Shota walked through the lively streets of Konoha in his normal civilian clothes once again.
The Konoha ANBU who had been following him from a distance were still there, but they kept their space. They watched him, but they did not stop him. Shota ignored them. His mind was on something else.
'Now let's see if the fish takes the bait.'
While he had taunted Danzo because he felt like it, and he felt immense satisfaction for doing it, he had a plan in mind.
Shota had watched Danzo closely during the greeting. The old man's single eye had locked onto him multiple times during the meeting. It had stayed there for several seconds.
The look was empty, cold and calculating. Shota guessed what that look meant. It was probably the same look Danzo gave to any threat he planned to eliminate.
He knew that Danzo would not let a threat like Shota live for long. Especially after hearing the news that he was responsible for the death of the Third Raikage.
Danzo was a man who hated loose ends. A boy who could erase chakra with a look was a very dangerous loose end. Danzo would want him dead or captured or controlled.
Shota had not said anything in the meeting, but he could clearly see the empty look that Danzo gave to him. He knew that Danzo was going to target him. An insult would likely goad him more. It would push his ego.
It would make him act faster. Danzo hated being mocked. He hated being reminded of his weaknesses. Shota had poked that sore spot on purpose.
A slap to the face with words. A reminder that even another village's boy could humiliate him.
And Shota knew that Danzo would not mind having a chance of acquiring Shota's ability to erase chakra. It was believed to be related to Shota's eyes. It was a dojutsu that could be stolen and implanted into oneself, like other dojutsu. At least that was what everyone thought.
Danzo had already collected Sharingan eyes. He would see Shota's ability the same way. A power to take.
Shota doubted that stealing and implanting his eyes would make the ability work. It was a quirk that had been turned into this world's ability.
It might be a dojutsu, but his DNA and blood might also play an important factor. Still, Danzo would try, Shota was sure of that and that's why he was on a stroll in the streets of Konoha as the bait to notice Danzo.
Shota smirked as he navigated the streets of Konoha. He saw a couple of masked men that looked like Konoha's ANBU, but the gear was a little different.
They were more black than grey. The cloaks were longer. Shota recognised them as Root. Danzo's private army. They moved silently from rooftop to rooftop. They were not subtle. They wanted him to see them.
Shota turned back to see the other Konoha ANBU who had been following him. They were gone. Probably being led by a root agent transformed into him.
'And the fish has taken the bait. You are so predictable, Danzo.'
The Root ANBU came from the other side too. They intentionally became visible, as if wanting Shota to run in a particular direction. They blocked one path. They left another path open. A clear trap. Shota saw it immediately.
And Shota did just that. He let himself be taken wherever the Root ANBU wanted him to go.
He followed the path they had left open. He moved through narrow alleys. He jumped over low walls. He stayed in sight just enough to keep them following.
He pretended to be nervous and he pretended to be trying to escape. He let them think they were herding him.
He reached a secluded location on the outskirts of the village. Trees surrounded the clearing. There were no houses nearby or anyone. The perfect place for an ambush.
Shota stopped. He turned back with a bored look.
"So tell me, since you lured me here, it means that no one would be able to sense our fight here, right?"
The words hung in the air.
The Root ANBU, a squad of four, came down from the trees. They landed silently around him. They did not say anything.
Shota could tell that by luring him here, they had made sure no one would disturb the fight.
'They might have lured the ANBU pursuing me somewhere else, so I don't have to worry about them reporting back to the Kazekage or Minato.'
'And they have brought me to the outskirts of Konoha. But we are still in Konoha, so that would mean that the sensors that are currently surveilling this area have probably been replaced with Root agents.'
Shota smiled under his mask.
'That means I can rest easy that no one would be able to disturb our fight. Though I should not do anything flashy that could be seen from a distance.'
The binding cloth that was hidden inside his civilian clothes appeared. It started wrapping around him. It formed a protective layer over his arms and torso. It acted as armour since he did not have his ANBU gear on. He wanted some protection against weapons like kunais and the binding cloth was strong enough to give him just that.
The Root shinobi did not waste any second. They started wielding hand signs at the same time. They thought he could block only one person's chakra at a time. At least one of them would be able to complete their jutsu.
All four of them wielded hand signs at the same time at a rapid speed.
But sadly for them, Shota was done holding back his Erasure.
All four lost access to their chakra at the same time.
Shota was pretty sure that all of them had their eyes widened behind their masks.
Shota said in a calm, almost bored voice.
"I will love to break your masks and see your expressions right about now."
And then he rushed towards them with a body flicker.
--------Author Notes---------
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