"What! That's madness…" Inabi all but shouted from his place.
"What, scared old man? And here I thought Uchiha are born a little mad. Where's your sense of adventure…" Sukuna, behind his mask, grinned.
Others were baffled at his insane idea.
"An attack on the Root base to take out Danzo? I told you it's not possible, you brat. Do you understand how many elite shinobi Danzo has in his ranks? Forget that, do you know how quickly the Anbu and the Hokage himself would arrive when the commotion arises?
We'll have all the elite Jonin of the village, the hidden powers of other clans, and Sarutobi Hiruzen himself breathing down our necks if we go through with your plan." Inabi chided, his face now turning red with anger.
Both Tekka and Izumi too didn't like this plan, their expressions made that clear.
"I'm telling you it won't happen. Yes, Root is powerful and its foundation is deep. However, I know for a fact that Danzo is running low on manpower." Sukuna replied, still with his cool yet slightly cheerful tone.
Others didn't look convinced.
"Tch… fine, listen. I know for a fact because I'm the reason. The reason I know for certain that the Konoha high-ups are involved in your clan's downfall is because I saw Root members that night…" He finally said it, making Izumi gasp and Tekka's eyes widen.
However, Inabi looked as though he already knew, he had suspected as much. That didn't mean the middle-aged man's fury was any less than anyone else's. If anything, his clenched fist and knuckles turning white were indications enough that he would be the first to piss on Danzo's corpse if he got the chance.
But right now, he was the only person who could drive the entire Uchiha clan. Others were either too young or too old, lacking significant power or political insight. He couldn't take risks.
"I can't say for sure whether Danzo ordered Itachi to do what he did, but the bastard definitely knew what was going to happen. Otherwise, how come so many of his Root members were there?
Care to think about what they were doing? I guess you already know," Sukuna prompted, and only got silence in return.
"Many of the corpses we found were lacking their Sharingan." Inabi said, after a long pause, the gravity of the situation finally settling on the others.
"That bastard." Tekka all but exploded. Sukuna almost thought this man might unlock his Mangekyo right now. However, nothing like that happened.
Izumi too looked angry. Very angry.
After a little pause Sukuna resumed. "I know for a fact that Danzo's lacking personnel because I killed all those Root members. And with the fact that Danzo must have set up a trap using that little girl Kiyomi as bait, let me tell you right now—this is the best time to attack that old man when his leg is broken." Sukuna said passionately, making sure there was no hesitancy in his voice.
He himself would go even if these people here disagreed. The reason was simple. He wouldn't get a better chance than this.
'That old man is terrified of dying. After what I did to him last time, I doubt he'll come out himself for anything. Meaning he has to be in his lair.' Sukuna muttered to himself while contemplating the situation.
He couldn't understand why suddenly Danzo would act against the Uchiha inside the village. Sarutobi would chew him out for this, right? Then why attack children, no less?
There could be only one reason.
Greed.
The only reason Sukuna could see Danzo doing this was because he needed something. Something desperately. And that something had to be Izumi's Mangekyo.
He didn't know how, but somehow that old war hawk figured out someone had unlocked a Mangekyo in the Uchiha clan.
Sukuna's best guess was that it was from that mission where Izumi and the others were attacked, and Danzo somehow connected the dots.
Seeing that he took Kiyomi, someone close to Izumi no less, he might even be targeting Izumi specifically.
And if that's the case, if he knows that he'll be facing a Mangekyo user, then the trap he would set up wouldn't be ordinary.
He'd send out his best personnel to capture Izumi's Mangekyo.
Meaning right now, this very instant, Danzo was in his most vulnerable state.
'Fuck the Uchiha if they don't act, I'll do it myself.' Sukuna wasn't letting this chance slip out of his hands.
"What about Kiyomi?" Izumi at this point called out again. She was angry at Danzo, yes, however she wanted nothing besides saving Kiyomi.
"I'm sure she would be in the Root base as well. However, just to be clear, I'll go and check it out." Sukuna shrugged. While he wasn't as nonchalant about Kiyomi's safety as he made it look, he had reasons to believe that Kiyomi most likely wouldn't even be where Sasuke had been told they took her.
This was his confidence in Danzo and his ruthless methods.
"I'll come with you." Izumi immediately announced. This wasn't her asking but telling everyone. No one could stop her.
"No… you'll just slow me down. Not to mention, since Danzo went this route, he's definitely waiting for us. He's luring you all. I don't see any reason outside the fact that he knew one of you possessed the Mangekyo. Likely he connected the dots after his Root shinobi disappeared back in the forest." Sukuna said, ignoring the glare Izumi gave him.
Inabi and Tekka already had an inkling that this was the case. Their teeth clenched harder.
"And since he took Kiyomi as a hostage, he most likely figured out that it's you who unlocked the Mangekyo. He's targeting you." Sukuna pointed at Izumi, and the girl just bit down hard on her lips.
Frustrated and downright murderous right now.
"What do you suggest?" Frustrated as she was, she still bit down on her anger and asked in a deep voice.
"As you already know, I can go pretty much anywhere unhindered. Let me find out her real location. Only then we act. If she's in the trap site, then it wouldn't be impossible for me to bring her back myself.
Though I doubt she'll be there. Most likely, she's held captive in the Root base. And if that indeed is the case, then we follow my plan. Not only can we save her, but we also remove Danzo's threat once and for all." Sukuna replied with full confidence and a serious tone.
Izumi didn't say anything for the time being. She didn't like the plan, she wished to go herself. However, Inabi's warnings were there as well.
It came down to both Inabi and Tekka to make the decision.
"Okay… we'll follow your plan." After a long pause Inabi finally said. He had no other option but to believe this stranger.
"Cool."
…
Root Base
Deep inside the dimly lit ROOT base, the air was cold and still. The heavy sound of footsteps echoed in the stone corridors as two masked operatives carried an unconscious Kiyomi into the main chamber. They stopped before Danzo Shimura, who sat at a low desk piled with documents and sealed scrolls.
"Place her here," Danzo ordered without looking up. The operatives obeyed, laying Kiyomi on the floor before stepping back into the shadows.
Danzo's single visible eye shifted toward her, studying her face for a long moment before turning back to the open files in front of him. These were the records of three Uchiha targets—Izumi, Tekka, and Inabi—gathered after the failed mission to eliminate them. Every detail of their lives was laid bare in neat, precise handwriting.
"Hmph… Tekka and Inabi," Danzo muttered to himself. "Loyal, skilled… but neither shows the right conditions." He flipped through their pages quickly, uninterested, until his hand paused over Izumi's file.
He read slowly this time. Birth date, academy records, training evaluations… even personal notes. His eye narrowed at one seemingly small detail—"Izumi Uchiha is known to be close to one Itachi Uchiha."
"Mundane to most… but valuable to me," Danzo murmured. "The Sharingan requires extreme mental anguish to evolve. Emotional bonds are the key… and emotional bonds can be broken."
He tapped the page with one finger. "Izumi Uchiha… It has to be her. Her profile suggests she has the potential for the Mangekyo."
His gaze drifted to Kiyomi's still form. This girl was his way to get his hands on Izumi's Mangekyo.
Closing the file, Danzo's tone hardened. "She will walk willingly into the trap I have prepared for her." Danzo pointed at the unconscious figure of Kiyomi. After all, that was how Uchiha were.
He signaled to the ROOT operatives. "Secure her. Make sure she is unharmed… for now. And assemble our best men. This time I don't want any mistakes."
The masked figures bowed and moved to obey. Danzo remained seated, his mind already calculating the steps ahead.
xxx
Please Consider Donating Power Stones if you like the Chapter.
Every 250 Stones for an Additional Bonus Chapter.
"Thank you Very Much for All Your Support"
If you want to read up to 20+ Chapters in advance, check my Patreon on
Patreon.com/Kamidemond