Sharingan and Wood Release

"Kakashi, why are you here?"

Danzo stepped forward, looking at Kakashi with a somewhat cold tone.

Meeting Danzo's gaze, Kakashi remained neither servile nor overbearing...

Kakashi's expression remained calm. He did not avoid the gaze that seemed capable of piercing through one's heart, and replied evenly, "Uchiha Sasuke has gone missing. The Third Hokage suspects Akatsuki was responsible."

At the mention of Sasuke's name, a cold gleam flashed through Danzo's eyes.

After a moment of silence, he revealed a cryptic sneer. "The Uchiha Clan's last surviving orphan has been abducted as well? Heh... Hiruzen truly is no longer fit to remain Hokage."

The words were filled with mockery and criticism, yet Kakashi found himself unable to refute them... even...

He felt that Danzo's words were not entirely without reason.

The current situation was unstable, and even a crisis involving a Disaster Planet capable of destroying the Shinobi World had emerged.

Yet all of Konoha remained slow and inefficient, concerned only with arranging the evacuation and protection of the noble class, showing almost no concern for the safety of ordinary people.

That indifference and sluggishness, from top to bottom, made Kakashi feel a hint of helplessness and doubt as well.

He remained silent, while Danzo had long noticed his wavering. His cane lightly struck the ground with a dull thud as he asked in a grim tone, "In that case, are you here to warn Jiraiya?"

"Yes."

The two fell silent for a moment, the fine rain piercing to the bone like needles amid the stillness.

After a while, Kakashi raised his head. "Lord Danzo, what exactly are you planning to do here in Amegakure...?"

Danzo smiled faintly, but there was not a trace of warmth in it. "I wish to meet the owner of the Rinnegan."

Kakashi knew very well that the Rinnegan was most likely Danzo's target.

"The Shinobi World is in turmoil. Sooner or later, the Five Great Nations will have to cooperate with these powerful mercenary organizations. If we do not display sufficient strength, how can we make them submit to Konoha with peace of mind?"

It sounded high-minded, but Kakashi still felt that something was wrong.

He vaguely sensed that while Danzo's words made sense, this show of strength was likely not merely meant to intimidate others. It was also for the sake of seizing and controlling them.

Danzo stared coldly at Kakashi. Seeing that he said nothing, he did not press further and merely raised a hand in a gesture.

The Root members behind him instantly stepped aside in orderly formation, opening a straight passage through the shadows.

Kakashi looked at the pitch-black passage and stood quietly for a moment before finally stepping forward to leave.

But just as his figure was about to disappear into the darkness, Danzo suddenly spoke again. "Kakashi, I heard... your dream is to become Hokage as well?"

Kakashi's steps paused, and his back stiffened slightly beneath the rain curtain.

He did not answer at once. Instead, he asked in a calm tone, "Lord Danzo... then what is your dream? To become Hokage as well?"

The question was asked with remarkable ease...

Danzo's expression immediately darkened. His gaze turned icy, and his voice stiffened. "What, are you trying to mock me too?"

Only then did Kakashi turn around. Facing Danzo's gaze, his tone remained steady and sincere.

"I have never intended to mock anyone. As long as it benefits Konoha's future development, it does not really matter who becomes Hokage... even if that person is you, Lord Danzo."

There was neither sarcasm nor deliberate flattery in those words, and Danzo was briefly taken aback.

He had not expected Kakashi, who had always been quiet and composed, to answer him with such candid and sharp words.

Danzo stared at Kakashi's back, a complicated light surfacing in his eyes.

Kakashi's position was unclear, but precisely because of that, Danzo found him even harder to read.

"The Shinobi World is about to face a devastating disaster. In a crisis like this..."

"If there is someone truly powerful who can lead Konoha out of chaos, then I will support them with all my strength."

Danzo laughed. "Kakashi, those words of yours are dangerous. If Hiruzen hears them, you will be in trouble."

Kakashi shook his head. "I merely expressed my true thoughts. The Hokage will not blame me."

After saying that, Kakashi turned away calmly.

Danzo watched Kakashi's back gradually disappear into the curtain of rain and remained silent for a long time.

Those candid, unguarded words left him unable to recover his senses for a moment.

He had thought Kakashi was merely someone outwardly obedient and inwardly constrained.

Yet he had not expected those words to conceal such sharpness and implication.

As long as it benefits Konoha, it does not matter who becomes Hokage...

Even me...?

The words seemed casual, yet they struck straight at the heart.

Danzo narrowed his eyes slightly, then slowly turned around.

At that moment, his right eye suddenly opened. The scarlet Sharingan activated instantly, its three tomoe spinning like ripples and radiating a chilling aura.

The Root members remained silently standing where they were, like cold statues devoid of life.

As the power of the Sharingan spread, one of the members' bodies suddenly trembled slightly, his movements showing an extremely subtle discordance.

Danzo's gaze immediately locked onto him.

Though he had imposed strict mental and behavioral controls upon Root, he had never been naïve enough to believe that Root was completely free of infiltration by outside forces.

It seemed a rat had indeed slipped in.

The Root member who had been singled out sensed something was wrong and took half a step back. He knew that he had been exposed.

Kakashi's words just now carried immense significance.

They not only indicated Kakashi's latent doubts regarding the Third Hokage's leadership, but also vaguely revealed a certain inclination toward a change in power.

Such information could greatly affect the village's future direction. It had to be delivered to the Hokage as quickly as possible.

Although Danzo possessed all kinds of curse mark control methods, his special bloodline could transmit intelligence to the Third Hokage.

As a hidden pawn, he had been lurking at Danzo's side all along...

Therefore...

He had to report this to the Third Hokage!

The instant he moved, an eerie power suddenly closed in from behind.

The Wood Release Cells in Danzo's arm activated instantly. Grayish-brown ripples spread across the surface of his skin as withered wooden roots grew wildly from within his body like veins.

In the blink of an eye, the dead wood twisted and intertwined in his hand, condensing into a warped wooden blade.

The blade's form was exceedingly strange. Its body was black as ink, its patterns resembling the blood vessels of a human body...

Several woody blood vessels at the hilt connected to Danzo's arm, as though the weapon were a part of his body.

The Fugaku Sharingan in Danzo's palm opened with scarlet radiance, continuously resonating with the wooden blade...

Without another word, Danzo's figure flashed, as agile as he had been in his youth...

"Danzo..."

The ninja cried out, but before he could finish speaking, a flash of blade light cut through the air.

The sound of rain continued...

But then...

The sound of rain was instantly torn apart.

The wooden blade silently entered flesh. A moment later, bright red blood quietly sprayed through the air.

The ninja's eyes widened, as though he wanted to say something, but he could no longer make a sound.

He slowly dropped to his knees, the light in his eyes gradually fading.

Danzo stood before him with a cold expression and an indifferent gaze.

As the wooden blade slowly withdrew, dripping blood slid down its surface and fell to the ground, mixing with the rain and staining it dark red.

He lightly shook the blood from the blade and turned away coldly.

As his words fell, the corpse was swiftly wrapped up and devoured by wooden roots, leaving not a trace behind.

Danzo turned around and slowly closed his Sharingan, shadows once more covering his entire face.

"Continue the original mission."

"Yes."

The remaining Root members lowered their heads in response, their voices uniform and cold.