Konoha's Foundation

Konoha, as the victor of the Shinobi World War, drew the full attention of the other four great nations with every move it made.

Recently, however, news that left the other four villages utterly incredulous spread.

Danzo had gotten married.

Yes, the "Darkness of the Shinobi," who claimed to have cast aside all emotion and perfectly inherited the Second Hokage's cold way of thinking, had actually gone into heat with one foot already in the grave. He had used his position to force a female medical ninja from the village and brought her home as his wife.

Yakushi Nonō's information, from her background to her appearance, was delivered to the desks of the other four Kage within just a few days.

Blonde-haired and blue-eyed, with gentle features and a slender figure, she was an undeniable beauty.

Behind the photograph was a flawless file fabricated by Root. From her birth and graduation to her growth in the Medical Department, it documented how all three Genin under her command had died during the Battle of Mount Kikyo, leading her to realize the preciousness of life. She had now withdrawn from the ninja ranks and ran an Orphanage, caring for children who had lost both parents in the war.

What a wonderful person—beautiful, mature in spirit, and, rarer still, kindhearted.

That old bastard Danzo must have used his power to coerce her. Otherwise, how could such a stunning beauty, one impossible to find even with a lantern, marry a decrepit old man?

After reading the files, the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure came to the most accurate conclusion.

"After obtaining the Mangekyo, that old bastard's strength has increased, and the vile desires he used to hide have begun to surface. Before long, he will clash with the mild-tempered Third Hokage. We must be prepared. The Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan main family is the key to whether Chakra Mode can truly be completed. We must obtain it at any cost."

In the recent war, Kumogakure had suffered a crushing defeat under the combined pressure of Iwagakure and Konoha. The Third A had no choice but to resign as Raikage and formally hand the position to his son.

Now, the Fourth Raikage had only two words in his mind—strength!

In Kirigakure, the Mizukage remained speechless for a long time after reading the intelligence.

In Iwagakure, the beautiful female secretary looked furtively at Ōnoki, whose forehead veins bulged.

"I am not someone like Danzo. I have long since grown indifferent to women."

After slamming his fist against the desk, the Tsuchikage's roar could be heard across half the village.

In Sunagakure, Rasa nodded silently, wondering whether he should select a few beauties to work on Danzo, Konoha's most important figure after the Hokage, and reduce his village's reparations somewhat.

"Pakura is about to be disposed of in Kirigakure anyway. Before she dies, should I make use of what value she has left?"

Unbeknownst to them, Guo Wang, whom half the Shinobi World now recognized as an old lecher, was feeling immensely pleased with himself.

Though he was an old man, his spirits had never been better.

After obtaining the Spirit Transformation Technique, his Primordial Spirit could leave his body. As long as he wished, he could go without rest forever. Meanwhile, under daily dual cultivation, his body had gradually begun recovering the vitality and vigor of his middle-aged years. The most mysterious Yin Release and Yang Release among Ninjutsu had begun to merge within him, transforming into a power that should have been a Kekkei Genkai, yet was even stronger.

Impure World Reincarnation proved that the boundaries between yin and yang, life and death, were extremely blurred in this world. Once he found the pattern, perhaps he could truly transcend reincarnation and hold dominion over life and death.

"News just came in. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have landed along the border of the Land of Fire."

Within Root, Guo Wang sat in a wooden chair, the Sharingan in his eyes turning faintly as he watched Orochimaru's smiling face. An opened scroll was handed to him. Though they had stepped down from their positions as Anbu commanders, the Intelligence Department remained under their control.

"Not bad. It seems this old man's line has not been cut off yet."

Three days earlier, on the night the wedding ended, Aburame Torune had taken Kinoe and a squad of Root ninja and infiltrated the Land of Water.

"This is no childish scuffle. Even I find those seven troublesome."

Kirigakure was the only one among the Five Great Nations that still retained the ninja customs of the Warring States Period. The wielders of the seven Ninja Blades, who had fought their way out of the Bloody Mist, were Elite Jonin even individually. If all seven gathered, even the Five Kage had to show them some respect.

"The people of Kirigakure will never truly be of one mind. Unless they face a life-or-death crisis, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen will not fight together."

"I only said they were troublesome, not that I could not handle them."

As the leading figure among Konoha's younger generation, Orochimaru's strength was still trustworthy. Throughout the Shinobi World, he was recognized as a well-rounded Kage-level expert without a single weakness, and he was at the peak of his life.

"Even so, just in case, I will send you one of Konoha's Foundation."

During the Second Hokage's era, Konoha's younger generation had clearly split into two factions.

One was represented by Sarutobi Hiruzen, who stood for the light, while the other was led by Shimura Danzō, who commanded the darkness.

In his early years, Senju Tobirama had created countless forbidden techniques to deal with Uchiha Madara. Even his nearly godlike Water Release had been cultivated to counter Fire Release. But later, because of Hashirama Senju, the two clans formed an alliance and founded Konoha, while some inhumane methods were expressly forbidden by the First Hokage.

After Konoha's two great heroes fought to mutual destruction, Senju Tobirama discovered that Uchiha Madara's corpse had mysteriously vanished. He concluded that this formidable enemy was not dead.

The Second Hokage had spent the first half of his life living to destroy the Uchiha Clan. In the latter half, because of Konoha, he had become somewhat more enlightened. Yet with Uchiha Madara still alive and Hashirama Senju dead, he once again unsealed those forbidden techniques.

The one who handled these matters for him was Shimura Danzō.

One part of Konoha's Foundation consisted of several inconspicuous ninja whose Ninjutsu was nearly crippled, but whose bodies were strong and Taijutsu astonishing.

After enduring the test of the Will of Fire, they inherited the Eight Inner Gates. Whenever Konoha needed them, they would burn themselves away and perish alongside the enemy.

These people were known as Konoha's Foundation. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen only knew the rough outline and was unaware of the specific names.

"Oh, our village actually has something like that?!"

After hearing the secret Guo Wang revealed, Orochimaru's eyes lit up. His tongue slipped out as he thought of that green-suited uncle mocked as the "Eternal Genin," as well as the Taijutsu Jonin who had slain countless enemies on the battlefield under the name "Leaf Dragon God"...

"Chen Baojun faked his death and withdrew from the world. His Will of Fire has begun to waver. If not for the war, this old man would have dealt with him personally long ago."

"The ninja known as Konoha's strongest Taijutsu user? Do not waste him. Before I left, I conveniently cleaned him up for you."