Balance

"Knowing when to bow to circumstances?"

Akashi narrowed his eyes, his expression growing cold. He vowed that one day, he would pay Danzo back tenfold.

The most pressing matter was to remove the two Cursed Seals on his body as soon as possible; otherwise, it felt like carrying two ticking time bombs, leaving him deeply unsettled.

The one capable of doing this was undoubtedly Orochimaru.

Akashi immediately headed to the laboratory and showed Orochimaru the mark on his tongue.

The black Cursed Seal was etched into the base of his tongue, resembling a chaotic hexagram.

Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

It served to prevent others from leaking classified information; the moment one spoke of specific forbidden topics, their entire body would go numb and become paralyzed.

For Danzo, expecting loyalty from others was far less effective than keeping them under his thumb.

Root did not need ninjas filled with ideals, but rather ruthless, cruel tools. To that end, one could "extinguish the self" and impose any means of control.

Though he could not speak of it, he could write it down.

Akashi wrote down the details of the Cursed Seal and his undercover status for Orochimaru, then opened his shirt.

His lean, muscular physique was taut, yet on his left chest was a striped black mark that reached almost to his heart—another Cursed Seal.

The Self-Karma Binding Seal, capable of locking his movements.

Akashi could not fathom what he had done to deserve Danzo placing two separate Cursed Seals on him.

Orochimaru, however, suddenly laughed. "Danzo's handiwork, is it? Still using the old tricks left behind by the Second Hokage. What a pity; no one understands the Second Hokage more deeply than I do."

"Of course. Lord Orochimaru's techniques are far beyond anything Danzo could compare to," Akashi flattered.

It was the truth, though. In all of Konoha, or even the entire ninja world, no one understood the Second Hokage better than him.

"Give me one day," Orochimaru smiled confidently. "Heh, he actually wants to investigate me through you? I happen to want a list of Root ninjas myself. Go and get it for me."

"Huh?" Akashi was momentarily stunned.

Hey, hey, why do you all treat these things like drinking water?!

Uchiha, Hokage, Danzo, Orochimaru—I've become a quadruple agent now, haven't I...

Akashi felt a headache coming on, but at the same time, he couldn't help but start weighing how to balance his gains between all these parties.

The more complex it became, the more opportunities there might be!

Over the next few days, Akashi successfully resolved the trouble of the Cursed Seals and worked with Orochimaru to forge a set of experimental data to hand in.

Soon, perhaps having tasted the sweetness of success, Danzo began his brainwashing campaign. Before long, as if in active response, the Hokage added "heart-to-heart" sessions to their work reports, engaging in a form of reverse brainwashing education.

One said, "The Root of Konoha is the foundation of the village's stability."

The other said, "The next generation bathing in the sunlight is the future of the village."

One said, "Everything I do is for the sake of Konoha."

The other said, "I will burn myself for the sake of Konoha."

The words of these two old men went in one ear and out the other.

Compared to such empty, grandiose rhetoric, Orochimaru was far more practical. He truly taught him the Snake Clone Technique, Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, and the use of snake venom; he truly allowed him to participate in various experimental calculations.

But Danzo, aside from letting him operate in the training grounds and the equipment room, granted him no access to any other departments.

That vast underground space was truly like the "root" of Konoha, with numerous suspended walkways connecting one secret chamber to another, yet every single room remained inaccessible.

Strictly speaking, Akashi could only be considered a peripheral member of Root.

Avoiding constant surveillance and the inhuman, oppressive management was exactly what he needed; after all, aside from his undercover missions for various parties, he still had a normal life to live.

"I'm heading out." Akashi finished his breakfast and prepared to leave.

Munakata Uchiha, holding a newspaper, glanced over and suddenly stood up. His tone was gentle yet lacked none of its usual authority: "I'll see you off."

Akashi felt strange. Just as his feet reached the doorway, he heard a tone bordering on interrogation.

"You've been leaving early and returning late recently. Last time you said you were on a mission and stayed out all night, but I couldn't find any relevant records in the mission archives. What exactly are you busy with?"

There was no expression on Munakata's face. "I hope to hear a reasonable explanation."

Akashi turned around, feeling slightly surprised.

In his memory, his father was serious and strict, but not particularly observant. He hadn't expected him to keep an eye on the mission archives. Judging by the timing, he was likely referring to the time he interrogated Shinnō.

Even for a mission like assassinating a Daimyo, even without a detailed narrative, it would still be marked as an S-rank mission and recorded in his service history, becoming a significant highlight of his ninja career.

What kind of mission would have no record at all?

Munakata Uchiha couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Akashi thought rapidly, trying to find a perfect explanation, but when he saw his mother, who was silently wiping the table behind Munakata, also casting a worried gaze his way, his words stalled.

"Sigh, forget it."

Munakata sighed slightly, the momentum of his resolve to interrogate instantly deflating.

The child had grown up; at thirteen or fourteen in the ninja world, one had already been bathed in blood and understood the ways of the world. As a member of the Uchiha clan, bearing the pressure of his family while facing the upper echelons of Konoha, he surely had many unspeakable burdens of his own.

He waved his hand. "Don't be late, hurry off."

"Yes."

Akashi nodded and stepped out of the house.

From behind, Munakata's voice drifted over again: "You must be careful."

Pausing for a moment, Akashi raised his hand to signal "no problem," then picked up his pace.

The sky was a deep azure, drifting with velvet-like white clouds.

The rays of the morning sun scattered in gentle, warm curtains, dyeing the vast stretches of grass in the distance a golden hue that extended far into the horizon.

The clan grounds were tranquil and serene. At this hour, some people were just waking up, others were chatting in front of their doors, housewives walked along the paths carrying bags, and a few children played by the roadside, boasting of their dreams to become Hokage one day.

They might not have known Akashi, yet they cast envious gazes his way.

"That big brother is a ninja, so cool!"

Akashi could hear such whispers, and a cheerful smile touched his lips.

Even the air seemed to be filled with a fresh scent.

The Uchiha clan were not all madmen; with reasonable guidance, they could absolutely walk a path toward prosperity.

The road ahead was long and arduous!

Akashi followed the Konoha River to its lower reaches. Today, there were no entanglements from the Konoha high-ups, no research tasks, and no one to disturb him—it was the perfect time to refine his ninjutsu in solitude.

Just as he set down his pack, a rustling sound suddenly reached his ears.

A dangerous aura leaked from the thicket.

Akashi furrowed his brows in vigilance, keenly sensing someone moving through the brush. The sound was faint, but in the quiet of the morning, it was jarringly abrupt.

Sending people to monitor him was exactly the kind of thing the Third Hokage and Danzo would do.

Recalling how he had been cornered by two Root ninjas that day, he was already feeling displeased; being followed again today only fueled his irritation.

Akashi suddenly bolted forward, executing the Body Flicker Technique, and in the next second, he appeared behind the intruder, leaves dancing in the air around him.

Simultaneously, he pressed a Kunai against the figure.

"Hey, are you spying on me?"