My Summoned Beast is Uchiha Madara

Itō Hirofumi didn't say anything more. He simply repeated what he had just said to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

The students in the classroom weren't in the mood for class anymore anyway—after all, they had just witnessed something far too entertaining.

Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Tower...

In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen was puffing on a smoking pipe. Clouds of smoke filled the room, obscuring the look on his face.

Sitting across from him was Shimura Danzō.

"Hiruzen, what do you make of what happened today?"

"What do I make of it? I looked at it with my own eyes, of course."

Danzō narrowed his single eye slightly.

"Hiruzen… you know exactly what I mean."

At that, Hiruzen raised an eyebrow.

"No. I don't know what you mean."

Danzō tightened his grip on his cane before speaking again.

"Hiruzen… hand that boy, Itō Hirofumi, over to me. I'll mold him into an outstanding shinobi. I'll make him a great Root for Konoha."

"Danzō, aren't you overstepping just a little? It's not like your Root division is lacking in shinobi. Every year, a flood of talented ninja joins your ranks. I doubt you need one more like Itō Hirofumi."

"Hiruzen! Everything I do is for the sake of Konoha!"

At those words, Sarutobi took a long drag from his pipe.

Everything for the sake of Konoha, huh...?

Heh.

"Hiruzen! Why aren't you saying anything?!"

"Danzō, let's not bring this up again. I've already made arrangements—Jiraiya is returning to the village. He'll be the one to guide Itō Hirofumi."

Danzō scowled. So Hiruzen really was dead set on competing with him for the boy.

"Hiruzen! Don't you think you're being too greedy?! Uchiha Sasuke, the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki… and now this Itō Hirofumi! It's always the same with you!"

His single eye glinted coldly beneath the bandages.

"Danzō! Mind your words! What do you mean I'm greedy?! I'm the Hokage of this village! Everything I do is for Konoha!"

For a moment, Danzō was speechless.

Wait a minute… that's supposed to be my line, damn it!

"Hiruzen!!!"

"Enough, Danzō. Itō Hirofumi will not be joining Root. I suggest you put those ambitions of yours to rest."

"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!!!"

"Danzō! I am the Hokage!"

"Y-You...!"

Danzō couldn't find the words.

So smug. So noble. So high and mighty.

You're the towering tree basking in the sun...

And I…I am just a root crawling in the shadows.

"Danzō, is there anything else? If not, I'd like to get back to work."

"Tch. Fine!"

BAM!!!

Danzō rose and slammed the door behind him as he left.

Left alone, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat behind his desk, reflecting on what Itō Hirofumi had said. Truthfully, he wasn't particularly well-informed about the Three Great Holy Lands.

In fact, his three students were far more familiar with them than he was.

But Orochimaru had defected.Tsunade had left the village, disillusioned.And Jiraiya wandered the world like a vagrant.

Sigh…

With a heavy breath, Sarutobi reached for a stack of documents and began reviewing them.

Truthfully, he wasn't too concerned about Itō Hirofumi. Nor did he doubt the boy's words. After all, the Itō clan was a loyal Hokage faction.

The previous clan head, Itō Taiga, had once served as one of Sarutobi's elite guards in his youth. After retiring, Taiga had lived quietly at home.

And the current head, Itō Aoyama, was just as loyal to the Hokage.

No matter how you looked at it, Itō Hirofumi was a model child from a pure bloodline.

Back at the Ninja Academy...

After school, Itō Hirofumi walked home alone, deep in thought about all that had transpired.

He hadn't expected today's events to alarm not only the Third Hokage but also Shimura Danzō.

The Third Hokage was one thing. In the original story, he was a rather divisive figure—hailed as the "Shinobi no Kami" in his youth...

But in his old age? Sigh...

Weak and spineless in the face of foreign threats, ruthless and manipulative within the village.

He turned a blind eye as his old friend Danzō played dirty politics within Konoha.

Hatake Sakumo committed suicide.

Diplomatic weakness led to the death of Hyūga Hizashi.

His three students either disappeared, defected, or were abandoned.

He even PUA-ed Naruto—letting the whole village know he housed the Nine-Tails, making everyone hate the kid, only to swoop in and act like the kind old grandpa to earn his trust.

Claiming that hiding Naruto's identity was for his protection...

Bullshit.Even random villagers knew Naruto was the Nine-Tails' host. What was the point of secrecy if everyone already knew?

Still...

Sarutobi Hiruzen would never harm him.If anything, he'd try to pull him in.

Just like earlier at the Academy, when everything he said hinted at wanting Jiraiya to take him in as a disciple.

So there was no need to worry about that old man resorting to dirty tricks.

Danzō, on the other hand… that old bastard...

He was the type to do whatever it took to achieve his goals. Based on how today had played out, Danzō was clearly eyeing him.

And just then, Itō Hirofumi sensed something stirring in his summoning space...

"You brat!!!"

Uchiha Madara's expression was absolutely awful.

Itō Hirofumi continued walking toward the clan district, but within his body's summoning space, he gathered chakra and materialized his presence—meeting Uchiha Madara once again.

Ever since obtaining Indra's chakra, Hirofumi hadn't felt a dramatic surge in power, but he had noticed how much smoother chakra control had become.

Even the rate at which his body produced chakra had skyrocketed.

And his body itself...It was changing in ways he still didn't fully understand.

But it was a good thing.

Because his body was undeniably growing stronger.

And that was something Hirofumi could feel with absolute clarity.