"..."
Shisui Uchiha gave the three Root ninja a perfunctory search, but found nothing.
As expected, cannon fodder wouldn't carry any useful information.
But just as Shisui Uchiha was about to leave, several shuriken imbued with wind chakra sliced through the air from afar, heading straight for his face!
Yet when the shuriken struck Shisui Uchiha, no blood spilled. Instead, they passed right through his body.
"An afterimage?"
Seeing that his attack had missed, a man with a bandaged arm walked toward Shisui Uchiha, one step at a time.
He opened with an angry shout.
"Hmph! Shisui Uchiha, you've wantonly slaughtered Konoha ninja! Your crimes are unforgivable. Do you admit your guilt?"
"Slaughtered Konoha ninja? No, they weren't. Konoha ninja would never attack their own comrades."
Shisui Uchiha put on a righteous air, his face full of resolve.
Watching through his crystal ball, Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly.
In his eyes, Shisui Uchiha had been thoroughly brainwashed by now.
Shimura Danzō's expression, however, darkened immediately.
If he called those men Konoha ninja, how would he explain their attack on Shisui Uchiha?
If he said they weren't, was he supposed to let Shisui Uchiha kill his men just like that?
As Shimura Danzō's face grew grim, the Root ninja behind him wore equally grave expressions.
Brutal!
He went straight for the kill. Just what you'd expect from Body Flicker Shisui!
"Then explain why you were patrolling so far from the village."
Shimura Danzō questioned him again.
"I expanded my patrol route to keep Konoha safe. Is there a problem with that? If I hadn't noticed something was wrong and widened my patrol, these spies from other ninja villages would have infiltrated the village already."
Spies...
That damned brat gave those three dead men an identity just like that. After all, dead men couldn't talk!
Still, there were no other Anbu members around Shisui Uchiha today. This was a chance to test where his loyalties lay.
With that thought, Shimura Danzō kept his stern expression as he walked toward Shisui Uchiha. He reached out and patted Shisui Uchiha's shoulder, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on his gloomy face.
"I understand the situation now. You did well! Since these men were spies from other ninja villages, there was nothing wrong with killing them. The village will remember your contribution."
"However..."
At that, Shimura Danzō changed his tone, lowering his head to speak softly into Shisui Uchiha's ear.
"Shisui, you know I've always admired you. It's just a shame that Sarutobi got to you first."
"But that doesn't matter. I now formally invite you to join Root. Just say the word, and your position within Root will be second only to mine. Every Root member will be at your command. That should make it easier for you to fulfill your ideals of protecting the village and upholding the Will of Fire."
"What do you think of those terms?"
Second-in-command of Root? A very tempting offer. Unfortunately...
With everyone watching, Shisui Uchiha shook his head.
"I refuse."
"Why?"
The smile on Shimura Danzō's face froze instantly, and a flash of malice crossed his eyes.
"I'm a member of the Anbu. I take orders only from Lord Third Hokage."
Hiruzen Sarutobi! Hiruzen Sarutobi again!
I'm clearly the one best suited to be Hokage. What right does Hiruzen Sarutobi have to compete with me?
At Shisui Uchiha's words, Shimura Danzō's expression darkened to the extreme. He forcefully patted his shoulder three times with his right hand, then turned to leave.
"In that case..."
But once he was five meters away, his hands began forming hand seals at lightning speed.
"Shisui! I've noticed your ninjutsu has gotten a little rusty lately. Today, I'll give you a proper lesson on behalf of the Third Hokage!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
The next instant, dense wind chakra burst from Shimura Danzō's mouth. The whipping gale formed a scythe that swept straight toward Shisui Uchiha.
Shisui Uchiha merely shook his head.
Just as the wind scythe was about to reach him, the hand resting on his Kusanagi Sword flashed again, drawing the blade.
The blade spiraled into a forward thrust, chakra swirling around it like a hurricane as its tip struck the wind scythe.
Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!
Boom!
With a deafening blast, Shisui Uchiha's Gale Sword shredded the wind scythe.
At the sight, Shimura Danzō clenched his teeth so hard they ground audibly.
That brat's swordsmanship has gotten stronger again!
Damn it. If I can't have someone this talented, then I'll destroy him myse-
The next instant, Shimura Danzō lunged at Shisui Uchiha, forming hand seals again as wind chakra gathered wildly.
Seeing this, Shisui Uchiha suddenly vanished.
When he reappeared, he was already behind Shimura Danzō, his right hand resting on the man's shoulder.
A moment later, Shimura Danzō went limp. Had the other Root members not caught him in time, he would have fallen flat on the ground.
"Don't worry. It's just ordinary genjutsu. I still have to report on my patrol. Thanks for taking care of things from here."
There was no point in continuing to fight Shimura Danzō. This wasn't the right time to kill him yet.
If he was going to move against him, he would make sure it was thorough.
He would utterly ruin Shimura Danzō!
Whoosh!
After Shisui Uchiha left, Shimura Danzō, who should have been unconscious, opened his eyes a sliver. A vicious gleam flashed through the narrow gaps.
Shisui Uchiha, enjoy your smugness a little longer.
The next time we fight, when you confidently assume I've fallen under your genjutsu again, I'll deal you a fatal blow!
Those eyes of yours belong to me, Shimura Danzō!
Before you continue