"Orochimaru really isn't easy to kill."
Watching Orochimaru disappear, Seiryū could not help shaking his head.
He knew better than anyone how hard Orochimaru was to finish off.
In fact, Seiryū had a feeling that even if he killed Orochimaru right here and now, the man would still have some backup plan prepared for resurrection.
"To think he could escape the sealing technique and the Flying Thunder God mark like that. Targeting his body doesn't seem very effective."
Seiryū looked at the "corpse" covered in dense sealing marks, stroked his chin, and muttered, "As expected, Genjutsu really is Orochimaru's weakness."
His movements had already been fast enough.
The moment the golden chains pierced Orochimaru's body, the sealing technique activated. Seiryū had planned to seal him completely while also leaving behind a Flying Thunder God mark.
But in the end, he had still been a little too slow.
Orochimaru had escaped by shedding his skin.
As expected, Genjutsu was Orochimaru's true weakness.
Itachi never lied to me.
"Forget it. I'll go settle things with that old scapegoat first. I didn't expect the bounty on my head to be connected to him. What a surprise."
A cold sneer curled at Seiryū's lips.
He had not expected the black market bounty on him to be related to Danzō.
Seiryū was furious with whoever had placed that bounty.
Because of it, Kakuzu had targeted him during his first mission outside the Village.
He had been badly injured that time.
And Seiryū had never forgotten that grudge.
As for whether Orochimaru was shifting the blame or deliberately framing Danzō?
There was no need to think too deeply about it.
Seiryū only needed to accept one "fact."
Danzō had placed a bounty on him through the black market and wanted him captured alive.
That was unforgivable.
This grudge had to be settled.
As a young man, Seiryū did not understand the filth and lies of adults. Nor did he understand things like shifting blame or framing others.
He believed whatever people told him.
What a wonderful excuse.
Besides, everyone had a duty to strike against Danzō.
He was doing a good deed.
"This is all for Konoha's stability."
Seiryū grinned as he said that, then flashed to the side of the unconscious Yamato.
He placed his right hand on Yamato's body.
With a thought, he teleported him to a safe location.
This was another application of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
It was similar to the Flying Thunder God Formation used by Shiranui Genma, Namiashi Raidō, and Tatami Iwashi in the original work, which allowed them to transfer objects or people within the formation to another location.
Swish!
After that, Seiryū locked onto Tsunade's location and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, vanishing from the spot.
"She still hasn't caught up?"
The moment he appeared, Seiryū's senses swept through the surroundings, allowing him to grasp the situation instantly.
Tsunade still had not caught up to Danzō.
She had been stopped by more Root shinobi.
She was being too kind.
Because she was trying not to kill them, she was fighting with her hands tied.
"You came at the right time. Seal these people too."
Tsunade had already sensed Seiryū's arrival. Her expression was extremely unpleasant.
These Root shinobi were fearless.
They were even willing to throw away their lives to block her path, which gave her a serious headache.
Although they belonged to Root, they were still Konoha shinobi.
And as a medical ninja, Tsunade did not want to casually kill people who were only following orders.
These Root shinobi were simply obeying Danzō.
Of course, the fact that Danzō had ordered Root shinobi to throw away their lives only made Tsunade even angrier.
She would pursue this matter to the end.
Seiryū did not answer her request. Instead, he said, "I'll leave these Root shinobi to you. I'm going after Danzō. I have a few grudges to settle with him."
Tsunade froze.
"Grudges?"
What grudges could Seiryū possibly have with Danzō?
Danzō had indeed wanted to take Seiryū into Root in the past, but her teacher had refused.
After Seiryū became her and Jiraiya's student, Danzō never brought up anything related to him again.
What sort of grudge could there be between the two of them?
"According to a reliable source, the reason I had a bounty on the black market was because of Danzō. He was the one behind it."
Seiryū immediately became indignant.
"You know, because of that black market bounty, I lived in fear when I was little. I couldn't eat properly. I couldn't sleep properly."
"It left a deep psychological scar on me. Even now, thinking about it makes me a little scared."
His little grudge notebook had always recorded the person who placed that bounty on him.
If that person was Danzō, even better.
That meant he could kill two birds with one stone.
Tsunade: "..."
Little?
That was difficult to comment on.
Wasn't Seiryū still a child now?
After glancing at the unmoving Root shinobi, Tsunade turned to Seiryū and asked, "Reliable source? Who told you that?"
Seiryū immediately replied, "Orochimaru."
"Huh?"
Tsunade was stunned.
Then her brows furrowed.
"You ran into Orochimaru? Is that why it took you so long to get here?"
With Seiryū's strength and mastery of sealing techniques, dealing with the previous group of Root shinobi should not have taken long.
On top of that, she had heard the commotion from that direction earlier.
Had Seiryū fought Orochimaru?
"We fought. He was no match for me."
Seiryū explained, "Also, his illegal experiments were exposed, so he didn't waste too much time fighting me. He chose to leave."
"I guess he's a rogue ninja now. Before he left, he told me about this."
"Orochimaru defected?"
Tsunade's brows furrowed even deeper, and she gritted her teeth.
"So he was involved too? That damned bastard!"
Orochimaru had defected out of fear of punishment.
That made this matter even more troublesome.
"We can talk about that later. I'll leave this place to you. I'm going to find Danzō. To think he made me so terrified when I was little. How hateful."
Seiryū glanced at the furious Tsunade, said that, and vanished in a flash.
"Wait..."
Tsunade tried to stop him.
But Seiryū had already used the Flying Thunder God Technique and disappeared.
Her expression instantly darkened, and she cursed, "You brat, is this not chaotic enough already?"
With Seiryū's personality, when he said he wanted to settle a grudge, he was definitely thinking about killing Danzō.
"What a pain!"
Sensing that things were about to get worse, Tsunade felt a burst of irritation.
Her cold gaze swept over the Root shinobi around her.
Her patience was running out.
"I'll say it one more time. Get out of my way, or I won't hold back anymore."
One Root shinobi calmly replied, "Forgive us, Tsunade-sama. This is Danzō-sama's order. Please don't make things difficult for us."
"In that case, don't blame me."
Tsunade took a deep breath. Her eyes sharpened as she formed hand seals.
"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
The surrounding ground shook violently as trees and vines burst from the earth.
They spread toward the Root shinobi, binding everyone who failed to dodge in time.
"Where are you going, Advisor Danzō?"
Seiryū had already caught up to Danzō using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Blocking his path, Seiryū gave him a bright smile.
"There are a few things I'd like to discuss with you."
There was no need to ask why a Flying Thunder God mark was nearby.
All of Konoha, including the Forest of Death, had marks left behind by Seiryū.
It might be an exaggeration to say they were everywhere, but there was one at regular intervals.
"Space-Time Ninjutsu?"
The Hokage Building was not far away, but Danzō had still been stopped.
He halted and narrowed his eyes at Seiryū.
Naturally, he recognized the boy, and he was somewhat surprised.
Even so, his tone remained calm and indifferent.
"As expected of Konoha's strongest genius. I didn't think you had even learned the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique."
"But blocking my path... do you intend to commit insubordination like your teacher?"
Danzō's voice was cold, dignified, and condescending.
He did not take Seiryū seriously.
He was one of Konoha's highest-ranking officials.
The leader of Root.
His status and position were far beyond what ordinary people could compare to.
Seiryū did not care about his attitude. He simply smiled.
"I heard from someone that the bounty placed on me through the black market was your doing. So I came to ask whether it was true."
"Surely Advisor Danzō isn't so busy that he can't spare even this little bit of time, right?"
"..."
Hearing that, Danzō frowned almost imperceptibly.
He had handled that matter very discreetly.
After all, it was something that violated his position.
No one should have known.
So why did Seiryū know?
Who had told him?
"Even your teacher is not qualified to question me. Watch your attitude, Uzumaki Seiryū."
Suppressing his doubts, Danzō's expression barely changed.
He still did not care much.
It was nothing more than an accusation without evidence.
His voice remained indifferent.
"When dealing with insubordination, I even have the right to execute you on the spot."
Answer the boy's question?
Ridiculous.
What was Danzō's status?
How could he possibly answer to someone with no real position?
"Tsk, tsk. As expected of a Hokage Advisor. Such presence. Such authority. You're already talking about executing me. How scary."
Seiryū said he was scared, but his actions showed no fear at all.
Clatter!
Golden chains had already spread from his body.
They danced in the air like tentacles, baring their fangs and claws, their momentum fierce and oppressive.
"I have a bad habit. Whenever I run into something dangerous, I tend to overreact."
"Just like Setsuna, whom I finished off during the Chūnin Exams. Please forgive me for what happens next, Advisor. I'm just far too scared."
Seiryū licked his lips, a brilliant smile appearing on his face.
Hum, hum, hum!
Absorbing natural energy from the surroundings, he generated Senjutsu Chakra inside his body.
Seiryū mobilized that Senjutsu Chakra, forming several high-speed rotating Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan.
"Insolent!"
Seeing this, Danzō's expression changed slightly.
A surge of rage erupted in his heart.
He shouted coldly at Seiryū, "To openly attack a Hokage Advisor inside Konoha! Even if you are Jiraiya and Tsunade's student, you will still be severely punished!"
Tsunade was one thing.
But now, a brat he had never taken seriously dared to attack him.
The rage in his heart burned even hotter than before, twisting his expression.
"Mm-hmm. Got it. Any last words?"
Seiryū nodded as if he understood, the smile still on his face.
"No? I didn't think so."
"It's strange, isn't it? Some people's last words are all about how their status and position should save their lives."
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
As his voice fell, the Sage Art: Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan filled with Senjutsu Chakra flared with light.
Under Seiryū's control, they smashed straight toward Danzō.
In an instant, thunderous roars echoed through the area.
The earth shook, and shockwaves spread outward in circles.
"As expected of an Advisor. You actually blocked my attack. How terrifying. How dangerous!"
Seiryū's solemn voice came from within the dust.
It sounded as though he had encountered a deadly battle.
A battle that threatened his very life.
"Am I going to be killed by you next? No, I have to save myself!"
The sound of air being torn apart rang out one after another.
Golden chains attacked in dense waves like living tentacles.
Each strike cut through the air, streaks of golden light flashing through the dust.
Boom!
In the next instant, a powerful gale erupted violently, knocking away the incoming golden chains.
"Damn it. Why is he this strong?"
Using Wind Style to block the chain attacks, Danzō hurriedly retreated.
Shock, disbelief, and even a trace of panic flashed across his face.
What was going on with this brat?
Why could he unleash such terrifying power?
"Bastard! Do you understand what you're doing?"
Surprise.
Fear.
Astonishment.
But above all, rage.
Like an erupting volcano, Danzō released his killing intent without restraint. His expression became hideous and terrifying.
A mere Chūnin of the Village actually dared attack him.
And not only that, he had truly intended to kill him.
If Danzō had reacted even a little slower and failed to use Ninjutsu to defend himself, he really might have died.
Even though he had blocked the attack, he had still suffered considerable injuries.
Stinging pain spread across his entire body, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"I don't know. I was just so scared that all I could think about was getting rid of the person threatening me."
"Not only did you put a bounty on me through the black market, but now you're even using your status to pressure me. That's far too terrifying. I don't feel safe at all."
Seiryū's tone became increasingly solemn, even carrying a hint of firm resolve.
"So I have to save myself!"
Hum, hum, hum!
The Dragon Vein Chakra sealed within the Strength of a Hundred Seal on his forehead surged out once again.
A purple Chakra cloak covered Seiryū's body.
The heavy, powerful Chakra fluctuations seemed to make the air around him solidify.
Boom!
He stomped the ground.
Seiryū's figure turned into a streak of light and charged forward.
In an instant, he crossed more than a dozen meters.
A savage smile curled across his lips as he threw a punch brimming with Monstrous Strength.
Boom!
Crack!
The punch landed squarely on Danzō's chest.
The explosive force caved in his rib cage, and the sound of bones breaking rang out clearly.
"Cough!"
Danzō spat out a large mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of damaged organs.
His body flew backward uncontrollably.
Finally, with a thunderous crash, he slammed into the massive cliff beneath the Hokage Rock.
Rubble tumbled down, burying his body.
"Sprinkled upon the bones of the beast. Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle."
Seiryū's chant rang out.
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō!"
A golden chain extended forward and hung in midair.
Its sharp tip pointed downward.
Lightning was already gathering at the end.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)