Dim lighting, flickering candle flames.
It had been a long time since he had enjoyed such a quiet atmosphere. In a camp out in the wilderness, Shimura Danzō looked at the figure bound up like a rice dumpling before him, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.
That was right. Bound before Shimura Danzō was Yahiko of Akatsuki.
Long ago, when Shimura Danzō had begun funding Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato in establishing Akatsuki, he had known that the organization's value far exceeded his investment. Now, he felt it was time to collect interest. Thus, he mercilessly betrayed Akatsuki, intending to use Yahiko's life—and even the destruction of the entire organization—as pieces and bargaining chips in his hands to gain benefits for himself.
"Dan... Danzō, I never thought you would be the one to betray us!"
"Why did you betray us after funding us back then?"
"Do you know that I was about to rule all of Amegakure, even the entire Land of Rain?"
"By then, our Land of Rain would have willingly become a vassal state of your Land of Fire. Why did you betray us now?"
Confusion. Resentment.
Ever since Yahiko had been captured by Shimura Danzō, those were the emotions he had displayed, to the point where Danzō had grown used to them. Comparing Yahiko in his heart to that shadow in his mind, Shimura Danzō could not help but sigh deeply. Sure enough, that person was far more formidable. Not only had he escaped Danzō's control, but he had also turned Konoha into that state.
And after thinking of Uchiha Yue's hateful, contempt-filled smile, Shimura Danzō suddenly felt like talking to Yahiko.
Then, standing before Yahiko, Shimura Danzō slowly said, "Yahiko, do you know? There are only two people in this world who can