Along The Path Of Vengeance(Sasuke/Mha crossover(Naruto)

Chapter XXXII: Duplification

"Is it taken care of?" Danzo stood in his office, looking out the window at the rising orange sun.

"Yes, Danzo. The media has eaten up the story. No one besides online conspiracy theorists believes what she's saying. Although, there is one Journalist at the Daily Heroics Network who has been very vocal about you in a negative light."

"I see... perhaps Hawks can do something about that. How about *cough cough.*" He covered his mouth, "How is *cough cough* ack!" Danzo hit his chest as he coughed uncontrollably.

"Danzo? sir?"

Danzo reeled over and caught himself on his desk. He felt something building up in his throat and scrambled for a paper towel. He hacked blood into it and stared down with a grimace as his cough settled down.

"Sir, are you okay? Do you need me to send someone again?"

"No... I'm fine. We'll continue this later," he hung up before he could get a response and grabbed his cane with a bottle of painkillers. After downing a couple he thought, 'It's rapidly getting worse... How much longer do I have?' He felt the sharp straight cracks going down his face. 'I can't risk taking much longer to prepare Sasuke...' He paused and stared at a drawer.

His face strained before opening it and pressing a button on the bottom, opening a false bottom in the drawer. He spotted a syringe with a red fluid inside and grabbed it, stashing it away in his robe with a hesitant hand. 'This is going to be a gamble… a really stupid one…’ he coughed again and pursed his lips, ‘But I have to risk it. Before that though...'

He opened his office door and called to a passing man, "Is Hawks here right now?"

"Yes sir."

"Get him for me."

"Right away sir!"

Danzo strolled back over to his desk and hid the bloody napkin. He sat on his chair and Hawks came in with his usual casual smile. "Yo, what's up Danzo?"

"Hawks, we haven't talked in a while." 'You've been a laid-back yes-man so far... but is that always going to be the case?'

"Yeah, been so long you grew a third wrinkle going down your face." 'That line... is it the quirk I think it is?'

He faked a smile, "Wrinkle, yes... I know it's been a couple of months or so now, but I never asked. How have you handled Crow's death?" He put his hands together and the temperature in the room dropped.

Hawks was non-reactive, 'Is this a test?' His smile dropped "This is sudden... I'm doing fine, he was a good hero... sad to see him go..."

"Is that all you feel?"

"Well, I've only met him a handful of times. He was gone as soon as I was recruited here," he shrugged. "How did you feel?" 'A freak like you felt nothing but glee I'm sure.'

Danzo spread his hands out, "It was... a tragedy for Japan to lose a strong hero like Crow. It's a good thing we still have you, you're on track to surpass his rank soon." 'Even if you've never been attached... he could have told you things you shouldn't know... but there's no way to know.'

Both of their eyes burrowed into each other, analyzing everything they could. Hawks rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I've been hustling a lot... you ok? You have some blood on your mouth."

Danzo tensed up and wiped it off, "Ah, how unclean of me. That was from a sandwich I ate earlier. In any case, I have a job for you. Do you remember when that woman Nagant tried to assassinate me?"

Hawks scratched the few hairs on his chin, "Nagant? Oh yeah! I saw her in the news recently. Something about accusing you of trying to kill her, right?"