Danzō? Disciple?

Deep within Konoha.

In a dim underground chamber.

Many shinobi hurried back and forth, sorting through all kinds of intelligence. Every one of them wore a mask to conceal their face.

If the ordinary residents of Konoha knew about this, they would surely be astonished!

When had their village gotten an intelligence organization like this?

And this place!

Was the secret headquarters of Root.

In a quiet room.

The candle flame burned without a flicker. Wax trickled down its sides, gathering into little pools.

A scarred, one-eyed man sat in the seat of honor, his eyes closed.

Three people knelt before him. They were the same people who had tried to bring Sosuke back to Root during the day.

"Lord Danzō, the mission failed. This subordinate was incompetent. We couldn't bring Sosuke back, and we even caused the 'Ape' leader to be injured."

Another person added,

"From what this subordinate observed, that kid seems able to perform some strange ninjutsu. I've never seen anything like it. It may be a Kekkei Genkai!"

At the words "Kekkei Genkai," Danzō, seated in the place of honor, suddenly opened his cloudy eyes. His expression remained perfectly calm.

"I understand. You may leave. I'll meet the boy myself."

After hearing Danzō's words, the three slowly withdrew, but they were deeply shaken!

Was Lord Danzō really going to take that kid as his disciple? He was going to meet him in person!

Only Danzō remained in the room, sitting in his chair.

His expression was calm, but an unusual light flickered in his cloudy eyes.

Sosuke? What an interesting child... How many surprises will you bring me?

Late that night.

At Sosuke's home.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, refining chakra.

His fight against the four Root shinobi earlier that day had shown him the power of Kido!

Although he had hypnotized them with Kyoka Suigetsu from the start, and was confident he could easily deal with them with her help, he still wanted to test his own strength.

Aside from the Slash Path and Hakuda, the Kido he had learned from Kyoka Suigetsu had lived up to his expectations.

Even using only relatively low-level Kido, he had already held his own against four opponents!

If he could chant and use high-level Hado—those above the ninetieth level, even!

Just how earth-shattering would their power be? The thought of it filled Sosuke with longing!

But a voice suddenly sounded in the room, shattering his fantasy.

"With your current strength, Sosuke, chanting even a level-thirty Kido would probably use up half the chakra in your body. As for Hado above level ninety, well..."

The speaker's voice was soft and alluring. It could only be Kyoka Suigetsu.

She leaned against a corner of the room. Beneath the shadow, the pale moonlight revealed her face.

She was as beautiful and captivating as ever, but an odd, half-smiling expression made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Sosuke looked at her coldly and said in a chilly voice,

"I believe I told you not to pry into my thoughts again, Kyoka Suigetsu!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Kyoka Suigetsu seemed to flicker into being beside him!

More accurately,

She was half-lying in his arms!

Kyoka Suigetsu leaned against Sosuke, her flower-patterned kimono spreading across the floor like a carpet of petals. She paid no mind to the kimono's loose collar, the glimpse of her pale legs, or the full moon at her chest. She simply tilted her head up to look at Sosuke.

Her delicate face was as cool as a young girl's, and her eyes seemed impossibly proud—yet whenever she looked at him, a hint of a smile appeared.

"But I've asked you the same thing, haven't I? Why won't you use my power? They were just a few ants. It would've taken no more than a casual swing. Why hesitate, Sosuke?"

Her voice rang like a clear spring of ice, pure yet faintly plaintive.

Looking into her eyes, so full of affection and confusion, Sosuke found himself at a loss for words. The reprimand he had been about to give her changed at the last moment.

"I just wanted to test the power of Kido. The results were excellent. I'm very satisfied with its power."

After hearing his words, Kyoka Suigetsu, unusually, said nothing.

Her eyes seemed to be lost in memory. Perhaps she was reminiscing, perhaps she was melancholy. Whatever the reason, Sosuke's words seemed to have dampened her spirits. She merely took one of Sosuke's hands and gently held it against her chest.

As if she could only feel at ease when she could sense Sosuke beside her.

I've had enough... of being alone... At last... at last, someone is calling for me?

Aizen... You may borrow my power.

Your plan to overturn the Soul Society is truly audacious... I'm starting to regret letting you use my power.

You don't need Bankai? You believe in something like the Hogyoku?

You still won't use my power...?

Aizen... I'm tired of being alone... This is nice.

With Kyoka Suigetsu holding his hand against her chest, Sosuke couldn't help but freeze.

Then his body slowly relaxed. He gently adjusted his glasses and said nothing, simply sitting there and letting Kyoka Suigetsu hold him.

What's wrong with her...? She was so talkative just a moment ago.

Just then!

Kyoka Suigetsu, lying against Sosuke, suddenly sat up as if she had sensed something. Her dark eyes turned cold as she looked in one direction, and her small red lips delivered a chilly warning.

"Sosuke! Someone's coming. Be careful!"

Startled by her sudden movement, Sosuke hurried to his feet as well.

His expression grave, he looked in the same direction.

He had no choice but to trust Kyoka Suigetsu.

He didn't know whether the newcomer was friend or foe!

Sosuke was already mentally prepared. He rested a hand lightly on his sword, ready to fight at any moment!

But what happened next was beyond his expectations!

The newcomer made no attempt to hide. He simply pushed open the door and walked in.

In the moonlight, Sosuke made out the newcomer's appearance.

A middle-aged man around thirty, with short hair, a white short-sleeved kimono, and a cross-shaped scar on his chin. His eyes were slightly narrowed and seemed cloudy.

If he had stirred Kyoka Suigetsu so much, he certainly wasn't an ordinary person!

Staring intently at the man, Sosuke asked coldly,

"Who are you!? Why have you come here?"

After hearing him, the middle-aged man raised his head slightly and looked at Sosuke.

Under that gaze, Sosuke seemed to see darkness and despair in the man's eye!

It was like falling into an endless abyss. Darkness gathered into a deep evil, dragging him down. No matter where he looked, there was nothing!

"That's a genjutsu! Wake up!"

Kyoka Suigetsu's shout snapped Sosuke back to his senses. His back was drenched in sweat!

He stared at the middle-aged man in shock!

The middle-aged man was clearly surprised that Sosuke had broken free of the genjutsu so quickly!

But he immediately composed himself again.

His expression perfectly calm, he said in a low voice,

"I am Shimura Danzō, and I'll be your teacher from now on!"