I Got Reincarnated As Danzo!?

A slow clap echoed in the quiet aftermath of battle.

Tenju stepped forward, clapping his hands.

"A bit too rough in your execution, and you lacked composure," he remarked. "But for a ninja on their first mission, you've done well."

Despite receiving the evaluation they'd been waiting for, no one looked particularly happy. They silently gathered their belongings and the spoils of war before stepping out of the now-deserted hideout.

Once the women who had suffered in this place were taken care of, the team set fire to the entire village, erasing all traces of its dark past.

---

Days later, when they arrived back at their employer's village, the cheers and gratitude of the townspeople slowly brought them out of their haze. The warmth of the villagers' celebration stood in stark contrast to the bloody reality they had just faced.

As the festivities went on, Tenju, holding a cup of sake, approached Danzo and whispered in his ear.

"Now that the mission is complete, it's time to deal with Furukawa Kei."

"As for how to handle it," he continued, stepping back with a smirk, "I'll leave that to you. Consider it my personal reward for completing the mission."

Without waiting for a response, he walked away, leaving Danzo deep in thought.

---

That night, as the fire crackled softly, a shadow crept toward Danzo's bedside. The moonlight glinted off a dagger raised high, poised to strike.

"Did I say you could die?"

Danzo's voice cut through the silence as he sat up, staring at Furukawa Kei.

Kei froze, gripping the blade tightly. "My lord, the events that transpired were my doing alone. The villagers had no part in it. I am willing to atone with my life—please do not take your anger out on them."

With that, he prepared to plunge the dagger into his own chest.

Danzo scoffed, snatching the weapon from his hands. "I don't feel like seeing any more blood today. From now on, you'll follow me."

Unexpectedly, Kei's expression twisted in uncertainty. After a long hesitation, he gritted his teeth and, in a sudden movement, began removing his shirt.

"Hey, hey!" Danzo's eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing?"

Kei paused, looking confused. "Isn't this… what you meant?"

Danzo facepalmed. "No! I meant you'll be my subordinate from now on!"

A dark blush crept across Kei's face as he realized his mistake. Flustered, he immediately knelt.

"I swear to serve you from this moment forward!"

Danzo exhaled, shaking his head. "You'll return with us to the Land of Fire. Near the capital, you'll learn how merchants conduct business. This is your last chance."

Kei bowed deeply. "Understood, my lord."

Danzo studied him for a moment, then gestured. "Now, come here and take off your shirt."

"…What?!"

"Just do it."

Kei hesitated but obeyed. Danzo bit his right index finger and pressed it against Kei's back. The blood moved as if alive, forming an intricate seal that spread across his skin. After about fifteen minutes, a ghostly tattoo had fully taken shape.

"This is the power I grant you. Use it to establish a mercenary force in the Land of Fire—the **Shadow Corps**."

Kei raised his head, his dark eyes flashing red for an instant before returning to normal. "Yes, my lord."

Danzo waved him off. "Good. Now get lost. I'm going to sleep."

Kei bowed once more before retreating.

The room fell silent.

Danzo sat in thought, observing the seal on his own hand. "The strength of the Shadow Corps is linked to me… Right now, I can summon a hundred shadow warriors. Each time I advance in power, their numbers will increase exponentially. The only drawback is their current level of strength…"

He sighed. "Well, I'll deal with that later."

With that, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

---

The next morning, the villagers gathered at the entrance to see them off.

"Your lives will only get better from here!" Sarutobi Hiruzen called out, standing on top of a carriage before hopping down inside.

"Finally! We can go back to Konoha—I was starting to suffocate in this place," one of the young ninjas sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, I miss my mom's cooking," another chimed in.

For all the excitement they had felt about going on a mission, they now longed to return home just as much.

Danzo sat beside Tenju, watching the others. "Captain Tenju, I want to learn some of your genjutsu techniques."

"Oh?" Tenju raised an eyebrow. "Why? Wouldn't Lord Tobirama be a better teacher?"

Danzo sighed. "You know how it is—Hokage-sama is always busy."

Tenju smirked. "Fair point."

He pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But I have one condition."

Danzo's eyes lit up. "Name it."

"If the Kurama Clan ever declines in the future, I want you to protect our legacy."

Danzo frowned. "Isn't that an odd request? Your clan is doing well."

Tenju let out a bitter chuckle. "You'd think so, but I'm the only one holding it up. There isn't a single jōnin in my clan besides me. The strongest after me is just a chūnin."

Danzo's face darkened. "Well, that's not so bad. They could catch up in time."

"They're **older** than me," Tenju deadpanned.

Danzo blinked. "...Ah."

Tenju crossed his arms. "So? Deal or not?"

Danzo sighed. "Fine. I accept."

Tenju nodded in satisfaction and handed him several scrolls. "These contain basic genjutsu techniques and countermeasures. I've also included my notes. If you struggle, come find me at the Kurama compound—I'll inform them in advance. Master these first, and we'll talk about the rest later."

Danzo accepted them with a respectful bow. "Understood, Captain."

As the carriage continued its journey, the weight on their hearts slowly lifted.

---

After days of travel, the towering gates of **Konohagakure** finally came into view, surrounded by lush greenery.

Danzo smirked. "Looks like Lord Tobirama got kicked out of his office to plant trees again."

The closer they got, the clearer the village became. As the sun began to set, the warm glow of candlelight flickered from homes, accompanied by the laughter of families reunited.

"Let's go submit our mission report," Tenju said, finally allowing himself a small smile. "This one was a success—we'll be getting quite the reward."

Hiruzen grinned. "Let's make it a race! First one to the Hokage Building wins!"

Before anyone could protest, he disappeared in a blur, using the **Body Flicker Technique**.

"Oi! That's cheating!" someone shouted as the rest of the group sprinted after him.

Laughter filled the streets of Konoha.

Meanwhile, in a small home nearby, a young boy who had just returned late and was getting scolded by his mother perked up at the sounds of celebration outside, feeling a strange sense of admiration.

---

(A/N: Advance Chapters Are Uploaded On My Patreon)