Su Ye returned to Konoha with the experimental scroll in his arms. Dawn was near. He didn't go straight home, but hurried to the Hokage Office Building instead. This evidence exposing Danzo's crimes had to be delivered to Tsunade immediately.
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade was frowning at a mountain of paperwork. At the sound of a knock, she looked up and saw Su Ye, covered in dust, with a wound on his shoulder. "What happened to you?" She rose and hurried over. The moment her fingers touched his wound, she sensed the black chakra lingering there. "This is... Akatsuki's chakra?"
Su Ye placed the experimental scroll on the desk. His voice carried a hint of exhaustion. "Lady Tsunade, I found Root's secret base. Danzo has been using the bodies of shinobi for Pain experiments, and he was conspiring with Obito of the Akatsuki."
Tsunade unrolled the scroll. When she saw the recorded experimental data and diagrams of the cultivation chambers, her expression darkened at once. Every line on the scroll felt like a sharp blade stabbing into her. Many of the bodies used as experimental material belonged to Konoha Ninja who had gone missing during the Third Shinobi World War. "Danzo... How could he do such a thing!"
Just then, the office door was thrown open, and Nara Shikaku entered with several members of the Konoha High Command. The explosion at Root's base had clearly alerted them. When Shikaku saw the contents of the scroll, his brows knitted together. "If this gets out, it could shake Konoha to its foundations."
"Even if it shakes Konoha to its foundations, that doesn't mean we can cover up the truth!" Su Ye said coldly. "Danzo used the bodies of his comrades for experiments and conspired with the Akatsuki. Such actions are absolutely intolerable!"
While everyone was still arguing, a sudden commotion erupted outside the office. An Anbu Ninja rushed in, his expression grave. "Lady Tsunade, Lord Danzo's body was found in the eastern suburbs. Members of Root are gathering and demanding a thorough investigation into the killer!"
Su Ye's heart tightened. Danzo had still been alive when he left. Clearly, someone had struck the finishing blow after his departure, hoping to frame him. Tsunade also realized how serious the situation was and immediately gave her orders. "Shikaku, go calm the members of Root and prevent an internal conflict. Su Ye, go home and tend to your injuries. I'll investigate this matter thoroughly."
Su Ye knew this wasn't the time to defend himself. He nodded and turned to leave. As soon as he stepped out of the Hokage Office Building, he felt a familiar gaze on him. He turned and saw Uchiha Itachi standing on a nearby treetop, watching him with a complicated look in his eyes.
"Did you know about Danzo's plan all along?" Su Ye asked.
Itachi was silent for a moment before replying slowly, "I knew Root was conducting secret experiments, but I didn't know they were conspiring with the Akatsuki. Obito's target is the Tailed Beasts. You ruined his plan, and he won't let it go." With that, he vanished into the woods like a shadow.
Su Ye returned home and had just finished treating his injuries when he received a report from Gen: Deidara and Sasori of the Akatsuki had infiltrated Sunagakure. Their target was Shukaku, the One-Tail. As expected, Obito's making his move. He clenched his fists, and a faint purple light flashed in his Rinne Sharingan.
Meanwhile, inside the Kazekage Building in Sunagakure, Gaara was staring absently at the desert beyond the window. Lately, he had felt an inexplicable unease, as though danger was drawing near. Suddenly, a huge hole was blasted through the building's wall. Deidara's voice rang out, laced with arrogant laughter. "Gaara, we're the Akatsuki, and we've come to take you away."
Sasori's puppet emerged from the smoke, its crimson eyes fixed on Gaara. "Shukaku, the One-Tail, belongs back where it belongs."
Gaara immediately summoned a torrent of sand and sent it surging toward Deidara and Sasori. But Deidara released countless Clay Birds into the air, and the shock waves from their explosions blew the sand torrent to pieces. Sasori controlled his puppet and fired poisoned needles at Gaara.
The shinobi of Sunagakure rushed to help, but Deidara's Clay Bombs held them back. Seeing the wounded villagers, anger flashed in Gaara's eyes. He unleashed all of Shukaku's power, and his body gradually began to undergo Tailed Beast Transformation.
Far away in Konoha, Su Ye learned of the situation in Sunagakure through Gen's intelligence network. He immediately got up and ran toward the Hokage Office Building. He knew this was only the beginning of Obito's plan to capture the Tailed Beasts. If the Akatsuki weren't stopped, more Tailed Beasts would be taken, and the "Eye of the Moon Plan" would come ever closer to being realized.
When Su Ye reached the Hokage's office, Tsunade was discussing a response with Shikaku and Kakashi. "Lady Tsunade, I request permission to go to Sunagakure and help Gaara!" Su Ye said.
Kakashi looked at Su Ye, concern in his eyes. "The Akatsuki are very powerful. Going alone would be too dangerous."
"I have the Rinne Sharingan. I can see through their jutsu." Su Ye's tone was resolute. "Besides, I have to stop them. I can't let Obito's plan succeed."
Tsunade considered it for a moment, then nodded. "All right. You and Kakashi will go to Sunagakure together. Remember, protect Gaara and find out what the Akatsuki plan to do next."
Su Ye and Kakashi set off at once, racing toward Sunagakure. They both knew that this battle over the Tailed Beasts would decide the fate of the entire Shinobi World. And the Rinne Sharingan inside Su Ye would unleash even greater power in the fight to come.
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