"Is the news confirmed?"
Even Madara found it difficult to suppress the surge of emotion in his voice.
"Absolutely confirmed, Lord Madara!" Tobi replied, waving his arms with exaggerated enthusiasm, as though sheer motion could reinforce the credibility of his intelligence. "The Lord Daimyo of the Land of Fire has completely regained his youth. He drinks whole bowls of strong wine every day, tears into roasted meat with his bare hands, and—"
Tobi leaned in conspiratorially.
"—summons two maids to attend him every night."
"I've also heard," White Zetsu chimed in smoothly, "that the Daimyo's son has already begun secretly planning a rebellion. After all, who wouldn't panic when their aging father suddenly turns young again?"
Madara's lips curled faintly.
"And the Kage?" he asked coldly.
"The Four Great Shinobi Countries' Kage have all regained their youth," White Zetsu continued. "Ōnoki, in particular, now looks like a man in his prime. He had previously prepared a detailed succession plan for his son—but that plan has been quietly shelved."
Madara let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"And the bounty missions?" His voice sharpened. "The ones that reward Longevity Pills."
Tobi nodded vigorously. "The information has already spread. Once the Four Great Shinobi Countries finish claiming their rewards, they'll conduct an internal auction—held directly within the Sacrificial Shop's territory."
"Only the Daimyo of each nation will be allowed to attend. Everyone else is excluded."
Cowards.
Madara's gaze turned distant.
Hashirama… do you see this?
The village you created has rotted from the inside out. Even the Hokage now leads the charge in hunting employers for profit.
So-called mutual understanding had always been a lie.
This world would never know peace.
Only his path was correct.
"The only bounty target still at large," Tobi continued, lowering his voice, "is Danzo Shimura. The entire Ninja World is searching for him, but he's vanished completely."
White Zetsu spread his hands. "We mobilized all available White Zetsu. No trace. Nothing."
Madara fell silent.
Then, slowly, he raised a hand.
A White Zetsu stepped forward instinctively.
Madara placed his palm on its shoulder.
Black coloration spread instantly, corroding flesh like living ink. In moments, the White Zetsu's body twisted and reformed into a grotesque, half-black, half-white being.
"This," Madara said flatly, "is my will made manifest."
He opened his eyes.
"Black Zetsu."
From now on, this entity commands you. Find Danzo Shimura. If necessary, I will awaken and act personally."
Black Zetsu bowed deeply. Behind him, the surrounding White Zetsu dropped to their knees in unison.
"Understood, Lord Madara."
Only after Madara's chakra receded and his presence sank back into dormancy did Black Zetsu straighten.
He turned and departed the underground base without another glance.
"Lord Madara is really easy to deceive~" one White Zetsu whispered playfully as they followed.
Black Zetsu's expression darkened.
"Enough." His voice was cold and clipped. "Our priority is Danzo Shimura."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"And we must also determine whether the Sacrificial Shop intends to rule the Ninja World."
If the shop truly sought dominion, then his plan—to resurrect his mother—would become infinitely more difficult.
Worse still, the shop sold Longevity Pills openly.
Which meant they likely possessed far more.
Waiting for them to die naturally was no longer an option.
His only remaining hope… was Madara.
If Madara could reclaim the Rinnegan and master its power, forcibly gathering the Nine Tailed Beasts might still be possible.
"Are you certain the Sacrificial Shop truly accepts everyone?" Black Zetsu asked slowly.
White Zetsu nodded eagerly. "Absolutely! As long as you don't cause trouble, even rogue Ninja can come and go freely."
"Those who break the rules are punished on the spot—light offenders are expelled forever, serious ones are executed."
"Tobi has already entered multiple times. We've seen Spirit Beasts, strange artifacts—many new things."
"Should we exchange cultivation techniques and Spirit Bones for Lord Madara?"
"That would cost too much," Tobi replied after a moment's thought. "Not necessary."
Then, suddenly inspired, he added, "Lord Black Zetsu… if we gather enough sacrificial coins, could we post a mission and hire the shop to release Lady Kaguya?"
Black Zetsu laughed coldly.
"Even the Sacrificial Shop cannot do that."
Only the Ten-Tails, only the Infinite Tsukuyomi—those were the true paths.
"But," White Zetsu added quickly, "we learned something else from the Spirit Beasts."
"It's said that Boss Li possesses power beyond a god."
"Even the moon itself is insignificant before him."
Black Zetsu's eyes flickered.
Beyond a god…?
"Tobi," he said suddenly. "Go."
"Accept missions. Any that White Zetsu can complete without drawing attention—take them all."
"Even if this path fails, it will strengthen our connection to the Sacrificial Shop."
"As for cultivation techniques and Spirit Bones…" He paused. "Tell Madara that surveillance is too strict. That infiltration is impossible."
"Yes, Lord Black Zetsu!"
Meanwhile.
Danzo Shimura had not slept in days.
"Lord Danzo!" A Root operative knelt. "All strongholds in the Land of Grass have been destroyed. The Third Kazekage personally led the operation. No survivors."
Danzo's jaw tightened as he stared at the Ninja World map.
"How many bases remain?"
"This one. All others are gone."
"Tsunade…!" Danzo roared, slamming his fist down hard enough to shatter the table. "How could Konoha know everything?!"
"It was the batch of clan Ninja recruited three months ago," the Root Ninja replied evenly. "They defected. All of them."
"They leaked every base location they knew."
"Traitors!!!"
Only after a long silence did Danzo regain control.
"Funds?"
"Less than three million ryo, after reserving equipment procurement."
Danzo's eyes gleamed dangerously.
"Contact the Daimyo. Demand additional funding."
"Tell him—when I am dead, Hiruzen's fate will be his tomorrow."
"Yes!"
Danzo had never left the capital of the Land of Fire.
Protected by the Daimyo himself, he had hidden in plain sight.
Originally, he had planned to retreat to the Land of Rain—but the moment he learned the bounty reward was a Longevity Pill, he aborted the plan.
Hanzō's reaction proved his judgment correct.
The Land of Rain base had been excavated down to bedrock.
Danzo knew the truth.
Every Ninja Village wanted him dead.
Every Daimyo wanted his head.
Only the Lord Daimyo of the Land of Fire—already rejuvenated—had reason to shelter him.
To secure that protection, Danzo had sold secrets. Techniques. Even forbidden scrolls.
Yet now—
His empire was ash.
Twenty elite subordinates.
Over a hundred million ryo.
Gone.
Only six Root members remained.
Without strength, even the Daimyo would sell him out.
When the emissary returned—
"Fifty million ryo," the Root Ninja reported. "No more. The rest will be converted into sacrificial coins."
"Why does he need so many coins?" Danzo demanded.
"The Four Villages are auctioning the Longevity Pills at the Sacrificial Shop."
Danzo understood instantly.
He could not compete.
So he chose another path.
"Gather," he ordered calmly.
Five masked figures emerged.
"We raid the Land of Water's Daimyo's Mansion."
"Disguise yourselves as Hidden Mist Anbu."
"No mistakes."
At the same time, in the Land of Whirlpools—
Within the Uzumaki Clan's newly opened inn—
The Daimyo of the Five Great Nations gathered.
The Five Kage met privately.
No one looked relaxed.
"No trace of Danzo," the Kazekage said first.
"That mad dog hides deep," Ōnoki snorted. "Root members kill themselves before interrogation."
"He won't fade quietly," Yagura said calmly. "Someone like him will strike again."
"When he does," he added, "that's when we end this."