Is Dan Katō Danzo's Man?

"Kushina, Mikoto, they're about to get away."

Shin pointed toward the other five bandits. Their leader had been killed, and now, paralyzed by fear, they were fleeing in a panic.

Kushina was the first to snap out of it. Without even using ninjutsu, she threw two Shuriken, killing two bandits in a single strike.

Mikoto recovered shortly after, her body no longer trembling. She activated her One-Tomoe Sharingan, formed hand seals, and unleashed the Great Fireball Technique, incinerating one fleeing bandit before finishing another with a Kunai.

As expected, Mikoto might look delicate on the outside, but she was tough on the inside.

The final bandit was taken down by a single Kunai thrown by Shin.

"Congratulations to the Host for completing the mission. Reward: one Common Copy Card."

"It seems you've already taken care of the bandits." Dan Katō arrived from the foot of the mountain, speaking as he saw the last bandit fall.

Tsunade frowned slightly as she looked at Dan Katō and asked coldly, "Didn't you say you would wait at the bottom of the mountain? Why did you come up?"

Previously, Dan Katō had not followed them up the mountain, claiming he would wait below.

"I was a bit worried, so I came up to take a look. It seems all the bandits have been dealt with. Your disciples are quite impressive, Jonin Tsunade."

Dan Katō said with a smile.

"Jonin Katō, where are the three ninja you brought with you?"

Shin's gaze locked onto Dan Katō, giving the man the unsettling feeling that nothing could be hidden from him.

"They didn't follow me up; I had them wait at the base of the mountain." Dan Katō continued to smile, though his expression had stiffened.

"Jonin Katō, are you aware that the Uzumaki Clan possesses a secret technique called the Mind's Eye of the Kagura? It can sense chakra within dozens of kilometers and pinpoint an opponent's exact location based on their chakra signature."

Shin's words caused the smile on Dan Katō's face to gradually stiffen until it vanished entirely.

"Everyone's chakra is unique. I memorized the chakra signatures of the three ninja you brought, but I cannot sense them at all. Aren't you going to explain yourself, Dan Katō?"

Beside them, Tsunade watched Dan Katō, her gaze growing icy.

Tsunade was familiar with the Mind's Eye of the Kagura that Shin mentioned. Her grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, had told her about it; it could indeed scan dozens of kilometers, rivaling the Byakugan of the Hyuga Clan.

Therefore, Tsunade naturally believed Shin. If those three ninja's chakra couldn't be sensed, there were only two possibilities: either they had left, or they were dead.

Leaving was impossible; in such a short time, even she couldn't have traveled dozens of kilometers. That left only the second possibility: they were already dead.

"Dan Katō, explain yourself." Tsunade prepared to move against him.

"Jonin Tsunade, do you really believe the words of this brat?" Dan Katō asked with a frown.

"I do. At least Shin is more trustworthy than you."

Tsunade gathered chakra into her fist, whipping up a violent gale that made Dan Katō swallow hard, his heart tightening.

The power of Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred Technique was known to almost every ninja in Konoha. With his slight frame, a single punch from her would kill him.

"Furthermore, I sensed five unfamiliar chakra signatures down below. Judging by the volume of their chakra, they are at least Jonin, if not Elite Jonin."

Shin stared deeply at Dan Katō. Those five Jonin below were undoubtedly connected to him.

"It seems I've truly been discovered."

At this point, Dan Katō stopped pretending. Since he had been exposed, there was no point in keeping up the act.

His face, previously refined, turned ice-cold as he pulled out a Signal Flare and fired it.

"Don't strike yet, Tsunade." Shin held her back.

"Hey, brat, why are you stopping me? This guy clearly has a conspiracy; taking him down early is—"

"Relax. Whatever scheme he has, I can handle it. But I have a few questions I want to ask him."

Shin cut her off, his eyes fixed on Dan Katō.

"Dan Katō, we have no history between us. Why do you hold such deep malice toward me?"

This was what Shin wanted to clear up. Damn it, he hadn't even provoked the guy; why was he being targeted?

"It doesn't matter if I tell you now. This is an order from Lord Danzo: bring you back."

Dan Katō looked at Shin coldly.

"Danzo? You're one of Danzo's men?" Shin was slightly surprised.

"So it was that guy Danzo behind this."

Tsunade clenched her fists in anger. Kushina and Mikoto didn't know who Danzo was, but they realized the man before them was an enemy and prepared for battle.

"I really didn't expect this. But why would Danzo..."

"Targeting me?"

Shin couldn't understand why he was being targeted by Danzo despite keeping such a low profile. Could it be that his brilliance was too dazzling to hide, no matter how hard he tried?

At this moment, Shin couldn't help but indulge in a bit of narcissism.

"I don't know what Lord Danzo is thinking either. My objective is to capture you and, incidentally, eliminate Tsunade."

Dan Katō cast his gaze toward Tsunade.

This time, Dan Katō's mission wasn't just to bring Shin back; it was also to dispose of Tsunade.

"That guy Danzo wants to get rid of me?" Tsunade was incensed, itching to beat Dan Katō into a pulp before returning to the village to tear Danzo apart.

Just then, reinforcements for Dan Katō arrived—five masked ninjas dressed similarly to the Anbu. They were undoubtedly members of the Root organization.

Shin looked at the only ninja among the five with red hair, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Uzumaki Hikari, it's you, isn't it?"

Among the survivors of the Uzumaki Clan who came to Konoha, besides Shin and Kushina, there were Uzumaki Akiko, Uzumaki Kai, and Uzumaki Hikari. Uzumaki Hikari was also the only adult among them.

Shin simply hadn't expected him to join the Root organization and become Danzo's lackey.

At this moment, Shin seemed to understand why Danzo had set his sights on him.

Beyond the bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan, Shin also possessed the bloodline of the Uchiha. Even Kushina didn't know much about this, and Uzumaki Akiko and Uzumaki Kai likely didn't know either, given how young they were.

But Uzumaki Hikari certainly knew. If Uzumaki Hikari had told Danzo about this, it was entirely possible that Danzo would target him.

He figured the reason Danzo wanted to capture him was for research. After all, no one knew what kind of result the combination of the Kekkei Genkai of the Uzumaki Clan and the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha would produce; Danzo would surely be interested.

As for killing Tsunade, Shin wasn't surprised. It would weaken the strength of the Senju Clan while indirectly weakening the Third Hokage's influence—why wouldn't he do it?

"Shin, you said he is Uzumaki Hikari?" Kushina walked to Shin's side and asked.

Shin nodded. His sensory perception couldn't be wrong; he could still sense the Sage Body of the Uzumaki Clan.

Because of the Sage Body, the chakra of the Uzumaki Clan was distinct from others, and anyone with keen sensory abilities could detect it.

Shin possessed the Mind's Eye of the Kagura, making him arguably the strongest sensory ninja. While he hadn't been able to discern it from a distance earlier, now that they were at close range, Shin's perception was absolutely infallible.

"Being betrayed by one's own clansman—that's really not a good feeling." Red light bloomed in Shin's eyes. His scarlet Three-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto Uzumaki Hikari, radiating a chilling intent to kill.