You Don't Even Know the Will of Fire, and You Claim You're Not a Spy? (National Day Bonus Chapter, Please Keep Reading)

After Tsunade left with Shizune, Setsuna and Might Guy trained for another hour before dragging their exhausted bodies home.

Once home, Setsuna stretched contentedly and nodded. "Without small victories, there can be no great victory. Win, win, win every day. Today was another day of bountiful gains."

Though tired, he was indeed quite satisfied. Not only had he secretly learned the Gentle Fist today, but he had also found a way to cultivate the Yin Seal.

The feeling of improving every day was far more pleasant than certain depraved pleasures.

After washing up, Setsuna lay on his bed and began to think. If the Yin Seal can be modified, then perhaps the Eight Gates can also be altered into something like the King Kai Fist, a mode suited for "ki"? But that requires sufficient understanding of the human body. Looks like I still need to find Orochimaru...

As his thoughts drifted, Setsuna fell asleep...

After an unknown amount of time, Setsuna suddenly opened his eyes. Two masked figures stood before the window, looking particularly eerie beneath the moonlight.

One of the masked ninjas said in an icy voice, "Lord Danzo wishes to see you. Come with us."

Setsuna's expression darkened. Although he had become the Crane Hermit's disciple, he also admired Master Roshi's philosophy of cultivation: "Exercise diligently, study diligently, enjoy yourself diligently, savor life diligently, and rest diligently." Cultivation should be integrated into life, and resting was also cultivation.

Interrupting his sleep meant interfering with his cultivation. It meant preventing his progress. The consequences would be severe.

Setsuna said coldly, "Danzo what? Never heard of him. Get the hell out of here."

The two Root ninjas did not react, merely repeating mechanically, "This is Lord Danzo's order. If you refuse to come with us, we can only take you away by force."

From the moment they entered Root, they had undergone training to "eliminate the self." They had no names and no emotions. Even if Danzo was slighted, they would not become angry. Completing their mission was their sole conviction.

Naturally, Setsuna would not get angry at two emotionless puppets. But they still needed to be taught a lesson. It would be even better if he could drag out the person behind them and beat him senseless.

Seeing that Setsuna still had no intention of getting up, the two formed hand seals at the same time, preparing to seize him by force. The next instant, however, agonizing pain erupted across their faces.

Setsuna appeared at their sides almost instantly, gripping the backs of their heads and making their faces collide intimately. Their masks shattered, and fragments embedded themselves in their faces as blood streamed down.

The two clearly felt no pain, yet fear still rose uncontrollably within them. It was the primal fear innate to all life, something even their frozen hearts could not suppress.

Setsuna whispered into their ears, "Get the hell back now and tell the trash behind you to die as far away from me as possible!"

As he spoke, Setsuna hooked open the door with his foot and threw them far away as if tossing out garbage. Then he dusted off his hands and returned to his bed.

"What rotten luck. Orochimaru didn't come, but that old bastard Danzo did." Setsuna shook his head slightly. He no longer intended to sleep and instead sat on the bed to meditate quietly.

Given Danzo's temperament, he probably would not be able to swallow such humiliation. All he had to do was wait patiently.

Sure enough, only ten minutes later, the two Root ninjas returned, following behind a ninja whose body was half wrapped in bandages.

The moonlight was clear and tranquil, yet the newcomer remained hidden in darkness, as though he were darkness itself.

Setsuna opened his eyes and pretended not to know. "Are you the Danzo they were talking about?"

Danzo's voice was hoarse, like withered wood. "You have quite the nerve, daring to make me personally 'invite' you."

"You're the one with nerve. A ninja from an enemy village dares to infiltrate Konoha and abduct people." Setsuna slapped a label on him first.

Danzo frowned slightly. He had always been the one pinning crimes on others, yet this time he had been falsely accused instead. This brat truly was well suited for Root. "Ignorant child. I am Konoha elder Shimura Danzō."

"Never heard of you. I only know Lord Hokage, not some Shimura Danzō." Setsuna yawned. "If you're not a ninja from an enemy village, then leave my house and stop disturbing my rest."

Danzo's gaze turned slightly cold, but he still did not want to make too much of a commotion. "Can you not understand what I am saying? Come with me now. This is an order from Konoha's higher-ups!"

Setsuna sneered. "Even if it were an order from Lord Hokage, I have the right to refuse a mission, let alone from some sewer rat that crawled out of nowhere like you."

Danzo's eyes widened in fury. "Who said that? Nonsense! A ninja's duty is to obey orders!"

"Of course Lord Hokage said it, as part of the Will of Fire he teaches." Setsuna's eyes suddenly widened. "You don't even know the Will of Fire taught by Lord Hokage, and you claim you're not a spy?"

What has that idiot Hiruzen been teaching them at the Academy? Danzo fumed inwardly. Naturally, he would never study Hiruzen's Will of Fire. Wouldn't that mean admitting his own philosophy was inferior to Hiruzen's?

"Since you're a spy from an enemy village, then I don't need to hold back anymore." Setsuna flashed a "ferocious" grin and shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, moving fast enough to produce a sonic boom.

Setsuna's movement startled Danzo. He formed hand seals almost instantly and used Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere, not to attack Setsuna, but to use the recoil of the Wind Release to propel himself rapidly backward.

With a thunderous boom, the ground where he had been standing split apart completely. The long street churned violently, and the gale stirred by the shockwave made even his old face sting.

Although Setsuna's home was located in a relatively secluded corner of the village, the tremendous noise still woke many nearby residents.

Danzo could no longer bother maintaining secrecy. Fine beads of sweat dripped from his forehead.

He had heard that Setsuna's Taijutsu was formidable, but remembering how the Third Hokage had arranged for Asuma Sarutobi to spar with Setsuna, he had subconsciously assumed that Setsuna was at most an ordinary Jonin. Reaching Jonin level through Taijutsu alone was already a sufficiently high estimate. Yet when he truly faced Setsuna, he realized that his earlier guess had been wildly wrong.

The pressure Setsuna gave him was actually like facing the Third Raikage. One punch had destroyed an entire street. Such destructive power could almost be considered forbidden-jutsu level, yet it had merely been an ordinary punch from his opponent.

"That bastard Hiruzen actually had the nerve to claim his son had narrowly lost in battle. It was nothing but a sham!" Danzo gritted his teeth, but he had no time to think further as Setsuna's fist wind closed in once more.

Danzo used Wind Release: Shuriken to interfere with Setsuna while dodging and retreating into the nearby forest.

"Still, this is for the best. I'm increasingly convinced that he can become the perfect test subject." After getting past his initial panic, Danzo calmed down. His strength was not weak, and he had encountered the Third Raikage on the battlefield before. He knew how to deal with this kind of Taijutsu powerhouse.

Setsuna was also happy to follow Danzo into the forest. If the fight became too brutal later, frightening the neighbors would not be good.