Tension

Inside a Root Base somewhere beneath Konoha.

"Lord Danzō!"

Itachi knelt on one knee before Shimura Danzō and said softly, "The mission is complete, but there was a minor complication."

Danzō's single eye stared coldly at Itachi. "A complication? What complication? Why was there a complication?"

Itachi said in a low voice, "Uchiha Kazuna will appear in the Forest of Death tomorrow night, but I cannot go there."

According to the original plan, Uchiha Itachi would launch a sneak attack on Kazuna first, after which Danzō's men would swarm in.

If possible, Uchiha Itachi would kill Kazuna alone to prove that he had not betrayed Konoha.

Itachi found this order rather absurd.

Killing Kazuna meant he had not betrayed Konoha?

Then had Kazuna betrayed Konoha?

What about the Will of Fire you people were always talking about?

"Why?"

Danzō's voice was low, his single eye fixed indifferently on Uchiha Itachi.

The atmosphere abruptly grew tense.

Itachi could even feel waves of cold killing intent permeating the air around him.

"Perhaps because Shisui and I are Anbu members, he is highly wary of us. He has already begun sending people to follow us."

Danzō frowned slightly.

Shisui and Itachi were Anbu members who answered directly to the Hokage, which made them despised by many among the Uchiha Hawk Faction.

Kazuna was Setsuna Uchiha's grandson and the heir of the Hawk Faction. Now that he had risen to power, it seemed only natural that he would target Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi.

Still, Danzō was not reassured.

One less Uchiha Itachi for the ambush on Kazuna was no great matter, but naturally suspicious as he was, Danzō feared that he was being plotted against.

"Itachi, tell me: why is Kazuna going to the Death Forest? How strong is he? And what is his Dojutsu?"

Itachi said, "No one besides Kazuna himself knows what his Dojutsu is. Even Setsuna Uchiha does not know. I am certain of that. He is just that cautious a person."

"As for the Death Forest..."

Uchiha Itachi's expression suddenly turned strange as he spoke.

Danzō keenly noticed something and barked, "Speak!"

After a brief silence, Itachi said, "Personally, I believe it is very likely related to Ino-Shika-Cho!"

The hand gripping Danzō's cane suddenly tightened. "Go on!"

Ino-Shika-Cho?

Why Ino-Shika-Cho?

What was Uchiha Kazuna trying to do?

Or was Uchiha Itachi up to something?

"Uchiha Kazuna discovered a type of herb in the Death Forest. It appears to be extremely valuable, so in recent years, he has often secretly entered the Death Forest, seemingly cultivating it in large quantities."

Danzō nodded slightly.

He had known long ago that the Uchiha often entered the Death Forest.

Uchiha spies had also reported the matter to the Konoha High Command.

However, they had always assumed that Kazuna went there to train.

After all, the Death Forest was Konoha's training ground. Many powerful shinobi trained there, so it was nothing unusual.

They had once sent people to follow Kazuna as well, but found nothing. Over time, they had let the matter go.

Yet now, they had received such an answer from Uchiha Itachi.

"Herbs? What kind of herbs?"

Though Danzō asked aloud, his thoughts immediately turned to the Deer of Ino-Shika-Cho—the Nara clan!

Each of the Ino-Shika-Cho clans was considered a powerful clan in Konoha on its own. More frighteningly, the three clans stood as one, advancing and retreating together. United, they feared not even Konoha's prestigious clans.

The Deer, the Nara clan, was not only the leader of Ino-Shika-Cho, but also Konoha's brain.

Furthermore, the head of the Nara clan held the position of Jonin Commander in Konoha.

After the position of Hokage passed through two generations of the Senju Clan, it went to Hiruzen Sarutobi and then to Minato Namikaze. Yet Konoha's Jonin Commander had always belonged to the Nara clan.

Konoha's military strategist, the strongest brain in the Shinobi World!

From that alone, one could imagine the Nara clan's status in Konoha.

The Nara clan specialized in raising deer, and deer antlers were one of the primary ingredients used to make Ration Pills.

Thus, the Nara clan's main business was Ration Pills, and every year they supplied the village with a considerable quantity.

They had even developed several kinds of Secret Medicine.

The Nara clan was also a clan skilled in medicine.

Kazuna had discovered excellent Herbs, perhaps even ones that could be cultivated on a large scale.

Was he planning to cooperate with the Nara clan?

Or had the two sides already begun cooperating?

Danzo's breathing quickened, his eyes turning incomparably vicious.

Damn it!

How could this be allowed!

The Nara clan was far too important. They were the brains of Ino-Shika-Cho, leading all three clans.

The Nara clan also held considerable prestige within Konohagakure.

These three clans had always been the Hokage's staunch supporters. If something went wrong and they even joined the Uchiha faction, along with the Hyuga Clan...

Forget wiping out the Uchiha Clan—they would be lucky not to be wiped out by them instead!

Hm, no!

Danzo quickly calmed down.

The Nara clan were all intelligent people, and they were also staunch supporters of the Hokage. They would not be so easily won over by the Uchiha.

But who could say for sure?

The thought that Uchiha Kazuna might contact the Nara clan left Danzo unable to sit still.

If it had been any other Uchiha, Danzo would not even have needed to consider it.

But it was Kazuna—the Kazuna who had repeatedly made him suffer losses.

Just yesterday, he had lost several elite men at Kazuna's hands.

If Kazuna had contacted the Nara clan, then the possibility of the Nara clan changing sides was simply too great.

Watching the clearly agitated Danzo, a faint sense of pleasure rose in Uchiha Itachi's heart.

Darkness of Shinobi, were you afraid?

Were you afraid of Brother Kazuna?

You should be. If I told you that every move you made was already within Brother Kazuna's calculations, you would probably collapse!

"No, this cannot continue!"

Danzo gritted his teeth, his expression twisted.

Uchiha Kazuna—this Uchiha was far too dangerous. He had to be dealt with as soon as possible!

Kill him, deal with Hyuga Hiashi, and everything would return to normal.

Then, they could slowly deal with the Uchiha.

This time, he absolutely could not follow Hiruzen Sarutobi's wishes. A race like the Uchiha should not exist.

They should be utterly and completely destroyed!

"Uchiha Itachi!"

Danzo's voice rang out.

Though it remained cold, Itachi heard something different in it.

"Yes!"

"Tell me about Uchiha Kazuna's strength!"

"Yes!" Itachi replied without hesitation. "Uchiha Kazuna is the strongest person I have ever seen—the absolute strongest. Even Fugaku Uchiha is far inferior to him."

Danzo frowned slightly. "Fugaku Uchiha awakened the Mangekyo!"

"Even so! He is still no match for Uchiha Kazuna." Itachi's words were utterly certain. "I cannot see through him. I only know that he is immensely powerful, but I cannot see his limits."

What a truly terrible answer!

Danzo grew even more restless.

"You may withdraw. Do not arouse his suspicions!"

"Yes!"

Itachi used the Body Flicker Technique and left.