo's hand away. Then, just as he was about to leave, he turned back.

"…Thanks."

With that, he ran off, his clan members following.

Danzo watched him go, smirking.

'Heh. Let's see where this leads.'

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