"What... am I?!"
Danzo's voice trembled as he looked down at his own body. His flesh had changed—grotesque, twisted, more monstrous than human. His hands, once aged but strong, were now grotesque claws, pulsing with stolen chakra. A cold dread settled in his gut as he shifted his gaze downward.
Two corpses lay at his feet.
The lifeless bodies of his loyal Root operatives. Their clothing bore the insignias of the Aburame and Yamanaka clans. Two of his most trusted men—gone. Their deaths had been quick, almost unnoticeable, yet the horror of it seeped into him like venom.
"FU??! What happened?!"
Danzo staggered back. He had lost two elite Jōnin, men he had groomed from childhood. The loss was unacceptable.
His breathing was ragged, his pulse erratic. His mind raced for an answer. Who did this?
A rustling sound made him whirl around, his sharpened instincts flaring to life. A figure emerged from the shadows, a smirk playing on his lips. It was Kabuto.
Pushing up his glasses, the silver-haired medic chuckled. "Ah... as expected. Your sensory perception has evolved already. Impressive, Lord Danzo."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "Kabuto. Explain this. Now."
Kabuto slithered closer, his expression unreadable. "My, my, still as sharp as ever. But shouldn't you be asking the right question? Not who did this... but what did this."
Danzo's breath hitched. His gaze flickered back to his own body. His fingers twitched, and chakra pulsed through his veins—an unnatural, foreign energy.
"This is your doing, isn't it?"
Kabuto shrugged, his voice dripping with amusement. "Did I not warn you? The procedure would give you strength, but it comes with... consequences."
Danzo's expression hardened. "You mean to tell me I did this?"
Kabuto's smirk widened. "Oh yes. You killed them. No hesitation, no second thoughts. Their bodies were drained dry—like husks."
Danzo took a step back. Then another. His heart pounded in his ears. "No... I would never..."
"Ah, but you did." Kabuto gestured to the bodies. "Their abilities are now yours. Try it out. You'll see."
Danzo clenched his jaw. The thought disgusted him. And yet... the power. It was intoxicating. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand, focusing on the chakra within. A familiar sensation crawled through his veins. The poison-laced chakra of the Aburame clan. It was his now.
A slow, eerie grin stretched across his lips.
"So this is the price of power..." he murmured, voice laced with something dark.
Kabuto chuckled. "Indeed. And it's only the beginning."
Amegakure: The War Council
Inside a dimly lit chamber, a group of powerful figures sat around a large stone table. At the head, Naruto leaned back in his chair, golden eyes sharp with intent. His fingers tapped against the armrest as he surveyed the room.
To his left, Orochimaru smirked, his snake-like eyes filled with amusement. To his right, Killer Bee grinned, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table. Across from them, Konan and Nagato sat, their expressions serious.
Naruto finally spoke, his voice carrying an air of authority. "The masked man—the one claiming to be Uchiha Madara—is preparing to attack Konoha. According to the intelligence we extracted, he has mobilized an army of White Zetsu."
The room fell into silence. The implications were clear.
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle. "Ah, war already? And here I thought we'd have a little more time before things got interesting."
Nagato's eyes darkened. "War has always been inevitable. That is why I sought to create Pain—to suppress it, to control it."
Konan cast him a sidelong glance, her mind flashing back to their past. To Yahiko. To the suffering they had endured.
Bee suddenly rapped, "War ain't nice, war ain't fair, but we stand strong, 'cause we don't scare!"
Naruto smirked. "Well said, Uncle Bee. But let's get to the core of it. The masked man has two goals: First, to use Konoha as a bargaining chip to force me into submission. Second, to test his army before the Fourth Great Ninja War truly begins."
Orochimaru hummed in thought. "A test run, then? How pragmatic."
Nagato's jaw tightened. "And if we allow this, the war will be bloodier than any before it."
Naruto nodded. "Which is why I'm going to Konoha."
Nagato frowned. "You're intervening personally?"
"Yes," Naruto confirmed. "Killer Bee will come with me. The rest of you have your own duties. Nagato, I need you to secure Amegakure's defenses. Konan, continue gathering recruits. Orochimaru, your work... requires a different focus."
The snake sannin raised a brow. "Oh? And what might that be?"
Naruto tossed him a scroll. Orochimaru caught it, unfurling it with curiosity. The moment he read the title, his golden eyes widened, and an unsettling grin spread across his face.
"Ah... Naruto-kun," he purred, "you're far more ambitious than I thought."
Naruto's gaze didn't waver. "People change."
Bee's expression darkened slightly, but he remained silent. He had already seen Naruto's future. He knew the storm brewing inside him.
Preparing for War
Naruto turned back to Konan. "By the way, how's the recruitment going? Did you find anyone promising?"
Konan nodded. "I've gathered potential candidates from Amegakure. They are nearly ready for training. You can review them soon."
"Good." Naruto leaned back. "Nagato, I want you to oversee the village's defensive units. Strengthen our sensory division and fortify the perimeter."
Nagato nodded. "Consider it done."
"And Orochimaru," Naruto continued, "about Itachi... I'll handle it. In the meantime, I have a different project for you."
Orochimaru's grin widened. "Oh? Something to satisfy my... curiosity?"
Naruto smirked. "Something like that."
The room was silent for a moment before Orochimaru chuckled, rolling up the scroll. "Naruto-kun, your hunger for knowledge surpasses even mine. How delightful."
Naruto didn't respond. Instead, he turned to the rest of the group. "Killer Bee and I will handle Konoha. You all know what to do. Dismissed."
As the others left, Bee lingered for a moment. "You sure 'bout this, bro? War changes people. You ain't gotta walk this path alone."
Naruto exhaled, his expression unreadable. "I've already changed, Bee. The only way forward is through."
Bee sighed but didn't argue. He knew Naruto was right.
The Fourth Great Ninja War was about to begin.
And this time, the world would never be the same again.
---
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