Danzo walked down the bustling street, his face gloomy.
Where to next?
After a moment's thought, Danzo changed direction and headed towards a certain place.
The Kurama Clan...
Inside the reception room, a pale and weak young man coughed violently at Danzo.
He looked as if he could cough himself to death at any moment.
He wasn't faking illness; he was genuinely sick. Danzo had enough discernment to see that.
"Lord Danzo, you are right," the young man said with a sincere expression. "As a member of Konoha, the Kurama Clan should, of course, do its part!"
Finally, someone sensible. This young man, Kou of the Kurama, has a future!
"However!" The young man's words took a turn, and he began to cough violently.
Danzo frowned.
"Our clan, I'm afraid, cannot exert ourselves," the young man looked at Danzo sincerely and said truthfully, "All the capable fighters in the clan are serving the Village in important positions. What's left are only severely ill patients and the old and weak. The Kurama Clan is truly powerless."
After speaking at length, Kou of the Kurama coughed intensely.
Danzo frowned in displeasure.
The Kurama Clan was a renowned genjutsu clan, on par with the Uchiha!
How could they not have people!
"Don't believe me?" Kou of the Kurama's tone was aggrieved. "Then see for yourself, Lord Danzo."
Kou of the Kurama called a clan member and instructed him to bring the rest of the clan.
Before long, a series of violent coughs echoed from outside the room.
The paper door slid open, revealing a courtyard filled with sickbeds, where many gravely ill Anma Family Shinobi lay.
"Lord Danzo, it's not that we don't want to, but we truly cannot!" Kou of the Kurama coughed, and tears instantly welled up, as he said with a tearful voice, "If Lord Danzo doesn't mind, even if it means dragging our gravely ill bodies, as long as you give the order, our Kurama Clan will do our utmost!"
Danzo looked at the Kurama Clan members lying all over the ground.
"What is this about?" Danzo was bewildered by this scene; they genuinely seemed ill.
"Lord Danzo, it's an infectious disease," Kou of the Kurama said carelessly. "It's nothing! We are Shinobi! A mere illness won't defeat our Kurama Clan!"
"Ugh, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!!!"
As he spoke, he coughed violently, spraying Danzo's face with saliva.
Danzo's face darkened as he raised a hand to block his face.
"Princess Tsunade said it's best for my illness to rest," Kou of the Kurama said with teary eyes. "Don't worry, I won't die yet! I will definitely contribute to the Village!"
These words were not false, neither Tsunade's diagnosis nor the subsequent contribution.
The problem was, Kou of the Kurama's was a bloodline illness.
But Danzo didn't know that.
The secrets of Shinobi Clans were not so easily obtained.
Danzo's lips moved, and he finally let out a sigh.
"Rest well. The Village still needs your strength."
He could take them in, but what if they just lay in bed? Root wasn't Konoha Hospital!
"Yes, Lord Danzo!" Kou of the Kurama was very respectful.
Danzo's face darkened. He couldn't bring himself to say, "Don't call me assistant."
He left with a dark expression.
Kou of the Kurama had given him enough face; what kind of attitude could he still show?
Out of sight, out of mind!
Kou of the Kurama made a move to see him off, but after a violent cough, he collapsed to the ground.
After Danzo left the clan, Kou of the Kurama sat up straight and said, "You can all disperse now, it's over."
As he spoke, the clan members, full of vigor, went their separate ways.
Genjutsu: Five Senses Manipulation.
Kou of the Kurama coughed several times and whispered, "The Shinobi World War, huh…"
"The lives of my clan will not be handed over to you like this, you useless old man."
Meanwhile, Danzo was still on the road, with his two guards behind him not daring to make a sound.
Lord Danzo's steps had become heavy; there was no longer any wind...
Walking in silence, Danzo arrived at the Nara Clan's residence.
As if expecting him, the heads of the Ino–Shika–Chō three clans were all there, led by Akimichi Torifu.
He was a disciple of the Second Hokage and Danzo's teammate.
"Hahaha, isn't this Danzo? How about we two brothers have a drink?" Torifu was very enthusiastic, his plump face looking honest and good-natured.
"No time! Torifu, Root needs people." Danzo said straightforwardly, his face gloomy.
"Alright, alright!" Torifu agreed repeatedly, saying, "Go ask Hiruzen. All the usable manpower in the clan has been given to him."
The problem was, Hiruzen wouldn't give them!
"Is there really no one left?" Danzo asked.
"There really isn't!" Torifu waved his hands repeatedly.
Nara and Yamanaka stood by, smiling apologetically.
"It's not easy for you either, Danzo. Don't worry about these things. Today, let's have a good drink together!" Seeing Danzo remain silent, Torifu steered the conversation towards the dinner table.
"Torifu, I don't have time to drink with you!" Danzo said with a gloomy face. "I must take people today!"
"How about this, a few of us will go to Root to help you. Give me a vice-director position, just below you," Torifu said. "That's fair, right?"
Danzo stopped talking and stared at Torifu.
Fatty! You wish!
"This isn't good either?" Torifu familiarly put an arm around Danzo, pulling him along, and said, "Come on, let's drink and discuss it!"
Danzo couldn't break free and half-heartedly went along. He planned to speak openly and honestly with his old friend.
They needed to think for the Village.
The next day, Danzo awoke from his hangover, staring at his familiar ceiling, lost in thought for a while.
What happened last night?
His memory was blank!
With a gloomy face, Danzo got up, dressed, and washed. In the middle of the day, he rushed to the Nara Clan's residence.
The three Ino–Shika–Chō members, as if they had expected him, were gathered, drinking tea.
Seeing Danzo arrive, Torifu said, surprised, "Didn't we agree yesterday to talk about it when my children grow up? You're here now, but my children haven't even been born yet."
Hearing this, Danzo stopped in his tracks, staring at Torifu's hateful fat face.
"Ino–Shika–Chō! Hmph!"
Danzo turned and left!
What, should he stay and have another round of drinks?
Danzo wouldn't fall for the same trick twice!
Which clans were left in Konoha that he hadn't visited?
On the way, Danzo pondered this question.
No need to go to the Uchiha; he'd only get a cold shoulder.
So, what was left was...
The Inuzuka Clan.
From a distance, Danzo could hear a chorus of dog barks.
Upon reaching the clan grounds, the Inuzuka Clan Shinobi at the gate warmly welcomed him.
As he entered the clan grounds, scene after scene met Danzo's eyes.
Too many dogs!!!
The entire courtyard was filled with frolicking Ninja Dogs!!!
Large Ninja Dogs, small Ninja Dogs, too many to count, their playful barks were dense and noisy, making his ears ache.
But that wasn't all!
Various dog hairs, black and white, floated in the air, so much that Danzo couldn't take it all in.
A strand of dog hair drifted into his nostril, and Danzo sneezed.
After only a few steps, keen-eyed Danzo spotted dog feces hidden in the weeds all over the ground.
Several puppies were urinating against the wall.
Danzo sneezed violently.
He vaguely seemed to smell that odor.
The Inuzuka Clan!
Not suitable for Root!
Danzo, his face gloomy, turned and left!
After a while, the enthusiastic Inuzuka leading the way turned around and was stunned.
"Eh!? Where did he go!?"
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