Unlike the Third Elder's calm confidence, Danzo had recently been frowning, anger simmering in his heart.
Not long ago, Uchiha Itachi had attacked Root, killing four elite ninjas on the spot.
And last night, during the operation to surround and eliminate the Akatsuki Organization, Root had lost a great deal of fighting strength.
The once-unstoppable "Root" had been badly weakened, as if scorched by Rekka.
Root urgently needed fresh recruits, especially Sensory Ninjas and Medical Ninjas.
The masked enemy from last night, who had called himself "Uchiha Madara," had slaughtered more Sensory Ninjas from Root than anyone else.
Though Root had managed to withdraw, many members were gravely injured and needed support from ninjas skilled in Medical Ninjutsu.
On Root's intelligence roster, a familiar name once again caught his eye.
Uchiha Rei.
A genius who had awakened both the Sharingan and the Byakugan, two Kekkei Genkai, and also possessed Medical Ninjutsu.
He was exactly the kind of talent Root most desperately wanted right now.
"We have to win Uchiha Rei over." Danzo stared at the documents on his desk, his voice low and resolute.
"We need a Tsunade of our own," he murmured to himself.
Root had tried to recruit Uchiha Rei before, even offering the antidote for the Salamander Poison in his body as leverage, but Rei had flatly refused.
Danzo knew the Third Hokage must have had a hand in it.
That old monkey had surely made Uchiha Rei a promise.
But what if Root had a Medical Ninja on Tsunade's level of its own?
If Danzo could offer Uchiha Rei everything he wanted—resources, protection, power... would he still choose the Third Hokage?
Danzo's gaze sharpened, and another name suddenly flashed through his mind: Orochimaru.
Tsunade's contemporary, one of the Sannin. Though he was wanted and living in