For the first time in his life, Danzo looked at his oldest friend and felt terror.
He looked at Hiruzen and saw a good-natured young hero thrust awkwardly and against his will into power. His hat didn't sit right on his head, he used an old man's pipe as if trying but failing to seem more mature than he was, and he wore an easy self-conscious smile. In other words, perfectly harmless.
Yet he still played the same role as he did on his first day in-office, even after securing an unprecedented level of control over the village. The clans loved him for the gifts he lavished on them and the rank and file believed him a saint. And this all against the background of decisively resolving a series of crises to bring the terrible war to a conclusion. Crises that Danzo in his role as ANBU commander helped manufacture. Crises that extended the war without seeming to, to give more time for Hiruzen to consolidate his rule with the cover of a state of permanent wartime emergency. He knew very well just how calculated Hiruzen could be in achieving his goals.
And then Danzo took a senbon to the gut and was bedridden for four months while the war came to a close. He prayed every day in gratitude for that young Suna kunoichi for poisoning him and forcing him out of Hiruzen's web of manipulation for long enough for the blinders to come off.
Hiruzen smiled brightly and Danzo struggled to mimic the same expression he'd always worn in the face of the boy-wonder's brilliance.
"Finally! My loyal ANBU commander returns from his imprisonment in the hospital. Ready to get back to work I hope?"
Danzo rubbed the back of his head, an utterly false but necessary gesture to keep the pretence up.
"Actually, since we're at peace now, I was hoping to get started working on that dream of mine. The one about the independent black ops unit?"
Hiruzen frowned, "Oh? You know I need someone unquestionably committed to the village to be ANBU commander. Now's really not a good time to be shaking anything up, with things as delicate as they are."
Show weakness, feed his ego.
Danzo shook his head, "I'm afraid I've read the reports, and Caracal has been doing better than I did. And he's been in the role for four months, I'm afraid it would be more disruptive if I were to take the reins back up again."
In reality Caracal was an idiot, just a placeholder who did nothing but keep the status quo. That man's understanding of ninja operations was similar to an ape that had been taught to say "deniable operations" and "loyalty to the Hokage" over and over again.
Hiruzen sat up from his slouch. "Nonsense! There's no need to believe so lowly of yourself, there's nobody I would rather have than you!"
Danzo scoffed internally, as if Hiruzen didn't enjoy whenever Danzo demeaned himself, so that he could act the eternally supportive and eternally superior friend.
But Danzo knew that Hiruzen didn't know that Danzo knew that the jig was up. And that meant that if Danzo played his part right, Hiruzen would be forced to give him what he wanted.
So Danzo gave a sad smile, "Thank you for saying so. But I realised something in the hospital, and it's that I want to pursue my dream. You know how much I've obsessed over this for years."
Hiruzen gave Danzo a faux-stern look, "You forget old friend, that you already control a black ops unit, why create a new one when you can simply make ANBU better? I'll give you free reign."
Danzo almost allowed his jaw to clench at the Hokage's audacity. The same promise of free reign as two years ago? Which were followed by two years of incessant meddling and micromanagement undercutting Danzo's authority at every turn? Absolutely not.
He was sure if he spoke his anger would leak out and Hiruzen would know, so instead he merely shook his head again.
Hiruzen gave an overblown pout but his eyes only smiled. "Hmph. Well alright old friend, never let it be said I don't support you. What do you say I transfer some ANBU personnel over, and give you a firm grounding to start with?"
And give you eyes and hands with which to subvert me?
Danzo forced a smile, "I appreciate the offer, old friend, but I want to start from scratch. And I know just how overstretched ANBU are, I want this to be a force-generation effort, not just a reshuffling of the old way of doing things."
The Hokage kicked his feet up onto his desk.
"Then what about some funding? I can crack the coffers open and give you a small funding stream to start."
And give you a leash to yank on?
But again Danzo hid his true reaction. Here he had a gambit, to ask for help in a way that wouldn't give the Hokage a lever of control, something the Hokage would never accept. Despite his newfound understanding of the evil of Hiruzen, years of manipulation still left Danzo unsure if he was delusional, and this would act as a small test.
"I wish to challenge myself with securing my own funding. But a lump sum to start wouldn't go amiss?" he asked, trailing off at the end with a simulated lack of confidence.
The Hokage grimaced and shook his head, "You know how tight things are, our slush fund is completely empty. I wish I could, but money over time is all I can manage."
As expected. There would be no help without strings attached.
The Hokage took out his pipe and lit it, "I recall your plan was to get volunteers from the clans. Why don't I help smooth things over with them, make sure they shake a few hands loose?"
Danzo wondered to himself how he'd never seen Hiruzen's manipulations before. He was so obvious in his need for control. Hiruzen buttering up the clans was the perfect way to make sure the village knew that this new unit was another initiative from the Hokage, and that Danzo was as always acting as his faithful lackey. And of course it would add another implicit debt from Danzo to Hiruzen.
No, he didn't want to hear again 'how kind and loyal that Hiruzen boy was, always pulling along his precious people'.
"I appreciate the offer, I really do, but it's important this initiative isn't seen to be coming from the office of the Hokage. To give the appearance of decentralisation of power, and to make sure if this all falls apart it doesn't blow back on you."
Hiruzen smiled, and then his face froze, as if suppressing a sudden emotion. For just a moment his movements became stiff, before he relaxed again. Keeping his ever-present smile, he leaned forward, and spoke in a low, almost accusing voice.
"Tell me what's wrong Danzo, something's different about you. What's gotten into your head lately? Why won't you tell me, have you lost your trust in me?"
Danzo glanced at Hiruzen's face and then looked away in fear. There was something different about Hiruzen's smile, or perhaps Danzo was noticing it for the first time. Something malicious lurked on the edge of the Hokage's lips, something evil. Like a predator, waiting for the prey to bare its neck. Danzo trembled at the thought he had been found out already. He quickly clenched his fists to make it seem as if it was anger and not terror that coursed through him.
He tried to speak, but could only manage a croak.
Another spasm of terror, at the thought that he was falling apart already. Every break in his façade leading to more terror and more loss of control. His face screwed up with emotion and he closed his eyes, desperately trying to master himself. The man who had personally killed hundreds and ordered the deaths of thousands more, who had already begun developing a reputation as the Yami no Shinobi among those in-the-know, quailed in front of an evil far greater than he ever thought possible. It was nothing to hide his emotions from the enemy, but it seemed impossible now to hide himself from the man who he had up until now always bared his soul to.
Danzo lifted his hand to cover his mouth, and wondered if he was going to die. He felt immensely foolish for thinking that he could fool the mastermind in his lair.
But despite Danzo's doubts, he did not fail. Years of Hiruzen telling him he was inferior could not change the unalterable fact that Danzo was a born ninja. His hands stilled, and a calmness overcame him, an automatic reaction brought about from years of emotional training.
He raised his head, straightened his back, plastered the same old smile on his face, and looked the Hokage in the eyes.
"It's just the war. I'll get over it, no need to trouble yourself on my behalf."
Then Hiruzen kicked his feet up onto his table and leaned back, the ghost of that evil smile still on his lips.
"I can see that you're not ready to talk about it. I won't push. But remember, the psychological health of Konoha shinobi is a top priority of my administration, and that applies to you as well! I don't want to see you bottling this up old friend, it isn't good for you. As for your unit, I won't begrudge you not making work for me. I'm happy to see you finally spreading your wings! Go forth!"
Danzo brightened his smile, and then took his leave, feeling as if he had survived an encounter with a demon.
A few days later, Aburame Shige, the head of one of the four noble clans of Konoha, adjusted his sunglasses.
"I wholeheartedly support this idea. Why? Because warfare favours a concentration of force, and high-level shinobi are wasted on peacetime revenue-generating missions or guard duty. I myself have often thought that Konoha should have such a unit."
Danzo spoke with obvious relief, "I'm glad you understand the vision and see its importance."
Shige continued, "And you have the support of the other clans?"
Danzo suddenly seemed hesitant, "I have only spoken to a few clans so far, and while they have been less receptive than you have been, they assured me they were considering my proposals very seriously."
So they'd rejected him. Shige scoffed internally, more fool them, it only meant the Aburame would rise higher for being the only ones to endorse Danzo's brilliant innovation.
At this Harumi, the wife of the Aburame patriarch, leaned in with a most un-Aburame display of engrossment towards their guest.
"Indeed?" she asked, "I'm sure they will come around to this magnificent idea. A small elite unit comprised of all the clans, operating in secret, how wonderful. And who will be the commander of this awesome force?"
Danzo, seated across the low table from the couple, turned to her, "Naturally I cannot reveal the command structure, but I can say that it will be led by someone young, with the goal of developing a new understanding of warfare."
She smiled and replied with a most feminine lilt, "Somebody young enough to still have energy and drive, yet strong enough to lead the élite of Konoha? A veteran of the last war then, and someone the Hokage trusts completely."
Aburame Shige coughed, "My wife, you should not speculate about confidential secrets. Why? Because it is not conducive to good secret-keeping."
She turned to her husband and laughed like a bubbling brook. Shige suppressed the thought that she was laughing at him rather than at her own mistake.
She lay a delicate hand on his arm, "Honoured husband please forgive me, it is simply my womanly urge to make conversation. You know how we young girls are, we can never pay attention to what's important."
Shige nodded stiffly, "It is nothing to worry about, dear."
His wife was ever so excitable with guests. It must be all the ninja talk, he decided.
Then she disregarded him suddenly and again showed a most improper disregard for decorum with her expectant and open smile towards Danzo.
Danzo, seeming not to understand it was his turn in the conversation, simply met her eyes and waited patiently.
The moment stretched on and Shige unconsciously began suppressing his discomfort as his wife's smile grew. He looked between the handsome young war hero and his wife and felt as if he was on the outside of something.
Deciding that since he was a rational man of action the discomfort must be coming from the lack of productive conversation, Shige reached out his hand and attempted to gently brush the back of his fingers against his wife's shoulder. But he hadn't leaned far enough to the side and only brushed the many layers of silk she wore.
"Please, Harumi, my kikaichu are telling me that something is the matter with our son, would you attend to him?"
Turning her head to her husband and a beat later her eyes, she fixed him with a polite expression that even the most strict of governesses would approve of.
"Very well, I will attend to Shibe."
She rose to her full five feet, hands folded demurely in front of her obi, "Please call on us more often Danzo-dono, it can be awfully stiff here in the Aburame compound."
Danzo favoured her with a small smile. "I'm afraid my duties to the village leave me with little free time for visiting, as much as I would enjoy meeting again."
Behind his high collar, Shige twitched. He would enjoy it would he?
The three exchanged bows, and she left. She closed the paper door and there was silence in the small room.
Danzo firmed up, and then spoke with excitement leaking through his voice, "You have a lovely wife, I hope that one day I should be as lucky as you."
Shige decided then that Danzo wouldn't understand how to most effectively use the Aburame bloodline techniques (because who else would the Hokage place in command but his childhood best friend?). It would be better to conserve the élite of the clan, lest the Aburame fall just as so many clans had done. And anyways, secret "special squads" were counter to the collective ethos of Konoha and the clan.
"Yes, I am very lucky," he said, moving past the unpleasantness quickly, "I expect that you will soon ask if there's anyone I have in mind that would be suitable for your unit?"
Danzo smiled, obviously hopeful.
Shige would enjoy snuffing that smile out.
"I'm afraid the Aburame clan is already stretched to the bone with our existing commitments. Why? We are going through an intense period of rebuilding after the war, and our highest level shinobi already complain to me about a lack of time."
Danzo's hopeful look did not crumble, but what he said next seemed to come with great reluctance.
"I understand, but I'm sure the Hokage would agree that contributing personnel to this elite unit would mean a corresponding decrease in expectations for mission contributions."
Shige shook his head, "Unfortunately most of our commitments are internal and intensely time-consuming — clan secrets I'm sure you understand. I will make a call for volunteers and press the urgent importance of this unit, but in a large clan such as the Aburame I am not all-powerful and simply won't be unable to force anyone to participate."
Shige searched for signs that Danzo took offence at the snub about the withered size of the Shimura clan but could find none. Disappointing. He merely seemed resigned. And then suddenly Danzo stood.
"I understand. I must be going."
Shige, happy that Danzo wasn't pushing, still took offence at the sudden rudeness. To make it so obvious that Danzo only came to the Aburame compound because he wanted something from them left a bad taste in Shige's mouth, even if it was obvious this wasn't a simple house call.
Shige stood and favoured Danzo with his practised false-smile of nobility, equal parts delight and condescension.
"You must stay, may I take you on a tour of our gardens, to alleviate the regrettable news? I assure you have never known beauty until you see one of our most elegant spiderwebs."
Danzo ignored this lifeline to propriety, "Thank you for the offer but I have another engagement I must attend to."
Danzo gave Shige a shallow bow and went into the hall.
As the paper door slid closed, Shige scoffed to himself, sure that he made the right decision. Anyone who couldn't be bothered to obey the basics of formal etiquette clearly didn't understand the world and would be nothing but an anchor for the Aburame.
Then, right before Danzo slid the paper door closed, Shige saw another door slide open in the hall, revealing his wife. His wife, who upon seeing Danzo alone instantly broke out into a large smile.
Shige felt jealousy grip his heart. His wife never looked at him like that.
He decided it would be good to make sure nothing untoward happened. And quick as a cat he scaled the wall of the room, opened a false ceiling panel, and crawled on the pads of his fingers and toes through the crawl space above the ceiling. He sucked his gut in so he could fit into the narrow space. Then, silent as a feather and with a practised speed he nestled himself above the entranceway to his home, peering upon Danzo and his own wife through a tiny slit in the ceiling.
"Let me help you with your coat," he heard and saw his wife offer.
"Let me help you with your coat," offered Harumi.
"Of course," replied Danzo.
He turned and put his arms into the sleeves of his haori and shrugged it on. And when he turned back around Harumi had that strange smile on her face again.
"Thank you," he said, and began to tie his haori closed.
But then she placed her hands on his forearms, stilling him.
"Let me, you ninja always use the most ugly knots."
"We use the most practical knots," he replied, but he dropped his hands to his sides to let her work.
She leaned in, face close to his chest, and began to fiddle with the cords. He looked down, and the small hairs on the back of her neck beneath her bun caught his eye. But he put it out of his mind. She was a beautiful young woman, but for Danzo this sort of thing had happened all the time and he never once thought it was unusual. Women were simply the kinder half of the species.
"My father is the greatest merchant of fabric and clothing in all of Fire Country," she said.
"Oh?" he replied.
With a gentle jerk she cinched his haori and stood up. She favoured him with another smile, but this time there was something fragile about it.
"That's why I was married into the Aburame. To secure a trading monopoly on their silk."
He looked down at her. He decided to cut straight to what the thought was the matter. "Are you unhappy?"
Softly, she replied, "I cannot complain."
He knew the feeling. And then she began fixing the lapels on his haori, shifting them according to some logic he didn't understand, but the coat seemed to settle on his shoulders more comfortably than it ever had before. And when she was done she traced a hand along his lapel.
"This material is high quality, where did you get this?"
He flicked his eyes to her hand. "It was my father's."
"The stitching is wearing out, and it's slightly too narrow for your shoulders. If you return, I can fix it for you."
He gave her a genuine smile.
"Very kind of you. I will take you up on that, but now I must go," he replied.
"Of course," she said, and then her smile seemed to weaken further.
And then Danzo, by some ninja instinct, suddenly glanced upwards. And for just a moment he saw in a small gap in the ceiling a lone eye looking down on him before it disappeared.
Reacting to his sudden alertness, Harumi looked up as well, but saw nothing.
"Is something the matter?" she asked.
"No, it was nothing," replied Danzo. The era of the warring clans had made every ninja clan paranoid experts in home defence, and he didn't consider it prudent to remark on what measures the Aburame took.
He continued, "Well, I must be going. Be well, Harumi-san," he said.
"Good luck, Danzo-san," she replied.
And then he turned and left.
Stepping off the grounds of the Aburame compound, he felt despair settle on his shoulders.
The Hyuuga had politely promised him all support besides anything that might actually help. The Uchiha had barely hidden their sneers at Danzo for having gone to the Uchiha first. The Kuramas made a show of their fragile unsuitability for elite operations. And now the Aburame, after seeming at first to be an ally and agreeing with his vision, couldn't rustle up two ninja out of all their hundreds.
At least the Inuzuka had told him no outright, and for that at least he was grateful.
If Danzo was less sane he might think that the entire village had conspired to ensure his unit never got off the ground. He might even think it was Hiruzen's hand at play. But he was not conspiratorially minded and he knew better, the clans just couldn't see past their own noses and narrow self-interest. To them, it was better if Konoha continued to be a patchwork of clan fiefs and "village" institutions controlled by one clan or another. Why change what wasn't broken?
Nevermind the horrific losses suffered in the war, with so many clans wiped out, their clan had survived. And how did they survive? Through cowardice and politicking. The war had taken the best of them first, and only those who manipulated circumstances so that others would die on their behalf were left. The Senju, driven to virtual extinction. The Hatake, down to only their main branch. Even the Shimura clan, even his own father —
Danzo cut that line of thinking off before it overwhelmed him. He needed to clear his head, to counteract this bitter spiral of negative thoughts.
Within a minute he was at his favourite training grounds, holding a boulder the size of a noble's prize cow over his head. He did ten thousand rapid kicks with each leg and then a thousand leaps into the air. Then he did ten excruciatingly slow renditions of the traditional bugaku dance with such precision that if one shaded their eyes so that they did not see the boulder he was holding they would think he was one of the Daimyo's court dancers.
And then he did this over and over again, until the sun had set and dawn was breaking.
It did not help. Danzo couldn't stop thinking of how without him noticing, Konoha had been taken over by vile forces. Without him noticing it, he started to consider himself apart from Konoha. And for the first time in his life, he entertained the idea of leaving the village. But as soon as he noticed that thought, he redoubled his training efforts until he couldn't think anymore.
But as the sun rose, he stopped to admire it, arms straining as he continued to hold the boulder over his head for the twelfth straight hour. Yes, there was still beauty in nature, he thought to himself. At least there was that.
And then he pivoted on one foot and shouted into the treeline, "Come out! I know you're there!"
A pair of bushes rustled and whispered amateurishly.
And then two children burst out, both holding rocks over their heads, and sprinted right towards Danzo.
"Danzo-sama! Danzo-sama! We are here to petition you to allow us to become your obedient students!" they shouted in unison. He saw immediately that they were twins, a boy and a girl. Both wore Konoha forehead protectors.
The children tried to stop when they got close, but unused to carrying rocks they instead tumbled forward and each ate a faceful of dirt. Danzo turned his body slightly to avoid being hit by either of the stones that they'd lost hold of.
And then as if that had been the plan all along, both children immediately assumed the dogeza.
Foreheads touching the floor they shouted with harmonised voices, "Please become our sensei, Danzo-sama!"
Danzo replied with a faint smile of amusement, "Do not prostrate yourselves dear children, for do you not disrespect Konoha by having its symbol touch the dirt?"
In a flash they stood and bowed parallel to the ground, "We apologise most unreservedly!"
"It is of no consequence. Please relax, stand straight, tell me your names."
They stood, and Danzo's heart instantly warmed at the bright energy he could see in their eyes.
"I'm Shiro!" said the white-haired boy.
"And I'm Kuro!" said the black-haired girl.
"I see. You are genin, do you not already have a sensei assigned?"
Their jaws clenched in a classic sign that they were covering up difficult emotions with ninja determination.
Again they spoke in unison, "Our sensei died during the war. And the village has been unable to assign us a new one."
This was highly unusual. Genin without teachers? Not even a Chunin to provide some guidance? The war was over, how could there not be enough manpower for such a critical task as raising the next generation? He needed to find out what went wrong.
"Did they tell you why?"
The twins looked at each other, visibly strengthening each other, and then looked back at Danzo.
"They told us that nobody would be willing to teach us!"
Danzo boggled. Not even a single person? Not for one second did he consider that something was wrong with these pleasant and energetic young ninja. Something must have gone wrong with the system.
"That can't be all, say more," Danzo commanded.
And here their masks of grim determination started to crack. They tried to speak as one again, but each in turn faltered and was supported by the other.
"Our sensei ... he … he participated in the Mist style of love ... with a man from the Hyuuga clan. And when this was revealed the shame was so great ... that he was forced by the Hyuuga … to take a suicide mission to salvage their honour and erase the crime."
Then as the boy nearly started to cry, the girl took his hand into hers and gave him strength.
"He never came back. And now we are tainted."
Danzo's heart broke. To see children caught in the blowback of such foolishness was a tragedy. Any man willing to sacrifice himself for Konoha was a man of incalculable honour, no matter his tastes.
Danzo's great sorrow showed on his face, and as if he had finally given the children permission to grieve, they themselves began to lose their composure.
He threw his rock down with a tremendous crash and held his arms out.
"Come children, what has happened to you is awful."
And with faces breaking into tears they ran to him with outreached arms and buried themselves in his robe. They bawled, and Danzo held them and rubbed their backs while they let their sobs out.
Danzo furiously tried to think of someone he knew, someone he trusted, that could take these children on as students. But he just couldn't think of anyone, and it was at that moment he realised that up until now Hiruzen had been his only friend.
The children cried for their sensei, and Danzo confronted himself with the reality of his isolation.
After some time, the children cried themselves out, Danzo recovered his composure, and they all sat down together.
"I have one question for you. Do you naturally speak synchronised? Is it a mind-sharing bloodline?"
And despite their previous crying, with the irrepressible spirit of children two identical grins broke out on their faces.
"Ninja Art: Extensive Preparation! We planned for everything we might have to say!"
Danzo's eyebrows raised involuntarily. He quickly played back the entire conversation in his head, and then his eyebrows crawled just that little bit further on his forehead. He adjusted his evaluation of these children.
"Very impressive." he said, and despite the tear streaks marring their faces they beamed.
Danzo continued, "However, I must disappoint you. I do not have the time to be your teacher."
And as the children slumped he hurried on, "However, that does not mean I will not teach you. If you two are as brilliant as you seem, I believe you'll find a dedicated sensei soon enough, and I can help in the meantime."
"No way!" "Yes!" shouted the children.
And then they whipped their heads towards each other, looking at each other in confusion.
Danzo looked between them.
"Don't tell me the one thing you didn't plan for was the possibility that I would agree?"
Danzo chuckled as the twins rubbed the backs of their heads and stammered.
"It appears that the most important lesson I will have to teach you, and unfortunately the most difficult one, is to believe in yourselves. Lesson one, in our world, those ninja who do not have self-confidence get trampled under the feet of those who do."
Kuro (or was it Shiro?), immediately took out a notebook and started furiously writing down his words.
Danzo smiled, all his ill thoughts of Konoha and Hiruzen washed away by the brightness of the youths in front of him. He began with a lecture on the most important topic for a ninja to understand, philosophy.
Sake cups clinked, power flowed, and the girls were brought in. Shige leaned back on his cushion and gestured for one of the young looking ones to be brought to him.
He smiled to himself, the Hokage sure knew how to throw a party.
All the clan lords and their sons were in attendance — well, the proper ones at least — and he felt as if all was right with the world. Finally the dreadful war was over, and they, the hard-working nobility, could celebrate in proper style. No more self sacrifice, now was the time for rewarding themselves!
As the barely dressed girl made her way over to him he surveyed the room.
The Hyuuga patriarch, normally so stoic and correct, swayed while sitting and shouted for more booze. Three Naras, the father and his two sons, shared an opium pipe in the corner. And Shige could barely see the Yamanaka lord underneath the mountain of girls he had covered himself in. Then a loud belch took Shige's attention to the Akimichi patriarch's furious eating. He thought about shouting at the fat man's son to stop groping the serving girls because he was getting sauce all over them, but he couldn't be bothered.
Then he was distracted by the girl as she draped herself over his chest.
"Oh Aburame-goshujin-sama, please will you pay me but a moment of your attention to me, I've never been with a strong ninja such as yourself, will you tell me how to please you?"
Shige giggled. He worked furiously to think of a suitably impressive line to respond with, but before he could there was a tinkling that caught everyone's attention.
It was the Hokage, sprawled atop his ornamented chair at one end of the room.
"My friends, before we get too deep into the celebrations, I must first ask something of you."
"Anything for our generous Hokage!" shouted the Akimichi lord and the room erupted in polite laughter.
"You all recall, I hope, my old friend Shimura Danzo, yes?"
There was a general murmur of assent throughout the room.
"Well, he's been worrying me lately. I think something isn't right with his head. Please, let me know if you see any signs of instability in him. I don't want anything unfortunate to happen to him, but I'm not sure if perhaps I'm mistaken."
And here Shige saw his chance, and he took it.
"Actually Hokage-sama, Danzo visited me recently. And I found his behaviour highly unusual, I don't think you're mistaken. It's hard to pinpoint, but it seemed like he was barely keeping himself together. I would keep a close eye on him if I were you," he said.
The Hokage gave him a brilliant smile and Shige knew he made the right move.
"Thank you Aburame-dono, I appreciate you coming forward so promptly. I'm sad to have my suspicions confirmed. But enough about that, let's drink!"
A great cheer erupted in the room, and the party raged well into the morning.
