The roar has not yet completely subsided, and the acrid smell of gunpowder smoke and blood mixed with the burnt smell filled the damp cave.
Several figures fell at the entrance of the cave like ghosts. The leader was the silver-haired boy, Kakashi Hatake. His exposed eye was full of anxiety and uneasiness, and even traces of fine blood could be seen.
"Shisui!" Kakashi's voice sounded a little hoarse due to the rapid running.
Inside the cave, Shisui Uchiha was standing in the middle of a mess. Several corpses of Kirigakure Ninja were lying on the ground in miserable death conditions. The ground in the center was scorched black by the high temperature, as if it had just experienced a devastating explosion.
He turned around and looked at Kakashi, the expression on his face was so heavy that it looked like it could drip water.
"Kakashi... and seniors." Shisui's voice was low and tired, "You are here."
"Where's Lin? Where is Rin Nohara?!" Kakashi rushed up in a few steps, looking around the cave crazily, but only saw wreckage and blood stains on the ground, and no familiar figure at all.
Shisui lowered his eyes, avoiding Kakashi's gaze that almost pierced him, and spoke with difficulty, "I... came a step too late."
"Kirigakure's bunch of bastards, for some unknown reason, quietly kidnapped Rin Nohara. Their purpose was probably to create a... Jinchūriki bomb during the chaotic period of the village's Hokage handover, and then destroy the village."
The three words "Jinchūriki" hit everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.
Kakashi's body stiffened suddenly.
Shisui's voice continued, and every word was like a knife, cutting into the nerves of the people present. "When I tracked down here, they had completed the seal. In order to prevent Lin from becoming a tool to destroy the village, we had a fierce battle with them... The other party detonated the last spell, and wanted to die together..."
He paused, as if he couldn't bear to say any more, but finally uttered the cruelest conclusion.
"The power of the explosion was too great...Rin Nohara She... there was no trace of her body left."
No bones remain.
These four words seemed to drain all the air out of the cave.
All the expressions on Kakashi's face froze at this moment. He stood there blankly, as if he didn't understand what Shisui said.
"No..." He muttered to himself, then shook his head violently, his voice suddenly rising, "No way! You are lying to me! How could Lin possibly...!"
Like crazy, he rushed towards the charred ground desperately, fell to his knees, and dug frantically into the hot ashes and gravel with his hands.
"Lin! Answer me! Where are you!"
"Lin!"
His roar echoed in the empty cave, full of despair and disbelief. The fellow Konoha Ninjas looked at this scene and turned their heads silently, with unbearable and sympathetic expressions in their eyes.
Shisui stood aside quietly, looking at the frantic Kakashi, and clenched his fists. In his pocket, there was a piece of clothing belonging to Rin Nohara that he had carefully burned with Fire Release around the edges. This was the "evidence" that Senju Chen specifically asked him to leave behind before leaving.
But in the end, he didn't take it out.
He felt that this was too cruel for Kakashi at this moment.
Kakashi dug for a long time, until his fingernails curled up and the soil was stained red with blood, and he only found some burnt rocks and unidentifiable metal fragments.
Nothing.
The girl who always followed him, looked at him with tender eyes, and never gave up no matter how indifferent he was, really... nothing was left.
His movements gradually stopped.
He just knelt there with his head lowered, his silver hair hanging down, covering all his expressions.
No crying, no tears.
There was only dead silence.
It was as if his entire world collapsed and extinguished along with the ashes that were dug up, leaving only a cold and empty darkness.
Root Base.
Coldness and depression are the eternal themes here. The cold stone walls cut off all sound and light from the outside world. Only the dim lights on the walls cast ghost shadows in the long corridor.
Shisui Uchiha knelt on one knee and reported respectfully to the figure sitting upright in the shadows.
"Lord Danzo, this is what happened. Your information was completely accurate. Kirigakure took this opportunity to send an elite team to infiltrate and try to seal Three-Tails in Rin Nohara's body, intending to create chaos in our village."
He perfectly blended the lies fabricated by Senju Chen with what really happened, turning it into a seamless report.
"After my subordinates noticed it, they followed the clues to find the other party, thwarted their plot, and annihilated all Kirigakure Ninja. But... it's a pity that I couldn't save Rin Nohara, she... died."
After finishing speaking, Shisui raised his head, his eyes full of admiration and conviction for the person in front of him.
"If you hadn't understood the enemy's movements in advance and warned my subordinates, the consequences would have been disastrous. This time, my subordinates truly understood the meaning of the existence of 'roots'."
Shimura Danzō in the shadow was silent for a long time.
His exposed eye was slightly narrowed, as if he was digesting this information.
After a long time, he uttered a low and majestic "hmm".
"I understand. Konoha's safety is above all else. Some sacrifices are inevitable." There was no emotion in his voice, "You did a good job, Shisui. Go down and rest."
"Yes, Lord Danzo!"
Shisui bowed respectfully, then stood up and disappeared at the end of the dark corridor.
It wasn't until Shisui's breath completely disappeared that Danzo slowly walked out from the deep shadow.
The expression on his face was no longer the deep and majestic one that controlled everything, but... an indescribable dullness that was mixed with shock, confusion and absurdity.
What's going on???
Kirigakure Ninja? Three-Tails Jinchūriki?
Real or fake?
Danzo After listening to Shisui's report, everyone was completely confused.
Because the so-called "information" he gave to Shisui Uchiha was simply made up by him!
His real purpose was to use Shisui, an idealist who was absolutely loyal to the village, to create some "accidents". He deliberately spread rumors that there was a conspiracy behind Third Hokage's abdication, and gave Shisui gave an ambiguous warning that "the enemy will take the opportunity to destroy", just to let Shisui, the sharp knife, slash at Hokage Faction's forces under his own guidance. No matter what the outcome, he would be able to reap the benefits.
But what's the result?
In the end, Shisui really relied on this nonsense to bump into Kirigakure Ninja who was really causing trouble?! And he also messed up their shocking conspiracy?!
What is this?
My casual remark actually accurately predicted the enemy village's S-class secret operation?
I... when did I become so clever and calculating?!
Danzo's expression changes.
An unprecedented sense of absurdity struck his mind, which was full of conspiracies.
He even had a bizarre idea... Could it be that I am the one who truly owns Will of Fire and is favored by fate? Even God is helping me?
No... that's not right.
Danzo quickly shook off this ridiculous idea. He forced himself to calm down and re-examine the whole thing.
Coincidence.
This must be a coincidence.
But... this coincidence is simply a gift from heaven to him!
After this incident, the chess piece Shisui Uchiha has been completely stained with the color of "root", and there is no longer any doubt about himself.
An unstable "Jinchūriki bomb" was eliminated in advance, saving him countless troubles in the future.
The most important thing is that there is such a huge loophole in Konoha's defense. He can take advantage of it to attack those Council of Elders old guys and Hiruzen Sarutobi who is about to abdicate!
Thinking of this, Danzo's wrinkled old face finally slowly revealed a cold and contented smile.
It doesn't matter what the process is.
Results are everything.