He's a Lunatic-Don't Mess with Him

Inside the Hokage Office, the atmosphere had grown unbearably tense.

Danzo stared fixedly at the Sky Screen, watching Sasuke turn the tables on Orochimaru. An almost greedy fervor blazed in his cloudy old eyes.

That look was naked and undisguised, brimming with covetousness and ambition.

Beside him, Hiruzen Sarutobi took in Danzo's expression and instantly saw through his intentions.

Danzo was tempted.

The Third's expression darkened, and he immediately issued a stern warning in a low voice. "Danzo, I'm warning you. Don't even think about laying a hand on Sasuke."

Rather than restrain himself, Danzo leaned forward, his voice obsessive and feverish. "Hiruzen, look closely!"

"He's barely in his teens, yet his Three-Tomoe Sharingan is already powerful enough to crush Orochimaru!"

"With that talent and ocular power, he absolutely has the potential to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

"We cannot let this opportunity slip away!"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu exchanged a glance. Both nodded slightly, but their brows ultimately drew into tight frowns.

"Sasuke's talent is undeniable, but we'd still be better off leaving him alone."

"And Danzo, we absolutely cannot let you control Sasuke. That would do Konoha no good."

Their stance utterly enraged Danzo.

His face clouded over as he swept a cold gaze across them, his voice dripping with contempt and mockery. "You two are nothing in the end!"

"You've never accomplished a single thing, yet you hold positions as high as mine. You really are nothing but Hiruzen's yes-men!"

Every word struck a nerve!

With a single remark, he dismissed decades of effort!

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu instantly flushed with anger, their chests heaving and their faces full of indignation.

"How have we never contributed anything to Konoha?"

Danzo snorted, gave them a disdainful glance, and simply looked away.

That nearly drove the two of them mad.

The office was instantly on the brink of open conflict.

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression turned utterly stern, and he spoke firmly once more. "Danzo, this is your final warning."

"You are not to target Sasuke Uchiha. In fact, neither you nor your Root are to go anywhere near him."

"Otherwise, I will disband your Root outright!"

The Third spoke with such absolute resolve that no one could doubt his determination!

Danzo stiffened, then flew into a rage. He whipped his head toward the Third and demanded harshly, "Hiruzen! You'd treat me like this for Sasuke's sake!"

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu frowned. Why did that sound like a helpless wife confronting her cheating husband?

Faced with Danzo's furious questioning, Hiruzen Sarutobi refused to yield an inch. His voice was exceedingly grave as he laid out Konoha's current situation.

"Danzo, stop being willful."

"The rifts within Konoha are severe right now. Can't you see that?"

"Our peace with the major clans is only superficial!"

"I originally intended to spend several years gradually smoothing things over and eroding the Uchiha Clan's influence, but the Sky Screen disrupted my plans."

"Konoha cannot withstand any more internal strife. We absolutely must not scheme against the Uchiha orphan."

The Third's gaze was deep, his voice filled with apprehension.

"Besides, Uchiha Itachi is still out there."

That single sentence instantly quelled every ambition in the room.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu immediately voiced their agreement, their expressions utterly grave.

"Exactly! Uchiha Itachi is a complete madman, a lunatic!"

"Someone who could slaughter his entire clan and his closest family with his own hands is no longer human!"

"Yes, we absolutely cannot trust a lunatic like him, much less provoke him!"

"No one knows what madness he might commit next!"

Danzo clenched his fists tightly. His ambition and resentment nearly exploded, anger and frustration surging through him.

He glared at the three of them and spoke through gritted teeth. "Fine! Just fine!"

"Refuse to listen to me today, and when Sasuke grows up, you'll regret it when it's too late!"

Faced with Danzo's furious prediction, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained composed, his words ringing with conviction.

"So be it."

"I will take responsibility for every decision Konoha makes."

"I am the Hokage."

That single sentence ended the argument completely.

Danzo's face turned ashen, his heart seething with suppressed malice. He stared fixedly at Sasuke Uchiha on the Sky Screen. The covetousness in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest; instead, it only intensified.

In a secluded corner deep within a forest.

Orochimaru was lying low there.

As he watched his attempt backfire against Sasuke on the Sky Screen, not a trace of resentment appeared on his face.

His expression remained calm as he silently began reviewing what had happened.

After a long while, Orochimaru lightly ran the tip of his tongue over his cheek.

"Just as I thought... attempting to take his body outright was ultimately too hasty."

"My research into the Sharingan was too limited. I never knew the Three-Tomoe Sharingan countered the Soul Secret Technique so strongly. It went far beyond my expectations."

The fate shown on the Sky Screen made him recognize the uncertainties that lay ahead.

A head-on approach would not be easy.

A sly gleam flashed through Orochimaru's eyes as he quietly settled on an entirely new plan.

"Still, I'll have to find a way to approach Sasuke."

"Only this time, I'll need a completely different method."

He lifted his eyes and gazed toward distant Konoha, an unhurried, eerie smile curling his lips.

"Sasuke is only seven or eight right now, isn't he?"

Orochimaru clicked his tongue softly, sounding somewhat disappointed. "At that age, he can't father children yet..."

"So I'll have to wait several more years?"

Orochimaru had patience, but as he contemplated his blueprint for the bloodline, he still found himself itching to begin.

After a brief spell of irritation, Orochimaru quickly composed himself, meticulous calculations flashing through his eyes.

"Very well."

"There are still several years left. I might as well put them to use."

"If I'm going to create a perfect vessel, I'll start gathering various kekkei genkai and high-quality material in advance."

As his thoughts raced, he immediately settled on his first target.

"That little girl from the Uzumaki Clan... her name is Karin, isn't it?"

The Uzumaki bloodline, paired with the Uchiha bloodline.

Vast chakra reserves and abundant vitality, combined with the Sharingan!

That sounded rather promising!

Orochimaru's eyes lit up as he instantly finalized the first step of his plan.

"I'll find that girl Karin first and start raising her early."

"I imagine she won't object to that boy Sasuke."

"After all, young girls all like that type."

And just as Orochimaru had expected.

A certain little red-haired girl was staring dreamily at Sasuke on the Sky Screen, her cheeks flushed.

But she soon snapped out of it.

"Wait, in the future, I'll actually be with Orochimaru and meet Sasuke there?"

It had only been a brief scene on the Sky Screen not long ago.

And her standing with Orochimaru had seemed rather high.

At that thought, Karin's heart instantly filled with panic.

She was no fool.

How would the people in her village treat her?