Shimura Danzō looked back at the Hokage Building.
This Hokage Building was Danzo's dream in this life.
A casual remark from the building's master was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat, not because that man was superior to him...
But because he was the Hokage!
Hiruzen Sarutobi's final reminder was that he should not let that child stray down the wrong path.
That old bastard was hinting at him!
Shimura Danzō understood the hidden meaning. Hiruzen Sarutobi was warning him not to go down the wrong path himself, not to entertain any improper thoughts about the Hokage position just because Root Organization had another ninja with the Wood Style Bloodline!
But...
How could anyone give up on their dreams?
As long as he became the master of this Hokage Building, a single order from him could alter the fate of all Konoha, even the entire ninja world.
"Sooner or later..."
Shimura Danzō turned and left resentfully. Rather than stand here thirsting over the Hokage Building, he might as well go back and properly train Akihara Kagura!
Hmph...
Do not let that child walk down the wrong path...
How could that child possibly go wrong by following me?
Hiruzen, everyone has their own path. Your path is not the only path.
Root Organization Base.
Akihara Kagura was still somewhat dejected. Shimura Danzō had forbidden him from going out and ordered him to rest at the Root Organization Base, yet there had been no System Mission... It seemed the system was not so casual when assigning work missions. He would need to explore its rules carefully.
Or...
Could resting... not count as work?
Could resting between jobs not count as being on the clock? Slacking off was clearly part of the job! Besides, this was rest demanded by his superior!
However...
A new opportunity soon arrived.
Shimura Danzō returned to the Root Organization Base and finally gave Akihara Kagura an official order, successfully triggering a System Mission for him.
"From today onward, this old man will personally train you, ensuring that you can defeat that brat called Uchiha Itachi during the Chunin Ninja Exams!"
"Hmph!"
"That brat..."
"Has caused me a little trouble..."
System Mission: New work mission. As required by Shimura Danzō, participate in Konoha's Chunin Ninja Exams in the latter half of the year and defeat Uchiha Itachi during the exams.
One job...
Could actually earn him two rewards?
Akihara Kagura's expression immediately turned solemn!
"I will definitely do it..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Shimura Danzō and asked, "Lord Danzō, can people be killed in the Chunin Ninja Exams? Can I kill that guy called Uchiha Itachi?"
"..."
Shimura Danzō was momentarily speechless.
This child's personality was far too extreme!
Uchiha Itachi was the son of Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha Clan. He was the heir to the leader of Konoha's strongest ninja clan, had always been regarded as Fugaku Uchiha's pride, and had even awakened the Uchiha Clan's Kekkei Genkai, the Sharingan, at an early age.
If Akihara Kagura killed Uchiha Itachi, it would inevitably provoke the dissatisfaction of many people. It might even intensify the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan...
But...
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a weak man.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi handed Akihara Kagura over to Fugaku Uchiha to deal with in order to placate Fugaku Uchiha's anger, that would be a serious problem...
Such a thing had happened before.
A few years ago, Kumogakure's envoys came to Konoha under the pretense of renegotiating a truce agreement, while secretly seeking to seize Konoha's Byakugan Kekkei Genkai.
A Kumogakure envoy secretly infiltrated the Hyuga Clan, intending to abduct the daughter of the Hyuga Clan head, but Hyuga Hiashi discovered him.
Faced with a thief trying to steal his daughter, Hyuga Hiashi naturally showed no mercy and killed the Kumogakure envoy on the spot with a single palm strike.
Yet Kumogakure flatly refused to acknowledge this. Instead, they turned the tables and pressured Konoha to hand over the murderer of their envoy, threatening to resume the war with Konoha otherwise.
Then...
Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi agreed to that humiliating demand, ordering the Hyuga Clan to hand over the culprit who had killed the Kumogakure envoy and seeking peace at any cost.
In the end, Hyuga Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi Hyuga, was forced to commit suicide in his brother's place, taking the blame for killing the envoy. The Kumogakure envoy's death was settled in such absurd humiliation.
The precedent was still fresh.
Based on Shimura Danzō's understanding of his old friend, if Akihara Kagura accidentally killed Uchiha Itachi, Hiruzen Sarutobi would very likely quietly hand over a child from Root Organization to appease Fugaku Uchiha's anger...
If that truly happened...
The disobedient Uchiha would lose a genius, and the equally disobedient Root would lose a genius too. Hiruzen Sarutobi would lose nothing, so why would he not do it?
As for...
Whether Akihara Kagura could defeat Uchiha Itachi...
Shimura Danzō suddenly realized that he had never considered that question. Uchiha Itachi could easily defeat Root members as well.
Although Shimura Danzō had great confidence in Akihara Kagura's Wood Style talent, and a single Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence was not something regular ninja could withstand, this child Akihara Kagura had always seemed rather brainless and could easily be toyed with by an Uchiha...
"Never underestimate Uchiha Itachi!"
Shimura Danzō gave a cold warning before continuing, "The Chunin Ninja Exams do not forbid killing opponents, but we cannot slaughter people recklessly either..."
After saying that, Shimura Danzō could not help furrowing his brow. How had such weak words come out of his mouth?
"...Oh."
Akihara Kagura also found it a little strange.
"Anyway..."
Shimura Danzō looked at Akihara Kagura and ordered in a deep voice, "There is no need to kill Uchiha Itachi. That brat is still of some use to us."
"Yes, I understand."
Akihara Kagura did not particularly care about that.
Akihara Kagura had never been someone who thirsted for killing.
Whenever Akihara Kagura had taken the initiative to offer to kill someone for Shimura Danzō, whether suggesting the death of Kakashi Hatake or Uchiha Itachi, he had merely said it casually to make Shimura Danzō happy. Danzo definitely would not dare let him do it.
If Shimura Danzō had truly been willing to think carefully, he would have realized that Akihara Kagura had always merely talked at the Root Organization Base and had not actually helped him do anything...
Yet even if Shimura Danzō thought carefully about it, judging by Akihara Kagura's attitude when speaking, he might instead become even more afraid of Akihara Kagura helping him do something...
"There is one more matter."
"Remember your identity. You are a child raised in Konoha."
"Yakushi Nonō, the director of Konoha Orphanage, took you in years ago. This old man brought you to Root and raised you. This old man was the one who performed the Hashirama Cells transplant experiment on you when you were young. Completely forget Orochimaru ever existed..."
"..."
Akihara Kagura silently nodded, still sticking to his persona. "Lord Danzō, then can I kill the director of that orphanage? That way, she will not say anything carelessly in the future and expose some flaw, causing you trouble..."
"Do not always think about killing people."
"Yakushi Nonō is still useful now."
Shimura Danzō once again felt that something was not quite right.
It was here!
The trial release starts tomorrow!
I hope everyone will support it! Thanks to Old Feng for the reward!
Before you continue