Shimura Danzō was so dark he was smoking

Root Base.

Shimura Danzō arrived at the specially built secret laboratory.

Orochimaru was engrossed in his research. Surprise flashed through his slit pupils when he saw his visitor.

"What brings you here?"

"Hmph."

Shimura Danzō looked displeased and snorted. "Are you behind the disappearances in the village?"

As far as he was concerned, aside from himself, the only person in Konoha capable of such a thing was the man before him.

"The experimental subjects you supplied weren't enough. I had no choice but to resort to this."

Faced with his questioning, Orochimaru made no attempt to hide it, licking his lips excitedly.

"Fortunately, those people didn't die for nothing. I've figured out the key to the experiment!"

Shimura Danzō's expression softened somewhat at that. "Don't do this again, or we'll have trouble if those Uchiha discover it."

Everyone in the village knew what Uchiha Jin had been doing lately.

If Orochimaru gave him something to use against him...

Hiruzen Sarutobi would have no choice but to bow to public pressure and deal with Orochimaru personally.

Then there would be no one left to research Hashirama Cells for him.

Even if it had to be revealed, that would have to wait until the experiment was complete. Then he could conveniently kick Orochimaru aside.

"Oh?"

Orochimaru looked curious and couldn't resist asking, "Are you worried about Uchiha Jin?"

Although he had stayed in the laboratory doing research ever since the Third Shinobi World War ended, he still knew a little about the major events in the village lately.

All he could say was that Uchiha Jin was very interesting.

An unusual Uchiha.

"Don't worry. I've been very discreet. No one will know."

Orochimaru was very confident in his methods.

All he had done was secretly abduct a few Genin, wasn't it?

He hadn't left any clues at all.

"I'll use spies from other villages as your subjects. Remember, don't abduct anyone on your own again."

Shimura Danzō's voice was icy.

"Otherwise, I won't take the blame for you next time."

Over the years, he had handled so much dirty business for Monkey that whenever something bad happened in the village, he became the suspect.

Even if most of Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicions were correct, occasionally taking the blame for something he hadn't done still felt damned unpleasant!

Orochimaru nodded, then turned back to his research.

Shimura Danzō stayed in the laboratory for a while before leaving.

He was genuinely interested in Uchiha Jin and planned to recruit the boy personally.

Two young prodigies had emerged from the Uchiha Clan.

Shisui Uchiha had been recruited into the Anbu, while Uchiha Jin ought to belong to Root.

Unfortunately, the boy showed him no respect at all, and that fellow Monkey even took his side.

As a result, the Root ninja had failed to bring Uchiha Jin back last time.

"The inherently evil Uchiha."

Shimura Danzō looked toward Tobirama Senju's face on Hokage Rock. "Once I become Hokage, I'll eliminate destabilizing elements like these!"

In the past, the Uchiha had merely been arrogant and conceited. Now they dared to openly oppose the village leadership.

Uchiha Jin, for instance.

He did whatever he pleased in the village under the banner of so-called just law enforcement.

He showed neither the Hokage nor the major clans any consideration.

His attitude was the Uchiha Clan's attitude.

If he was allowed to keep this up, the Uchiha Clan would rebel sooner or later!

Hiruzen was too weak.

This sort of thing could only be left to him.

Shimura Danzō planned to use his personal charisma to recruit Uchiha Jin into Root first.

Once he became Hokage, he would devote his full efforts to dealing with the Uchiha Clan.

That evening, at the Uchiha Konoha Military Police Force.

"Boss, we're finally off work."

The fat cat lay across Uchiha Jin's shoulder, yawning as it looked at the darkening sky outside the window.

It didn't understand why its boss still had to handle cases personally every day when he had already been promoted.

Wasn't he supposed to leave everything to his subordinates?

Then drink tea and read the newspaper in his office?

"Mm."

Uchiha Jin nodded and left the Konoha Military Police Force Troops with Black Cat.

When he reached a street along his route home, Uchiha Jin frowned slightly and instinctively placed his hand on his sword hilt.

His surroundings were too quiet. It felt as though someone had deliberately cleared the area.

Several pairs of eyes were watching him from the shadows.

"Boss, I'll head home first, meow."

Seeing that something was wrong, the fat cat immediately jumped off his shoulder.

"I'll wait for you at home, meow."

With that, it scampered away.

Uchiha Jin: "..."

This fellow was as cowardly and afraid of dying as ever.

As the fat cat sprinted away, it failed to watch where it was going and ran into someone.

"Ow, meow."

The fat cat covered its swollen, reddened nose with a paw, glaring up at the person blocking its way.

"Can't you watch where you're going..."

Before it could finish, its gaze met Shimura Danzō's sinister eyes, and its fur stood on end in fright.

"Boss, save me! Someone's going to kill this kitty!"

Black Cat ran back, leaped onto its owner's shoulder, and trembled.

That fellow's eyes were terrifying! One look was enough to tell he was no good!

Shimura Danzō: "..."

He had waited here for hours for Uchiha Jin to finish work. Now that the boy had finally come out, he had wanted to approach him for a conversation.

Instead, this damned cat kept screeching.

It was unbearably noisy.

Looking at Shimura Danzō beneath the streetlight, Uchiha Jin's normally calm face showed shock for the first time.

In his eyes, the health bar above Shimura Danzō's head billowed with black smoke.

After enforcing the law in the village for so many years, he had thought Hiruzen Sarutobi's dark red health bar was already outrageous enough.

He hadn't expected someone to surpass him.

Was this the Darkness of Konoha?

He certainly was dark-so dark he was giving off black smoke.

He couldn't imagine how many Justice Points he could earn by slaughtering this fellow!

Five hundred?

Definitely more than that!

At least several thousand.

Seeing the look in Uchiha Jin's eyes, a trace of satisfaction flashed through Shimura Danzō's gaze.

It seemed the boy had been intimidated by his entrance.

"You're Uchiha Jin?"

He looked at the youth opposite him, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Interested in joining Root?"

In truth, he had no fondness for the Uchiha Clan. He only wanted to recruit the boy to obtain information on the clan.

It didn't matter if he failed.

Getting information from Shisui Uchiha would work just as well.

If he had to give a reason, it was that he couldn't accept it.

Why could Monkey recruit Shisui Uchiha while he couldn't recruit Uchiha Jin?

If he successfully recruited someone the Hokage had failed to recruit...

Wouldn't that prove he had more personal charisma than Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Then he could become Hokage with even greater legitimacy!

"Not interested."

Uchiha Jin averted his eyes, no longer looking at the health bar above Danzō's head, black enough to give off smoke.

He feared he might lose control and strike out to slaughter him.

Bandaged as Shimura Danzō might look, he had once served as a guard to the Second Hokage.

His strength couldn't be underestimated.

With the Root members lying in ambush all around them, Uchiha Jin would be hard-pressed to win if they actually fought.

Besides, now wasn't the time to act against the Pot Kage.

Shimura Danzō narrowed his eyes, his face expressionless.

"And what if I insist that you join?"

This boy had rejected his invitation twice in a row. He really wasn't showing him any respect at all!

As expected of an inherently evil Uchiha.

As his words fell, the Root members hidden in the shadows emerged and surrounded Uchiha Jin.

Uchiha Jin activated his three-tomoe Sharingan and looked straight at Shimura Danzō without the slightest hesitation.

"You're welcome to try."