Absolute
To prevent Danzō from stirring up further trouble, Minato Namikaze finalized the matter three days later. He officially promoted Shinsuke Nara to Captain of the Konoha Defense Force and abolished the Deputy Captain position altogether.
Minato did not publicize the decision widely; on the surface, it looked like nothing more than a standard personnel adjustment.
As for Chi Yu's resignation, Minato used the explanation Chi Yu himself had provided: he needed to devote his time to caring for the pregnant Uzumaki Kushina and therefore stepped down voluntarily.
Seeing that the matter was already decided, Danzō could only recall all thirty Root operatives stationed within the Defense Force. His fury was obvious, but he had no choice but to comply.
Minato, however, was quietly pleased. If Danzō hadn't withdrawn his operatives, dismissing them would have been far more difficult. Those Root shinobi had been like thorns embedded within the Defense Force—soldiers who obeyed only Danzō. Should Danzō ever decide to make trouble through them, Minato's hands would have been tied. But with Danzō pulling them out himself, it was as if a thorn had been removed for him—like falling asleep and having a pillow placed beneath his head.
At that moment, Minato was seated across from Uchiha Fugaku in the Uchiha compound.
Fugaku inclined his head, his tone respectful:
"I am grateful to the Fourth Hokage. With this, our clan can finally leave our homes without fear of being seized arbitrarily."
Minato smiled faintly.
"It's mainly thanks to Chi Yu severing ties with Danzō. Without that, this opportunity would never have opened."
Fugaku exhaled, tension easing from his face.
"Had those two continued working together, our clan's space to breathe would have grown ever narrower. Now, with Chi Yu distancing himself from Danzō, the Uchiha finally have a chance."
Minato's gaze sharpened.
"Even so, Clan Head Fugaku, remember this: the Defense Force will no longer target the Uchiha as before, but restraint is now more important than ever. If the clan conducts itself without giving others excuses, I'll have the leverage I need to improve your situation."
Fugaku nodded firmly.
"I understand. I will ensure the clan remains disciplined and cause no trouble for the village. I ask only that you continue your efforts on our behalf, Hokage-sama."
Minato returned the nod.
"As comrades of the village, you will have my full support."
---
Days passed, and for a time Konoha remained unnervingly calm.
But it was the calm before a storm.
A month slipped by in the blink of an eye.
Kakashi Hatake had already resumed taking missions as usual.
Meanwhile, Chi Yu spent his days at home caring for Kushina. Entertainment in the shinobi world was limited, but they did have television. Most of the programming, unsurprisingly, consisted of dramas or films centered on ninja.
Chi Yu found them tiresome, but Kushina enjoyed them, watching with enthusiasm.
One evening, the two were curled together on the sofa, Kushina nestled against him as they watched a film about a forbidden romance between shinobi from rival villages—lovers torn between duty and affection.
Halfway through, Chi Yu's absent gaze sharpened.
Leaning close, he whispered:
"Kushina, stay here and enjoy the movie. I'll step out for a moment, but I'll be back soon."
Her eyes remained fixed on the screen. She nodded distractedly.
"Mm. Don't take too long."
Chi Yu rose, moved to the doorway, and left behind a shadow clone to guard the house. He walked only a dozen paces before halting, his expression turning cold.
"Come out."
From the wall itself, a yin-yang face emerged—Zetsu.
Before Zetsu could speak, Chi Yu seized him by the hair and, with brutal swiftness, dragged him out of the village and into the forest.
Releasing his grip, Chi Yu shook the strands of black from his hand with disgust. His eyes glinted with killing intent.
"You've got nerve, sneaking so close to my home. Do you want to die?"
Black Zetsu's shock was genuine. His Mayfly Technique allowed him to merge with earth and flora, traveling unseen through roots, soil, and groundwater. During its use, he erased every trace of his chakra—undetectable even to sensory types or the Mind's Eye of Kagura. That Chi Yu could perceive him at all was unthinkable.
Before Zetsu could recover, a blade pierced his chest, pinning him to a tree trunk.
"No answer? Then die."
Lightning surged across Chi Yu's frame, crackling down the sword into Zetsu's body. The creature convulsed under the shock.
A full minute later, Chi Yu wrenched the blade free. Zetsu slumped to the ground like rotted sludge.
Sheathing his sword, Chi Yu's voice was icy:
"This is just a warning. If you want to keep playing dead, I'll seal you in Tsukuyomi forever."
At once, Zetsu rose shakily to his feet, eyes wide with disbelief.
That strike, coupled with the lightning—any ordinary being would be dead beyond doubt. Yet Chi Yu claimed it was merely a lesson… and threatened to seal him away in Tsukuyomi.
Did Chi Yu know the truth—that Zetsu could not be killed by conventional means?
Zetsu narrowed his gaze, suspicion clouding his face.
"What do you know…?"
Chi Yu sneered.
"You think I'd tell you? Speak. Why are you here? Did Uchiha Obito send you, or did you come on your own? Out with it."
For the first time, Black Zetsu felt genuine unease. Initially, he had viewed Chi Yu as nothing more than an obstacle—a potential irritant to their grand plan. Now, it was clear: this shinobi was dangerous, perhaps even fatally so.
Chi Yu's tone sharpened, laced with threat:
"Don't think I don't know your tricks. Try planting spores on me, and I'll not only seal you—I'll kill Obito and Nagato as well. Do you want to gamble on whether I'd detect it?"
Zetsu froze. He had indeed intended to mark Chi Yu with his spores. But if Chi Yu could sense Mayfly, then the risk that he could also detect and eliminate spores was too great.
Worse—Chi Yu even knew of Nagato.
For the first time in centuries, Black Zetsu felt the chill of true danger.
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