Leaving the Hokage Tower—
Shenyue Yuan let out a quiet sigh.
Since things had come to this…
Once tonight's identity shift was complete—
He would head straight to the Land of Rain.
He had stayed in Konoha long enough.
A change of scenery…
Didn't sound bad.
With that thought, his focus sharpened—
A panel appeared before him.
The reward from a previous task.
[Random Mission: Enjoy Yourself][Description: Everyone has their own way to relax after work—even a future god who saves the ninja world is no exception.]
[Requirements:]Rest on Kurenai Yuhi's lap for 30 minutes.Be fed 10 strawberries by Kurenai Yuhi.
[Mission Complete!][Reward: Achievement Trait — "Truth"]
『Truth』:Immune to all genjutsu.
System Evaluation:Reality only.
…
Night fell.
The moon hung bright in the sparse sky, veiled occasionally by drifting clouds.
Shimura Clan grounds.
An old courtyard.A weathered wooden house.
Yellowed leaves fell silently from ancient branches.
Danzo Shimura sat alone outside.
Bandages wrapped around his head, covering the right side of his face.
His left eye remained closed.
Wrinkles carved deep into his skin.
His aged body, draped in dark robes—
Resembled the twisted root of an ancient tree.
The night wind stirred—
And slowly—
He opened his left eye.
Sharp.Predatory.
His gaze locked onto a bright star in the sky.
His lips moved.
"Tobirama-sensei…"
"Under my guidance… the Uchiha have finally reached their end."
"A problem… even you could not resolve."
"With the Uchiha gone…"
"Konoha will finally unite as one."
A pause.
"Of course…"
"If you had chosen me as Hokage back then…"
"This would have been settled long ago."
"But it doesn't matter."
"Even now—stripped of my position… confined within the clan grounds—"
"I will remain in the shadows."
"I will become the darkness within those shadows."
"And in my own way…"
"I will move closer… to that seat."
"Nothing will stop me—"
"My pursuit of the Hokage title."
Whoosh—
The old tree trembled.
A figure appeared.
Like a ghost—
Standing atop a branch beneath the moonlight.
Then—
A strange, almost mocking humming drifted down.
"Nothing can stop you~ from longing for freedom~"
"…???"
Danzo's expression froze.
"What… was that?"
His gaze snapped upward.
Cold.Piercing.
Even without his official authority—
More than a dozen Root operatives were stationed nearby.
For someone to appear so easily—
Spoke volumes.
"Who are you?" Danzo asked, voice low and cold.
His presence surged.
Heavy. Oppressive.
Like an abyss taking form.
Within Konoha—
Aside from the Hokage—
Almost no one could stand before him without fear.
The figure dropped lightly from the tree.
Landing without a sound.
Then walked forward—
Completely ignoring him.
A Konoha forehead protector.A standard green flak jacket.Straight posture.
But—
His eyes were wrapped in white bandages.
At a glance—
He looked like a mockery… of Danzo himself.
Danzo narrowed his gaze as recognition surfaced.
"A Konoha ninja."
"Who sent you?"
"Shenyue Yuan."
"I came on my own."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"…"
Danzo studied him.
That name—
Shenyue Yuan.
A civilian genius.
Comparable to Itachi.
No wonder…
No fear.
Then again—
He's blind.
He can't even see who he's facing.
"You came here… for what?" Danzo asked.
Shenyue Yuan smiled.
"I'm here for one thing."
He stepped forward—
Then calmly sat cross-legged in front of Danzo.
Casual.
Uninvited.
Then—
He removed his forehead protector.
Placed it between them.
Drew a kunai.
And—
Dragged it across the metal.
A clean, merciless slash.
The Konoha symbol—
Split in two.
Even without sight—
With chakra sensing—
The world remained clear to him.
Only—
Muted.
Covered in a refined layer of gray.
That was all.
"…"
Danzo's gaze turned colder.
He watched silently—
Until the boy placed the forehead protector back on.
"Do you understand what that means?" Danzo asked.
Cold.Razor-sharp.
On the surface—
He remained composed.
But within—
Anger surged.
Since Konoha's founding—
No one had ever—
Performed a defection ritual like this…
In front of a high-ranking official.
In front of him.
After securing the forehead protector—
Shenyue Yuan nodded.
"I do."
"But before I defect…"
"I need to borrow something from you."
A brief pause.
"The kind I won't return."
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
He rose instantly.
"No matter who sent you—"
"With what you've done…"
"No one in this world can save you."
"I can crush you with a single finger."
In an instant—
The air exploded.
Danzo did not hold back.
A lion hunts a rabbit with full strength—
Let alone now.
Confined.Provoked.
His anger—
Needed release.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Wave!"
Hand seals formed in less than a heartbeat.
Compressed air burst forth—
Shrieking.
Like countless invisible blades tearing through the night.
The wind took shape—
Under Danzo's will—
Lashing outward like a whip.
Walls—Tiles—Ancient trees—
All split apart.
Shattered instantly.
"Perfect timing."
Shenyue Yuan remained unmoving.
Inside—
A single thought.
"Cut… Wind Release: Vacuum Wave."
[Notice: Cut successful!][Acquired: B-Rank Wind Release — Vacuum Wave]
In the next instant—
The raging wind…
Vanished.
Completely.
Danzo's body trembled.
A chill crept into his spine.
The ferocity in his eyes—
Dimmed.
Just slightly.
His movements—
Stiffened.
He stared at his hands.
"…What just happened?"
He lowered his head.
Thinking.
The jutsu—
Interrupted mid-cast.
In all his years of battle—
This had never happened.
Something—
Had been taken.
A moment later—
The veteran reacted instantly.
Hand seals again.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Wave!"
If it could be stopped once—
Could it be stopped forever?
"…Hm?"
This time—
His chakra flowed.
But—
The jutsu…
Would not respond.
"…I see."
"So I can no longer use Vacuum Wave."
Shock—
Then realization.
Watching him struggle—
Shenyue Yuan smiled faintly.
"Danzo-sama…"
"What are you waiting for?"
"Don't think some cheap trick gives you the right to act arrogant before me!" Danzo snapped.
His hands moved again.
The wind surged once more.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Bullets!"
Chakra flowed smoothly.
In his mind—
The outcome was already clear.
The boy—
Would be torn apart.
Meanwhile—
Shenyue Yuan did not move.
Did not flinch.
Did not blink.
Inside—
A single command.
"Equality of All Beings… activate."
[Notice: Select target.]
"Danzo Shimura."
[Synchronization complete.][Physical strength, mental power, chakra, taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu have been elevated to match the target.]