The Darkness of the Ninja World

However, the Scorch Release manifested slightly differently in his hands; it felt more like it was directly adhered to his palms.

It was also possible that the fireballs seen in the original work were simply a ninjutsu Pakura had developed herself.

Denji looked at his own hands, his pupils reflecting a crimson glow.

He scanned his surroundings, his gaze landing on the old tree in the corner of the courtyard, its trunk as thick as an adult's waist.

Denji walked over and simply pressed his right hand against the trunk.

A crimson light surged from his palm, like a hungry beast opening its maw.

There was no sound.

There was no explosion.

On the trunk, a charred handprint began to sink inward at a speed visible to the naked eye.

It wasn't burning.

It was "evaporation"—the moisture was being forcibly extracted.

The bark began to crack from the edges of the handprint, the fissures spreading outward like a spiderweb. Wherever the cracks touched, green turned to withered yellow, and moisture turned to dry rot.

The entire tree traversed decades of life in a matter of seconds—from vibrant vitality to withered decay.

"Crack—"

The trunk snapped at the handprint, the upper half crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.

At the break, the wood had completely carbonized, crumbling into powder at the slightest touch.

Denji withdrew his hand, watching the layer of crimson light on his palm gradually fade, a slow curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

If hidden well, this might have unexpected effects.

Root base.

"What did you say?"

Danzo's hand, gripping his cane, paused slightly. His exposed left eye narrowed into a slit, a sharp glint flashing through his murky pupil.

The Root ninja kneeling in the shadows did not look up, his voice steady: "Akimichi Denji, our standard surveillance target and son of Akimichi Choza. While training in his backyard today, he displayed abilities suspected to be a Kekkei Genkai."

"A Kekkei Genkai?"

"Yes. It is not an Akimichi Clan ninjutsu. His hands were covered in red light, and upon touching a tree, it withered and the trunk carbonized and snapped. I witnessed it with my own eyes."

Danzo was silent for a moment.

His fingers tapped against the table, producing a dull, rhythmic "thud, thud, thud."

"The Akimichi Clan... where would they get such a Kekkei Genkai?" His voice was very soft, as if speaking to himself. "An unknown Kekkei Genkai..."

Fifteen minutes later, the Hokage's office.

"Hiruzen."

Danzo walked straight in.

Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was busy processing office documents and did not turn around at the sound, merely sighing: "Danzo, how many times have I told you to knock before entering—"

"Akimichi Denji." Danzo interrupted him. "That child used a new Kekkei Genkai in his backyard today!"

Hiruzen's movements stalled, and he finally looked up.

"A Kekkei Genkai? You are still monitoring that child."

"That is not the point; the point is that this is a brand-new Kekkei Genkai."

"This Kekkei Genkai allows him to coat his hands in red light, and upon touching wood, it carbonizes." Danzo walked to the desk and slammed his cane against the floor. "The Akimichi Clan does not have this bloodline. Where did this child's Kekkei Genkai come from, Hiruzen? Are you not curious?"

Hiruzen slowly turned around, his aged face devoid of expression.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I am saying—" Danzo's voice lowered, like a viper flicking its tongue, "that child might be a spy. Sunagakure, Kirigakure, or perhaps Amegakure... A new Kekkei Genkai must have been sent by a foreign village!"

"Or perhaps... he isn't even of the Akimichi bloodline at all."

"Absurd." Hiruzen frowned.

"Absurd?" Danzo sneered. "A child with no source for a bloodline suddenly manifesting a Kekkei Genkai. This is not absurd; it is a conspiracy! Hiruzen, you should hand him over to me."

"Hand him over to you?"

"Let him join Root." Danzo's left eye stared directly at Hiruzen. "I will interrogate him and train him. If he is innocent, Root will turn him into a sharp blade for Konoha. If he is problematic—"

He did not finish the sentence.

"No." Hiruzen's voice was ironclad. "He is just a child."

Sarutobi Hiruzen recalled the scene he had seen through the Ninja Art Orb earlier, Denji's answer regarding the Will of Fire echoing in his mind.

The Will of Fire is to turn oneself into fire, to evaporate all that cold rain.

It is to ensure that no one has to "shiver" in the cold ever again.

He did not believe that a child who could speak such words would be a spy.

Even with a different background, the Will of Fire could influence and absorb outsiders, allowing them to build Konoha together.

This was the true meaning of the Will of Fire.

"Hiruzen, you will regret this."

Hiruzen stood facing Danzo, his aged eyes filled with an unquestionable firmness.

"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"

Danzo slammed the door behind him as he walked back toward Root.

His face was twisted, his left eye half-closed, and something surged deep within his pupils.

Hiruzen would not agree.

He had known that all along.

But Konoha was not built by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Konoha was built by the roots buried deep in the earth, constantly absorbing nutrients to nourish the lush and powerful branches above.

Roots must grow in the dark underground.

Konoha needed roots.

And he was those roots.

"Akimichi Denji..."

Danzo chewed on the name, a nearly imperceptible curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Whether he was a spy or not did not matter.

He had originally intended to use poison to eliminate this anomaly, never expecting that Akimichi Choza would actually be able to save him.

He knew Choza must have paid a heavy price; that was poison left behind by Orochimaru, something an ordinary person could never detect.

Now that there was utility to be had, Danzo changed his mind.

Once he brought that child back to Root and carved the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal onto him—

Even if Hiruzen found out then, what could he do?

He had always done things this way, from the eyes of the Uchiha to Aburame Torune of the Aburame clan.

As long as Konoha could become stronger, that was all that mattered.

Danzo lowered his gaze, his eyes hidden within the shadows of the darkness.

This was a necessary sacrifice...

At night, at the home of Akimichi Choza.

Choji held a skewer of three-colored dango, eating as he walked, already looking forward to dinner.

Thinking of this, he felt a bit nostalgic for the meal the new classmate had given him at noon.

It was a flavor he had never tasted before; if only he could eat that kind of food again tonight.

Although the three-colored dango were delicious, by comparison, that meat dish was superior.

Lost in thought, Akimichi Choji pushed open the door, and he caught the scent of stewed meat.

The rich aroma of soy sauce mixed with the pungency of scallions and ginger was like an invisible hand, directly grabbing Choji's stomach. His belly let out an uncooperative growl.

He walked into the dining room.

Glossy braised pork belly sat trembling in a bowl, layered with fat and lean meat, rich in color, shimmering with an amber glow under the lights.

A mountain of braised bone-in meat was piled high, the meat on the bones stewed until tender, the fragrance mingling with the scent of star anise and cinnamon, drifting into his nose in thin, persistent wisps.

There was also a large basin of pork ribs stewed with green beans; the ribs were chopped into large chunks, the exposed bone sections glistening with oil, while the beans had soaked up the meat juices, turning a deep, vibrant green.

Akimichi Choza walked out from the kitchen and ruffled his hair with a large hand: "Hungry? Wait a moment, we have a new guest today."

Akimichi Denji stepped out from the kitchen, looking at Akimichi Choji with a playful expression, and smirked: "Call me big brother!"