Danzō's pace shifted unpredictably—sometimes slowing to a halt as if lost in thought, other times lunging forward with sudden bursts of manic speed.
At moments, he would stop dead in his tracks, staring into empty space, his gaze unfocused.
And then, like a man possessed, he would bolt forward again, forcing Yako and the Aburame ninja to scramble after him, barely keeping up.
Just watching him was enough to make one's chest tighten with unease.
All the way here, he had plotted and schemed against Kato Dan, building battle plans in his head…Only for some half-dead Uchiha elder to suddenly appear and thrash him.
The trump card he had just transplanted—Uchiha Kagami's Mangekyō Sharingan—had been destroyed outright by Uchiha Madara.
And Madara… he was the progenitor of the Sharingan. Even if Kagami himself were still alive, seeing Madara today would have meant his death.
Yako, though secretly overjoyed, also trembled with dread. Would Danzō really kill someone just to vent his rage?
Perhaps he should kill the Aburame first? After all, that one was his direct guard. If Danzō lost an eye, shouldn't the blame fall on his guard?
It was just like when six of the Second Hokage's disciples followed him into a mission… and yet Tobirama had died, while they returned intact. Shouldn't guardians bear the responsibility for such a loss?
Danzō marched ahead, his face ashen with a purplish tint. Blood still streamed from the socket of his ruined right eye.
That eye had gone completely gray—an utterly useless husk.
His thoughts replayed the image of Wood Release spreading like a tidal wave.
At the Valley of the End, Madara's Mangekyō had lost to Hashirama's Wood Release.
Now Madara himself had somehow gained Wood Release, and even Danzō's Mangekyō couldn't withstand it.
Which meant—it wasn't he who was weak. It was the Mangekyō. It simply wasn't the equal of Wood Release.
Madara had lived all this time yet never struck at Konoha again. Could it be… he feared the village's research into Hashirama's cells?
Wood Release was Konoha's greatest weapon. The power to suppress the Nine Tails, the strength to defeat even the Mangekyō.
On the other hand, the over use of the Mangekyō strains the body, and the eye cannot fully synchronize with him too.
Could Orochimaru find the perfect method of transplantation?
Danzō clenched his resolve. Once he returned, he would force Orochimaru to begin Wood Release experiments without delay.
He had glimpsed true power. And he would not stop here.
Suddenly, Danzō stopped.
Yako and the Aburame ninja froze, watching him cautiously.
Danzō's single eye flicked toward their nervous faces, and he barked coldly:
"Look at you two—cowering over a single defeat. What does a setback matter, when it is for the sake of Konoha?
Even the First Hokage faced obstacles.
And yet from this mission, we gained something invaluable: the knowledge that the Uchiha still harbor treachery… and that Madara Uchiha still lives.
He has survived even longer than Uzumaki Mito. That means he's plotting something.
When we return, surveillance on the Uchiha must be tightened. The dangerous elements must be purged. We cannot allow Madara's schemes to succeed."
Yako let out a shaky breath of relief. Danzō was lecturing them instead of executing them—proof he had no immediate intention to kill.
Then Danzō's tone shifted:
"Fox. You did well. You uncovered information of grave importance."
The sudden call startled Yako. He stammered quickly, "Danzō-sama, it was my failure in reconnaissance. I didn't uncover the enemy's true nature."
But Danzō waved it off with unusual magnanimity.
"An enemy like Uchiha Madara—no ordinary Anbu could ever hope to investigate him fully. That is no fault of yours.
Now, find me a hollow tree. I must tend to my eye."
The Aburame ninja located a sheltered tree hollow, and Danzō stepped inside alone.
The Aburame posted himself at the entrance, unmoving even under the drumming rain. Yako lingered farther off, the storm gnawing at his nerves.
Half an hour passed. Then Danzō emerged slowly.
Yako's heart jolted—Danzō's right eye was again covered in its familiar bandaged patch.
But more than that, his aura had transformed. Confidence radiated from him once more, as if everything lay within his grasp. Even the rain seemed lighter around him.
'Did he… implant another Mangekyō?' Yako thought. 'Perhaps Kagami's other eye?'
Orochimaru's human experiments had made Danzō the greatest beneficiary. Once again, he had clawed his way to new power.
The three set off again, heading north.
Barely ten minutes later, Danzō suddenly barked:
"Hold!"
Yako and the Aburame froze.
Something was wrong.
"No…" Danzō's voice dropped. "Fox, repeat the full account of what happened during your mission."
Yako reported once more—three Konoha shinobi under control, the sacrifice of his own squadmates.
Danzō narrowed his eye.
"Madara's appearance clouded my judgment. It's true he controlled those three.
But the slaughter within your squad—that was not Madara's work.
If it had been him, he would have charged into your midst and cut you down outright. For all his cruelty, his methods are always direct.
No. The hand behind this is someone else. There's only one man who kills in such a way… Kato Dan.
He's nearby. And we cannot allow him to escape."
Inwardly, Danzō added, The Senju Sealing Scroll is still in their hands. If I could seize it, I would gain far more knowledge of spirit-binding jutsu.
The Aburame unrolled a waterproof map, spreading it under the rain.
"Fox. Mark where your squad was attacked."
Yako pointed it out.
The Aburame drew a smooth arc linking the sites of attack, tracing toward the circle's center.
Yako's heart leapt. That was the very direction White Ram had whispered in his final breath. The most precious secret Yako had concealed.
And yet, this Aburame had nearly uncovered it with ease.
Danzō's voice was cold and resolute:
"We're far from Madara now. He need not concern us further.
We advance in this direction. Kato Dan is a hidden threat that must be eliminated.
B, and Fox—develop a set of signals between you. If either of you falls under Kato's control, you'll know at once."
The Aburame, whose Root codename was B, inclined his head. His status was high.
They pressed on. B released a swarm of kikaichū, letting them scatter through the forest. From time to time, a few insects returned to his body with their findings.
After scouring over ten kilometers, B suddenly spoke:
"I've located a suspicious cave."
Yako entered first, sending a Clone inside to scout. Empty.
B followed, placing insects on the ground.
The swarm slowly assembled into a humanoid shape.
"A man was lying here hours ago," B concluded. "Most likely Kato Dan. There are traces of medicinal herbs—the fool was treating himself.
My insects have captured his scent. He won't get far."
With that, the chase quickened, Danzō's group tearing through the storm, following the insects toward their quarry.