I remember, I killed Aburame Ryuma, right?

Chapter 44: I remember, I killed Aburame Ryoma, right?

Late at night.

Konohagakure.

Root Base.

The guards at the Root Base were still diligently manning their posts.

Something dark was suddenly thrown from the well at the base's entrance. The two guards were startled and rushed over to investigate.

"This is..."

"Aburame Ryoma?"

The expressions of the two guards changed drastically.

The object that had fallen at the entrance of the base was the corpse of Aburame Ryoma.

Aburame Ryoma's entire body, including his head, was pierced by sharp wood spikes. Dozens of wounds showed a section of wood spike protruding, making it look as if a cluster of bushes had grown inside him.

"This is..."

"Wood Style Ninjutsu?"

The two guards immediately went to report to Danzō Shimura.

Aburame Ryoma had been Danzō Shimura's personal attendant. Not only was he killed, but his body was also thrown into the Root base, which was clearly a provocation to Root.

The most troublesome part was...

The killer was highly likely Akihara Kagura!

After all, the guards at Root had just driven Akihara Kagura away. Aburame Ryoma was killed by Wood Style, and his body was thrown in. It was most likely retaliation from that brat!

Upon seeing Aburame Ryoma's corpse, Danzō Shimura immediately concluded that Akihara Kagura had done it, as he had personally witnessed Akihara Kagura using this Wood Style Ninjutsu!

Moreover...

Akihara Kagura was an extreme child himself!

The two guards from Root were ordered to expel Akihara Kagura. Akihara Kagura happened to encounter Aburame Ryoma returning from a mission in Kirigakure, so he simply killed Aburame Ryoma to vent his anger and retaliate against Root. This was very much in line with Akihara Kagura's behavior!

"Go bring him back!"

A flash of fury crossed Danzō Shimura's face.

Akihara Kagura killing Aburame Ryoma was tantamount to challenging his authority. Did that brat think he could still tolerate his insolence!

"..."

The Root members exchanged glances.

Although they didn't dare to disobey Danzō's orders, they couldn't help but wonder if Lord Danzō wanted them dead at this moment!

Danzō Shimura also realized the situation. Leaning on his cane, he coldly commanded, "Does anyone know where that brat is!"

"..."

A group of Root ninjas dared not make a sound.

They didn't know where Akihara Kagura was either.

Danzō Shimura once again realized his question was flawed, as Akihara Kagura was not from Konoha but an outsider he had brought into Konoha...

This is troublesome...

Where could that brat be at this late hour?

Besides the Root base, where else could that brat be staying?

"Everyone, split up and search for him!"

Danzō Shimura's expression turned extremely grim, and he said in a deep voice, "Whichever squad finds him, just keep him occupied. I will arrive immediately. Before dawn, I want to see that brat!"

Early in the morning.

Akihara Kagura couldn't sleep.

As the Root ninjas were searching for him on a large scale, Akihara Kagura sensed that something might have happened in the village and used the [Shadow of the Ninja World] to investigate the situation at Root.

Akihara Kagura saw Aburame Ryoma's corpse in his mind. Only [Wood Style: Impaling Technique] could cause such a gruesome state of the corpse.

In an instant...

As a master of framing others, Akihara Kagura immediately understood the reason for the sudden large-scale movement of Root ninjas.

Someone was framing him using Wood Style!

There were only a handful of Wood Style users in the entire ninja world. Danzō Shimura would definitely believe that only Akihara Kagura could use [Wood Style: Impaling Technique]!

This was a frame-up that had been placed squarely on Akihara Kagura's shoulders!

Akihara Kagura immediately considered why this frame-up had fallen upon him. No frame-up in the ninja world occurred out of thin air.

In this ninja world...

Someone was actually framing him?

All that's needed is to identify the other users of the Impaling Technique.

The information brought by his past life's memories was incredibly important. Akihara Kagura knew that others could use this jutsu, a shadowy figure pulling the strings of the ninja world.

A man who always wore a mysterious mask.

His official title: Mysterious Masked Man.

"This guy..."

"He's in Konohagakure?"

As Akihara Kagura secretly used [Shadow of the Ninja World] to investigate the Mysterious Masked Man, he was shocked to discover that this individual was hiding within Konohagakure, even close to him!

Perhaps Konoha's internal struggles were too peaceful, making people subconsciously forget the dangers lurking in the ninja world. Akihara Kagura was still planning how to continue being a double agent between Danzō Shimura and Hiruzen Sarutobi, but he had forgotten that someone was constantly watching everything happening in Konoha.

Furthermore, Aburame Ryoma's final destination was Kirigakure, which happened to be a major ninja village that the Mysterious Masked Man had long controlled.

"Has this guy always been in Konoha?"

Akihara Kagura's eyes narrowed slightly as he pondered everything that had happened tonight. "He used the Impaling Technique to kill Aburame Ryoma and frame me, instead of killing me directly... Was his goal to force me to defect? To become his pawn?"

Such a good deal...

Why couldn't he just say it directly?

The Mysterious Masked Man could have just told him face-to-face. Would he, as an employee, really refuse the temptation of working for a new boss?

To resort to such despicable means!

This false accusation was logically impossible to shake off!

Akihara Kagura abruptly sat up straight. The small blanket covering him was flung behind him like a cape in a swift motion!

Since he couldn't clear his name, he would simply accept the false accusation for now and then find a way to shift the blame!

Anyway...

He'd make a note of this debt for now!

No matter what, he couldn't let it delay his scheduled report to the Anbu today. For Akihara Kagura, joining the Anbu meant a new superior and a new onboarding package.

Coincidentally, within Konoha's Anbu, there was a man he could use. Akihara Kagura could definitely use him to cause some trouble for the Mysterious Masked Man.

"Hey."

Akihara Kagura approached a squad of Root ninja.

"Hold him!"

The moment these Root ninja saw Akihara Kagura, they didn't even wait for the young boy to speak. They immediately drew their ninja swords and surrounded him.

Akihara Kagura's fingers snapped together!

As Wood Release chakra surged, massive vines rapidly emerged from the ground, coiling around the surrounding Root ninja!

One Root ninja dodged the vines and swung his ninja sword at Akihara Kagura, only to be kicked flying by him. A vine then coiled around that ninja, and the other Root ninja were quickly subdued by the vines!

The squad leader of these Root ninja was incredibly defiant. He stiffened his neck and asked, "Kagura... Sir, you killed Aburame Ryoma, and now you want to kill us? We're here to find you on Lord Danzō's orders. Lord Danzō will be here soon!"

"Take me to Lord Danzō."

Akihara Kagura controlled the vines to release the Root squad leader, who had performed well, and said in a low voice, "I won't kill you. I don't want to anger Lord Danzō again."

"If Aburame Ryoma hadn't mocked me for being expelled from Root by Lord Danzō as soon as he returned to Konoha, I wouldn't have accidentally killed senior Ryoma."

"...Yes."

The Root squad leader slowly nodded and followed Akihara Kagura's lead, saying, "Aburame Ryoma spoke out of turn, he was indeed asking for death..."

After this squad of Root ninja and Akihara Kagura left, the Mysterious Masked Man quietly appeared under a large tree. His voice seemed filled with confusion.

"Could it be... I'm under a genjutsu?"

The Mysterious Masked Man's voice was filled with bewilderment. "Why didn't that brat argue? Why did he admit to killing Aburame Ryoma?"

The Mysterious Masked Man felt his mind struggling to process. "I remember, I was the one who killed Aburame Ryoma, right?"

Second update!

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Is there any way to use the explosive tag multi-shadow clone jutsu? I'm tired of it!