Amplification

As he watched Utatane Koharu glare at him furiously, Danzo faintly guessed what she was thinking and smiled bitterly inwardly.

I really don't want to be the Root Leader anymore.

He had been a leader long enough in his previous life, and he had already experienced power over tens of thousands.

Having finally escaped the identity of a public enemy in that world and come to this anime world, he wanted to properly enjoy life under the sun.

Besides, with the Good Person System, he should not be hiding in the shadows.

"Let's leave this matter at that for now."

Sarutobi Hiruzen had clearly misunderstood Danzo's meaning as well. Rubbing his temples with a headache, he said, "Danzo, once this matter is over, let's find a time to talk."

After all these years, he knew exactly what kind of person Danzo was.

Not interested in becoming Hokage?

Only a ghost would believe that.

Danzo looked helplessly at the three of them. What else could he say?

He spread his hands, turned around, and left.

Ever since he had transmigrated here, Danzo had not managed affairs as the Root Leader at all. Most of the time, he simply treated those Root Ninja as servants.

Whether it was serving tea and pouring water or killing and arson, they were proficient at everything.

The few ninja under Danzo could practically be called all-rounders.

"I had no choice before, but now I really want to be a good person." As if muttering to himself, Danzo reclined halfway inside the palanquin and closed his eyes.

The palanquin gave an obvious little jolt.

The four Root Ninja outside had clearly heard Danzo's words, yet rather than feeling joy, they felt even more burdened.

Lord Danzo had become increasingly impossible to understand lately.

That jolt felt oddly familiar to Danzo, like riding a roller coaster in the past.

He could not help laughing as he instructed them, "Just keep circling Konoha like this. Don't make it too smooth. A little shaking makes it more comfortable to sleep."

"Understood!"

The Root Ninja, who had seemed emotionless before, answered in a trembling voice.

Just now, he seemed to have heard Lord Danzo laugh.

He could not help turning to look at his companion beside him. His companion, wearing an animal mask, was likewise tilting his head at him. Clearly, he too was dazed by that laugh.

Feeling the palanquin begin to sway noticeably, Danzo lay comfortably flat on the soft cushions.

Whenever stress kept him awake in the past, he had especially liked booking out a roller coaster. This rocking sensation could quickly put him to sleep.

Danzo's closed eyes suddenly snapped open, and he reached out to tap the virtual panel in the air.

"Ding."

At that moment, a soft notification sounded.

He had already decided to use his only Skill Point to activate Body Amplification.

Compared with his speed and spirit, Danzo's strength and physical body were relatively weak.

In this crisis-ridden world, defense was extremely important.

As Body Amplification lit up, Danzo could clearly feel an indescribable vitality surge from within him, continuously improving his body.

The warmth was like soaking his entire body in a hot spring. Danzo slowly immersed himself in that comfortable transformation.

"Lord Danzo?"

The Root Ninja outside could also sense the movement within the palanquin and asked in confusion.

"Keep circling Konoha. Don't stop." Danzo's voice rang out, calm and without a trace of emotion.

This made the four Root Ninja carrying the palanquin breathe a sigh of relief.

This was how Lord Danzo should be.

The bodily changes lasted for quite a while. In that warm environment, Danzo drifted off in a daze. By the time he woke up, the amplification had already ended.

He clenched his fist. Other than an inexplicable sense of fullness, there did not seem to be much change.

He opened the virtual panel, and the values on it had already changed.

--

Main Attribute Panel

Name: Shimura Danzō.

Age: Twenty-one.

Strength: C.

Body: C+.

Speed: A.

Spirit: A.

Skills:

Strength Amplification (Not Activated)

Body Amplification (Activated) Endurance Amplification (Not Activated)

Speed Amplification (Not Activated)

Spirit Amplification (Not Activated)

Skill Points: 0

--

After Body Amplification was activated, his Body attribute had changed from C to C+, and the subsequent skill, Endurance Amplification, had been unlocked.

The Skill Points needed to light up and activate Endurance Amplification were ten times what they had been before. In other words, Danzo needed to gain the heartfelt gratitude and admiration of ten people.

This was far too difficult.

He could not help sighing as he asked outside, "What time is it now?"

"It is already late at night." The Root Ninja responded calmly, his tone unchanged. After carrying such a large palanquin for so long, the four Root Ninja were neither flushed nor out of breath.

At that moment, the palanquin suddenly stopped.

"Hokage summons you."

A stern, emotionless voice sounded from outside the palanquin.

Danzo frowned.

Sarutobi?

Hadn't he just left that place?

What did that old man want from him again?

"Why stop? Return to Root."

Danzo calmly instructed the four Root Ninja outside.

The palanquin began swaying again.

To Root, Danzo's orders ranked above those of the Hokage.

Sitting up from his reclining position, the little excitement he had felt was settled by Sarutobi's interruption.

Calling him over to watch a self-directed play was one thing.

What was the point of making him go back now?

"Hokage invites Lord Danzo to discuss tomorrow's meeting." The Anbu Ninja outside did not dare stop Danzo from leaving and continued speaking as he followed the swaying palanquin.

"I already said I don't want to attend tomorrow's meeting." Danzo said impatiently. "Stop him. If he keeps following us, knock him out."

"Understood."

Besides the four Root Ninja outside, there was another Root Ninja hidden nearby.

Upon hearing Danzo's order, he immediately appeared in front of the Anbu Ninja and blocked his path.

Both wore black clothes and animal masks.

The Root Ninja and Anbu Ninja faced each other, neither making a move.

Only after the palanquin carrying Danzo disappeared from view did the still-standing Anbu Ninja slowly turn around and return to the Hokage Building to report.

Sarutobi Hiruzen stood by the window, looking at the silent Konoha beneath the night sky.

It was already very late, and most people had gone to rest.

Anbu Ninja were hidden throughout the streets, protecting Konoha.

Kumogakure's kidnapping of the Hyuga Clan's eldest daughter had undoubtedly slapped Konoha in the face.

After being discovered, Kumogakure had even taken the opportunity to mobilize troops and provoke war. This was an outright display of arrogance before Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Clenching his fists tightly, Sarutobi was actually more inclined toward Danzo than the calm Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.

It was not merely because the two had been close friends since childhood, but also because Danzo's personality matched his younger self so well.

As time passed, Sarutobi's personality had constantly changed, while Danzo remained as forceful as ever.

He had actually hoped Danzo would persuade him during today's meeting, so that he could disregard the Fire Country Daimyo and the voices of others in the village and send troops to restore their honor.

But Danzo's attitude had greatly surprised him.

What exactly was he trying to do?

This was what Sarutobi had been pondering ever since today's meeting ended. He had originally been resting briefly in the lounge.

But Danzo's behavior had left him tossing and turning, unable to sleep. In the end, he could not resist sending someone to bring Danzo back.

He felt that Danzo had also been waiting for his summons.

Danzo should have something to say to him.

"Hokage, Lord Danzo said he will not attend tomorrow's meeting." A black shadow appeared out of thin air in the Hokage Office and reported to Sarutobi Hiruzen by the window.

Sarutobi's expression changed, and a trace of suspicion flickered in his eyes.

Waaah, waaah, waaah! New book, please vote!

Since some readers brought up the issue of Root and Anbu masks, let me explain with this reference: "The masks worn by 'Root' members are more varied than those worn by the Anbu directly under the Hokage, and are not limited to designs modeled after animal faces."