"Looks like we can only let the Third Hokage handle this. I hope this time there won't be any more disappointments."
"Let's hope so... Ugh!"
Danzo had just finished speaking when his expression suddenly changed, his face twisting in unbearable pain.
The bandaged right arm started to tremble violently, and a wave of chilling chakra spilled out from within.
"Damn it!"
Ryuma saw this and quickly walked to the side, pulling a medicine bottle from the drawer and pouring out a few pills to feed to Danzo.
Only after swallowing the pills did Danzo finally breathe a sigh of relief, his face covered in fine sweat, the pain slightly lessened.
"Danzo-sama, are you alright?"
Ryuma asked with concern.
"I'm fine now. I've barely suppressed it."
Danzo breathed lightly.
"That's good. I didn't expect the power of Wood Style to be so domineering."
Ryuma stared at Danzo's bandaged right arm, worry showing in his eyes.
Even someone as powerful as Danzo still risked backlash while trying to control this arm grafted with Wood Style's power.
"There's always a price to be paid for acquiring power. My original arm was broken by that brat from the Hyuga Clan. Otherwise, I wouldn't have risked the backlash to transplant Wood Style Cells."
Danzo also spoke with lingering fear.
But as long as he could obtain the power of Wood Style, it was all worth it.
If you want to become Hokage, strength is absolutely essential.
"But if this continues..."
"Don't worry. The results from Orochimaru's experiments should be nearly ready."
Danzo muttered to himself in a low voice.
"Experiments?"
"The reason I can't fully master the power of Wood Style is because its force is too wild and can't be balanced with my chakra. As long as I find another powerful energy that can balance it, it'll be fine." Simply put, Wood Style was too strong—facing that power, I had no initiative.
"Since that's the case, what are you going to use to balance the power of Wood Style?"
Ryuma grew doubtful.
A frigid cruelty froze on Danzo's face as he spat out a few words:
"Sharingan."
Ryuma's body suddenly tensed up.
"With the powers of both the Senju and the Uchiha combined, even Hiruzen won't be a match for me!"
Danzo's tone brimmed with confidence.
"Danzo-sama, forgive my bluntness, but pulling off something like this is no simple feat."
"That's why Orochimaru's existence is so meaningful. His genius for research far outstrips even his ninja techniques."
"No, I meant the Uchiha."
Having worked with Orochimaru, Ryuma of course understood just what he was capable of.
In terms of strength, he was only a fraction weaker than Orochimaru, but with the rare insects he cultivated himself, he could even tangle with Orochimaru for quite some time.
But when it came to research, he just couldn't compare.
Of course, he wasn't questioning Orochimaru's abilities. The real problem lay with the Uchiha.
To obtain the Sharingan, you couldn't avoid the Uchiha Clan.
Stealing another ninja's Kekkeigenkai within the same village… that's a serious crime.
Especially when it involves the Uchiha Clan.
That's an even more terrifying behemoth than anything Orochimaru or Root could muster.
Even if their strength had waned because of the war, they were still the strongest ninja clan in Konoha, unshakable.
"Don't worry, Ryuma. I've already found a suitable candidate to deal with the Uchiha."
The cold smile on Danzo's face made Ryuma fall silent.
He knew, whenever Danzo made up his mind, nothing could change it—not even the Third Hokage.
He'd been warned time and again not to study Wood Style in secret, but in the end, Danzo kept breaking the taboo, researching Wood Style behind everyone's backs. And now, he didn't just want to touch Wood Style—even Sharingan wasn't off limits.
The village was destined for a bloody storm. Ryuma was sure of it in his heart.