Deep within a hidden Konoha Root stronghold, a gloomy, dimly lit chamber was filled with a heavy, oppressive atmosphere.
Danzo sat with a dark expression in the seat of honor, slowly lifting a teacup from the table with his left hand. His right sleeve hung empty and limp, swaying slightly without any breeze.
In the next moment, a cold glint flashed in his eyes as he suddenly raised his hand and violently smashed the teacup onto the ground!
Crash!
The cup instantly shattered into pieces, tea splattering everywhere.
"Uchiha Fugaku!
"Uchiha Shinji!"
He ground his teeth, growling each name with venomous emphasis. His sinister voice echoed through the dark, gloomy chamber. An outsider who stumbled upon this scene might have mistaken him for chanting a forbidden technique curse mark, invoking a curse from the shadows.
But in the end, it was nothing more than impotent rage.
This mission to Amegakure Village had completely exceeded his expectations. The elite Root operatives he had brought with him had all been lost in that valley.
Thud!
He cared little for the deaths of his subordinates. What truly enraged him was that despite sacrificing so many men, he had ultimately gained nothing—a complete and utter failure.
Danzo slammed his fist heavily onto the solid wooden desk, fine cracks spreading out from the point of impact.
With a sweep of his left arm, he sent all the confidential documents and scrolls on the desk scattering to the floor, creating an instant mess. In the confined space, the sounds of smashing and crashing rose and fell, venting his fury.
Outside the door, two Root ninja stood rigidly at attention, not daring to move a muscle.
The commotion inside clearly reached their ears, yet neither of them entered to intervene. They knew Lord Danzo had suffered a major setback on this mission and was currently in a volatile, unpredictable mood. Approaching rashly would only make them targets for his wrath.
After a long while, the sounds of destruction inside gradually subsided.
Leaning on his cane, Danzo surveyed the chaotic scene. Instead of feeling relieved, his frustration only grew.
He glanced down at his empty right sleeve, his brow furrowed tightly.
Losing his right arm was not something he particularly regretted. It was just an arm, after all. Through his secret collaboration with Orochimaru in researching Wood Release, their studies on Hashirama Cells had not yet succeeded, but they had developed many practical derivative results.
He was currently advancing organ transplant experiments, using specially cultivated bodily tissues fused with Hashirama Cells to recreate compatible limbs. Once successfully transplanted, there was even hope of activating Wood Release power.
Losing this arm would conveniently allow him to replace it with a newly modified one. Not only would his strength not diminish, it might even see a slight improvement.
The only thing that truly pained him was the loss of that one Sharingan.
A vicious light flashed in Danzo's eyes as he once again thought of Fugaku's name.
If not for that bizarre Amaterasu, why would he have been forced to waste that Sharingan to activate Izanagi and preserve his life?
Amaterasu... the Mangekyo Sharingan...
His left hand gripping the cane turned white with strain, the force so great it seemed he wanted to crush his enemy's neck.
"Evil Uchiha Clan!
"Teacher Tobirama, I will inherit your will! I must eradicate the Uchiha, root and stem!"
Danzo raised his head, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve, as if he bore the solemn duty of protecting Konohagakure.
He had completely underestimated Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Shinji.
He never expected that both of them would awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan!
He stroked the cane's handle, calmly analyzing the combat strength. With his current power, in a one-on-one fight, he was certainly no match for the two of them.
During their brief earlier clash, Fugaku's Amaterasu had nearly killed him instantly, while Shinji had forcefully severed one of his arms, forcing him to flee in disgrace.
Moreover, once the two returned to the village, they would surely seize the opportunity to cause trouble and settle the score with Amegakure.
After escaping the valley, he hadn't dared to delay for even a moment, rushing back to Konohagakure without pause.
His original plan to collude with Hanzo and use him to eliminate his enemies had been exposed. Although no concrete evidence remained, facing the vengeful Uchiha Clan, he would inevitably have to pay a price later.
Danzo paced back and forth in the secret chamber, his mind rapidly calculating a way to break the deadlock.
Suddenly, a sinister scheme came to mind.
In the oppressive secret chamber, his withered lips slowly curled into a treacherous smile.
He raised his cane and struck the ground heavily.
The door swung open in response, and two Root ninjas guarding the entrance bowed and entered.
Seeing the chaotic scene inside the secret chamber, their expressions remained utterly calm.
"Lord Danzo," the two knelt on one knee, bowing their heads to await orders.
Danzo gave a slight nod and issued his command: "Go notify the two advisors to proceed immediately to Sarutobi Hiruzen's Hokage's Office."
"Tell them I have a matter of vital importance concerning Konohagakure's survival to report and request their presence for discussion."
When he uttered the words "Konohagakure's survival," his tone was icy, laced with a certain calculation.
"Yes!"
The two Root ninjas accepted the order, bowed, and withdrew from the secret chamber.
Danzo slowly sat back in the main seat, a faint glimmer of light flickering deep within his left eye.
"Perhaps this time, I can drag Hiruzen down with me as well."
The position of Hokage was his lifelong obsession, something he had strived for relentlessly, never wavering.
"Heh heh heh heh..."
In the dim, deathly silent secret chamber, his eerie, sinister laughter, like that of a night owl, echoed. If any students from the Konohagakure Ninja Academy heard it, they would likely be scarred for life.
Two hours later, on the third floor of the Hokage Building, in the Hokage's Office.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, having received the message from Root, entered the Hokage's Office together.
The room was filled with swirling smoke. Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in the Hokage's chair, a pipe in his mouth, slowly exhaling a ring of white mist.
Seeing the two arrive, he smiled and raised a hand in greeting: "You're here, Homura, Koharu."
He had already received the news and was quietly waiting for them to meet.
Utatane Koharu frowned, fanning away the smoke in front of her, her expression grave as she spoke: "Hiruzen, do you know what matter has prompted Danzo to summon us so suddenly?"
On the way, she had already asked Mitokado Homura, who was equally in the dark.
The message had specifically emphasized "concerning Konohagakure's safety"—such alarmist rhetoric, especially coming from Danzo, made it impossible for the two not to be cautious.
The Third Great Ninja War had just ended, and Konohagakure was the victorious side, so there should be no hidden dangers.
At first, the two had thought Danzo was making a mountain out of a molehill and exaggerating the situation. But upon further reflection, considering Danzo's nature, unless it was a truly thorny matter, he would never resort to such wording.
Sarutobi Hiruzen leaned back in his chair and shook his head gently: "I'm not sure either."
He had always turned a blind eye to Danzo's many actions.
Danzo had even left the village privately before Minato's wedding to secretly handle important matters, concealing it from everyone, with no one aware of his covert whereabouts.
But he understood clearly that although Danzo's methods were ruthless, his original intention was also rooted in concern for Konohagakure.
"Even you don't know?" Mitokado Homura frowned, her face showing astonishment.
She had assumed that as Hokage, Hiruzen would surely be aware, but unexpectedly, he was equally clueless.
The two exchanged a glance, silently taking their seats, waiting together in silence for Danzo's arrival.
Click!
The door made a soft sound, and everyone looked up to see Danzo, leaning on his cane, slowly entering the office.
In the next moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu all widened their eyes in unison, their faces revealing shock.
They saw Danzo's right arm swaying lightly in an empty sleeve. Sarutobi Hiruzen instinctively leaned forward, his tone both astonished and grave:
"Danzo, your right arm? What exactly happened?"
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