Danzo's face turned pale as his chakra surged explosively. He roared, and everything happened in an instant.
Itachi noticed resistance to Kotoamatsukami's effects. Without hesitation, he amplified his chakra even further, determined to break through that resistance.
"Who are you? What are you trying to do? Meeting me without removing your mask?"
Danzo observed the chakra fluctuations of the figure in front of him but didn't make a move. His expression shifted unpredictably as he spoke in a cold tone.
The gatekeeper from earlier rushed in through the door, standing behind Itachi, subtly forming a pincer position with Danzo.
"Kill him!"
As Itachi pushed his chakra even harder, Danzo finally recognized it. This chakra—it was unmistakably the sinister energy of the Uchiha clan, the very clan that had been annihilated. What's more, this brat had done something to trigger the erratic movements in his right eye's Mangekyo Sharingan, filling him with unease.
Since Shisui had destroyed his own eyes to fake his death, Danzo hadn't suspected this encounter would be related. He instead assumed this masked figure might be another Uchiha with a Mangekyo Sharingan.
Looking at the not-so-tall figure before him, a specific image came to Danzo's mind.
"Forget it. Stand down."
Just as Root's attack was about to hit Itachi from behind, Danzo suddenly spoke in a slow, deliberate tone.
Itachi's chakra ceased its aggression as if the tense confrontation just moments ago had been nothing but a dream.
"But, Lord Danzo—"
One of the Root operatives began to protest but was silenced by Danzo's sharp glare.
"From now on, don't interrupt our conversation. They'll be here soon. You're to block them outside," Danzo commanded in an icy tone that brooked no dissent.
"Yes, Lord Danzo..."
As the Root operative stepped out and prepared to close the door, Danzo briskly walked up to Itachi and, to Itachi's surprise, dropped to his knees with a loud thud.
"Itachi-sama, Danzo is willing to serve you as a loyal dog," he said, groveling.
Itachi stared at the kneeling Danzo with disdain in his eyes. Warm droplets trickled down from under his mask, dripping onto the ground—scarlet spots of blood.
"Danzo, hand over the Mangekyo Sharingan," Itachi said, his voice tinged with exhaustion. Overcoming Danzo's Kotoamatsukami defenses had not been easy.
Because both of Danzo's eyes shared similar abilities, they offered him substantial immunity. Yet the foolish Danzo had no idea Itachi was actively using Kotoamatsukami against him. He hadn't even tried to defend himself; he simply noticed the disturbance in his Mangekyo and became alarmed.
With his defenses weakened, Danzo's lone Mangekyo was no match for Itachi's full-powered Kotoamatsukami, allowing Itachi to break through within seconds and implant a supreme command: absolute loyalty to Uchiha Itachi, unto life and death.
Upon hearing Itachi's demand, Danzo hesitated only briefly. He roughly tore off the bandages covering his right eye, plunging his fingers into the socket to extract the Mangekyo Sharingan, and handed it to Itachi.
Itachi looked at the bloodied eye in Danzo's hand with a mix of disdain and resignation. Taking out a container, he placed the Mangekyo inside to disinfect it. He planned to transplant it later.
After sealing the container and securing it within his robes, Itachi glanced at the groveling Danzo. A cold light flickered in his eyes as his hand moved toward the sword strapped to his back.
"How is Sasuke doing now?" Itachi asked, his tone calm but deliberate. He wanted to gather information about Sasuke before avenging Shisui and their fallen clan by killing Danzo.
Danzo had faithfully executed the Second Hokage's plan, employing every possible method to suppress and manipulate the Uchiha clan, making him one of the chief architects of their destruction.
"Sasuke is doing quite well in Konoha," Danzo replied, his tone servile, keenly aware of Itachi's murderous intent. "The old fool Hiruzen treats him like his own grandson, doting on him excessively."
"Hiruzen's grandson?" Itachi asked, surprised. He found the situation puzzling.
Then, after a moment of reflection, Itachi reasoned that Sasuke, still a child, wouldn't yet comprehend the nuances of such favoritism.
"Sasuke, that little brat—uh, I mean, young master Sasuke—is thriving and growing stronger rapidly," Danzo stammered, quickly correcting himself after noticing the sharp look in Itachi's eyes. His survival instincts were on full display.
"Sasuke's goal is to become the Fifth Hokage!" Danzo added hurriedly.
"Hiruzen... What is he trying to do? Instead of focusing on the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, why is he so interested in Sasuke?" Itachi mused, growing increasingly perplexed by Danzo's information.
He couldn't understand Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions.
...
"Sir, are you talking about that little brat, the Nine-Tails? Don't even mention it. That old dog Sarutobi keeps a tight leash on him. He won't let anyone near, and if we try, he acts like a cat whose tail got stepped on. Yet he just coldly watches that brat—Naruto—suffer. Who knows what he's thinking? If it were up to me, I'd train him properly. He'd definitely become a great asset."
Hearing Itachi's question, Danzo quickly spoke up. At first, Itachi listened quietly, but as Danzo continued, he frowned. Realizing his choice of words was problematic, Danzo immediately corrected himself and elaborated.
"You old man, watch your mouth! You're too old to be this uncivilized."
Seeing Danzo ramble on, Itachi lost his patience. With a swift kick, he sent Danzo flying, landing face-first in the dirt.
"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right, sir. I'll watch my words from now on," Danzo hurriedly climbed back to his knees, kneeling beside Itachi and apologizing earnestly.
"You know Hiruzen Sarutobi better than anyone. Tell me—what exactly is he thinking?"
Feeling tired from standing, Itachi sat down in Danzo's seat, letting Danzo remain kneeling on the ground. However, as soon as he sat, he frowned slightly as a foul stench wafted up. This guy's chair was filthy.
Itachi stood back up immediately, displeasure evident on his face as he glanced at Danzo.
...
"Sir, I've spent most of my life in the Foundation, dedicating myself entirely to the development of Konoha. Naturally, I may have neglected certain aspects of my personal life..."
Sensing Itachi's dissatisfaction, Danzo quickly explained.
"Cut the excuses and get to the point," Itachi interrupted coldly, uninterested in Danzo's usual spiel about how everything he did was "for Konoha."
"Sir, in my opinion, Hiruzen Sarutobi kept Sasuke close because he's your brother. With his exceptional talent, Sarutobi likely saw him as a promising student. He probably wanted to guide your brother onto the right path and eventually rebuild the Uchiha clan as a loyal part of Konoha."
Noticing Itachi's displeasure, Danzo immediately tried to explain his perspective.
"And what about Naruto? He's also the last surviving member of the Uzumaki clan. The potential of the Uzumaki might not match the Uchiha, but it's still a significant asset, right? Wouldn't it make sense to nurture both of them? Building two strong clans loyal to Konoha sounds like the logical choice, doesn't it?"
Danzo's explanation didn't ease the tension on Itachi's face. Instead, his frown deepened.
"Sir, you're only seeing part of the picture. Hiruzen Sarutobi is someone who values his public image above all else. Every time he does something shady, he makes me take the fall so he can stay on his pedestal, looking all virtuous. He's incredibly cunning."
"And as for Naruto, while he does have Uzumaki blood, his situation is special. After the Nine-Tails' rampage, the casualties were catastrophic. Almost everyone in the village harbors deep resentment toward Naruto because of it."
"If Hiruzen dared to treat Sasuke the same way he treats Naruto, people would curse him to no end behind his back. For someone so obsessed with preserving his reputation, there's no way he'd take that risk. Even when he does visit Naruto, it's only in the dead of night when no one's watching."
"Moreover, Naruto's current state is pitiful. Hiruzen doesn't dare get too close to him but is also afraid that someone with ulterior motives might take advantage of Naruto. After all, the Nine-Tails' destructive power is sealed within him."