Wood Release? A Shocked Danzo [Third update, please support]

He had no choice but to send people to investigate again.

He even ordered them to continue watching, even if Tsunade and the others discovered them.

After asking his two comrades, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, to intercede and getting the Third Hokage to lift his confinement and stop having the Anbu watch him, he had hurried over without delay.

"Yes, Lord Danzo..."

An elite Jonin knelt on one knee at the head of the group and reported, "Over the past few days, Tsunade, the master healer, has received invitations from quite a few nobles. She has spent every morning visiting their homes to treat them and instruct her disciple, Chiya Rikuto..."

"But she finished them all today. I think she should be leaving soon!"

Over the past few days,

they clearly hadn't just been following them around like fools.

They had already found out exactly how many nobles in the Land of Fire's capital had asked Tsunade to visit and treat them.

Shimura Danzō's eyes flickered as he said quietly, "Have our people lie in ambush first. We'll make our move once they leave the city!"

"Lord Danzo, Tsunade, one of the Sannin, is no weakling. To draw her away from her disciple Chiya Rikuto without revealing our identities, I'm afraid..."

One of Root's Jonin voiced his doubts.

"Don't worry. Tsunade has a fear of blood. We only need to make her see blood, and that woman will be as good as helpless..."

Danzo waved a hand.

He sneered with some disdain. "As for her female disciple, she shouldn't be much of a fighter. Send two or three people to keep her occupied."

"Remember, don't kill Tsunade. That woman is still useful..."

He paused.

Rubbing his chin, he said darkly, "Once Chiya Rikuto realizes he's our target, I believe he'll willingly act as bait and try to draw the enemy away to protect his teacher..."

"When that happens, I'll personally find out just how strong that brat really is!"

"Yes-"

The members of Root answered in unison.

"Chiya Rikuto, just how much of a surprise can you give me?" Shimura Danzō's gaze grew distant.

For Chiya Rikuto's sake,

he was prepared to use Kotoamatsukami, which had an extremely long cooldown.

That meant the ocular power in his right eye might not recover for several years.

But if he could gain a genius even more outstanding than Orochimaru,

he would surely become Danzo's right-hand man.

When the time came, the Hokage would be his sooner or later.

Even the Hokage Position would be no more than a small beginning.

He would prove it to the world and to his teacher, the Second Hokage.

He, Shimura Danzō, was the person best suited to become Hokage.

He would bring the wars of the Shinobi World to an end.

"I hope you won't disappoint me!"

Chapter 55: Wood Release? A Shocked Danzo [Third update, please support]

Less than half an hour later,

the group of three left the bustling capital of the Land of Fire.

As Tsunade, Shizune, and Rikuto walked along a tree-lined path,

the occasional birdsong around them gradually fell silent.

An invisible killing intent filled the air.

The silence was stifling.

The teacher and her two disciples exchanged inconspicuous glances.

Without warning,

a whistle echoed through the air.

Immediately afterward, from the forest on all sides-

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh...

Shuriken and Kunai tore through the air in volleys.

They were densely packed, blotting out the sky.

They shot straight at the three of them.

Some of the Kunai even had Explosive Tags tied to them, sparking and hissing.

"Wood Locking Wall!"

Rikuto's expression didn't change.

Without even making Hand Seals, he raised his right hand.

Swish...

A mass of thick wooden slats burst from the ground.

Before the stunned eyes of the Root members lurking around them,

they formed an oval shield at astonishing speed,

securely enclosing all three of them.

Boom! Boom!

Flames shot into the sky.

Thick smoke billowed upward.

The tremendous explosions echoed through the forest.

"What!?"

"That's... Wood Release?"

"This... how is that possible?"

The Root ninja stood there dumbfounded, utterly shocked.

Even Danzo, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help narrowing his eyes sharply.

"Wood Release? That brat..." he blurted out in disbelief.

How could he not be familiar with Wood Release?

Root had once obtained a test subject from Orochimaru's laboratory who had successfully fused with the First's genes and survived.

Although his Wood Release was utterly insignificant compared with the First Hokage's,

it was no weaker than an ordinary Kekkei Genkai.

Unfortunately, the Third Hokage had later discovered him and taken him away from Root.

Leaving that aside,

Danzo's own right arm

had been implanted not only with the First's cells, but also with a great many Sharingan,

balancing their violent powers and keeping them stable.

Naturally, he had also gained control of the First Hokage's Wood Release as a result.

"So that's why Tsunade suddenly returned to the village. Chiya Rikuto awakened Wood Release..."

Hidden in the shadows, Danzo came to a realization.

His gaze couldn't help growing fervent.

Unlike the test subject Tenzo, Chiya Rikuto had most likely awakened Wood Release on his own.

Senju blood, combined with Wood Release.

No wonder he had such astonishing Chakra at eight years old.

His future truly had no limits.

If I can bring him under my control, having a genius like that serving me will be like giving a tiger wings! Danzo looked excited, with a trace of madness in his expression.

He was determined to bring Chiya Rikuto under his command.

Wood Release was the power the First Hokage had used to pacify a chaotic world. Even the Tailed Beasts, said to possess unlimited Chakra, were insignificant before that power.

With such great talent at eight years old,

the Wood Release he could wield himself would surely be powerful.

Suppressing his excitement, he gave a sinister order. "All of you, attack! Stick to the plan!"

"Yes!"

One black figure after another

charged out in succession, surrounding the area shrouded in black smoke.

There were a good dozen of them.

They were also disguised, each wearing a strange mask.

Their outfits were completely different from Root's usual attire, with no markings connecting them to Konoha.

No one could directly associate them with Root.

Meanwhile,

the smoke and dust cleared.

A huge oval shield made of countless wooden slats stood there, bristling with Shuriken and Kunai.

Even the Explosive Tags mixed in with them earlier, despite their tremendous power,

had only scorched its surface a little.

They hadn't been able to shake it at all.

Swish-

The wooden planks, imbued with astonishing Chakra and as hard as steel, began opening outward.

Inside, Rikuto, Tsunade, and Shizune were unharmed.

"Who are you people?" Tsunade's face darkened, full of anger.

Her anger was real.

But naturally, her ignorance of their identities was fake.

Not knowing exactly who these people were meant she could slaughter them without any reservations.

"Attack!"

The Root member in the lead watched them impassively.

Without another word, he gripped a sharp Ninja Blade and charged forward.

A dozen or twenty Root members followed close behind.

They rushed at them, brimming with killing intent.

"Damn it!"

Tsunade seemed genuinely furious.

Before the utterly shocked eyes of those Root members.