"You want access to that 'Tree.'"
"Correct."
Hikari rested the ravenous Samehada on her shoulder, her fingers gently stroking its surface to soothe it.
The battle at Thunder Drum Mountain had completely drained Samehada's energy. Unlike Kisame Hoshigaki, who possessed vast reserves of chakra, Hikari couldn't easily sustain this gluttonous monster.
These past few days had left it starving.
After leaving the Forest of Death, she had headed straight for Root's underground prison, hoping that even if she couldn't replenish her own chakra reserves, she could at least feed Samehada.
But reality had proven far different from her expectations.
Most of the prisoners were ordinary people—hardly any shinobi, and those who were had only been genin or chūnin. Not a single high-level jōnin prisoner in sight.
Given Samehada's voracious appetite, even draining every last drop of chakra from these people wouldn't be enough to satisfy it, let alone fill the endless void of her main body's needs.
Puzzled, she questioned the prison guards and Chihaya Tōru, finally learning the reason for the shortage.
Years ago, Orochimaru and Chihaya Tōru had conducted human experiments together. Due to their reckless methods and the extreme danger of Hashirama's cells, the supply of death row inmates and abducted test subjects from other villages quickly ran dry.
At a critical point in the experiments, with no more test subjects available, Orochimaru began indiscriminately kidnapping Konoha shinobi to fill the gap.
This was what ultimately provoked the Third Hokage's pursuit, leading to Orochimaru's defection.
"The Third Hokage turned a blind eye to many of Lord Danzō's actions," Chihaya Tōru, a veteran of Root, explained. "But harming Konoha's shinobi and civilians was an absolute red line he would never allow to be crossed."
With no war to provide captives and the experimental division failing to produce results, Danzō had little incentive to keep gathering test subjects.
Why waste resources on failed experiments when he could brainwash them into loyal tools instead?
When Hikari first joined the experimental division, the doctors and nurses had eyed her like a potential test subject precisely because of this shortage.
Children with excellent physical traits were all taken by Danzō to replenish Root's ranks, leaving only the weak and disabled for the experiments.
And Hikari, with her "disabled" status, had been the perfect candidate in their eyes.
With the prison and test subject routes closed, only one option remained—the giant tree with nearly limitless chakra.
Ordinary people had no right to approach it. Even Chihaya Tōru could only show it to Hikari, not grant her unrestricted access.
Which was why she had come to Danzō for permission.
"That tree is extremely dangerous. What exactly do you plan to use it for?" Danzō asked, hesitating.
He wasn't eager to grant Hikari access.
If everything Muta had said was true—that she had already grown strong enough to easily defeat Orochimaru—then allowing her to grow further might make her impossible to control.
Kotoamatsukami had an effect on her, but it wasn't perfect. He'd need to cast it a few more times to fully overwrite her will before he could safely let her advance.
Otherwise, he'd be stuck with a problem he couldn't handle.
Nearby, Muta stood silently, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever, as if none of this concerned him.
Danzō's reaction was exactly as he had predicted.
There was no way Danzō would allow Hikari to grow unchecked. He would either suppress her or force her into submission.
Only when she proved herself completely trustworthy would Danzō relent.
But that was nearly impossible. Eventually, this conflict would escalate into outright violence.
This was the death trap Muta had designed for Danzō.
Through her 360-degree vision, Hikari noticed Muta's emotions inexplicably growing agitated.
This guy is weird.
Making a mental note of his reaction, she smoothly fed Danzō the prepared lie:
"The Sharingan can evolve from two tomoe to three tomoe using Hashirama's cells. I was wondering if I could push my three-tomoe further."
"You—what? How?"
Danzō, who had been ready to reject any proposal, nearly choked on his own tongue.
An evolution beyond the three-tomoe? That was the Mangekyō—the very power he coveted most.
The abilities of the Mangekyō were unpredictable. Even the strongest enemies could fall to its hax if caught off-guard.
If just one Mangekyō was this powerful, imagine what an army of them could do.
If Hikari could cultivate all his stockpiled Sharingan into Mangekyō, no force in the shinobi world—not the other Great Villages, not even Akatsuki—could stand against him.
But only if she could actually pull it off.
"It's the same principle as the two-tomoe evolution—yang giving birth to yin. But advancing beyond three tomoe is a qualitative leap. Ordinary Hashirama cells won't be enough—"
Hikari spoke confidently, knowing Danzō's obsession with the Mangekyō and his lack of technical expertise made him an easy mark.
For all his cunning and ruthlessness in shinobi affairs, when it came to experimental research, he was just an old man—far easier to fool than someone like Chihaya Tōru or Orochimaru.
In her past life, even the dumbest scams had tricked so-called "high-intelligence" individuals—even PhDs—because no one was an expert in everything.
When faced with unfamiliar territory, people could only rely on logic and experience—and those were the easiest things to manipulate.
Her previous "two-tomoe evolution" experiment had already laid the groundwork. Now, she just had to sell the dream.
What she actually did with the tree afterward?
That was none of Danzō's business.
Using an investor's money for personal gain was a tale as old as time.
Once the research was done, she'd either take the results for herself or pressure Danzō for more funding—milking the old man dry. By the time he realized, she'd have grown strong enough to inherit his legacy.
Danzō had no sons.
Wasn't it only right for a disciple to inherit their master's estate?
"—In summary, I believe the vitality of the Senju Tree has a sixty percent chance of triggering a higher evolution of the three-tomoe Sharingan."
"Reasonable."
Danzō's eyes gleamed as he swallowed the bait.
He didn't understand terms like "yang giving birth to yin" or "chakra nature fusion creating Kekkei Genkai," but the sheer sophistication of the jargon made it sound plausible.
Logically, it made sense. And Hikari had already proven herself with the two-tomoe experiment—far more reliable than Chihaya Tōru's years of stagnation.
Give her a few months. If it worked, great. If not, he could use it as leverage to rein her in. Either way, he lost nothing.
"If Root's resources are at your disposal, could you produce results within six months?"
Hikari pretended to think before nodding. "Yes. No problem."
Inside, she was ecstatic.
Six months was more than enough to complete her Reverse Eight Gates. By then, fabricating some impressive "results" would be trivial.
And if she failed? Well, she'd still have six months of free access.
Danzō, pleased, turned to Muta. "Take Hikari to the Barrier Team to record her chakra signature."
"Y-Yes."
Muta, stunned, could only comply.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
Danzō was supposed to fear Hikari's growth, deny her request, and let resentment fester between them—just like he'd orchestrated with Orochimaru and the Third.
Yet his plan had failed at the first step.
Then it hit him.
The potential of the Mangekyō was too great. The sheer profit had temporarily outweighed Danzō's caution.
Only when the rewards dried up—or when they clashed over distribution—would the real conflict begin.
Now is not the right time.
"Let's go, Muta."
Hikari nudged him forward, eager to experiment with Samehada's limits. If it could absorb the Senju Tree's chakra, her main body's research would skyrocket.
Imagine having thousands of shadow clones like Naruto—she might even finish the Reverse Eight Gates in days.
(Assuming her main body didn't collapse from exhaustion.)
As the two walked away, Danzō watched their retreating figures, his lone eye reflecting the flickering candlelight.
---
Later, in the dark corridors of Root...
The scene was eerily similar to Hikari's first day in Root—her and Muta walking in silence.
But everything had changed.
"Lord Muta!"
A masked Root agent bowed as they passed.
Muta acknowledged him with a nod, but the agent's eyes widened when he noticed Hikari.
"L-Lady Hikari?!"
Hikari raised an eyebrow. This was new.
Before, most Root agents had ignored her. But after Thunder Drum Mountain, those who had witnessed her power now treated her with respect.
As they walked, Hikari observed her surroundings with relaxed curiosity.
When she first arrived, Root had seemed mysterious and intimidating. Muta had been an unapproachable enigma, and her own mortality had weighed on her.
Now?
Her Shikotsumyaku was stabilized. She had the Sharingan. The Reverse Eight Gates were nearly complete.
With Samehada fully charged, she could unleash a tailed beast cloak and Lightning Armor—enough to slaughter her way through Root. Only Danzō himself could challenge her.
Power changed perspective.
What was once ominous now felt almost... welcoming.
Meanwhile, Muta's emotions churned violently beneath his stoic exterior.
"Muta, something on your mind?" Hikari asked.
"...No. It's nothing."
His voice was heavy.
He was plotting to drive a wedge between her and Danzō—just as Danzō had once done to Orochimaru and the Third.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
In the end, insects like him could only thrive in darkness.
"About your earlier question... I remember now."
"Hm? What question?"
"I can't speak of him. And neither can you."
"Him...?"
"Be careful of Danzō."
Hikari's footsteps faltered.
She studied Muta's emotions—sincerity mixed with something like guilt.
Why would he warn her? Risking Tongue Eradication Seal just to betray Danzō?
Since when were they that close?
Yet the golden sincerity in his aura was undeniable. This wasn't a test. He genuinely wanted to protect her.
She said nothing, pretending she hadn't heard, and followed him in silence.
For now, she couldn't trust his motives. But one thing was clear:
Root's internal struggles ran deeper than she'd thought.
And inheriting her "master's" legacy might be easier than she'd imagined.
---coment and drop some vote plzz