The corpse of the Fourth Kazekage was brought back to the Land of Wind to quell the turmoil.
As for the sole survivor of the mission—Pakura, the one who returned with the Kazekage's body—she had, through various maneuvers, become the undisputed hero of Sunagakure.
Among the villagers, she was the most highly favored candidate for the position of the Fifth Kazekage.
However, what the common villagers did not know was that within the upper echelons of Sunagakure, a pervasive sense of unease had taken root.
Pakura had never been their intended choice for Kazekage. In fact, some among the higher-ups had even proposed eliminating her once again.
But now…
It was as if some unseen, omnipotent force was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.
A deep sense of powerlessness gripped them—they could do nothing but comply.
As for those who opposed this unseen force? They were either assassinated by the remnants of the Fourth Kazekage's faction or vanished without a trace...
No one knew the full truth. And no one dared to investigate.
In the end, with the formal decree from the Land of Wind, combined with her own prestige and irreplaceable status, Pakura smoothly ascended to the position of the Fifth Kazekage.
...
Inside the Kazekage's Office
Danzo's figure suddenly appeared, his gaze falling upon Pakura, now clad in the Kazekage's distinctive robes.
The blue-and-white wind cloak accentuated her tall and graceful figure, adding an air of commanding presence to her.
"What's wrong? Not happy about becoming the Kazekage?"
"I never wanted to accept that woman's appointment. Besides, I'd rather stay by your side…"
Seated at her desk, Pakura's delicate face was filled with displeasure.
Danzo chuckled, stepping closer. Standing over her, he gently cupped her chin with one hand, lifting her face to meet his gaze.
"This was my decision. She was merely carrying it out... And you look quite stunning in that outfit."
He was being honest. The Kazekage robes had been subtly modified with feminine touches, giving them a unique charm—one that he found particularly appealing.
"Is that so?" Pakura's expression softened slightly, a hint of shyness flickering across her face.
Seeing that look, Danzo couldn't help but recall how things had been when she was still just a naïve little fledgling…
Acting tough when she knew nothing at all.
In the end, begging for mercy in every possible way.
Only to stubbornly deny it afterward.
…
After resolving Pakura's dissatisfaction and restoring her good mood, Danzo descended into the depths beneath the village, arriving at his latest acquisition—Gaara, still in his infancy.
Following the public declaration of Rasa's betrayal, all three of his children had been placed under strict confinement.
Among them, the Jinchuriki—Gaara—was under particularly heavy surveillance.
And now, Sunagakure's ultimate deterrent weapon had been effortlessly transported to the newly constructed underground Root facility.
"Hmph… what a crude seal."
Danzo observed the unconscious Gaara, his consciousness swiftly diving into a different space—
A vast, dimly lit chamber, surrounded by endless yellow sand.
"Graaah… Hahaha! Who dares to intrude? Let me devour you!"
A crazed voice echoed through the chamber. But rather than finding it grating, Danzo felt a strange sense of nostalgia… and anticipation.
The sand on the ground stirred as though alive, gradually forming the massive figure of Shukaku.
"It's you… that damned old man!"
Recognizing the familiar presence, Shukaku's expression twisted with rage.
With a roar, he launched a massive air bullet straight at Danzo.
Yet just before impact, the enormous projectile suddenly burst apart like a fragile bubble—dispersing into nothingness.
"My, aren't you an adorable little thing…"
Feeling the surge of power within his body, Danzo's gaze grew increasingly peculiar.
High above in the shadows of the chamber, a pair of eerie Mangekyō Sharingan spun, overlooking this sealed domain like the eyes of a god surveying his dominion.
"What…? What did you do?!"
Shukaku's once-arrogant voice trembled, laced with fear.
He had lost control of this space.
This was his domain—the inner realm of the seal—where he had always been the absolute ruler.
Even his Jinchuriki had no authority here, if Gaara fell asleep, Shukaku could pull him into this world at will.
Yet now, a mere human was walking toward him, step by step.
A chill crept into Shukaku's heart.
"What… What do you want?"
"What else? I'm going to eat you. After all, I'm quite hungry…"
Danzo's voice was calm as he extended both hands.
Instantly, streams of faint purple chakra began leaking from Shukaku's body, swirling like mist before being drawn into Danzo.
"W-What are you doing?! Stop! No—!"
Shukaku let out a terrified shriek, struggling in vain.
Yet he was utterly powerless.
He could only watch as his essence—his very being—was slowly but relentlessly drained away.
Meanwhile, Danzo stood there with his eyes closed, basking in pure ecstasy.
This sensation…
It was far beyond the mere fragments of the Eight-Tails' chakra he had absorbed before.
This was intoxicating.
Every fiber of his being was surging with pleasure, his cells crying out in sheer euphoria—
More.
I need more.
More—
Shukaku's desperate screams faded into the background, irrelevant amidst Danzo's overwhelming bliss.
But then—
A sudden jolt of unease.
A deep, instinctual sense of foreboding seized Danzo's heart.
His eyes snapped open.
He immediately ceased the absorption, his gaze sharpening as he scanned the chamber for any abnormalities.
Nothing seemed out of place.
His eyes drifted to Shukaku, now half-melted, his grotesque form reduced to little more than a single floating eyeball, trembling in horror.
The lone eye, having slipped from its socket and down to its chest, was filled with raw terror.
"…It seems that's enough for today."
Danzo cast one last glance at the deformed, pathetic remains of Shukaku before allowing his consciousness to fade.
...
Back in Reality
The intricate patterns of his Mangekyō Sharingan slowly receded from his eyes.
That eerie sense of foreboding still lingered.
Danzo's expression darkened as a familiar presence crossed his mind…
If he had continued absorbing Shukaku to the very end—
That man would have come looking for him.
Still, one day…
One day, he would settle that debt properly.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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