Danzo's Scheme

A day at the academy quickly came to an end.

After declining Uchiha Yakumi and Uchiha Aya's invitation to stroll around the food street, Yin Jie set off alone on the road back to the Uchiha Clan District.

Along the way, he walked at an unhurried pace, reviewing the lesson Dāhé Wàng had taught in his mind.

He truly had not expected that even after becoming a ninja, he would still have to study mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

It was not difficult for him, but did failing to master math, physics, and chemistry mean one could not become a good ninja?

Could it be that before a battle began, ninjas would first use pen and paper to calculate the real-time wind on the battlefield, as well as the mass of the kunai or shuriken in their hands, to determine the angle at which to throw them?

Yin Jie did not understand, but he was deeply shaken—especially after learning that this knowledge would even appear in the written portion of the Chunin Exams. He was even more unable to handle it.

Come on, this was the shinobi world, a world with the extraordinary power known as chakra.

Basic math, physics, and chemistry were useful, but not as useful as one might imagine.

Yin Jie knew just how chaotic the shinobi world would become in the future. When facing Hashirama Senju's Wood Release or Uchiha Madara's Complete Body Susanoo, would any of that knowledge be of use?

Perhaps the most brilliant application of math, physics, and chemistry in battle had been the fight between the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, and the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, during the Fourth Shinobi World War.

Faced with the endlessly exploding Water Release: Steam Imp of the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, mixed the Magnet Release: Gold Dust left behind by his father, the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, before he was sealed, into his sand clone.

He then used the heat generated by Hozuki Gengetsu's clone exploding to melt the gold dust and fuse it with the clone.

Since gold dust was 19.3 times denser than water, Hozuki Gengetsu's endlessly exploding clone grew slower and slower, until it was easily caught by the sand controlled by Gaara.

And because the sand Gaara used to catch Hozuki Gengetsu's clone was mixed with hail produced by the explosion to cool it down, the water vapor inside the clone, which had been heated to the point of explosion, was rapidly cooled by the gold dust's excellent thermal conductivity. In the end, it turned into a little golden man gleaming brilliantly beneath the sun.

Before long, Yin Jie entered the Uchiha Clan District.

"Yo! Little Yin Jie, back from school? Here, have a pancake!"

As Yin Jie passed the pancake shop at the entrance to the clan district, the enthusiastic owner, Uchiha Teyaki, called out to him. Right afterward, the equally enthusiastic proprietress, Uchiha Uruchi, greeted him as well and directly handed him a freshly made pancake.

It had to be said, the preferential treatment the Uchiha Clan gave its own little ones was no exaggeration.

In the little more than half year since Yin Jie had returned to the Uchiha Clan, he had no idea how many times the couple, Uchiha Teyaki and Uchiha Uruchi, had fed him—and never once charged him.

Of course, it was not because Yin Jie had no money or did not want to pay. Uchiha Teyaki and Uchiha Uruchi simply refused to take his money no matter what.

After all, children were the hope of a clan. Whether they were ninja or civilians, every member of the Uchiha Clan understood that.

Though during the time Uchiha Yasashiro had stayed in the village, he had already paid for Yin Jie a few times.

"Thank you, Aunt Uruchi, Uncle Teyaki!"

Warmth flowed through Yin Jie's heart as he sincerely bowed in thanks.

This kind of kindness and concern, offered without asking for anything in return simply because they were from the same clan, touched him more than anything else.

Besides, this was not an isolated case.

It could be said that every Uchiha in Konoha took great care of him, a child who had only recently returned to the clan and had no parents or relatives within it.

Thus, sincerity was answered with sincerity. Though the Uchiha Clan might have one problem or another, it was difficult for Yin Jie not to become part of it.

Night.

Root Base.

An underground world shrouded in darkness.

Moonlight filtered through the skylight, spilling across the enormous disc-shaped platform at the center of the stone bridge.

A figure stood quietly with his hands behind his back, bathed in the faint, dim light. His expression was gloomy and cold.

Whoosh!

At that moment, another figure suddenly appeared and dropped to one knee.

He wore a mask shaped like a bizarre bird's head, while the metal armor on his chest, back, and wrists reflected a deep, shadowy gleam beneath the moonlight.

"Lord Danzo!"

The newcomer's voice roused Danzo from his thoughts.

"Wild Duck."

Danzo called out the visitor's codename in an indifferent tone.

"The mission has been completed!"

The ninja responsible for intelligence work in Root, codenamed Wild Duck, remained kneeling on one knee as he pulled a scroll from his robes and presented it to Danzo with both hands. "All intelligence concerning Uchiha Yin Jie is here!"

"I see..."

A sharp glint flashed through Danzo's narrow eyes. He reached out, accepted the scroll, swiftly skimmed through it, and put it away.

After several seconds of silence, Danzo asked, "What is the situation on Ryoma's side?"

Wild Duck, who remained kneeling and had never raised his head, instantly narrowed his pupils at those words.

He understood what Danzo truly wanted to ask. Aburame Ryoma was currently on the front lines of the war between Konoha and the Hidden Rock Village, teamed with Orochimaru, the favored disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had close ties of cooperation with Root.

Therefore, what Danzo was really "concerned" about was Orochimaru's movements.

Wild Duck did not hesitate in the slightest. "Reporting to Lord Danzo! Lord Ryoma has not sent back any new intelligence. However, according to the information from his previous report, he and Lord Orochimaru will likely remain on the front lines for another half year or so."

"Heh heh heh..."

Danzo said nothing, merely gave a chilling laugh, then turned and left. Accompanied by the faint sound of dripping water, his figure was gradually swallowed by the darkness.

The information in the scroll concerning the genius Uchiha Yin Jie made him want even more to bring Yin Jie into Root.

However, there was no need to rush. Hiruzen Sarutobi had been keeping an eye on the boy all along.

Besides, he did not need to rush. There was still plenty of time. Given Hiruzen Sarutobi's personality, he would at least make Yin Jie complete a full year at the ninja academy before allowing him to graduate early.

So, in a sudden flash of inspiration, he had thought of an excellent idea. That was precisely why he had just asked about Orochimaru's movements.

He wanted Orochimaru, who had close ties of cooperation with him and might even join Root in the future, to become Uchiha Yin Jie's jonin instructor after graduation.

Better yet, if Orochimaru could simply take him as a disciple, that would be even better.

That way, while bringing Yin Jie into his grasp, he could also make Hiruzen Sarutobi suffer a hidden loss.

After all, Orochimaru was your disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi!