Mantis Stalks Cicada, Monkey Waits Behind

The original novel was mostly memories, after all.

The original story was mostly flashbacks, after all.

And Jin had also been transmigrated for many years, only vaguely remembering that he had dug it up on this cliff.

And Jin had been transmigrated here for many years, only vaguely remembering that it was on this Cliff that he'd dug them out.

Then Shisui, cornered and pursued, met Itachi, entrusted him with something, and leaped down.

Then Shisui, cornered and pursued, had run into Itachi, entrusted him with something, and leaped down.

His body was never found.

No body was ever found.

Yeah, even Kabuto, that corpse-collecting maniac, couldn't find it.

Yeah, even Kabuto, that corpse-collecting maniac, couldn't find it.

Maybe he shattered into pieces on impact?

Maybe he'd shattered into pieces on impact?

With doubts, Jin trailed behind these Root members.

With that doubt lingering, Jin trailed behind these Root members.

Slowly, the dense forest grew taller and thicker.

Slowly, the dense forest grew taller and thicker.

In the pitch-black night, it looked like a massive beast.

In the pitch-black night, it looked like a massive beast.

Its mouth wide open, waiting for someone to jump in.

Its mouth wide open, waiting for someone to jump in.

That naive Shisui just hopped right in, all bright and cheerful.

That naive Shisui just waltzed right in.

Fifteen minutes earlier.

Fifteen minutes earlier.

Shisui eagerly arrived in the dense forest.

Shisui had arrived at the forest in high spirits.

Seeing the man waiting not far away, he couldn't hide the smile on his face and waved as he called out:

When he spotted the man waiting not far away, the smile on his face was impossible to hide, and he waved as he called out:

"Lord Danzo, do you really have a way to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha and the village?"

"Lord Danzo, do you really have a way to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village?"

Pay attention—this sunny, cheerful big boy is called Handsome... called Shisui.

Pay attention—this sunny, cheerful big boy is called Handsome... called Shisui.

At this moment, even the corners of his mouth were brimming with a rich smile.

At this moment, the corners of his mouth were brimming with a bright smile.

"Great!

"Great!

The village and the clan can finally live in peace!

The village and the clan can finally coexist in peace!

That kid Jin even said Lord Danzo was unreliable—what a little fool."

That little Jin even said Lord Danzo was untrustworthy—what a little fool."

Not long ago, he had suddenly received a message.

Just a short while ago, he'd suddenly received a message.

Danzo had a way to peacefully resolve the conflict between the village and the clan!

Danzo had a way to peacefully resolve the conflict between the village and the clan!

So he had rushed over impatiently.

That's why he'd rushed over so impatiently.

His steps were practically bouncing.

His steps were practically hopping.

Deep forest at night, bouncing steps, cheerful sounds, swaying figure.

Deep night in the dense forest—bouncing steps, a cheerful voice, a swaying figure.

These highlighted the protagonist's inner joy and anticipation, using a technique of suppressing first to emphasize the later plot direction.

These highlighted the protagonist's inner joy and anticipation, using a technique of building up before the fall to emphasize the story's direction.

"That's right, this method is rather secret. Come closer, and I'll tell you."

"That's right, this method is rather secret. Come closer, and I'll tell you."

Danzo waved his hand, signaling Shisui to come over.

Danzo waved his hand, signaling Shisui to come over.

And—the sunny, cheerful big boy, without a moment's hesitation, leaned in directly.

And—that sunny, cheerful big boy, without a moment's hesitation, leaned in directly.

Seeing this, the smile in Danzo's scarred eyes gradually deepened.

Seeing this, the smile in Danzo's scarred eyes gradually deepened.

Even the corners of his mouth could barely be contained.

Even the corners of his mouth could barely be restrained.

He could barely stop himself from covering his face with one hand and laughing wildly!

He even felt like covering his face with one hand and laughing wildly right now!

But Shisui didn't notice, just obediently sticking his head out: "Lord Danzo! What exactly is the method?!"

But Shisui didn't notice; he just obediently stuck his head out. "Lord Danzo! What exactly is the method?!"

"The method is—give me your eyes."

"The method is—give me your eyes."

"Huh?!"

"Huh?!"

Thud!

Pfft!

Shisui froze for a moment.

Shisui froze for a moment.

Then, one of his eyes went blind.

Then, one of his eyes went blind.

Only when blood soaked Danzo's right hand did he finally realize what had happened.

Only when blood soaked Danzo's right hand did he finally realize what had happened.

His face instantly darkened, but more than that, there was confusion: "Lord Danzo, what are you—doing?!"

His face instantly darkened, but there was more confusion than anything else. "Lord Danzo, what are you—doing?!"

"Doing? Can't you tell yet?"

"Doing what? Can't you see yet?"

"Shisui, you're a good kid, but the power of these eyes is too great for you to handle. Let me take over!"

"Shisui, you're a good kid, but the power of these eyes is too great—you can't handle it. Let me take over!"

Danzo laughed loudly, his body trembling violently, Danzo laughed, his body trembling violently.

"Only by handing over the eyes to me can I change Fugaku and the Monkey!"

"Only by handing over your eyes can I change Fugaku and that Monkey!"

"Then, your Uchiha clan will never stage a coup again!?!"

"Then, your Uchiha Clan will never stage a coup again!?!"

"And Konoha won't suppress you anymore!"

"And the Leaf will stop oppressing you!"

The more he spoke, the more excited Danzo became.

The more he spoke, the more excited Danzo became.

He could already see himself kicking Hiruzen Sarutobi and punching Koharu Utatane!

He could already see himself kicking Sarutobi Hiruzen and punching Utatane Koharu!

"Hiruzen has really been going too far lately!"

"Hiruzen has been going too far lately!"

As he said this, he put away the eye and was about to say something more when—

With that, he put the eye away and was about to say something more when—

Before him, Shisui suddenly split into over a dozen figures, scattering in different directions.

"Body Flicker?" Danzo wasn't surprised, just shaking his head as he watched the retreating forms. "This dense forest is crawling with my men!"

"You can't escape!"

"I told you—even if that Monkey himself showed up, he'd have to squat on the sidelines and watch!"

Bam!

"Monkey my ass!"

Before the words faded, a heavy, powerful strike landed on the back of his head!

A smooth brick, gleaming with Red Light, appeared out of nowhere right at the spot.

With the scorching heat of crimson and the blue-white of the Eight Trigrams Palm, it slammed straight down!

That brick carried both the Chakra-sealing power of the Eight Trigrams Palm and the boost of two tails' worth of the Power of the Nine-Tails.

Its force was immense!

And it struck when Danzo was completely off guard.

Everything was perfectly timed.

Then—Danzo's vision went black, and he crumpled.

Only faintly catching two words in his ears: "Monkey..."

The one who came was naturally not the Monkey, but Jin.

Using the Weak Presence trait, he'd crept right up to Danzo!

Thump.

The moment Danzo fell, Jin casually reached out.

A bloody eye, sharp and crimson-edged, was plucked clean.

It really was quite big.

This big dumb fool still got his eye gouged out.

Jin sighed, tucked the eye away, and was about to turn and leave.

But then he glanced at Danzo sprawled on the ground, and that itch to loot the corpse stirred restlessly.

Kill Danzo now?

Definitely not—Kakashi was right behind him.

Besides, if Leaf's Pot Kage died here, who would the Uchiha Clan pin their grudges on later?

So Jin didn't finish him off. Instead, he treated him like a pig to fatten.

Fatten it up, then butcher it.

Let this pig live a few more days.

Of course—even if he couldn't kill him, he could still hit him!

Bam!

Bam bam bam!

The next second, glowing fists rained down in a dense barrage.

Still not satisfied after the beating, Jin Looked Towards the brick lying nearby.

He picked it up again.

Sure enough, deep down, he still loved smashing people with a brick!

Under the moonlight, Danzo's delirious mutterings drifted out.

They spoke of the Hokage seat he'd lost in the sunset.

"Lord Danzo, you..."

After Jin vanished, Kakashi, who had followed, stared at the scene with a deeply complicated expression.

Especially when he saw Danzo, completely defenseless, laid out by a single brick from Jin—his eyes bulged wide.

Wider than when he saw the latest volume of Makeout Paradise!

He knew Danzo's strength; even elite jonin were no match for him!

But...

How had Jin gotten so close without Danzo noticing a thing??

"Could it be... he was so thrilled about getting that eye that he lost all caution?"

Kakashi rubbed his temples, a headache forming.

He had no idea how to explain today's events to the Third Hokage.

What was he supposed to say—that Danzo tried to steal an Uchiha's eyeball and ended up getting knocked out cold by Jin's brick instead?

If word of this got out, the relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village would likely fall into an irreparable deadlock.

Of course, he still had to do his part of the job.

He sent a signal to the Third Hokage.

Then, he simply stood by, guarding the scene of the incident.

Whoosh!

Before long, a group of figures rushed over at high speed.

The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, arrived swiftly, carrying his large staff.

"Kakashi! Was the Leaf Village attacked?!"

Hearing that Danzo had been knocked unconscious, he instinctively assumed the Leaf was under assault.

That was why he had come directly in a combat-ready state.

At his side, Enma stood coldly.

His gaze swept the surroundings darkly.

When his eyes landed, Danzo happened to open his eyes below.

The first thing he saw... was a monkey.

Mon...key?

In an instant, the voice from before his unconsciousness echoed in his ears!

Danzo shot up abruptly, staring at the Third Hokage and Enma, and accused hoarsely:

"Monkey! You ambushed me!"