Recently, Namikaze Minato had been completely absorbed in training the Flying Thunder God Technique, while Uchiha Ling was highly confident in his own strength. As a result, he often took on border missions alone.
Root Base, buried in the darkest corner beneath Konoha.
Shimura Danzō leaned on his cane, his single eye glinting with a cold light in the dim candlelight.
Before him, a Root member wearing an animal mask knelt on one knee, quietly reporting everything that had just happened in the Hokage Office.
"Going alone... Hmph. A reckless young fool, arrogant and conceited!"
Danzō's voice was hoarse and icy, laced with undisguised scorn. Uchiha Ling had risen far too quickly of late—so quickly that it unsettled him.
From reforming the Military Police Force, to winning over Hatake Sakumo, to speaking so freely at the high-level meeting today and taking on an S-rank mission alone...
He would never tolerate an uncontrollable Uchiha with a longstanding grudge against him climbing so high—perhaps even becoming Hokage one day!
"The road to heaven lies open, yet you refuse to take it. You barge straight into hell!"
Danzō's bony fingers rubbed the carved patterns on his cane. An insidious plan took shape in his mind in an instant.
"Since you're so fond of going off on your own, so confident in yourself, I'll prepare a little 'gift' for you!"
Danzō turned slightly toward his trusted aide, Aburame Tatsuma, who stood at his side, and gave him a quiet order. His voice slid across the floor like a poisonous snake. "Go. Activate our highest-level covert channel in the underground black market of the Land of Hot Water: 'Ashes.'
"Put out a high-priced bounty, 'completely anonymously,' on the following information: 'Uchiha Ling, a Konoha Elite Jonin with the Mangekyō Sharingan, is confirmed to be infiltrating