Chapter 97: The Merchant's Methods
The clumsy-looking jackal charged at Danzo Shimura.
As it got closer,
the jackal's body expanded, its muscles bulging as its skin stretched. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a massive creature, akin to a summoning beast.
After the transformation, the jackal even grew a human face.
Roar.
Danzo's face changed drastically. He quickly formed hand seals, releasing a high-pressure Wind Release jutsu that cut through the jackal's body, turning it into pieces.
Blood drenched the ground, soaking his entire body.
"Mr. Fang Yi, you're not acting in the manner of a guest by attacking a Hokage advisor."
Hiruzen Sarutobi, seeing the jackal torn apart and Danzo unharmed, sighed in relief but kept his expression stern as he stared at Fang Yi.
No matter what,
Danzo was still the Hokage's advisor. Fang Yi, an outsider, couldn't simply attack him. This was a direct provocation against Konoha.
Fang Yi's smile remained unchanged, seemingly unaware of the gravity of the situation, surrounded by the Hokage and clan leaders of Konoha.
Despite the current unfavorable circumstances for Danzo, this was still Konoha's internal affair.
If things escalated, everyone present would unite to protect Konoha's interests.
"Apologies, maybe I wasn't clear enough,"
Fang Yi said, feeling the tension in the air, but his expression remained unchanged. "I didn't attack him—your Konoha ninja did."
"Ridiculous. It was you who released that…"
One of the clan leaders frowned and reached to point, but froze when he saw the broken jackal's body slowly transforming into a ninja's form.
A white-haired, aged ninja in a Root uniform.
"A Root ninja?"
"Impossible! It was just a jackal a moment ago, could it be someone from the Inuzuka clan?"
Hiruzen's expression darkened. "Root is loyal to Konoha. How could they attack a Hokage advisor?"
Another bizarre method from another world.
Even now, Fang Yi had yet to show his overwhelming power, but his strange abilities left Hiruzen uneasy.
Even the most powerful shinobi would fear the unknown.
This was why he had ordered Konoha shinobi to avoid conflict with the game merchant.
But…
If the merchant truly threatened Konoha, even an existence like the First Hokage, Hiruzen wouldn't hesitate to act.
Fang Yi seemed unfazed by the pressure. He casually pointed to the Root ninja's body and continued, "Lord Hokage, you should know Konoha's situation better than I do."
"He's a martyr's son. His parents died fighting Iwagakure forces. He was taken from an orphanage by Lord Danzo and trained as a Root operative."
"Just now, he received a mission to assassinate me. When we met, I revealed some hidden truths to him."
Hiruzen's gaze softened. "What truths?"
Fang Yi continued, "Lord Danzo collaborated with Orochimaru to study Hashirama's cells. Many test subjects were used up, and as the war neared its end, it became difficult to capture enemy ninja. So, the focus shifted to Konoha's own shinobi."
At these words, Danzo's heart tightened.
There was some truth to this.
"Nonsense!"
Danzo interrupted. His anger was palpable. He could no longer hide it.
He didn't want to hear any more of Fang Yi's words.
In an instant, Danzo vanished, reappearing behind Fang Yi in a blur, kunai raised to strike.
But suddenly—
Danzo froze mid-air, suspended by some invisible force, looking almost ridiculous.
"What's happening?"
"What's wrong, Danzo? You seem… stuck?"
Hiruzen and the others were stunned by the sight.
A space-time jutsu?
Was this another strange ability from the Reincarnation Game?
Could it be that Fang Yi, an outsider, had the power to immobilize someone like Danzo, a Kage-level ninja?
That would mean…
If he wished, he could kill anyone in the room at will.
"Now, can we continue our conversation, Lord Hokage?"
Hiruzen didn't respond immediately. His expression was grim.
The man who had taken the Reincarnation Game by storm wasn't just full of bizarre methods—his power was undeniably real.
A power beyond comprehension!
"I was right."
Fang Yi smiled lightly. "I'm not here just to protect the Reincarnation Game's reputation. I came because I was just attacked by a Konoha ninja."
"The attacker had consumed a forbidden elixir to burn his life force to the limit. At the last moment, he offered everything to strike a deal with me."
Fang Yi flicked the chain, and the jackal—still looking dopey—rushed toward Danzo.
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "A Konoha ninja tried to assassinate you?"
He was suspicious. He had ordered all Konoha shinobi to remain vigilant, but why would one of their own attempt to kill the merchant?
"It wasn't just any ninja. I believe the attacker is someone you know well."
Fang Yi's tone was calm as he stepped closer to Danzo.
"I'm simply protecting the game's reputation—nothing more."
But the implications of his words left everyone in the room frozen in disbelief.
Hiruzen, still recovering from the shock, finally spoke, his voice wavering slightly:
"We… cannot let this be swept under the rug."
The Hokage stood firm in the face of the rising tension, his thoughts clouded by the recent revelations. Even with his immense power, he could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
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