Meeting Danzo

The next morning.

Sosuke quickly got ready and headed early for the Root Base.

After spending the entire previous day sparring with Might Duy—no, after spending the entire day beating him up—Sosuke had perfectly adapted to his body's condition after breaking through the Eight Inner Gates.

He had tried to awaken the Hogyoku last night, but he hadn't succeeded. It seemed that, having once again exhausted all its energy, it had fallen asleep.

He would probably have to kill again and replenish its supply of souls to awaken the Hogyoku.

If Sosuke had once felt some resistance to taking another person's life, then after the killings last time, he had come to terms with it.

Anyone who had taken another person's life probably had no right to beg for redemption. That included him.

But as one of the sinners trapped in this filthy world, if he could, he wanted to stand at the very top—even if it meant stepping over their white bones and skulls.

That was what nine-year-old Sosuke thought and desired now. And with Kyoka Suigetsu and the Hogyoku to help him, he believed the path ahead would be easier.

He looked closely at his hands, now stained with blood as well, and smiled faintly. Shaking his head gently, he leaped forward again, a whisper of his voice carried on the breeze.

"To stand in that place... perhaps... I can put an end to this filthy age... this so-called world of shinobi..."

Before long, Sosuke arrived at the Root Base's hidden entrance.

This was his third time here. As he looked at the vast underground space, he couldn't help wondering:

What would Konoha's residents think if they knew such a huge intelligence organization lay hidden beneath their feet? And what did the Third Hokage think of Root? If he allowed it to exist, what would the Anbu do about it?

Root's existence probably served as a latent deterrent to the village's great clans.

At the thought, Tsunade's youthful face rose in Sosuke's mind, and a warm smile appeared on his own.

Tsunade isn't at all like those ill-tempered members of the great clans. Besides, the Senju Clan seemed to have gradually lost its influence after the Second Hokage's passing.

As for the other clans, a powerful and proud clan like the Uchiha Clan could pose a serious threat to the village. They were probably the ones Root truly kept an eye on.

As he walked down the dark passage, Sosuke's thoughts wandered, but he wore a faint smile. His thick glasses concealed everything, including his innermost thoughts, making him seem mild and gentle.

When he reached a room, he waited quietly for Shimura Kazumi to appear.

"Tap." "Tap."

As Sosuke quietly focused on his training, light footsteps sounded outside.

When the door opened, Sosuke looked at Shimura Kazumi. Though they both wore masks, that didn't stop him from picturing her beautiful face.

For some reason, whenever Shimura Kazumi saw Sosuke, she felt an inexplicable irritation.

Perhaps she sensed that the eyes behind his glasses regarded her as an equal!

She was a genius of the Shimura Clan's generation, after all!

It was already humiliating to be regarded as an equal by a brat who could easily be called a super-genius. Worse, she couldn't say anything about it and could only simmer in silence.

Looking at Shimura Kazumi, who wore a Hannya mask, Sosuke smiled and asked softly, "Captain Hannya, what's my mission today?"

And why does this brat have such a pleasant voice? And why does he always seem so confident, as if he has nothing to fear? It's infuriating!

Shimura Kazumi replied coldly, "You don't have a mission today. You need to go meet Lord Danzo. It's his request. After all, you're his disciple."

With that, she turned and started to leave, her long legs carrying her away, leaving Sosuke confused about where he was supposed to go.

Shimura Kazumi stopped, too. Seeing that Sosuke seemed completely lost, she felt a little sorry for him. She thought of how she had repeatedly picked on the boy, while he had always responded gently and never fought back. Perhaps she had made too much of a fuss.

She stopped, managed to rein in her irritation for once, and said softly, "Come with me. I'll take you to see Lord Danzo."

Hearing Shimura Kazumi's gentle voice, Sosuke paused, unable to believe that Captain Hannya was speaking to him so softly.

After all, she had always treated him coldly and haughtily, like a swan holding its head high.

Her sudden change of tone left Sosuke a little worried.

Could Root be planning to make a move against me...?

Shimura Kazumi seemed to notice Sosuke's suspicious gaze. Beneath her mask, her fair cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

She silently regretted what she had just done.

This hateful brat! Why do I keep making such stupid mistakes whenever I'm around him? Why would I speak that way to such an arrogant little brat? I must be out of my mind!

Seeing Shimura Kazumi's gaze grow colder and colder, Sosuke realized that his suspicion had completely ruined the goodwill she had finally shown him. He apologized softly, "I'm sorry. That was rude of me. Please, go ahead."

His apologetic reply eased Shimura Kazumi's irritation a little.

Without another word, they walked one behind the other toward the room at the deepest part of Root.

In a room at the end of the dim passage.

Sosuke saw Danzo once again.

Just like the first time they'd met, except that their previous meeting had been in Sosuke's home, while this time it was in Danzo's lair.

To Sosuke, Danzo seemed burdened by a heavy air of decline. He didn't like it.

As if weighed down by heavy shackles, eking out an existence in this world and hiding in the darkness—everything about him ran counter to Sosuke's goals.

And yet, Danzo had become Sosuke's teacher.

Inside the room.

A candle burned quietly. Though it illuminated the entire room, the light remained dim.

Danzo's eyes were half-open, half-closed. He seemed not to notice Sosuke's arrival.

Sosuke didn't try to outwait him. He spoke first, softly.

"Teacher Danzo."

Only after hearing Sosuke's voice did Danzo reply in his low, subdued tone.

"You're here, Sosuke."