Darkness swiftly engulfed the ninjas surrounding him.
These ninjas were powerless to resist.
Kin rubbed his temples in frustration.
His epiphany about the Chakra Pill had been interrupted.
"You're ruining someone's enlightenment here! Hey!"
It seemed he'd have to rely on his own prodigious talent as Uchiha Kin.
Golden Finger.
Activate.
Soon, a formula for a Chakra-enhancing pill appeared in the input interface.
It could extract and preserve chakra from plants and animals, allowing it to merge naturally with human chakra when consumed.
"One pill equals the chakra reserve of a single extraction for a genin."
In the past, such a pill would've only been useful for quick chakra replenishment.
But now, it could serve as an excellent training aid.
"At the very least, it can rapidly boost chakra reserves to the jōnin level."
With enough chakra,
his combat power would truly rival the pinnacle figures of the shinobi world.
Though he'd have to exclude that scheming old fox, Uchiha Madara, for now.
Only then did he have time to observe the ninjas trapped in darkness around him.
A tendril of dark wood coiled around one ninja, dragging them before Kin.
Peeling off the mask, Kin revealed an unfamiliar face—not that he knew many in Konoha anyway.
"Uchiha Kin, how dare you attack your own village's shinobi?!"
Despite the accusatory tone, the ninja's panic was unmistakable.
This one wasn't Root material.
Kin concluded.
"You interrupted my train of thought. I should be the one demanding answers."
Forcing him to rely on his innate genius.
Though, ultimately, it was all his own doing.
Kin lifted the ninja with darkness, bringing them eye-level.
"So, what scheme is Danzo cooking up this time?"
After a pause, the ninja muttered, "Lord Danzo merely wishes to speak with you."
He didn't dare press further.
As a mere chūnin caught between Danzo and Uchiha Kin, there was no winning for him.
Unlike the villagers, he knew exactly how terrifying the Uchiha could be.
Their achievements were the very ones Root had suppressed.
"Danzo? Tell him to come to me."
The darkness dissipated, dropping the ninjas to the ground. Kin casually tossed the one before him into the distance.
"Does he think he's the Hokage, summoning people at will?"
For Kin to visit Danzo would be like a lamb walking into a slaughterhouse.
Not that Danzo posed much of a threat to him.
But he had no obligation to obey Danzo's orders.
"As a Konoha advisor, I have the authority to summon whomever I deem necessary."
A figure emerged from the shadows.
Danzo, his face grim, had heard every word of Kin's taunt.
Even an Uchiha dared look down on him for not being Hokage.
"Since when does Konoha have an advisor named Danzo?"
Kin sneered.
Few in the village knew of Danzo's existence—only a handful of jōnin.
Even chūnin might be unaware.
Most only recognized Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, those old fogeys.
"Uchiha Kin, spare me the act."
Danzo produced a scroll, unfurling it to reveal the Hokage's seal.
"By the Hokage's decree, due to your advanced jutsu research making you a prime target for foreign villages, Root is now tasked with overseeing your personal safety."
"To prevent espionage or assassination attempts, Root reserves the right to confine you to our base."
"This is the Hokage's order."
Of course, it wasn't. But Root had the authority to detain threats to the village—a power granted by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Seems Lord Danzo doubts my capabilities."
Kin chuckled. He understood now. This wasn't about him.
It was about the Aburame clan.
There were still Root spies among them.
Restricting him was one goal, but more importantly, Danzo didn't want the Aburame to grow stronger.
His own people were the ones holding him back.
How laughable.
"Care to test me yourself, Lord Danzo?"
Kin's Sharingan locked onto Danzo, wondering how many eyes the man had implanted. Wood Release was out of the question—Orochimaru hadn't progressed that far in his research.
Without Wood Release to counter the Sharingan, how much of a threat was Danzo, really?
He might not even be a match.
"So, you're defying orders." Danzo's voice was icy. He couldn't fathom a shinobi like Uchiha Kin.
Others obeyed village commands without question.
But Kin was different.
"What if I am?"
Kin grinned as the darkness behind him slowly devoured the surrounding space.
Killing you wouldn't be off the table.
If not for his long-term plans.
Danzo's expression darkened. Figures emerged from the shadows at his back.
This brat's wings had grown too strong.
Now he dared confront Danzo openly, confident in his power.
"Buzz—"
The hum of insects diverted their attention.
A swarm of bugs blanketed the ground, morphing into human forms.
The Aburame had arrived.
Their compound wasn't far, and the commotion hadn't gone unnoticed—especially by the surveillance-savvy Aburame.
Aburame Shiko stepped between Kin and Danzo, his sunglasses masking his emotions.
"Lord Danzo, care to explain why you're detaining my guest?"
Danzo's gaze flickered to the elders behind Shiko.
Shiko himself was negligible, but these old warhorses from the Warring States era were another matter.
"For the village's safety. To protect Uchiha Kin."
His excuse was flawless.
"Coerced protection? Lord Danzo, you seem vulnerable too. How about I lock you in my basement for your own safety?"
Kin's mocking tone turned Danzo's face livid.
"Boy, have you no respect?"
Danzo's voice dripped with venom.
"I don't waste respect on those begging for death. Should I send you off instead?"
Kin raised a hand shrouded in darkness.
He wouldn't mind ending Danzo here.
"It appears my guest has no fondness for you, Lord Danzo."
Shiko ignored the Hokage's seal—they'd been fooled by it before, losing clansmen to Root.
Danzo's face twisted.
"Uchiha Kin, you spurn the village's goodwill."
"Don't worry. I'll return the favor someday."
Kin bared his teeth.
He'd make sure to kill this man eventually.
The Root operatives behind Danzo stepped forward.
The Aburame mirrored the movement.
The air grew thick with tension.
...
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(End of Chapter)