Sasuke looked ashamed.
Yao was right. The Root ninja had indeed told him earlier that they had news about Uchiha Itachi.
The moment Sasuke heard those four words—Uchiha Itachi—he left with the Root ninja without a second thought.
Then he fell for their trap and was brought here by the Root ninja.
"Looks like I was right, my foolish little brother!"
Yao shook his head. He couldn't even be bothered to scold him anymore, and turned to Shimura Danzō.
"Lord Danzō, if you wanted to see me, you could've sent someone to let me know. There was no need to make such a fuss."
"You invited me, Lord Danzō. Did you really think I could refuse?"
"Is that so?"
Danzō's voice was cold, his tone dripping with mockery. "Would an Uchiha brat really be so obedient?"
He clearly didn't believe Yao would cooperate willingly, and had no intention of wasting time on such insincere pleasantries.
He had set this trap today to get what he wanted in a situation where he had absolute control.
Danzō brought his cane down hard and got straight to the point.
"I'm very curious. Why does a naturally evil Uchiha brat like you know Wood Release?"
"Wood Release is the First Hokage's power! How did you obtain it? Tell me everything you know!"
This question had always troubled Danzō—and tempted him.
He had thought Uchiha Yao was Orochimaru's perfect test subject.
But after confronting Orochimaru, he discovered that wasn't the case. Orochimaru had never had any contact with Yao.
That only made Danzō more curious. He was desperate to uncover Yao's secret.
If he could learn that secret and master Wood Release, he could become Konoha's Hokage.
Faced with Danzō's demand, Yao smiled. "The secret of Wood Release?"
"Lord Danzō, you're about to die. What good will knowing the secret of Wood Release do you?"
"Impudent!"
"How dare you!"
The Root ninja around them shouted angrily, their killing intent plain to see.
"Hmph! Sharp-tongued! You really are a member of that naturally evil clan!"
Danzō snorted, his voice turning even colder. "You'll never learn respect or obedience!"
He seemed to have run out of patience. He raised his left hand and made a gesture.
A Root ninja beside him immediately stepped forward and handed Danzō a gleaming Ninja Sword.
Danzō took the sword and pressed its tip to Sasuke's throat.
The sharp blade rested against his skin. A slight push would sever Sasuke's windpipe and artery.
Sasuke trembled all over, but the curse mark held him fast, leaving him unable to move. His eyes were filled with humiliation and grief.
But Danzō didn't even look at Sasuke. His lone eye stayed fixed on Yao.
"Uchiha Yao... My patience is limited!"
"Now, tell me everything about how you mastered Wood Release!"
Danzō tightened his grip. The tip of the blade pierced Sasuke's skin, and a red bead of blood trickled down his neck.
"Otherwise..."
"I'll kill Uchiha Sasuke right in front of you!"
"I'll make you watch as the last of your blood relatives in this world dies horribly because of your arrogance and secrecy!"
"Heh!"
Yao couldn't help laughing at Danzō's blatant threat.
The next moment!
He appeared out of nowhere beside Sasuke and punched Danzō.
Did Danzō really think he could pull this kind of stunt in front of a Flying Thunder God User?
"What?!"
Danzō hadn't even seen how Yao appeared before the punch sent him flying.
"Flying Thunder God Technique... It really is the Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Danzō's furious, shocked roar rang out as he flew through the air.
This Uchiha brat had mastered not only Wood Release, but the Flying Thunder God Technique as well!
Yao raised his left hand.
"Release!"
The writhing black curse-mark patterns quickly faded away.
Sasuke's body relaxed, and he immediately regained the ability to move.
"Go!"
Yao grabbed Sasuke's arm and used the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Whoosh!
The two vanished from where they stood.
Almost in the same instant, they appeared at the other end of the stone bridge, escaping the encirclement of Danzō and the Root ninja.
"Wood Release: Wood Clone!"
A wooden shoot emerged from Yao's body and grew into a Wood Clone.
"Take Sasuke and leave!"
The Wood Clone nodded, then disappeared from Root Base with Sasuke.
Sasuke was far too weak right now. He'd only be a burden if he stayed, so Yao was better off having the Wood Clone take him away.
With the Second Pillar out of the way, Yao had nothing left to worry about.
Meanwhile.
Danzō slammed into the rock wall behind him, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The pain twisted his old face. He fixed his lone eye on Yao across the bridge.
"You brat... When... When did you learn the Flying Thunder God Technique?!"
"And Wood Release... Just how many secrets are you hiding?"
Danzō's voice was hoarse.
He craved power more than anything, and Yao's secrets were an irresistible temptation.
He wanted nothing more than to crack open Uchiha Yao's skull and take a good look inside.
"You ask too many questions, Lord Danzō. Besides, I have no interest in answering a dead man."
Yao clapped his hands, and chakra erupted from him. "Wood Release: Flowering Tree Descent!"
Rumble!
The stone bridge beneath their feet shook violently and cracked. Brownish-yellow trees and vines surged up like ancient serpents awakening.
They shattered the hard stone surface and burst up from the ground.
The surrounding rock walls!
The ceiling of the underground chamber!
Even every inch of earth spewed forth trees!
They intertwined, coiled, and expanded, forming a primeval forest that pressed in on all sides.
It quickly filled the entire vast underground space, swallowing everything!
Massive buds bloomed, releasing a strange scent.
The forest roared!
Vines writhed like enraged dragons, sweeping straight toward Danzō and the Root ninja.
"Flowering Tree Descent!"
Danzō's expression changed sharply. He shouted, "Careful! The pollen is poisonous! Hold your breath! Don't inhale it!"
The Root ninja were well trained, and all reacted quickly. They held their breath or covered their mouths and noses with cloth.
"Too naive!"
Yao's voice echoed through the forest as the serpent-like vines and wooden tendrils lashed, coiled, and pierced in from every direction.
These Root ninja were notorious, with fearsome reputations.
But honestly,
their abilities varied widely. They weren't all top-class fighters.
Against the relentless attacks of the vines, they performed poorly.
"Ah!"
One Root ninja failed to dodge in time and was struck across the waist by a vine.
The terrifying force shattered his bones and organs. He let out a scream, collapsed, and stopped breathing.
Another barely dodged the blow from the front, only to be pierced through the shoulder by a sharp wooden spike from the side.
The agony disrupted his breathing, and he inhaled a little of the drifting pollen.
His body stiffened at once. His eyes went unfocused, and he collapsed, paralyzed by the poison.
Others tried to clear a path with Wind Release or Fire Release Ninjutsu.
But against the rapidly growing forest, their efforts were a drop in the bucket. Before long, they were swallowed by even more vines...
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen elite Root ninja were dead or wounded.
Only Danzō and a handful of others remained in fighting condition.
The situation had turned around in an instant!
Seeing his subordinates suffer heavy casualties, Danzō remained cold rather than angry. A glint flashed in his exposed eye.
"Such strong combat ability, such skillful control of Wood Release, and such an enormous chakra reserve!"
"No doubt about it!"
"He's the real one!"
A glint flashed in Danzō's eye. He barked, "Wind!"
"Understood!"
Before you continue