[Shimura Clan]
The Shimura compound, once a quiet cluster of aging wood and fading traditions, now pulsed with the vigor of a war machine baptized in prosperity. Underground, a massive factory had been implanted, the secret well-guarded by the newly engraved seals in all factory workers, and actually, all Shimura clansmen. Elders, women and even children were not spared.
Anyone living within the Shimura clan was subject to the seal, and were instructed to never tell a lie. The keywords could be updated anytime, making it one of the most efficient A-rank fuinjutsu to ever come. After some time, Danzo and Byakuro decided to call it the Shimura Keywords Cursed Seal [A]
Of course, it came with a price. The materials to build the ink and chakra requirements had been massive. However, with more than 200 millions Ryo in cash, Danzo was ready to make that investment.
Dawn light spilled over towering stone walls engraved with the clan's black and red crest, its geometric forms reminding Danzo of the perfect golden ratio. Guards clad in black jackets patrolled the parapets, their eyes sharp behind masks modeled after Danzo's own—a silent declaration of loyalty.
Beyond the gates, the air buzzed with purpose.
Children darted through newly paved courtyards, their laughter mingling with the clang of steel from the training grounds.
The market area was overflowing with fresh produce and imported spices lined the pathways. Within the clan, everything could be found at a cheap price, much cheaper than through regular channels, a perk of having the strongest distribution channels of the village.
The clan's coffers, fattened by wartime victories and shrewd investments, had transformed scarcity into plenty. Storerooms once haunted by dust now groaned with sacks of rice, barrels of salted meat, and crates of shinobi weaponry: kunai, katanas, senbons and even explosive tags were abundant. Even the gardens thrived; medicinal herbs sprouted in meticulous rows, their leaves glistening under the care of retired kunoichi, and civilian shinobi willing to learn the craft.
At the compound's heart stood the Council Tower, a monolithic structure of obsidian stone. Its highest floor housed the six elders, but it was the training grounds below that truly embodied Danzo's vision.
Danzo stood at the edge of the central dojo, his arms folded. The elders knelt, their postures rigid and apprehensive. Yukiko's fingers trembled faintly against her thighs, her chest pounding rapidly from the exercise. A sword pointed at her neck
"You are weak," Danzo began, his voice a blade honed by decades of command. "Your body is fit, your foundations are strong, but your swordsmanship is lifeless"
Yukiko bit her lips. She knew that her patriarch was a monster, one that had bested the four-tails, capable of unleashing extremely powerful ninjutsu. However, the past month showed that Danzo Shimura embodied the true essence of the ninja, mastering all aspects of the Shimura Shinobi Arts.
[Shimura Kenjutsu Style: 8th Form - Wind Tempest] [B]
Breathing in, Danzo displayed a tornado strike, his blade moving in a circular shape, and almost reaching Yukiko's neck.
He continued the teachings: "The Shimura Kenjutsu style can only be considered B-rank. Do you know why?"
Byakuro and Itoru pondered for a moment, but found no fitting answer.
Yukiko knelt from the exhaustion, and spoke weakly: "Is it because the leaf-style sword art of the village is superior?"
Danzo titled his head, and laughed: "Superior? You call the leaf-style sword art superior? No, it is of the same level, at best! No, the reason why the Shimura Kenjutsu Style never reached A-rank is due to the Shimura shinobi being too weak! Think about it, besides my father and my grandfather, when was the last Shimura clan member to reach elite jonin?"
An elder seemed to understand and shook his head in shame.
Decades. Generations.
Everyone knew the answer.
Danzo continued: "Your blade is trembling, not because you underestimate yourself, but because you think the Shimura Kenjutsu Art is not enough for you to reach A-rank. However, these limitations are purely mental"
Sheathing his sword, Yukiko nodded: "Thank you, Danzo-sama. I seem to have understood something. May we spar again?"
"Humph. Your spirit is commendable, but overworking yourself will only yield hidden injuries and stress on your body"
Danzo snapped his fingers. A squad of chunins wearing hawk masks hauled in carts piled with scrolls containing vials of murky serum, and weights forged with ironwood.
"The reason why I summoned all six of you is to train your body. Physical fitness is the essence of shinobi arts. Even you, Byakuro, could benefit from a good workout. Once you have finished training, drink this serum. This is my laboratory's latest creation. I tested it already, and it should yield excellent results"
"HAI", the elders spoke, both surprised and grateful.
Their lips were sealed from the Shimura Keywords Cursed Seal [A], hence the lack of secrecy within the compound.
Still, all six elders wondered about Danzo's ingeniosity. The glass industrial factory underground employed only a few dozen Shimura clansmen, yet could output goods worth millions of Ryo, glass of quality never seen before.
His methods and tactics in the Shimura Operation on the Western front had confirmed his genius, and ruthlessness. But the originality in his methods, and their strange effectiveness seemed...otherwordly at times.
Lastly, he had come up with two permanent-enhancing drugs: the Chakra Supplement Injections [B], which could be called a jonin-level treasure in itself, and now, there was this Body Refinement Serum [A].
This simply did not make any sense.
Little did they know, for three hundred meters underground, a shadow clone of Danzo was studying potioneering. On the black market, you could find pretty much anything, including Senju blood donated in the hospital and smuggled to the dark corners of Konoha. Eventually, they fell into the hands of Danzo, who made good use of this.
Although his plan to reinforce the Shimura bloodline with Senju antibodies and vitality failed, it still finished as an A-rank product capable of raising training efficiency by leaps and bounds. Before studying others, Danzo had naturally studied himself.
Chakra-wise, he was at the low-kage level.
Physique-wise, he was now a full-fledged elite jonin. If you considered his regeneration rate, capable of regrowing cut arms in weeks, he was somehow slightly superior than that.
His battle acumen, taijutsu and kenjutsu mastery were all at elite-jonin level.
In other words, Danzo who prided himself on following the Shimura principles of balance, had become an unbalanced vessel after hosting the four-tails. Chakra-wise, he was a monster. The rest of his perks, however, had not even grown half as much. The previous Danzo would have killed to have a tenth of this growth in such little period, but this was not enough for the monster that had come to possess his body.
Danzo wanted more, and potioneering had become the way.
Seeing the elders slightly apprehensive, Danzo opened a serum and drank it straight. His veins became apparent, translucid in a blueish, unnatural colour. It seemed unhealthy, dangerous even, but his smile said that it was fully worth it
He warned: "You might lose one or two years of lifespan, but it is always much better than dying on the battlefield anyway"
It was the fifth serum he had drunk in a month.
Greed.
Perhaps that was the greatest flaw he had.