"Drip... drip..."
In the dark surroundings, the sound of dripping water was a rare bit of musical accompaniment. Though really, it only made the eerie atmosphere even more unsettling...
This place lay underground in Konoha Village: a gloomy base where countless pipes, passageways, and rooms linked together to form an almost maze-like structure. Even if outsiders managed to infiltrate it, they would struggle to figure out its layout.
The people who occupied this place belonged to an organization that wasn't well known in the Shinobi World, but whose name was familiar to the higher-ups in every village. Its name was...
Root. Its founder had given it that name because he hoped to protect Konoha while displaying its strength in a different way.
Compared to the moderate faction represented by the Third Hokage, this man championed extreme violence and an iron-fisted policy. "Shinobi don't need emotions" was his catchphrase.
Of course, this mystery meant nothing to people who had crossed over from another world. Anyone who had watched Naruto on Earth would know its founder and current leader: Danzo...
Now, the leader was sitting in a dark room, listening to a subordinate's report.
"Ice River Torrent? Yuki definitely doesn't have a technique like that. Are you sure it was Ice Release?"
After hearing the report, Danzo's expression shifted from indifference to keen interest.
"I'd stake my life on it, sir. It was definitely Ice Release!"
The shinobi kneeling before Danzo answered with conviction. He wore a black robe, and a mask concealed his face.
"Interesting... Could he be someone capable of improving his own kekkei genkai?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes. He would have to reassess Qi's value.
"Very likely. Judging by Kaguya Ogata's reaction at the time, he was seeing a technique like that for the first time, too."
The shinobi nodded.
"I see..."
Danzo stood and walked to the other side of the room, where a desk held several documents. He picked one up. The photo on it showed that it was Qi's personal file.
"If that's true, then we'll have to reevaluate him... Someone who can create his own techniques shouldn't be treated so casually. He might become an important asset to Konoha. Using him only to suppress the Uchiha Clan would be a waste."
"Sir, what should we do now? Although Kagetsu Qi is still just a child, Kaguya Ogata is sharp. And I have a feeling that last night, he clearly knew I was hiding nearby, but chose not to attack."
"That's only natural. If he weren't clever, how could he have made it out of the Land of Water?"
Danzo replied calmly.
"It's no surprise that he knew I was behind it. The truly clever ones are the people who can tell what I'll do next. By not attacking you, he was sending me a message."
He returned the file to the desk, then turned to face his subordinate.
"Arrange a better house for the two of them so they can live together, and move them closer to the center of the village. People like him deserve full protection."
After thinking for a moment, he added,
"Send him some Wind Release scrolls as well, as compensation for tonight."
As he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something amusing. He went to the other side of the room, opened a hidden cabinet, and took out a scroll. It looked quite old.
"Sir... isn't that the Second Mizukage's...?"
His subordinate sounded surprised.
"It's fine. There are no real Water Release experts left in Konoha, and no suitable successors, either."
Danzo smiled faintly.
"Make a copy of it and send that over, too. I'm curious whether Konoha will produce a Water Release expert in the future. But..."
His expression suddenly darkened.
"I've offered him all these benefits. If he's still dissatisfied, or even resents the village, then eliminate him! Konoha needs talent, but it doesn't need talented people who might rebel."
He waved his hand.
"Go. When Kagetsu Qi sees these things, he should understand how the village feels about them. If he's ambitious, he'll realize that only the strong can decide their own fate. Once he's strong enough, he can do as I do—as long as he doesn't betray Konoha."
"Yes, sir!"
However, although Danzo had completely changed his mind after reassessing Qi's "potential value," his orders had yet to be passed down. Qi had no idea the old man now intended to protect him. So he was busy cursing up a storm...
"Danzo, I'll curse your entire family for eighteen generations! From now on, you and I are enemies for life!"
Although it was already morning, Uchiha Xiu and his master had left long ago. Qi was still cursing Danzo furiously. He wasn't stupid; he knew Danzo had arranged everything the previous night to undermine the Uchiha Clan.
Foreign shinobi disguised as Konoha shinobi had infiltrated the village, attacked the Hyuga Clan to steal the Byakugan, and tried to kill Qi and Ogata. What a perfect scheme...
If those people had succeeded, the Uchiha Clan would never have been able to clear its name...
As members of the Police Force, the Uchiha would first be accused of colluding with foreign enemies. The Hyuga clan members would be kidnapped, and the two clans would become sworn enemies. With Qi and Ogata dead, the Uchiha would also be branded narrow-minded and accused of murdering a newly discovered kekkei genkai user, leaving them even more isolated.
Worst of all, those were only the most obvious and superficial parts of the scheme. Qi had just heard the analysis while talking with Xiu.
Damn you! You were trying to kill several birds with one stone! What did I ever do to you? Why make me the sacrificial pawn...?
When Qi recalled the enemy's lineup from the previous night, a chill ran through him. Without the Uchiha Clan's powerful support, he would have been as good as dead!
So the thing he wanted most right now was to throw Danzo into a zoo and let a chimpanzee violate him.
To be honest, although he'd grown up in a relatively dark environment since crossing over, he'd never actually gone out of his way to hurt anyone. He was more like the Italian soccer team in his previous life: he played defensively and counterattacked.
He didn't go looking for trouble, but he wasn't afraid when trouble came to him. Repay kindness with kindness and vengeance with vengeance—that was his way of life. If someone showed him kindness, he'd remember it for life. If someone made an enemy of him, he'd wipe out their whole family and leave no roots behind. Simple and clear.
And now, he felt like he'd gained another enemy!
Still, he did know one thing: Danzo hadn't deliberately targeted him before. It was just that, at this particular moment, Qi had become the perfect sacrifice in Danzo's eyes.
Danzo's goals weren't all that different from those of the Third Hokage. He simply used far more aggressive methods. And that so-called Root specialized in cutting off other people's family lines...
"Master, do you think that old geezer counts as my enemy?"
Perhaps his throat had grown dry from all the cursing. After venting, Qi finally remembered that his master was still beside him...
"If you were truly qualified to call him your enemy, I'd be happy for you."
Ogata curled his lip.
"Don't worry. After tonight, he won't just leave you completely unharmed—he'll protect you."
"Protect me?"
Qi's eyes widened. That possibility hadn't even crossed his mind...
"You mean he wants to keep me quiet?"
"What do you have to keep quiet about? And what would you gain by speaking out?"
Ogata shook his head.
"Just wait for the benefits to come to you. You're not at that level yet. Once you are, you'll understand."