If it were also possible to split a Tailed Beast into two halves, then the controllability of the One Tail's jinchuriki should increase dramatically.
"Gaara..."
Rasa thought of his still young son.
For the sake of the village, he had already sealed the One Tail inside Gaara.
If this method truly succeeded, then in the future, Gaara should be able to control the One Tail without falling into a berserk state.
...
Land of Water. Kirigakure.
Mei sat alone in her room with an intelligence report spread across the table before her.
She had just finished taking a bath. Her long hair was still damp, droplets of water sliding from the ends of her hair and soaking into the collar of her clothes.
She wore a light blue bathrobe with the belt tied loosely around her waist. The collar had slipped open slightly, revealing a fair expanse of skin and an alluring curve.
As she moved, her chest swayed gently, allowing the beads of water resting there to slowly disappear into the depths beneath the robe.
Only a single lamp illuminated the room.
Its dim yellow light cast vague shadows across the walls.
Just as Mei was preparing to enjoy this rare moment of peace, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
Yuki Manami walked inside.
She wore a dark kimono, her long hair tied neatly behind her head. She was clearly a beautiful woman.
"Lady Terumi."
There was unmistakable urgency on Manami's face.
Without wasting any time, she relayed the intelligence their spy inside Konoha had gathered.
"Impossible!"
That was Mei's immediate reaction.
"How could Kiyohara possibly possess Wood Release..."
she muttered quietly.
"How reliable is this information?"
"Not very."
Manami shook her head.
Since Kiyohara had become Hokage, Konoha's counterintelligence system had improved significantly.
After implementing a series of reforms, the ANBU had become far more proactive, making infiltration missions increasingly difficult for foreign spies.
The truth was that every one of the Five Great Nations maintained spies within the others.
Even Kiri undoubtedly had Konoha spies hiding somewhere.
Some were intentionally left undiscovered so their movements could be monitored.
Others remained hidden simply because the village itself had yet to uncover them.
Espionage and assassination...
These unseen tasks were the final destination for countless shinobi.
"What do you think, Lady Terumi?"
Mei remained silent for a while.
"Konoha never stops producing geniuses."
She sighed softly.
"One after another, just like bamboo shoots after the spring rain. No matter what anyone does, they just keep appearing."
Manami shared exactly the same opinion.
"This year's Chunin Exams... should we send more people to Konoha?"
"You mean..."
Mei looked toward her.
Manami belonged to the Yuki Clan and possessed the Ice Release kekkei genkai.
Originally, shinobi with bloodline limits had lived in a rather awkward position within the Land of Water, often becoming targets of discrimination.
However, after the entire shinobi world witnessed just how overwhelmingly powerful Kiyohara was and possessing numerous kekkei genkai, public opinion had begun shifting once more.
People were once again praising shinobi blessed with bloodline limits.
"We should observe how Konoha nurtures its talent."
Manami continued,
"Why can they continuously produce geniuses while we cannot?"
Mei fell silent once more before slowly nodding.
"Very well."
"But not this year."
"We'll go next year."
"I want to make a few more preparations first."
"Understood."
Manami bowed slightly before turning and leaving.
The door closed.
The room once again returned to silence.
Mei walked to the window, gazing into the night concealed beneath an endless sea of mist.
"Kiyohara..."
She quietly repeated his name.
His face surfaced within her mind.
Handsome.
Cold.
Always carrying that smile that made people want to grit their teeth in frustration.
...
The secret chamber beneath the Hokage Tower.
There were no windows inside the chamber.
Only four white lamps hung from the ceiling, their cold light shining upon the animal masks worn by the gathered ANBU.
Shisui stood at the front of the room, silently observing the assembled shinobi.
"Kakashi-senpai, why do you think Hokage-sama suddenly summoned all of us?"
Gekkō Hayate lowered his voice so only those nearby could hear.
Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, making him look as though he had not slept for days.
He had only just returned to the village and had immediately joined an ANBU squad to intercept the White Zetsu forces.
The bloodstains on his sword had not even been completely wiped clean.
Kakashi turned his head slightly.
His silver-gray hair hung beside the edge of his mask.
"I don't know."
His voice remained equally quiet.
"But I doubt we're here to be held accountable."
As soon as he finished speaking, another ANBU nearby could not help asking in a nervous whisper,
"Not held accountable? But the village really did suffer a massive attack. Our surveillance network failed to detect any warning signs beforehand. Won't Hokage-sama investigate our responsibility?"
"If Kiyohara intended to blame anyone..."
Kakashi answered calmly while sweeping his gaze across everyone present,
"...he wouldn't have waited until now."
"Last night's attack was meticulously planned from the beginning. The barriers had already been prepared, the civilian evacuation proceeded smoothly, there were zero civilian casualties, and the village's central districts remained intact."
"That is already the best possible outcome."
"Kiyohara has never been someone who harshly blames his subordinates."
After hearing those words, the tense atmosphere among the gathered ANBU relaxed noticeably.
At that moment, another voice spoke from nearby.
There was guilt within it.
"Kakashi-senpai... I'm sorry I came back too late."
It was Tenzo.
He had been away on a long-term mission.
Despite rushing back as quickly as possible, by the time he reached Konoha, the Nine Tails Incident had already ended.
All he saw was the land inside the barrier that had been completely reshaped by Wood Release, along with rows of newly built homes rising from the ground.
After pausing briefly, he spoke with lingering shock.
"I... I never imagined..."
"...that Hokage-sama could also use Wood Release."
The room immediately fell into silence.
Everyone exchanged glances.
No one had expected such a thing.
Kiyohara's immense chakra had transformed into towering forests that effortlessly restrained the rampaging Nine Tails.
Then, in less than a single hour, he had reconstructed the districts destroyed during the battle.
Tenzo was the sole survivor of Konoha's Wood Release experiments.
Ever since he could remember, he had lived alongside Hashirama Cells.
Even after dedicating almost his entire life to mastering them, he could only barely control a limited amount of Wood Release.
If he had to compare them...
His Wood Release was merely an imitation.
Kiyohara's was the genuine article.
Whether it was scale...
Precision...
Or sheer vitality...
The difference was so enormous that Tenzo could only stare up at it in despair.
"Tenzo."
Kakashi looked at him, his tone becoming somewhat gentler.
"I was just as surprised."
"In all of Konoha..."
"I'm afraid no one wasn't."
Before either of them could continue, the iron door to the chamber suddenly released a soft hiss before slowly sliding open to both sides.
The quiet conversations throughout the room ceased instantly.
Every ANBU immediately turned toward the entrance.
They all dropped to one knee in perfect unison, placing their left hands upon their right shoulders while lowering their heads respectfully.
"Hokage-sama!"
Kiyohara appeared at the doorway.
He was still wearing the Hokage's robes.
Small fragments of leaves and broken branches from last night's battle still clung to the hem of his cloak.
He raised one hand, signaling everyone to rise.
Then he slowly walked onto the platform at the front of the chamber before turning to face the assembled ANBU.
"I summoned all of you..."
"...for only one matter."
His gaze swept across the room.
"Kakashi."
"Present."
Kakashi stepped forward before kneeling once again.
"I order you to lead two squads."
"Immediately surround Shimura Danzo's private residence."
"No one is allowed to enter or leave."
"Anyone who resists..."
"...kill them on the spot."
The entire room erupted into stunned silence.
Shimura Danzo?
He was one of Konoha's elders.
A teamate of the Third Hokage and fellow disciple to the Second Hokage.
The leader of Root.
Some even referred to him as...
'The Darkness of the Shinobi.'
Yet the Hokage had just ordered his residence to be surrounded?
"Hokage-sama, this..."
An ANBU could not help speaking.
Before he could finish, Kiyohara's cold gaze swept across him.
The shinobi immediately shut his mouth.
Ignoring everyone's astonishment, Kiyohara calmly listed three more locations.
Each one was a secret Root base belonging to Danzo.
"Third Squad."
"Seal off Root Training Facility Number One."
"Fourth Squad."
"Take control of Root's underground laboratory."
"Fifth and Sixth Squads."
"Circle behind Root's main headquarters."
"Seal every exit."
"Without my direct order..."
"...no one is to leave."
Finally, another ANBU could no longer contain himself.
"Hokage-sama..."
"...Lord Danzo is still one of Konoha's highest-ranking officials."
"Root has always been the force protecting Konoha from the shadows."
"Wouldn't actions like these create unnecessary misunderstandings?"
"Misunderstandings?"
Kiyohara smiled faintly.
"First."
"During the Nine Tails Incident, while the village was under enemy attack and the Nine Tails rampaged through Konoha..."
"Danzo abandoned his duties."
"He withdrew Root's elite forces."
"He deserted both the village and its civilians."
"He fled from battle."
"Second."
"Danzo secretly established underground laboratories."
"He violated Konoha's laws."
"For many years, he conducted live human experiments involving Hashirama Cells."
"The test subjects..."
"...were babies kidnapped from Konoha."
"He slaughtered innocent lives."
"He trampled upon every principle that Konoha are meant to uphold."
Kiyohara naturally understood the importance of acting with legitimate justification.
Even if he possessed the strength to eliminate Danzo outright, doing so without reason would forever stain him with the reputation of being a tyrant.
Fortunately...
When dealing with Danzo...
There was never any shortage of reasons.
There was a reason Danzo had earned the infamous title of the "Pot Kage."
His entire body was covered in black stains.
One could casually choose any one of countless crimes and strip him of his authority.
"Human experimentation... on babies?"
"No wonder villagers kept reporting missing children these past several years. The Police Force investigated for so long without finding any clues..."
"It was actually Lord Danzo?"
As realization spread through the room, everyone's gaze simultaneously shifted toward Tenzo.
He had originally come from Root.
Danzo himself had personally trained him.
Everyone wanted to know where he stood.
Tenzo's body trembled.
His expression became extraordinarily complicated.
Of course he knew about those experiments.
He himself had crawled out alive from those hellish laboratories.
He had always believed Danzo committed those atrocities for Konoha.
To recreate the First Hokage's power.
To protect the village.
"Hokage-sama..."
Tenzo stepped forward and dropped to one knee.
"Lord Danzo..."
"...perhaps he had his own difficulties."
"He devoted his entire life to Konoha."
"Even if he was wrong..."
"...could you perhaps..."
He wanted to plead for mercy.
Even though he fully understood the cruelty of those experiments...
Danzo had ultimately been the one who gave him a name.
The one who allowed him to survive.
"Tenzo."
Kiyohara interrupted him.
Looking down at the kneeling Tenzo, he slowly spoke.
"I believe..."
"...you will make the right choice."
"Danzo devoted his entire life to Konoha."
"That is his contribution and I will never deny his achievements."
"But merit cannot erase sin. The crimes he committed and the innocent lives he destroyed cannot simply be written off with a single sentence like, 'It was all for Konoha.'"
"Konoha's light has never been upheld by the sins hidden in its shadows."
Upon hearing those words, Tenzo finally understood.
Although Danzo had raised him and personally trained him, abandoning the battle in the village's hour of need and experimenting on innocent children were unforgivable crimes. No amount of contribution could outweigh such sins.
Taking a deep breath, Tenzo suppressed the conflict in his heart. He lowered his head respectfully and said in a solemn voice,
"I understand. I am willing to obey every order given by Hokage-sama."
"Very good."
Kiyohara nodded slightly before shifting his gaze toward Shisui, who stood at the front of the assembled ANBU.
"Shisui."
"Go to Root's main headquarters."
"Lure Danzo out."
"I'll have people waiting in ambush outside."
"Tell Danzo that I'm waiting for him at the Hokage Tower."
"Invite him to come and have a talk."
As Kiyohara spoke, the pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan suddenly appeared within his dark eyes.
Shisui instantly felt a warm stream of power flow through Kiyohara's gaze into his own eyes.
It was as though a gentle current had wrapped itself around his right eyeball before quietly settling deep within it.
Instinctively, he raised a hand and touched his eye socket before looking back at Kiyohara in astonishment.
Transcription Seal!
"Hokage-sama... this is..."
"A little insurance."
Kiyohara withdrew his gaze, the corners of his mouth lifting into a faint smile.
He had sealed a single use of Amaterasu inside Shisui's eye.
Its activation condition had already been set.
If Shisui encountered mortal danger...
The seal would activate automatically.
"Go."
Although countless questions filled his mind, Shisui simply nodded.
"Yes."
He rose to his feet, turned around, and quickly left the secret chamber.
His black figure soon disappeared into the corridor.
Watching his departing back, Kiyohara's expression gradually became more serious.
Danzo was an old fox.
What he excelled at most was hiding in the darkness while plotting against others.
If they launched a direct assault on Root Headquarters, there was a very high chance that Danzo would be driven into desperation and activate the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique, attempting to drag everyone down with him.
Killing Danzo no longer required much effort from Kiyohara.
The only reason he was avoiding a direct attack was because he did not want the experimental data hidden inside Root Headquarters to be destroyed.
The research conducted jointly by Danzo and Orochimaru had indeed been horrifying beyond measure.
However...
If Kiyohara redirected those results toward Konoha's medical field instead...
They would likely accelerate Konoha's medical science by several years.
"Everyone."
"Move immediately."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Their unified response echoed throughout the underground chamber.
In the next instant, every ANBU transformed into black shadows that streamed out through the various exits.
...
By the time the ANBU began their operation...
It was the darkest hour before dawn.
A light rain had begun to fall.
It was not heavy.
Countless fine strands drifted through the sky like a thin veil draped over Konoha.
Raindrops pattered softly against rooftops, producing a continuous rustling sound.
Kakashi crouched atop the roof of a nearby building.
Rainwater slid down the tips of his silver hair before running along the edge of his mask and disappearing beneath his collar.
He wore the standard ANBU uniform.
Its black fabric blended almost perfectly into the surrounding darkness.
Several ANBU crouched beside him, remaining completely motionless.
Kakashi slowly raised one hand and made several silent hand signals.
The surrounding ANBU immediately dispersed.
Without making the slightest sound, they moved along the rooftops in different directions.
…
Kakashi lowered his head and looked through the curtain of rain toward the residence below.
It was Danzo's private estate.
From the outside...
It looked no different from any ordinary house in Konoha.
But Kakashi was certain...
Beneath this seemingly ordinary residence...
Many secrets were buried.
"Go, Hayate."
Kakashi looked toward Gekkō Hayate.
Hayate nodded before his figure gradually disappeared into the air.
His Transparency Release caused not only his body, but even his chakra and presence to blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment.
Even someone possessing the Byakugan would struggle to notice him without concentrating carefully.
Slowly...
Hayate drew the katana at his waist.
The blade reflected a cold gleam beneath the drizzle.
The two Root shinobi guarding the rear entrance continued chatting quietly.
They were discussing last night's Nine Tails Incident, completely unaware that death was already approaching.
"Did you hear?"
"Lord Danzo led us out of the village last night."
"Do you think Hokage-sama will be dissatisfied?"
"Dissatisfied?"
"So what if he is?"
"Lord Danzo withdrew to preserve the final spark of Konoha."
"If the village truly fell, Root would become the last line of defense."
"Besides..."
"No matter how powerful Hokage-sama may be..."
"Surely he wouldn't dare move against Lord Danzo."
The moment those words left their mouths...
A sharp flash of steel suddenly sliced through the rain.
It was so fast...
Only a silver streak remained visible.
Slash.
Hayate's blade cleanly cut across both Root shinobi's throats.
Blood burst outward instantly, splattering across the cold stone pavement before being washed away by the falling rain.
Neither of them even had time to scream.
Both instinctively clutched at their necks before collapsing to the ground.
Their eyes remained wide open.
Filled with nothing but disbelief.
Hayate's body slowly became visible once more.
He flicked the blood from his blade before giving a silent signal toward the forest behind him.
The next second...
Dozens of black figures burst from the woods and infiltrated the estate.
"Who's there?!"
A Root shinobi patrolling the courtyard finally noticed something unusual.
He shouted loudly while reaching for the kunai at his waist.
Before his hand could even grasp the weapon...
Three shuriken cut through the air.
They buried themselves directly into his neck.
With a dull thud...
He collapsed lifelessly onto the ground.
However...
That single shout was enough.
Every Root shinobi inside the estate was alerted.
The alarm sounded instantly.
Dozens of Root operatives rushed out from every room.
Kunai and swords appeared in their hands while chakra surged throughout their bodies.
"It's the ANBU!"
"How dare they invade Lord Danzo's residence?!"
"Kill them!"
Battle cries erupted immediately.
The sharp clang of colliding steel...
The explosive roar of ninjutsu...
The screams of the dying...
Everything intertwined into one chaotic battlefield.
The ANBU were already the elite among Konoha's elite.
Combined with the overwhelming advantage of launching a surprise attack...
The completely unprepared Root shinobi were caught utterly off guard.
Within only a few minutes...
More than a dozen Root members lay dead in pools of blood.
The survivors were gradually forced into a corner of the courtyard.
With nowhere left to retreat, they pressed their backs together and made one final desperate stand.
"Have you all gone insane?!"
"We're members of Root!"
"This is rebellion!"
The leading Root shinobi roared furiously, his face twisted with rage.
Kakashi slowly stepped out from the curtain of rain.
His silver hair clung damply against his forehead.
"By the direct order of the Hokage..."
"We have come to arrest Shimura Danzo and all of his accomplices."
"Throw down your weapons."
"Surrender immediately."
"Otherwise..."
"You will be executed on the spot."
"Hokage-sama?"
The Root captain's expression changed dramatically.
"Lord Danzo is one of Konoha's highest-ranking officials!"
"What right do you have to arrest him?!"
Kakashi offered no further explanation.
He simply raised one hand.
The ANBU behind him charged forward once more.
Flashes of cold steel lit up the rainy courtyard again.
The remaining Root shinobi who continued resisting were swiftly eliminated.
Stepping across the rain-soaked stone pathway...
Kakashi entered Danzo's study.
His gaze swept across the confidential documents lining the bookshelves.
Turning to the ANBU behind him, he calmly ordered,
"Seal every document."
"Take them all back to the Hokage Tower."
"Leave guards stationed here."
"No one is allowed to enter or leave."
"Yes, Captain!"
"The rest of you..."
"Proceed according to the plan."
...
Meanwhile at the Root Headquarters.
Danzo sat quietly in his office chair.
The restraint wrapped around his right arm remained hidden beneath his sleeve.
For some reason...
He could not calm himself.
Ever since returning to the Root Headquarters...
An indescribable sense of unease had lingered within him.
It felt as though something heavy were pressing against his chest.
The weight was suffocating.
Danzo had absolutely no idea...
That Kiyohara had already seized every one of his hidden strongholds.
At this moment...
His mind was filled with nothing but apprehension toward Kiyohara.
That man...
Not only had he suppressed the Nine Tails...
He had publicly displayed Wood Release.
Danzo had devoted his entire life to researching Hashirama Cells.
He had sacrificed countless infants during his experiments.
Yet after all those years...
The only result he had obtained was Kinoe.
An incomplete success.
And yet...
Kiyohara...
An Uchiha...
Had somehow mastered Wood Release entirely on his own.
Not only that...
He had perfectly recreated the First Hokage's power.
What disturbed Danzo even more...
Was what had happened the previous night.
He had deliberately withdrawn Root's main forces from the village.
His original intention had been to sit back and reap the benefits.
If Kiyohara and their enemies both suffered heavy losses...
He would have been able to seize control of Konoha afterward.
But he had never imagined...
That Kiyohara would suppress the Nine Tails with overwhelming force.
Zero civilian casualties.
Almost no damage to the village.
His prestige had soared to unprecedented heights overnight.
Now...
Danzo's decision to abandon the battlefield had become his greatest weakness.
Thinking this far...
Danzo slowly raised his head.
"Tatsuma."
A figure emerged silently from the shadows.
Aburame Tatsuma wore a black cloak.
The hood concealed most of his face, leaving only the lower half visible beneath a pair of dark sunglasses.
The purple markings running across the right side of his face appeared and disappeared beneath the dim light.
"Danzo-sama."
Tatsuma bowed respectfully.
"Go."
"Bring Orochimaru here."
"Tell him..."
"I have important matters to discuss."
Danzo intended to find himself an ally.
Orochimaru had cooperated with him for many years.
Among everyone available...
He was undoubtedly the best choice.
After all...
None of Danzo's countless forbidden experiments could have succeeded without Orochimaru's expertise.
"Understood, Danzo-sama."
Tatsuma nodded slightly before preparing to leave.
At that very moment...
A Root shinobi hurried into the office.
"Lord Danzo!"
"Uchiha Shisui requests an audience outside the headquarters."
"He says he has come under the Hokage's orders."
"He claims there is an important matter that requires your attention."
"Uchiha Shisui?"
Danzo's brows knitted tightly together.
A trace of surprise flashed through his lone eye before being replaced by suspicion.
At a time like this...
Why had Shisui come?
Was this...
Kiyohara's intention?
Had he come to question him?
Or perhaps...
Something else?
After pondering briefly, Danzo slowly spoke.
"Let him enter."
"Yes."
The Root shinobi quickly withdrew.
Not long afterward...
Shisui appeared at the entrance to the office.
"Shisui."
"It's quite late."
"What brings you here?"
Shisui calmly met Danzo's gaze.
"Hokage-sama requests your presence at the Hokage Tower."
"He wishes to speak with you."
Danzo frowned.
Speak with him?
At a time like this?
What kind of joke was this?
"If there's something to say..."
"Then say it here."
"Hokage-sama did not explain."
Shisui answered calmly.
"You will understand once you arrive."
"I'll go tomorrow."
Danzo had already decided.
He would first speak with Orochimaru before responding to Kiyohara.
"There are still matters within Root that require my attention today."
"Lord Danzo."
"I ask that you not make things difficult for me."
Shisui frowned slightly.
Danzo slowly stood.
Putting on a grave expression, he sighed deeply.
"Shisui..."
"Do you know why I left the village last night?"
"It was not because I feared death."
"It was to preserve Konoha's final hope."
"If Konoha had truly suffered catastrophic losses..."
"Root would have become the village's final line of defense."
"Everything I did..."
"...was for Konoha."
He attempted to manipulate Shisui.
He hoped to win over the young Uchiha prodigy and secure even the smallest chance of survival.
Shisui's expression remained perfectly calm.
Not a trace of hesitation appeared on his face.
"If Lord Danzo has anything to say..."
"You may explain it directly to the Hokage."
"Please."
"Come with me."
Seeing that his persuasion had failed...
A vicious glint flashed deep within Danzo's eye.
His gaze slowly settled upon Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
The greed within that lone eye was unmistakable.
Like a starving wolf staring at a piece of fresh meat.
Just as Shisui was about to continue speaking, Danzo suddenly changed his tone.
"Since you insist, then this old man will accompany you."
Shimura Danzo's heart began pounding uncontrollably.
'If he could obtain those eyes...'
Then even if Kiyohara possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan and Wood Release, it did not necessarily mean he would have no chance of defeating him.
Besides, Shisui had come alone into Root Headquarters.
This was practically a feast delivered directly to his doorstep.
Although Danzo had no idea what Shisui's Mangekyo ability actually was, he believed that possessing a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan might allow him to contend with Kiyohara's own Mangekyo.
He knew nothing about the vast differences that could exist between Mangekyo Sharingan.
In his mind, obtaining Shisui's eyes was simply the greatest trump card he could possibly acquire.
Danzo slowly walked forward.
Soon, the two stood face to face.
Less than a meter separated them.
Danzo was slightly shorter than Shisui, forcing him to tilt his head upward to meet the young Uchiha's gaze.
"Shisui..."
"Your eyes..."
He suddenly uttered something that sounded completely baffling to Shisui.
"They're beautiful."
The instant those words reached his ears, Shisui felt a surge of unease.
Instinctively, he tried to step backward.
But he discovered that his body would not move.
It was as though invisible nails had pinned him firmly to the ground.
Shisui lowered his head.
Something was wrapped around his ankles.
Bugs.
When did this happen?!
He hurriedly attempted to mold chakra and perform a ninjutsu.
But the insects had already burrowed beneath his skin.
They were devouring his chakra while disrupting its flow throughout his body.
"Lord Danzo..."
"What are you trying to do?!"
Shisui realized that the chakra within his body was no longer under his control.
He could not even activate his Sharingan.
"What am I trying to do?"
Danzo let out a sinister chuckle.
"Insects are fascinating creatures."
"When a mosquito bites someone..."
"The victim doesn't feel any pain."
"They don't even realize they've been bitten."
"By the time the itching begins..."
"The mosquito has long since flown away."
The scenery behind Shisui suddenly rippled.
A figure quietly emerged from the distortion.
It was none other than Aburame Tatsuma.
He maintained a hand seal, his expression utterly emotionless.
"He's a member of the Aburame Clan."
"I don't think I need to explain any further how insects work."
A victorious smile spread across Danzo's face.
He continued strolling leisurely toward Shisui.
Shisui clenched his teeth tightly, desperately trying to force his body to move.
Watching him struggle so pitifully naturally brought a smile to Danzo's lips.
"Don't worry."
"This poison won't kill you immediately."
Danzo slowly raised one hand.
His thumb, index finger, and middle finger curved slightly as he reached toward Shisui's right eye.
At last...
A Mangekyo Sharingan would be his.
As long as he obtained those eyes...
He could challenge Kiyohara.
He could continue ruling the shadows of Konoha.
He could finally fulfill the dream he had pursued his entire life.
Ecstasy surged through Danzo's heart.
His fingertips had already touched Shisui's eyelid.
"Before I dig out both of your eyes..."
"You'll still be alive."
His fingers hovered directly before Shisui's eye.
"Compared to removing eyes from a corpse..."
"Harvesting them while the owner is still alive keeps them much fresher."
"It also makes them easier for my body to adapt to."
Shisui's eyes widened.
Within his pupils...
Danzo's approaching fingers were clearly reflected.
Yet...
Just before those fingers made contact...
The pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan suddenly emerged inside Shisui's eyes.
A jet-black flame erupted violently from his right eye.
The black fire resembled the flames of hell itself.
In an instant, it engulfed Danzo's hand before climbing rapidly up his arm and spreading across half of his face.
The horrifying sound of flesh burning echoed through the room.
Amaterasu!
"AAAAAH!"
Danzo let out an agonizing scream.
Half his face was instantly burned black.
Charred flesh peeled away to reveal crimson muscle fibers and pale white bone beneath.
The pain pierced directly into his soul.
"Izanagi!"
Beneath the restraint wrapped around Danzo's right arm...
One Sharingan suddenly closed forever.
At the cost of permanent blindness, the forbidden Uchiha technique rewrote reality itself.
The black flames instantly disappeared from his body.
His burned flesh returned to normal as though nothing had happened.
Staggering backward several steps, Danzo glared at Shisui.
His lone eye overflowed with fury and hatred.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
"Kiyohara!"
"It's Kiyohara!"
"He set me up!"
At last...
He understood everything.
It had been Kiyohara's technique all along.
Ever since returning to Root Headquarters, Danzo had gathered intelligence regarding Kiyohara.
He already knew that Kiyohara wielded terrifying black flames.
Inviting him to the Hokage Tower...
Sending Shisui alone...
The entire thing had been a trap.
From the very beginning...
Kiyohara had already predicted that he would covet Shisui's eyes.
How...
How had Kiyohara anticipated something so specific?
At that very moment...
Within Danzo's heart...
Kiyohara suddenly became an unfathomably terrifying existence.
Meanwhile...
The poison inside Shisui's body abruptly vanished.
The seal Kiyohara had hidden within his eye had served as a final safeguard.
It instantly broke the insects' poisonous suppression.
Freedom returned to Shisui's body.
He had no intention of prolonging the fight.
Without hesitation...
He turned around and dashed toward the exit.
His speed was astonishing.
In the blink of an eye, he had already crossed several meters.
"We can't let him live!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him no matter what!"
Countless tiny insects burst out from beneath Aburame Tatsuma's clothing.
They merged into a black torrent that surged toward Shisui like a living wave.
While twisting through the air, Shisui simultaneously reached into his shinobi pouch.
Eight shuriken shot from between his fingers.
The black swarm immediately split apart into countless smaller streams, weaving effortlessly through the gaps between the spinning shuriken before continuing its pursuit.
By then...
Shisui had already completed his hand seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
His chest expanded dramatically.
The next instant...
He exhaled.
A gigantic fireball exploded from his mouth.
The air itself distorted beneath its overwhelming heat.
The sea of black insects was swallowed whole.
Sharp sizzling sounds filled the air.
The disgusting odor of burned insects quickly spread throughout the room.
Tatsuma frowned slightly.
Raising one hand, he released even more insects from beneath his cloak.
But Shisui had already used the massive fireball as cover.
In a flash...
He escaped from Root Headquarters.
Danzo's face turned deathly dark.
Taking a deep breath to suppress the fury boiling inside him, he strode toward the exit.
"After him."
"Don't let him return to the Hokage Tower."
…
Outside Root Headquarters...
Rain continued falling upon the forest.
Shisui burst out from the trees before landing in an open clearing.
Rainwater struck his face before streaming down his cheeks.
He slowly turned around.
Facing the forest.
Footsteps echoed from within the darkness.
A figure emerged.
Danzo.
He still wore that familiar white shirt.
But the restraint wrapped around his right arm had already been removed.
Exposed beneath the rain...
Numerous crimson Sharingan were embedded throughout his arm.
Each eye rolled independently, scanning different directions.
Even Shisui involuntarily drew in a sharp breath.
Danzo...
Had actually transplanted that many Sharingan into his own arm.
He had truly gone insane.
Behind Danzo stood dozens of Root shinobi.
Aburame Tatsuma walked at the very front.
His cloak fluttered violently beneath the rain.
Danzo stopped roughly ten meters before Shisui.
Looking at the young Uchiha now completely surrounded, a vicious grin spread across his face.
"Run."
"Why don't you keep running?"
"Uchiha Shisui..."
"Today..."
"...even if you grow wings..."
"...you won't escape."
"Lord Danzo..."
"I wouldn't be so confident."
Shisui replied calmly.
"Hmph."
"Since you're determined to die..."
"This old man shall grant your wish."
The instant his words ended...
Danzo vanished from where he stood.
At the same time, his right hand shot forward.
A kunai stabbed directly toward Shisui's abdomen.
Shisui immediately drew his katana.
With a sharp twist of the blade...
He intercepted the incoming kunai.
Clang!
The metallic collision echoed throughout the rainy night.
Brilliant sparks erupted before being instantly extinguished by the falling rain.
Both men retreated simultaneously.
Danzo landed several meters away.
A trace of seriousness finally appeared within his lone eye.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Flower Nail Crimson!"
Six fireballs burst from Shisui's mouth.
Hidden within each blazing sphere...
Was a concealed shuriken.
Danzo raised his right hand.
The kunai spun once across his palm.
A layer of wind chakra wrapped itself around the blade before he hurled it forward.
The wind-enhanced kunai collided head-on with the incoming fireballs.
Explosions of flame erupted throughout the clearing.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
Danzo continuously spat out compressed bullets of wind.
The attacks struck Shisui directly.
BOOM!
Danzo's pupil contracted sharply.
The Shisui before him suddenly dissolved into white smoke.
It was Shisui's famous Body Flicker Technique.
Shisui instantly appeared behind Danzo.
His katana had already been raised high overhead.
Brilliant green chakra surged violently from his body.
It rapidly condensed around him into the skeletal ribs of a gigantic warrior.
Susanoo!
Danzo stared at the emerald skeleton.
Then at Shisui standing within it.
Unconcealed greed flashed across his lone eye once more.
The Mangekyo Sharingan.
If only...
If he could obtain those eyes...
While Danzo's thoughts lingered upon that desire...
Shisui commanded Susanoo's enormous skeletal arm to seize him.
The gigantic claw moved with incredible speed.
So fast that only a green afterimage remained visible.
Danzo repeatedly flickered through the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.
The massive skeletal hand missed its target.
Instead...
It crashed into a giant tree behind him.
Crack!
The enormous tree, so thick that it required two people to wrap their arms around it, was crushed cleanly into two pieces beneath Susanoo's grip.
Splintered wood exploded outward in every direction.
Danzo landed lightly on a broken tree branch, his lone eye fixed unblinkingly on Shisui.
Just then, applause echoed through the forest.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Danzo's body instantly stiffened.
He slowly turned around.
Kiyohara stepped out from the woods.
Looking calmly at Danzo, he said,
"So you're really the first person in history to try stabbing a Susanoo with a kunai, Danzo."
It truly was such a classic Danzo move.
No one else could have pulled off something so absurd.
"Kiyohara..."
Danzo stared at him with undisguised hostility.
Kiyohara stopped several dozen meters away.
His gaze swept over Danzo before shifting toward the Root Headquarters behind him.
"Root Headquarters is certainly hidden well."
He smiled faintly.
"But it makes a pretty good graveyard."
Danzo's face darkened completely.
"Kiyohara."
"You really think you've already won?"
Kiyohara simply looked at him without saying a word.
Danzo's voice became colder.
"I devoted my entire life to Konoha."
"You dare kill me?"
"Devoted?"
Kiyohara raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Using babies as experimental subjects counts as devotion?"
Danzo's expression changed immediately.
"You...!"
"Or perhaps abandoning the village and fleeing when a powerful enemy attacked also counts as devotion?"
Danzo's body trembled with rage.
At that moment, he wished nothing more than to kill Kiyohara with his own hands.
"Kiyohara!"
"Don't slander me!"
"Slander?"
Kiyohara casually pointed toward Danzo's exposed right arm.
"I think you'd better hide that first."
Danzo instinctively glanced down.
Only then did he hurriedly cover his arm.
Earlier, with only Shisui present, he had seen no reason to conceal it.
He had never imagined that Kiyohara had already surrounded the entire area with hidden forces.
He had been caught red-handed.
Without another word, Danzo decided to strike first.
Wind Release: Wind Shuriken!
He immediately threw two shuriken infused with Wind Release chakra.
The spinning blades screamed through the air at incredible speed.
Sharp white wind blades extended from their edges, slicing the curtain of rain cleanly in half.
The countless raindrops were blown aside by the pressure, creating two temporary empty paths through the downpour.
Kiyohara remained exactly where he stood.
He neither dodged...
Nor defended.
Clang!
Clang!
The two shuriken slammed directly into his chest.
Instead of piercing him, they bounced away as though they had struck solid steel.
After spinning several times through the air, they buried themselves in the wet earth nearby.
Their blades had curled from the impact.
Danzo's eyes widened.
They...
Hadn't even broken his defense?
He knew exactly how much wind chakra he had poured into those shuriken.
Yet after striking Kiyohara...
They had failed to even scratch his skin.
Even if Kiyohara had used an Earth Release hardening technique...
He shouldn't have emerged completely unharmed.
"Danzo."
"You're getting old."
"You can't even use Wind Release properly anymore."
Kiyohara shook his head.
Danzo had risen because of the Sharingan.
And he would ultimately fall because of the Sharingan.
After transplanting so many Sharingan into himself, he had gradually become dependent upon their power without even realizing it.
He believed he could rewrite reality itself.
He believed that made him immortal.
In one sense...
That ability truly was formidable.
But apart from surviving fatal injuries...
Danzo possessed little else.
At best...
He was merely a heavily downgraded version of Edo Tensei.
Danzo's face became increasingly gloomy.
Behind him, dozens of Root shinobi stood ready for battle.
Every one of them prepared to attack at a moment's notice.
"Hokage-sama..."
An ANBU operative cautiously emerged from the edge of the forest, gripping a kunai tightly.
Kiyohara simply raised one hand.
Signaling them to remain where they were.
"No need."
"I'll handle this myself."
The moment those words fell...
The gourd hanging at Kiyohara's waist trembled softly.
In the blink of an eye...
A colossal golden wave dozens of meters long formed before him.
The massive surge churned violently.
Countless particles of gold dust rolled across its crest like liquid sunlight.
Magnet Release: Gold Dust Imperial Funeral!
Kiyohara casually raised one hand.
Then gently pushed it forward.
BOOM!!
The enormous tidal wave of gold surged toward Danzo and every Root shinobi behind him.
Its momentum was terrifying.
Wherever it passed, the earth was carved open into deep trenches.
Rainwater was swept along within the golden torrent.
Broken rocks...
Splintered branches...
Chunks of earth...
Everything was swallowed by the roaring flood of gold.
The expressions of the Root shinobi changed dramatically.
Some instinctively stepped backward.
Others hurriedly formed hand seals in preparation for defensive techniques.
Yet before that overwhelming golden tsunami...
Every attempt at resistance appeared utterly meaningless.
Danzo clenched his teeth.
Savagery flashed through his lone eye.
He bit his own finger before drawing blood across his palm.
"Summoning Technique!"
Boom!
A massive cloud of white smoke exploded before him.
As the smoke dispersed...
An enormous beast appeared directly in the path of the approaching gold dust.
Its entire body was crimson.
Its enormous frame resembled that of a gigantic elephant.
Baku the Dream Eater.
Danzo's personal summoning beast.
"Use Wind Release!"
Danzo immediately ordered.
Baku opened its massive mouth.
At that instant...
An unimaginably powerful suction force erupted outward.
The wind itself changed direction.
Raindrops that had been falling vertically suddenly shot sideways toward the creature's mouth.
Water pooled upon the ground rose into the air as towering streams.
Broken stones.
Tree branches.
Mud.
Everything light enough to move was violently dragged toward that gaping maw.
The golden tidal wave bore the full force of the suction.
The immense current immediately began deforming.
Its crest stretched forward while the rear was violently dragged backward.
Standing safely behind the Dream Eater, Danzo allowed himself a smug smile.
Baku's Wind Release...
Was one of his greatest trump cards.
It was this very summon that had saved him countless times upon the battlefield.
"Kiyohara!"
"Your gold dust is useless before me!"
Danzo shouted triumphantly.
Kiyohara's eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
This summoning beast truly did possess impressive abilities.
Its generated airflow was powerful enough to tear apart even a half-bodied Susanoo.
Unfortunately...
That still wasn't enough.
"Interesting."
Kiyohara murmured quietly.
The ANBU observing from behind him were nowhere near as calm.
"This is bad!"
Someone cried out in alarm.
"Hokage-sama's gold sand is being sucked away!"
"Hold your positions!"
Kakashi's voice rang out from the front.
Half-kneeling upon a thick tree branch, his left hand firmly gripped the trunk while his right rested upon his sword.
The violent wind sent his silver hair flying backward.
"Don't get pulled in!"
Farther away...
Shisui struggled to maintain his emerald Susanoo.
The skeletal frame surrounding him shook violently.
Tiny cracks gradually spread across its surface.
He gritted his teeth.
The Mangekyo Sharingan spun rapidly.
His ocular power was draining at an astonishing rate.
Only then did he barely manage to keep Susanoo from collapsing.
"This pull..."
"It can actually affect Susanoo..."
His voice was filled with astonishment.
The other ANBU fared even worse.
Several desperately wrapped their arms around tree trunks.
Their bodies were lifted almost parallel to the ground by the overwhelming suction.
Compared to everyone else...
Kiyohara remained standing exactly where he was.
Completely unmoving.
Danzo narrowed his lone eye.
How...
How was this possible?
Baku's Wind Release could even tear apart Susanoo.
Why was Kiyohara able to stand there without moving an inch?
Refusing to believe it, Danzo shouted once more.
"Baku!"
"Increase the suction!"
The Dream Eater opened its mouth even wider.
The pulling force exploded upward once again.
It had become almost tangible.
Moisture within the air condensed into white spiraling streams that rushed into its mouth while producing piercing howls.
The ANBU found themselves struggling even harder.
One of them finally lost his grip.
His hands slipped from the tree trunk.
His entire body was instantly pulled into the air.
After tumbling several times helplessly, he was moments away from being swallowed alive.
Kakashi reacted instantly.
A rope shot from his hand.
It wrapped tightly around the ANBU's ankle.
With one violent pull...
He yanked him safely back.
"Th... thank... you..."
The rescued ANBU's face was completely pale.
His lips trembled so badly he could barely form complete sentences.
Kakashi did not answer.
His eyes remained fixed upon Kiyohara.
Within the curtain of rain...
That figure dressed in white still had not moved.
The raging wind whipped his hair backward.
Rain struck his face before flowing quietly down his cheeks.
He did not even blink.
"Too weak."
Kiyohara's voice drifted calmly through the storm.
He took a step forward.
His right foot lifted from the shallow water.
When it landed...
The pooled rainwater burst outward in a perfect circle of tiny splashes.
The terrifying wind pressure slammed into him.
Yet it was as though it had struck an invisible wall.
The gale split apart around both sides of his body.
Behind him...
The diverted currents gouged two enormous trenches through the ground.
Yet that lone white figure...
Continued standing firm.
Danzo's lone eye widened so far it nearly popped from its socket.
He had seen countless shinobi throughout his lifetime.
Never...
Not even once...
Had he witnessed anyone calmly walking through Baku's Wind Release like this.
Not even Hiruzen could have done such a thing.
Yet Kiyohara...
Simply continued walking forward.
One step after another.
"Impossible..."
Danzo blurted out involuntarily.
This...
Wasn't ninjutsu anymore.
Kiyohara paid no attention to his disbelief.
His hands began forming seals.
His chest expanded slightly.
Deep within his throat...
The glow of blazing fire became faintly visible.
"Fire Release..."
"Great Fire Annihilation."
(End of Chapter)