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Danzo Shimura could admit that he was, on occasion, wrong. It was a rare thing, to be sure, but certainly not impossible. He always had Konoha’s best interests in mind and had always been among the greatest contributors to Konoha’s continued success, but there were many others that were part of that. Despite his earlier reservations about the girl, Shikako Nara was undeniably one of them.
He hadn’t seen it in the beginning. She was too meek and too weak at first, and perhaps that had blinded him to who she would become. To go from that inauspicious beginning to the bold and friendly jounin, already a legend? It wasn’t possible to change so much so quickly. She had simply hidden her strength and genius until she could reveal it at the moment it would offer the greatest advantage, like a true shinobi. And a genius she certainly was, not just of seals but of politics. Her kind and friendly front had only ever been a facade, the better to hide her true nature. There were a few hiccups in that facade, the reprimand from Nara R&D about failing to properly test seals before using them on others came to mind, but she was still young, and had time he did not to rectify the slight damage to her immaculate reputation.
Shikako was one of those few who understood that drastic measures were needed to keep Konoha safe and to ensure its ascension to the strongest of the villages, as it should always have been. The tendrils of her influence had crept across the Elemental Nations like any Nara’s shadow crept across a battlefield, and with effects just as dangerous to everyone that dared oppose her. She had played kingmaker more than once, and the power she gained from that was not to be underestimated. Weakening or destroying Konoha’s enemies economically and with soft power weren’t Danzo’s preferred methods, but they were certainly effective. Of course, economic pressure was only one expression of Shikako’s immense influence.
She had taken a gamble that few would have with the Suna jinchuuriki when she let him and his siblings leave alive and uncaptured, but it had clearly paid off. She had presented herself as merciful and kind to them, no matter what she truly thought or the dozen shinobi she had killed earlier that day. She further cemented this reputation and Suna’s debt to her through the creation of the Garden of Life from Death, a debt they could never repay. Danzo had initially greatly disapproved of Shikako’s actions, but now he saw them in a new light. The chunnin exams had been a warning and demonstration all at once- Gaara had been made impressive enough to take the position of Kazekage while also clearly showing any true shinobi in the audience that he lived because she allowed it. Gaara was also one of Shikako’s many ‘friends’, assets she used to execute her will and aid the village. The Kazekage and his family were wrapped around her finger and she was turning Suna into a satellite of Konoha.
She was doing the same thing to Kiri as well, although her inroads there were more indirect and not quite so deep. At least, that had been the case until she had tamed their bijuu and given it back to them. Sparing the lives of the Mizukage’s future husband and his apprentice was one thing. Saving all of Kiri and not claiming the bijuu for Konoha or dispelling it after- instead sealing it inside a jinchuuriki of Kiri’s choice? That was another thing entirely. It was a debt that could not easily be repaid and it had deepened her influence in Kiri far beyond what she could otherwise have achieved within the timeframe she had. It wasn’t to the level of Suna yet, but there was time- the fourth war would start soon, and with it would come opportunity.
Danzo couldn’t dismiss her influence within Konoha either. She had successfully gained the absolute loyalty of Hatake, the Last Uchiha, and the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, building a strong base of hard power to direct at her enemies and those of Konoha. She had ‘befriended’ the heirs of most of Konoha’s truly important clans which tied them to her through personal connections, giving her access to their resources and influence. With so many under her thumb, she could likely use peer pressure and soft power on anyone who dared to object to her methods as Hiruzen had objected to Danzo’s so often before his demise. She had even courted Tsunade, who was likely to be the one who decided whether or not Shikako received the hat she was so clearly aiming for. Although that, too, could be changed with the war. Danzo knew well that even Kages died in the line of duty.
That was setting aside her destruction of Hot Springs in a display of immense power. Danzo hadn’t truly been certain of who had been responsible for that impressive deed to start with, had thought Shikako too soft- but that simply meant that he, too, had been fooled. He was almost ashamed how long it took him to realize her true character, how ruthless she truly was. He supposed those cultists of Hot Springs had learned that lesson as well. They had dared to threaten Konoha and had paid the price for that transgression. Danzo hoped that someday she would be able to harness that power more regularly- getting even one shinobi into Iwa or Kumo might end the coming war in an instant and in such a way that no one would ever dare to contest Konoha’s dominance.
Danzo’s contemplation had led him to another conclusion as well, one that had stunned him for a moment. Shikako was much like Tobirama-sensei had been. Both had been sickly geniuses in their youths and had become sealmasters as they matured. Both had been sensors of a caliber few could match. Both understood the necessity of the darker aspects of a Shinobi village. However, their demeanors were polar opposites, and it had taken Danzo some time to puzzle out why. While Shikako’s character and skill set mirrored that of Tobirama, her outward presentation was much more like Hashirama’s. She had chosen to obfuscate rather than openly display her ruthlessness and her devotion to Konoha. She had done exceptionally well in that endeavor, having deceived everyone around her, save perhaps her father- and now Danzo. And to think Danzo had once thought her unsuitable to life as a Shinobi.
Even now, she was in ANBU, serving in the shadows just as she served in the light. She continued to fight for the good of Konoha in ways he had yet to fully ascertain- too many of her missions were being kept from him by Tsunade. Yet, he couldn’t help but notice things like natural disasters occuring when she was out on mission- natural disasters that conveniently only affected Konoha’s enemies. It was truly ingenious, to conduct sabotage in such an effective way and yet leave your enemy completely unable to accuse her or Konoha of having had anything to do with it, while still making sure that everyone had to know who was responsible.
Perhaps he did not need to push for the hat any longer. After all, Konoha would be safe in the hands of his self-chosen successor. Still, she might need some instruction on certain things. She hadn’t fought through any wars yet, and there were things that only those with experience could teach.
Danzo ordered one of his shinobi to deliver an invitation to Shikako Nara and smiled as he did so. Was this what pride for another felt like? Perhaps this was why Hiruzen had always been so obsessed with the next generation.