"Although I've seen this place in the anime, I didn't expect it to be so deep. Even with Earth Release, a project this big couldn't have been easy."
Uchiha Arashi stood in the corridor inside the shaft, marveling.
Three meters away stood a Root ninja. Arashi wasn't even trying to keep his voice down, but the other man acted as if he couldn't hear him.
Illusion could alter everything its target perceived. Even if Uchiha Arashi shouted right into the man's ear, he still wouldn't hear a thing as long as Arashi wanted it that way.
By now, Uchiha Arashi had completely let loose. He could even stop using Kotoamatsukami.
The ninjas here were all Danzo's trusted subordinates. They were exactly the people who had surrounded Danzo and been fully placed under Illusion's hypnosis back then. Here, with just a thought, Uchiha Arashi could change anyone's perception at will.
Uchiha Arashi watched for a while before looking away and heading toward the building straight ahead. Danzo usually stayed there.
He crossed a wooden bridge. Below it lay an abyss stretching down for miles... Well, it was just very deep and dark. The naked eye couldn't see the bottom.
"Boring. Come on, let's see what dear Lord Danzo is up to."
Uchiha Arashi looked away, reached out, pushed open the door in front of him, and went inside.
Inside, Danzo was staring at a map, deep in thought.
Several ninjas knelt behind him, waiting for his orders.
Uchiha Arashi walked over to Danzo and saw that it was a map of the Ninja World, marked with at least a hundred red dots.
"We can leave the other great nations alone for now..."
Danzo finally spoke, his voice as low and cold as ever.
"The Uchiha remnants would only be captured and used as test subjects if they went to another great nation. Unless that man is an idiot, he won't settle down in another great nation. Focus on the smaller nations nearby... except the Land of Fields."
"Yes, sir!"
The ninja behind him replied. Then the one at the head of the group raised his head.
"But Lord Danzo, what if he happens to be in the Land of Fields? Our previous intel confirmed that he's in contact with Orochimaru..."
"I'll speak with Orochimaru myself. If we can confirm he isn't in any other country, doesn't that prove he's in the Land of Fields? Don't ask such stupid questions again. Don't make me waste my breath explaining things to you."
Danzo spoke coldly.
"Yes, sir."
The man lowered his head.
"Have the third and fifth squads return first, and arrange for two other squads to take their place. If you find any sign of him, don't act right away. Send the intel back first. The Anbu will be operating alongside you this time, so make sure the intel doesn't fall into their hands. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"All right. You can leave."
Danzo waved a hand without turning around. The ninjas in the room vanished in an instant.
Now only Danzo and Uchiha Arashi remained in the room.
Seeing Danzo still staring at the map, Uchiha Arashi's eyes shifted. He suddenly raised a hand.
"Long time no see, Lord Danzo."
The next second, that voice he loathed rang in Danzo's ear.
"It's you!"
Danzo spun around. At once, he saw the familiar mask and the spiral that had yet to fade completely.
His first instinct was to call for help.
The Masked Man spoke first.
"Don't be nervous. I'm not here to cause trouble today. Danzo, I want to discuss a deal with you."
The Masked Man sounded cheerful. He walked to the desk and glanced down at the documents, speaking casually.
"A deal? Fine. Give me my eye back first."
Danzo sneered. He had already gathered chakra and was ready to strike at any moment.
Besides, he wasn't worried about losing to the other man here. Last time, he could claim he'd been careless. This time, he was absolutely certain he could drive the man away. With a little luck, he might even capture him.
"I can't give the eye back. I told you, it's a Uchiha legacy and shouldn't be in an outsider's hands... Besides, could you even use it if I gave it to you? You don't have Uchiha blood. Do you want the Mangekyo to drain all your chakra? Or do you have another method? Let me guess—Hashirama Cells?"
The Masked Man tilted his head and grinned.
Danzo's pupils suddenly contracted.
"That has nothing to do with you..."
"True." The Masked Man nodded. "I don't care what method you have. Either way, I'm not giving the eye back. If you don't like it, try taking it from me—if you can."
"Then we have nothing to discuss."
Danzo's expression grew more serious. He was ready to summon his subordinates.
"If we're talking about the Sharingan, then sure, there's nothing to discuss. But we might be able to talk about other things. For example, the Hokage Position."
The Masked Man remained completely at ease. He strolled around the room and stopped at the bookshelf by the wall. His hand brushed over the spines as he spoke offhandedly.
"The Hokage Position? You... what did you say?"
Danzo was shaken to the core. Those words shocked him even more than the Masked Man's guess about the Hashirama Cells.
"Is it that hard to believe? Or do you think I wouldn't help you? Don't worry. I'm not here to mess with you for fun."
The Masked Man withdrew his hand, returned to the desk, and looked at Danzo across it, his face hidden by his mask.
Danzo instinctively shifted his gaze, afraid to look at the other man in case he'd laid an ambush with Kotoamatsukami.
"Shimura Danzo, your dream is to become Hokage, but Hiruzen Sarutobi got there first. You've spent all these years secretly building up your strength. Isn't it all so you can take the Hokage Position back? On your own, you have no chance.
"Even with the Sharingan and Hashirama's cells, you're no match for the Third Hokage. And you're even worse off when it comes to reputation. You don't even measure up to that fool Uchiha Fugaku."
"If you're here to insult me, you can leave."
Danzo whipped around and glared at him.
"Don't be impatient. I'm not finished. You have plenty of flaws, but you also have an advantage no one else has: the Third Hokage trusts you. Even after all the things you've done in secret—even after you turned against your comrades in the same village—the Third still hasn't stripped you of your position. That's your opportunity.
"You don't need to worry about being weak. No one said the Hokage had to be the strongest person in the village.
"Your lack of reputation doesn't matter, either. I can help you build it.
"Once you have enough standing, all it'll take is some little accident for the Third. Then you can step into the role and become Konoha's Fifth Hokage, legally and legitimately.
"So, what do you think? Interested in this deal?"
The Masked Man was like a devil, his words full of temptation.
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