Gray Snake struggled fiercely. The power of the genjutsu told him at once that he had been discovered.
His right hand trembled as he reached for a kunai in his Ninja Tool Pouch, hoping the sharp pain would snap him awake.
It was futile. Fugaku poured in more Pupil Power, drowning Gray Snake's last shred of awareness.
Gray Snake was now completely under Fugaku's control. Fugaku's voice sounded in his mind.
"From now on, you're my undercover agent beside Danzo. Keep reporting on me to him, and report his secrets to me."
"Yes."
Gray Snake was completely under his control. All Fugaku needed to do was put him under deep hypnosis every few days.
It was like Obito's control over the Fourth Mizukage. Nothing looked wrong from the outside, but the ninja himself had become a puppet.
Unless he went a long time without exposure to the Mangekyo Sharingan, some kind of shock might allow him to wake on his own.
"Tell me exactly what's happening in Root."
"After taking charge again, Danzo sensed the danger Konoha was in and decided to expand Root to four hundred ninja. There are only fifty now, though most of them are elite."
"Four hundred! Is Danzo planning a rebellion? Did the Hokage approve?"
"No. Danzo plans to train them in secret, without recruiting from Konoha. The Shinobi World War is over, but some regions are still unstable. Every nation has plenty of homeless orphans.
"With Danzo's conditioning and brainwashing, plus a few years of training, those orphans will become capable ninja."
Fugaku smiled. "Keep watching me and reporting some of what you learn to Danzo. As for my weakness, I'll come up with one in the next few days for you to report."
"Yes."
More than four hundred ninja—another powerful reason to drive