Assassination Request

Sora Uchiha's words successfully drew the attention of the three other men present.

Momosuke was a little surprised, as Sora hadn't mentioned this to him after returning yesterday. However, his attention wasn't on that now; a slight smile appeared on his face, as if to say, See? It doesn't matter if I agree or not, they've already snatched him up.

Danzo's expression flickered with bewilderment for a moment, then slowly sank. Clearly, he hadn't known about these matters.

Sora Uchiha joining the Anbu was a decision made only after Minato returned yesterday. In fact, Minato was currently discussing the matter in his office.

"I imagine Lord Danzo wouldn't fight the Anbu for a person, would he?" Sora Uchiha said innocently at this moment, seemingly oblivious to the gloom on Danzo's face.

He then added, "The Anbu are the pillars of Konoha, and I've long admired them."

At this point, Sora Uchiha joining was basically hopeless.

Danzo's original plan had anticipated two outcomes:

First, Sora Uchiha would join Root. That would be excellent; he was confident he could brainwash Sora into becoming his own man.

Second, Momosuke would refuse, or rather, the Uchiha would refuse. This outcome would be even better, or rather, he actually looked forward to it. The current attempts to pressure the Uchiha had reached a bottleneck, and this second outcome would give him an opportunity to suppress the Uchiha further.

But what he hadn't expected was Minato Namikaze "stealing his person" the moment he returned yesterday.

If he insisted on fighting for Sora now, it would make him look like he had ulterior motives.

However, as the "Darkness of the Shinobi World," his composure was deep enough to swallow elephants.

After just a moment, he regained his calm. "The Anbu are naturally an important foundation of Konoha. Since you're joining the Anbu, serve them well, and you will be repaying Konoha."

"Indeed, indeed. Sora, did you hear that? Assistant Danzo is giving you guidance. You must keep it in your heart."

"I will, I will." Sora Uchiha showed a child's innocence, his fist tapping his chest, his gaze resolute. "Everything for Konoha."

"Oh, right, Assistant Danzo, the plan I mentioned earlier is still valid. Why don't you pick someone else from the Uchiha clan to join Root?" Momosuke added another jab, deliberately provoking Danzo.

"There's no need. Joining the Anbu and joining Root are the same, as they spring from the same source." Danzo forced a smile, his expression unreadable, and slowly stood up.

Ryoma, with sharp eyes, immediately stood up and took the jacket off the coat rack to drape over Danzo.

"I still have matters to attend to at Root, so I won't be staying any longer."

"Since Assistant Danzo is so busy, I won't see you out." Momosuke picked up his teacup and gently blew on the hot liquid. "You can visit anytime."

Danzo didn't reply and walked straight out, Ryoma following closely behind him.

After leaving the Uchiha compound, Danzo glanced back at the small courtyard. Autumn was gradually setting in, and the leaves of the plane trees planted outside the courtyard fluttered down, covering the tiled roof with a layer of gold.

His gaze gradually turned cold, occasionally flashing with an unfathomable, dark light. He glanced at Ryoma beside him and said softly:

"Sora Uchiha, very good. If he has a future, he might be a variable."

Upon receiving Danzo's look, Ryoma immediately understood. He lowered his head slightly and respectfully replied, "Understood. I will handle it immediately."

With that, he leaped up and jumped onto the rooftop, heading towards the gates of Konoha...

Danzo's eyes flickered with an uncertain gloom, an invisible darkness slowly staining his scarlet heart.

Caw--

Black ravens circled in the sky, letting out sharp cries that sent shivers down one's spine, as if warning that something was about to happen.

Danzo reached out, and a raven landed in his palm. Its dark eyes darted left and right, reflecting his slightly aged, terrifying face.

"Uchiha..." he murmured, stroking the raven's head with his finger.

Since Sora Uchiha refused to join Root, then he had no reason to exist.

It was a case of "those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish."

The raven's small head kept looking around, suddenly startled, as if sensing the chilling aura beside it and wanting to fly away.

"Caw--"

The next moment, blood splattered, and pure black feathers drifted in the wind, like a black snow.

Land of Rain, Amegakure.

Gray, towering industrial towers and pipes spread wildly throughout the village.

It rained year-round, with rain battering the land for at least three hundred days a year, and the remaining sixty-odd days were filled with overcast skies.

The entire village was permeated with a suffocating atmosphere.

A man wearing a raincoat and sunglasses stepped through the mud into the shinobi village.

Rain drizzled down. Industrial waste from the high towers and pipes flowed down onto the concrete ground, and the air was filled with the smell of rusted metal.

"Halt!" Two guards at the village entrance stopped the man.

"Purpose."

"Hiring." The man said faintly, then produced a shinobi identification plate, revealing his identity.

The two exchanged glances and recognized the plate as belonging to the Land of Fire.

"Please hand over your weapons for safekeeping."

The man nodded and handed over the kunai he was carrying.

"Only one kunai?"

"Yes."

After a search confirmed he had no other weapons, the guard let him pass.

After the man left, the guard muttered, "In this day and age, a ninja carrying only one weapon..."

An hour later, Ryoma Aburame successfully entered a building in Amegakure and sat down cross-legged.

Opposite him sat another imposing middle-aged man with long black hair, a resolute face, sharp eyes, and a red battle robe.

He was the idol and hero in the hearts of many in Amegakure, the ninja known as the "God of Shinobi," Hanzo of the Salamander.

"Interesting. Konoha has come to us again to assassinate someone," Hanzo said, taking a sip of tea and fixing Ryoma with a scrutinizing gaze.

Being stared at by such a majestic gaze made him feel immense pressure. He truly is the ninja known as the God of Shinobi, he thought.

"I recall your assassination services don't inquire about the origin," he said calmly.

"Alright. Tell me, who is the target this time?"

"Konoha, Sora Uchiha," Ryoma replied.

Hanzo thought for a moment, a clear hint of amusement in his eyes. "Haha, Konoha is still engaging in infighting during the Third Shinobi War."

"No questions asked about the reason, the right or wrong, or the origin," Ryoma reminded him.

"Hmm... let's talk about the payment," Hanzo said, narrowing his eyes like an old fox.

"Five million silver."

"Twenty million," Hanzo stated flatly.

Ryoma's brow furrowed. He knew that the minimum reward for an S-rank mission was one million, meaning Hanzo's demand was enough to fund twenty S-rank missions.

"Ten million."

Hanzo chuckled and casually said to a nearby attendant, "Show him out."

Ryoma's expression changed. He hadn't expected Hanzo to be unwilling to negotiate at all. "Fine, twenty million."

"Twenty million was the previous offer. Now it's thirty million," Hanzo said nonchalantly.

"You!" Ryoma couldn't help but stand up.

Hanzo glanced at him sideways, and for an instant, immense pressure enveloped him.

After a long moment...

"Fine."

"The rules."

Ryoma silently took out one card, then another.

"There's twenty million in here. The remaining ten million will be settled upon successful completion of the mission."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out."

Behind him, Hanzo's hearty laughter could be heard.