You're Going Too Far

"Hello, everyone. I'm a ninja newly assigned here. My name is Shisui Uchiha. I look forward to working with you."

On a riverbank in Konoha, Shisui Uchiha introduced himself with a smile. Hidezawa, however, was not surprised by the newcomer at all.

After meeting with the Third Hokage, he had been certain that his boss, Danzo, had reached an understanding with his good buddy.

Besides, he had already been sent to the Anbu. If Danzo failed to achieve his intended goal, wouldn't that mean he had been sent here for nothing?

For someone like Danzo, who took pride in being ruthless and would refuse to lose even in a fight with a dog, that was absolutely unacceptable!

"Shisui-senpai, I didn't expect it to be you."

Yugao looked somewhat surprised at Shisui. He was only slightly older than her, yet he had entered the Anbu under the title of genius.

Moreover, unlike the other Uchiha, he lacked their usual arrogance and had a fairly good reputation in the Anbu. Why had such a genius joined their squad?

Yugao had always thought that after the squad was reorganized, Hayate or someone with a similar record would be the one joining them.

"It was probably necessary for the arrangement."

Shisui smiled and offered a brief explanation.

"Lord Hokage said this squad was exceptional, but it had suffered casualties during missions. Since I might work well with the two of you, he chose me."

Shisui's words were humble enough that even an old hand like Hidezawa couldn't help raising an eyebrow.

Although in Hidezawa's memories, this Uchiha "hero" did not seem particularly sharp.

And he always went limp when he needed to be tough, while becoming impossibly stubborn when he ought to yield. For example, when he committed suicide, not even a ghost could have dragged him back.

But for now, he seemed pretty decent.

"Senpai, my name is Shihara Hidezawa. I look forward to working with you."

Though he was muttering to himself inwardly, Hidezawa kept smiling and nodded at Shisui.

No matter what Shisui was really like, Hidezawa's Root mission was secure now. When the time came, he could casually muddle through it and call it "gratitude for Lord Danzo's cultivation."

Besides, Shisui had the Mangekyo. If any trouble came up, at least someone could cover their retreat.

After the three of them chatted briefly, they had become somewhat acquainted. Yugao appeared cold, but she was actually warm-hearted beneath the surface.

And Shisui was truly the kind of Uchiha the Second Hokage would have liked. He had no airs about him and was especially enthusiastic.

However, Shisui seemed curious about something. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked in a quiet, curious voice.

"Yugao, Hidezawa, when I came over just now, I saw that you seemed to be with that kid?"

"You mean Naruto?"

Hidezawa blinked, while Yugao looked a little helpless. They had only interacted briefly, but she felt Naruto was not as bad as people made him out to be.

"Yes."

Shisui had no idea what the two of them were thinking. Recalling the Third Hokage's words and the rumors circulating through Konoha, he felt he should remind his teammates.

"You must have heard some things too. That boy seems to symbolize misfortune."

This again.

Hidezawa and Yugao exchanged a glance. Hidezawa's eyes were full of amusement, while Yugao's face was filled with embarrassment.

Their expressions fell into Shisui's eyes, leaving him deeply puzzled. Had he said something wrong?

"Shisui-senpai, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course. Please, go ahead."

"Senpai, you're going too far. Are you questioning Lord Hokage's decision?"

"!?"

Shisui Uchiha's expression changed instantly.

Konoha, Root's Underground Base.

The place was gloomy and dark. The moment one entered, one could feel an oppressive atmosphere pressing down on them.

Even with towering, elegant buildings and a large Training Ground where several Root trainees drilled, that atmosphere could not be changed.

But Danzo liked this atmosphere. In his view, Root was meant to exist beneath Konoha's shadow, with its roots buried deep in darkness.

And it was meant to use every means necessary to eliminate those who threatened Konoha!

As for whether things truly matched what he imagined, he did not care what others thought. It was enough that he believed it.

"That kid should have handed the item over to Orochimaru by now, and he should have teamed up with Shisui Uchiha as well."

In an office within the base, Danzo flipped through the files in his hand as he pondered.

"Hmph, brat, you'd better perform well. This old man has paid quite a price for you."

An Uchiha entering the Anbu was utterly incomprehensible to Danzo, even though he had once had a fellow disciple named Kagami Uchiha.

And this Shisui Uchiha was Kagami Uchiha's descendant.

"Kano should be making his move as well. Kakashi's eye..."

Danzo touched his blind eye and considered it for a moment. He could indeed directly take out and use Kagami Uchiha's eyes.

He had removed and preserved those eyes back then. But Kakashi being able to use Obito Uchiha's eye meant either that eye was special, or Kakashi was special.

Whatever the reason, Danzo wanted to recover Obito Uchiha's eye. At the same time, he could test Kano's combat ability.

When Kano had gone to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kakashi had actually defeated him in a single move.

Didn't that mean Wood Release could not measure up to the Sharingan?

Danzo could not tolerate that!

"This time, Kano must gain something."

As Danzo thought this, his gaze fell on the files in his hands. Besides being Root's leader, he was also the Hokage Assistant.

He had access to countless pieces of intelligence, allowing him to consider how Konoha could profit from them!

"Rain Country... The war is still ongoing. That bastard Hanzō set me up and forced me to rebuild Root, yet he has gone and hidden in his shell?"

"Earth Country... Is Ōnoki still planning to push south? It seems their conflict with Sunagakure will intensify. Let's see whether we can add fuel to the fire and make them fight."

"This Yakushi Nonō's intelligence-gathering ability is impressive. No wonder they call her the 'Walking Witch.'"

"But she remains a threat after all. Is she asking for photos again?"

"Wind Country... Intelligence on Yakushi Kabuto? Kirigakure is harassing Sunagakure?"

"We can't infiltrate Water Country, yet we obtained intelligence from here."

"Still, that Scorch Style Pakura seems to be performing well against Kirigakure. But how is that madman Rasa supposed to deal with the pincer attack from Kirigakure and Iwagakure?"

"Find a way to get a clear picture. At the same time, see whether we can do anything. It would be best if we could eliminate that woman. After all, it is Scorch Release."

"Lightning Country... Those Cloud Village people are as ambitious as ever. They seem to have their eyes on Cedar Country's secret techniques. What a pack of rabid dogs!"

Danzo treated every other village in the Shinobi World the same way: he wanted to destroy them, and he looked down on them all equally.

But unfortunately, his old friend Hiruzen Sarutobi did not share his views. So he could only act as a troublemaker, plotting and laying out plans in secret.

Whether it was drawing in allies or assassinating people who stood against him, everything he did was for Konoha.

Of course, he was also doing a few "small things within his power" to prepare for his own rise to office. One day, he would conquer the Shinobi World!

"Hiruzen, you are far too weak."

At that thought, Danzo could not help sighing sincerely.

But what he never could have imagined, even in his dreams, was that a familiar voice would suddenly drift up beside him.

"Is that so? Perhaps. But I also think, Danzo, that you're going too far."

New author, new book. Please follow and bookmark.

As for Pakura, I searched through all the available material and could not find exactly when she died. I could only go by her disciple, so I estimate that it was probably sometime between the end of the Third Shinobi World War and the present point in the story.