"Bang—!"
The door to the Hokage's office was slammed open with force.
The sudden noise shattered the quiet atmosphere of the room, causing even the air to seem tense. Danzo Shimura strode in without hesitation, his expression dark and stormy, his steps heavy with suppressed fury.
"Hiruzen," he said coldly, his voice low but sharp, "I've heard everything."
Sitting behind his desk, Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly put down the document in his hand. His aged eyes lifted calmly, meeting Danzo's gaze without the slightest ripple of emotion.
Danzo continued, his tone rising with agitation.
"That boy—Aoki Yoru—dared to make contact with the Jinchūriki. This is not a coincidence. He must have ulterior motives."
He took a step forward, pressing the matter.
"Hand him over to me. I will interrogate him personally and uncover his true intentions."
Silence lingered in the room.
Hiruzen did not respond immediately. Instead, he studied Danzo quietly, as though trying to see beyond his words—beyond the anger—into the deeper intentions hidden beneath.
Finally, he spoke.
"Danzo… they simply met at Ichiraku Ramen. It was nothing more than a casual encounter."
"Humph!"
Danzo's expression twisted.
"A casual encounter?" he scoffed. "He even paid for the Jinchūriki's meal. That is no coincidence. He approached him deliberately."
His voice hardened.
"He has bad intentions. I'm certain of it."
But what truly fueled his anger was not just suspicion.
It was resentment.
Aoki Yoru had already interfered with his plans once—exposing his Wood Release experiments and forcing him into temporary political restraint. And now, Aburame Torune—his most trusted subordinate—had vanished.
Danzo didn't need confirmation.
He already knew.
Torune was dead.
His fingers curled slightly beneath the bandages wrapped around his arm.
Torune had not been just another tool. He had been a carefully cultivated weapon—one with terrifying potential.
Parasitic poison insects.
If fully developed, such an ability could rival strategic-level weapons. A single operative could devastate entire battlefields.
Just like Hanzo of the Salamander, whose terrifying reputation had been built largely on his poisonous summon.
And now—
Gone.
Lost to Aoki Yoru.
"Danzo."
Hiruzen's voice cut through his thoughts.
The Third Hokage had risen from his seat and now stood by the window, gazing out at the village below.
Children ran through the streets.
Vendors called out.
Life continued.
"Yoru did not harm Naruto," Hiruzen said slowly. "He acknowledged his dream. Encouraged him. Paid for his meal."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"That is the Will of Fire."
He turned slightly.
"Unlike others, that child did not reject Naruto. Instead… he gave him hope."
His eyes softened.
"That is how the future of Konoha is built—through people like him."
Danzo's expression darkened further.
"The Will of Fire?" he muttered.
His voice dropped, cold and cutting.
"Naive."
"It is precisely because you cling to such childish ideals that Konoha grows weaker year by year."
Hiruzen turned fully now, his gaze firm.
"The Will of Fire is the foundation laid by the First Hokage. It is Konoha's spirit."
His tone carried quiet authority.
"Danzo… you are the one who has lost sight of what truly matters."
"Humph!"
Danzo abruptly turned away.
Without another word, he strode toward the door. At the threshold, he paused briefly.
"Hiruzen," he said without looking back, "I will prove that I am right."
Then he left.
The door closed behind him.
The room fell silent once more.
Tenten's Shop
Elsewhere in the village, inside a weapons shop, Aoki Yoru stood with a slight frown.
"You're telling me," he said slowly, "that even a shop like yours doesn't have anything suitable?"
Across from him, Tenten shook her head apologetically.
"I'm sorry, Senior Yoru. It's not just us. Even the largest weapon stores in Konoha don't have what you're looking for."
Her gaze shifted to the sword resting on the table.
The blade was riddled with cracks—fine fractures spreading like a spiderweb across its surface.
"This is already top-grade among standard weapons," she continued. "Anything beyond this would require chakra-conductive metal."
She hesitated briefly.
"But… even that might not last long in your hands."
She still remembered the battlefield.
That lightning—violent, overwhelming, almost like a natural disaster.
Aoki Yoru clicked his tongue softly.
"No alternatives at all?"
Tenten thought for a moment before answering.
"If you really want something better… you'll have to look outside the village."
"Where?"
"The Land of Artisans… or the Land of Iron."
She met his eyes.
"Only those places might have weapons capable of withstanding your chakra."
Aoki Yoru exhaled slowly.
In the end, he purchased some supplies—high-quality herbs, standard weapons—and left the shop.
Forest of Death
The deeper regions of the Forest of Death were eerily silent.
Aoki Yoru stood before a stretch of scorched land.
Once, this place had housed his laboratory.
Now—
Nothing remained.
No walls.
No structure.
Only charred earth and broken remnants.
His fists clenched at his sides.
His knuckles turned white.
A cold, suffocating killing intent seeped into the air around him.
"Who… triggered it?"
His voice was low.
Controlled.
But beneath it simmered fury.
That laboratory had cost him everything.
Every resource he had painstakingly gathered… every piece of equipment… gone.
And opportunities like that—
They didn't come twice.
He pressed both hands against his face, inhaling deeply.
Slowly… deliberately… he calmed himself.
"Think."
His mind sharpened.
"There are only a few who could bypass my seals and enter this place."
His eyes narrowed.
"Danzo. Zetsu. Orochimaru."
Silence.
Then—
A faint, twisted smile spread across his lips.
He looked toward Konoha in the distance.
"Danzo."
His voice was almost amused.
"In Konoha… if something dirty happens, blaming you is never wrong."
After all—
Danzo was the perfect scapegoat.
Always had been.
Aoki Yoru licked his lips slightly, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"And if it is you…"
He paused.
"You must have better equipment. Better materials."
His gaze darkened.
"Maybe even Hashirama cells."
Then he shook his head.
"No… not yet."
His expression returned to calm.
"This needs planning."
Careful planning.
Three Days Later – Memorial Stone
A solemn silence hung over the gathering.
The Konoha Memorial Stone stood tall, engraved with countless names.
Names of those who would never return.
Ninjas filled the area, standing quietly.
No one spoke.
Some clasped their hands in prayer.
Some stared at the stone in silence.
Others struggled to hold back tears.
Aoki Yoru stood among them, dressed in black.
His gaze lingered on the endless list of names.
"So this… is the fate of a ninja."
His thoughts were calm.
Detached.
"When you die… all that remains is a name on stone."
His expression hardened.
"No."
A quiet resolve formed in his heart.
"I won't let my name be carved here so easily."
For a moment, he understood Orochimaru a little better.
Not the obsession with truth.
But the fear—
Of death.
When the ceremony ended, people began placing flowers one by one.
Then slowly… they dispersed.
After the Ceremony
As Aoki Yoru walked away, he spotted familiar figures.
Kenta.
Yui.
Both still leaning on crutches.
"How's your recovery?" Aoki Yoru asked.
Tanaka Kenta grinned.
"Much better. The doctor says I can start training in a week. Full recovery in a month."
"Good."
Aoki Yoru nodded.
"But don't overuse the Eight Gates."
His tone became serious.
"That technique burns your lifespan."
Kenta scratched his head.
"Yeah, yeah. Guy-sensei said the same thing. I'll only use it if I absolutely have to."
Satisfied, Aoki Yoru turned to Yui.
"So… what now?"
She sighed softly.
"I guess we wait for Kakashi-sensei's orders."
Aoki Yoru shook his head slightly.
"I'll be leaving the village soon."
Both of them looked at him.
"Where?"
"Land of Artisans. Maybe the Land of Iron."
He drew his sword slightly.
The cracked blade reflected dull light.
"This won't last much longer."
Yui nodded slowly.
"I see… then Team 6 won't be together for a while."
A faint sadness lingered in her voice.
Aoki Yoru didn't respond immediately.
Because they both knew the truth.
They had grown stronger.
Too strong.
A team like theirs—combined with Kakashi Hatake—was no longer meant for ordinary missions.
Unless…
It was something on the scale of a Tailed Beast.
And such missions—
Were never simple.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)