Night had fallen, the chirping of insects filled the air as a few stars twinkled high in the sky alongside the radiant moon.
On the bustling streets of Konoha, after bidding farewell to Kakashi, Sasuke walked alone toward the Uchiha Clan Compound under the dim streetlights.
A gentle breeze brushed past, lifting a few strands of hair from his forehead.
As he walked, Sasuke's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
'Danzo again!'
For the past four years, Danzo had mostly sent members of the Root Organization to occasionally monitor him. But on rare occasions, Danzo himself would lurk in the shadows to observe him.
These instances were exceedingly rare, fewer than five times in over four years.
'Could it be because he heard about my mission and that I encountered Uchiha Itachi?' Sasuke speculated inwardly as he walked.
Though the Third Hokage had insisted on the mission's secrecy, it was unlikely he could keep it from his close friend Danzo.
In their original timeline, whatever the Third Hokage knew, Shimura Danzo knew as well. Yet whatever Danzo knew, the Third Hokage remained stubbornly blind to it.
While Danzo was out stirring up trouble and inciting conflict, others wouldn't direct their hatred solely at him, isolating him from Konoha.
Instead, their entire hatred and desire for revenge would be directed at Konoha as a whole.
People often called Danzo the "Pot King" or "Pot Shadow," claiming that any blame would inevitably land on him.
But the Third Hokage inexplicably shouldered the blame for Danzo's actions countless times, making himself another massive black pot on the Pot King's back.
In his past life, the Third Hokage had transformed from a respected, kind-hearted elder in the first part of the series into a hypocritical old politician in the second part, turning fans against him.
'Ahem...'
Among all the Hokage, he was the most unfairly maligned. While his own methods and leadership style certainly had their flaws, half the blame lay with his troublesome best friend, Danzo.
'He's coming out. He's actually going to show himself to me this time?'
Sasuke thought in surprise. Though Danzo had observed him several times, he had never revealed himself before.
His mind raced as he strolled leisurely down the street. Suddenly, he turned his head toward a clothing store beside him.
"Might as well buy a few new outfits," Sasuke murmured to himself, then stepped into the store.
Moments later, Sasuke emerged from the clothing store's fitting room, carrying a bag of newly purchased clothes.
No one would suspect that this Sasuke was not the real one, but merely a Shadow Clone!
This had become Sasuke's standard practice ever since he realized Danzo was spying on him. Whenever he sensed Danzo's surveillance, Sasuke would seize an opportunity to create a Shadow Clone.
Whether by going to the restroom, grabbing a snack from a food stall, or ducking into a secluded alley, Sasuke would use these brief moments out of Danzo's line of sight to activate his Shadow Clone.
Sasuke harbored deep apprehension towards Danzo's Kotoamatsukami!
From his manga reading, Sasuke clearly remembered that the Kotoamatsukami's range was classified as "far," while visual genjutsu like Tsukuyomi were classified as "near."
Moreover, the activation condition was "the user says he can see the target!"
This meant the Kotoamatsukami didn't require direct eye contact.
As demonstrated by its two uses in the original timeline: Uchiha Itachi's gaze had been entirely fixed on Naruto, without even glancing at the crow's eyes, yet Naruto still fell under its influence.
Even Mifune, with Danzo concealing his right eye, had fallen victim to Kotoamatsukami.
Against such a lawless ocular technique as Kotoamatsukami, Sasuke couldn't afford to be too cautious.
After leaving the clothing store, the Shadow Clone calmly continued its journey toward the Uchiha Clan Compound, its pace steady and measured.
Clack, clack!
The crisp sound of wooden geta heels striking the concrete echoed through the air.
Just a short distance later, under the dim glow of a streetlight, Danzo emerged, leaning on his cane, blocking Sasuke's path.
'Hmph, so he's finally shown himself.'
The Shadow Clone regarded Danzo with a slight frown, but remained silent.
Danzo's hawk-like gaze swept over the young man before him. After a long pause, he spoke:
"You're Uchiha Sasuke?"
His wrinkled face remained completely expressionless as he spoke.
The Shadow Clone returned the scrutiny, sizing up the suddenly appearing stranger. "Do you have something you want?"
"Hmph, that tone... you certainly sound like someone from the Uchiha Clan," Danzo replied, a faint curve forming at the corner of his lips, his voice still composed.
The Shadow Clone raised an eyebrow and calmly replied, "Your tone suggests you have some conflict with the Uchiha. If you're looking for trouble, I'll take you on!"
Hearing this, Danzo chuckled dryly and shook his head. "I have no quarrel with the Uchiha. In fact, I once knew some of their clan members quite well."
'You're lying through your teeth, you old dog!' the Shadow Clone sneered inwardly.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Danzo continued. "I am Shimura Danzo, former advisor and elder of this village. Now, I'm just a retired old man with nothing but time on his hands."
The Shadow Clone bowed slightly. "So you're Lord Danzo. It's an honor to meet you."
"I'm just a retired old man these days," Danzo replied. "I'm hardly deserving of the title 'Lord'."
Danzo glanced at Sasuke with his left eye, a smile spreading across his aged face. "To think the once-mighty Uchiha have fallen to such depths... sigh"
A nostalgic look washed over Danzo's face as he sighed deeply.
'And whose fault is that?!' the Shadow Clone seethed internally, watching the old man's performance with cold eyes while outwardly showing a slight shift in emotion.
Sensing the change in the Shadow Clone's demeanor, Danzo's expression grew serious. He asked sternly, "I heard you encountered Uchiha Itachi, the traitorous murderer, during your mission?"
The Shadow Clone's gaze sharpened. "This matter should only be known to the Third Hokage," it replied.
"Though I've retired from my official duties, Sarutobi still seeks my counsel when faced with particularly difficult matters," Danzo interrupted without a change in expression, offering a casual explanation.
"I see!" The Shadow Clone nodded slightly, then asked, "May I ask, Lord Danzo, what brings you here?"
"Nothing particularly urgent. I simply wanted to see you in person," Danzo replied, shaking his head. His gaze softened with a paternal air as he looked at Sasuke.
"Seeing you has stirred my admiration for talent. While your aptitude is remarkable, the culprit in question surpassed even that at your age. If you wish to grow stronger, I can assist you."
"Why would Lord Danzo help me?" The Shadow Clone frowned, its tone skeptical.
"I see echoes of my dearest friend in you. His name was Uchiha Kagami—you've likely heard of him. Later, his grandson, Uchiha Shisui, served under me for a time. I always regarded him as my own child and cared for him deeply."
'What the hell kind of "regarded him as my own child and cared for him deeply" is this?!'
"Join my ranks, and I will help you become stronger!" Danzo said to the Shadow Clone, his expression utterly composed.
After a moment of silence, the Shadow Clone shook its head in refusal. "My apologies, Lord Danzo. The village is currently led by the Third Hokage. Any transfer of my duties must be approved by him. I'm afraid I must decline."
"Heh, no matter. You can take some time to consider it," Danzo chuckled, then slowly walked away, leaning on his cane, without another word.
'Sarutobi, eh? What a pity. The old fool won't be around much longer!' As he turned his back, a sinister glint flashed in Danzo's hawk-like eyes. 'You're as good as dead!'
The Shadow Clone silently watched Danzo's retreating figure—the man who impersonated an Uchiha elder. Its gaze flickered.
If Danzo had remained hidden in the shadows, Sasuke would have been helpless against him.
He would never have risked being targeted by Kotoamatsukami, let alone dug three feet underground to find him.
But now that Danzo had dared to reveal his face and stature to Sasuke, Sasuke had formulated the first steps of his plan to kill him!
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