A Backroom Deal with Danzo

Danzo stared fixedly at Uchiha Rìtiān, his gaze as sinister as a venomous snake.

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

Uchiha Rìtiān wore a grin, but inwardly, he was getting a little unnerved.

He knew he was dancing on a tightrope. One wrong move, and he would be smashed to pieces.

But he had to take the gamble.

Though Danzo was ruthless and sinister, everything he did was rooted in Konoha's interests (at least, that was what he believed).

As long as Uchiha Rìtiān demonstrated enough value, Danzo would not touch him.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Danzo spoke.

"You say what's in your head is valuable? Then let me see just how valuable it is."

Uchiha Rìtiān breathed a sigh of relief. It worked!

He pulled a small notebook from inside his clothes and offered it to him.

"Lord Danzo, these are sketches of several new Ninja Tools I've designed. Please take a look."

A Root ninja standing nearby took the notebook and passed it to Danzo.

Danzo opened it, and his pupils contracted slightly.

The notebook contained drawings of all sorts of Ninja Tools, each accompanied by detailed explanations.

Chakra Smoke Bomb: covered three times the area of an ordinary smoke bomb and had a mild hallucinogenic effect.

Chakra Glider: allowed brief gliding through the air, suitable for surprise attacks and retreats.

Chakra Listening Device: could be implanted in walls or underground to listen to surrounding sounds.

Every single one was designed around the way Root ninjas fought!

Danzo's breathing quickened slightly.

These Ninja Tools... if they could really be made, Root's combat strength would increase by at least thirty percent!

He raised his head, looking at Uchiha Rìtiān with a complicated gaze.

"These... you came up with all of them?"

"Who else?" Uchiha Rìtiān spread his hands. "Lord Danzo, at my age, do you think someone else could have taught me?"

Danzo fell silent.

Indeed, the design concepts behind these Ninja Tools were extremely novel, certainly not something any existing Ninja Tool craftsman could have conceived.

This brat... was a genius.

No, a monster.

"Ding! Successfully shocked Danzo! Show-off points +150!"

"Title acquired: Little Inventor. Effect: research and development speed for all Ninja Tools +20%."

Uchiha Rìtiān was inwardly delighted. This had paid off big time.

Danzo closed the notebook, tapping his fingers lightly against the table.

"What do you want?" he asked bluntly.

Uchiha Rìtiān held up three fingers.

"Three conditions."

"First, Root must stop watching me and must not cause me any trouble."

"Second, I set the prices for the Ninja Tools I sell to Root. No haggling."

"Third, I need some... materials that aren't easy to get. Root has to obtain them for me."

Danzo narrowed his eyes. "You're asking for quite a lot."

"You get what you pay for." Uchiha Rìtiān smiled. "Lord Danzo, you're a sensible man. You know how much these things are worth."

Danzo remained silent for a long time.

Just as Uchiha Rìtiān was nearly unable to take it anymore, he finally spoke.

"Agreed."

A weight lifted from Uchiha Rìtiān's heart.

It worked!

"However..." Danzo changed tack. "I want to see finished products first. If they don't perform well, you know the consequences."

"No problem!" Uchiha Rìtiān thumped his chest in assurance. "I'll bring you samples in a month."

"If they don't perform well, you can do whatever you like with me, Lord Danzo."

Danzo nodded. "Remember what you said today."

"Go. Someone will escort you out."

Uchiha Rìtiān bowed slightly, turned, and followed a Root ninja out.

Watching Uchiha Rìtiān's back disappear through the doorway, one of Danzo's trusted aides could not help asking:

"Lord Danzo, this brat is too dangerous. Should we..."

He drew a hand across his throat.

Danzo shook his head. "Not for now."

"This brat... is quite interesting."

"If he really can make those Ninja Tools, he'll be an asset to Konoha."

"If he can't..." Danzo's gaze turned cold. "It won't be too late to eliminate him then."

The aide nodded. "Understood, sir."

Meanwhile, Uchiha Rìtiān walked out of the Root Base and let out a long breath.

"Fuck, that scared the shit out of me."

Danzo's presence was too overpowering. Those few minutes had felt more exhausting than a fight.

But... it was finally settled.

From now on, not only would Root stop causing him trouble, but it would also become a major customer!

"Ding! Mission completed: establish cooperation with Root. Reward: business empire foundation +1, show-off points +300."

"Influential Figure mission progress: 60%"

The corners of Uchiha Rìtiān's mouth lifted. At this rate, he would complete the mission before long.

Humming a tune, he strolled leisurely home.

Halfway there, he suddenly sensed someone following him.

Hmm? Not someone from Root. That Chakra was unfamiliar.

Uchiha Rìtiān's eyes shifted, and he deliberately turned into a secluded alley.

Sure enough, his pursuer followed him in.

Uchiha Rìtiān stopped and turned around.

"Come out. What kind of hero skulks around like that?"

A person wearing a bamboo hat slowly emerged from the shadows in the alley.

He wore a black cloak embroidered with red clouds.

Akatsuki!

Uchiha Rìtiān's pupils contracted, and his heart lurched.

Why would someone from Akatsuki come looking for him?

A hoarse voice came from beneath the bamboo hat.

"Uchiha Rìtiān?"

"That's me. Who are you?" Uchiha Rìtiān watched him warily.

"Who I am doesn't matter." The man slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of eerie eyes. "What matters is that I'm very interested in you."

Uchiha Rìtiān's Sharingan activated involuntarily.

This man... was strong!

"Ding! Dangerous individual detected. Choice triggered:"

"Option one: turn and run as far as you can. Reward: escape speed +10%."

"Option two: respond calmly and probe his intentions. Reward: insight +1."

"Option three: take the initiative and strike first. Reward: courage +5."

Uchiha Rìtiān thought rapidly.

Run? He definitely couldn't outrun him. His opponent was at least Jonin-level.

Strike first? That would be no different from asking to die.

He could only choose option two.

I choose option two!

"Ding! Choice successful. Insight +1."

Uchiha Rìtiān took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

"Interested in me? I'm a six-year-old kid. What's so interesting about me?"

The man chuckled, his laughter eerie.

"You awakened the Sharingan at six and even made a deal with Danzo. Do you think you're just an ordinary kid?"

Uchiha Rìtiān's heart sank. This man knew too much.

"What exactly do you want?"

Instead of answering, the man posed a question that shocked Uchiha Rìtiān.

"Kid, do you want to know... the future of the Uchiha Clan?"

A shudder ran through Uchiha Rìtiān.

What... did this man know?!