What Bad Intentions Could a Child Have?

Before the Memorial Monument, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was speaking.

This was a ceremony to console the spirit of the Fourth Hokage and the ninjas who had died that night. Nearly every prominent ninja in the village had attended, so for a time, people of all ranks gathered together.

Shimura Danzō stood with his head lowered and his body slightly bent, his palms pressed against his trouser seams and hanging at his sides, showing sufficient grief. In reality, he had been staring at Kakashi Hatake the entire time.

He valued talented people highly, especially those who could be brought into Root. Regardless of their background, as long as there was a possibility they could fall into darkness, Danzō never believed they could escape his grasp.

As for Kakashi, his father had committed suicide years ago, Obito had died two years ago, Rin Nohara had been killed by his own hand, and now even his teacher, the Yellow Flash, was dead. Surely, enough darkness had already accumulated in his heart. All it needed was a spark to ignite, making him perfect for recruitment into Root.

At this moment, a Yamanaka Clan ninja in Root used the Mind Transmission Technique to say to Danzō, "Lord Danzō, that boy really went to train at Hokage Rock again."

Shimura Danzō said, "What about the Uchiha Clan ninja? That boy is actually so foolish that he has to train at Hokage Rock even at such a special time today?"

"Most of the capable ones are at the Cemetery Garden right now. Only three Jōnin are following that boy, but all three have activated the Three Tomoe. Should we act?"

Shimura Danzō pondered for a moment before replying carefully, "What do you think?"

"Our manpower isn't sufficient either. Only five people can act. The three Three Tomoe Uchiha are all tough nuts. We can take them down, but doing so without making any noise will be difficult. They were sent out specifically to guard against us, so the possibility of a surprise attack is almost nonexistent."

Danzō silently reviewed the village's current situation and defensive arrangements, then sent back with a frown, "The Uchiha likely won't dare to provoke the ANBU Ninja first. Use another method. Tie them down and pin those three Uchiha in place. Then... have 'Kinoe' enter Hokage Rock and bring Uchiha Retsuo back. If necessary, as long as he's alive, that will do."

After saying this, Danzō severed the Mind Transmission Technique. The Uchiha were simply too detestable!

If it were any other clan, they would never send several Jōnin to protect a brat every day. That would be nothing but a waste of the Jōnin's lives, yet the Uchiha could do exactly that.

The Yamanaka Clan ninja responsible for carrying out the mission had no more questions. Although "Kinoe" was only eleven years old, he was already an absolute core member of Root. Otherwise, he would never have been given the title of "Kinoe."

The leader had directly played this card, showing far too much regard for Uchiha Retsuo.

At this moment, Retsuo was practicing throwing Shuriken and Kunai, sending them flying in huge 270-degree arcs.

He was sweating buckets!

He knew exactly where his weakness lay.

The Uchiha Clan was extremely special. The deeper their insanity, the stronger they became. In the entire Shinobi World, only the Kaguya Clan of the Land of Water could compare with this trait.

But Retsuo was not insane, so he could not bring out his clan's buff.

Being unable to abandon his San value was his shortcoming. The only way to make up for it was through even harder training.

And the Uchiha's first-rate Kunai throwing was one of Retsuo's better abilities at present. His muscle memory was extremely solid, allowing him to perform all kinds of tricks.

His nine years of effort had not been wasted!

The Kunai clanged and collided in midair, ricocheting in all directions. Some bounced three times in succession, changing direction again and again before striking targets hidden directly behind the dummies along three different routes.

Within the field of vision granted by the Sharingan, the Kunai were like waves of air, their trajectories through the air clearly visible.

Their force and angles were under precise control. Before he even threw them, he could already see exactly when and where they would appear.

This level of collision was dazzling to ordinary people. To the Sharingan, it was just basic operation—nothing worth making a fuss over.

It was more like art than an explosion: the art of killing.

Without the Sharingan, even a Jōnin or a Kage-level powerhouse would find it difficult.

Retsuo's goal in training was to achieve a similar effect even without activating the Sharingan.

He had already decided to conceal his eyes' awakening and tell no one unless they were dead.

But why hadn't Shinji and Tenma arrived yet? Those two lazybones!

Retsuo was surprised. Although Tenma and Shinji had mediocre aptitude, they rarely slacked off.

Something was wrong!

Yet the Yin Release Barrier had not reacted at all.

Just as he was concentrating, a string of footsteps came from the corridor, but they did not belong to Tenma and Shinji.

He could recognize Tenma and Shinji's footsteps.

This space inside the mountain had been artificially excavated. It not only had doors, but one at both the front and back, connecting it to the outside world through corridors and stairs.

Retsuo looked up and saw a short-haired boy around his age walking over unhurriedly. He wore a short-sleeved outfit that exposed both arms. More eye-catching was the "gate"-shaped forehead protector on his head, which covered the edges of his forehead and cheeks, leaving his expressionless face and two enormous, lifeless eyes exposed.

Retsuo mentally let out a "What the hell!" The other boy's wooden expression struggled to squeeze out a trace of surprise. "Huh? Who are you? I want to train here too."

Kinoe was pleased with his performance. They were the same age, with only a little over a year between them. That shouldn't arouse suspicion... right?

However, as his enormous diamond-shaped eyes widened, Uchiha Retsuo smiled and pulled a Signal Arrow from his Ninja Tool Pouch.

As a thoroughly trained member of Root, Kinoe formed hand seals without even thinking. "Great Forest Technique!"

His arms immediately transformed into strips of wood that twisted and extended upward. Almost in an instant, they completely blocked all four Hokage faces and their eight eyes.

Retsuo immediately put away the Signal Arrow and instead gripped three Kunai in each hand. This was also one of the Uchiha Clan's opening moves in battle.

Then he retreated in small, quick steps.

"Damn it, it's Yamato! Lord Danzō really thinks highly of me, huh?"

He knew he had fallen into a crisis. The Jōnin sent by his clan to protect him probably never would have imagined that little Yamato was actually a Jōnin of Root!

The key was that once Wood Release had been used, there was no room for reconciliation. To keep its secrets, Root could absolutely do anything! Moreover, Yamato at this time was precisely the product of Danzō's long-term brainwashing. There was no chance of using Talk no Jutsu on him.

Still, it was not quite time for despair, because Hokage Rock was not far from the Hokage Building or the Cemetery Garden!

In particular, while watching Yamato, Retsuo was also watching the ground. Heh!

Yamato gave Retsuo's composure an approving nod.

In this place and at this time, escape was absolutely impossible. He possessed Jōnin-level strength, while his opponent was only a Ninja Academy student. If the other boy fled in panic, Yamato would catch him before he could even leave through the door.

Only a desperate resistance could buy him a little time, allowing him to wait for nonexistent reinforcements.

"How did you discover me?" Yamato asked hesitantly.

Retsuo secretly sensed the area and found that the barrier still showed no reaction at all. Could this be because Yamato truly has no ill will in his heart?

It works like this too?

Retsuo raised his Kunai. "Come a little closer, and I'll tell you."

"Okay." Yamato walked forward as he spoke. He was rather eager to see the Uchiha's first-rate Kunai skills for himself. The pupils of the Hokage Rock statues had already been sealed tightly with wood strips arranged like spiderwebs. In this space, his opponent had no way to escape.

In the end, this Uchiha Retsuo was only a Ninja Academy student. He probably thought that unless Yamato shouted "Wood Release," the boy would not even know that the Great Forest Technique belonged to Wood Release. That was why he could remain so calm.

However, Retsuo suddenly said, "It isn't easy for Root to raise a Wood Release Ninja, is it? If you die, it will be an irreparable loss to the village."

Yamato froze. "You know about Wood Release?"

Retsuo lowered his voice. "That's right. So I'm mentally prepared to kill you as well. I won't worry about the village's losses."

This was a threat, but it was also Retsuo's self-awareness. Ever since that night, Retsuo had been mentally prepared for the day when his hands would sooner or later be stained with blood.

This was the Shinobi World, filled with danger, not modern society. He could not afford the slightest hesitation.

Yamato immediately became serious, his gaze sweeping back and forth over Retsuo's Kunai.

But he had already walked into the center of the area covered by Explosive Tags.

"Explode—"