In the shadowy depths of an underground chamber, Sai knelt before Danzo, dutifully delivering his report on the incident at Tenchi Bridge.
Danzo's expression, usually frozen in a stern, corpse-like calm, twitched ever so slightly.
"What... Uchiha Chiga is back? And he has the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Sai remained in his bow, voice even but soft.
"Yes."
Danzo's fingers tightened, knuckles pale.
"Tch. These Uchiha never seem to die off completely. And this Chiga... if he survived back then, why didn't he return to the village?"
Sai kept his head bowed. The history behind Chiga's disappearance was unknown even to him. Danzo wasn't truly asking. His words were meant for himself.
"This Uchiha Chiga... it makes sense. He was considered a prodigy among the Uchiha even back then."
Greed flickered behind Danzo's bandaged face. He understood the Mangekyō's potential better than most, perhaps even more than many Uchiha themselves.
His own right eye—taken from Shisui Uchiha—contained the fearsome visual power of Kotoamatsukami. Just one Mangekyō had brought him terrifying strength. The potential of two... it was enough to stir dangerous ambition.
Of course, Danzo knew he couldn't handle a full pair. He lacked Uchiha blood. If not for the Hashirama cells grafted into his body, even a Three-Tomoe Sharingan would've overwhelmed him.
Just look at Kakashi. Despite his elite chakra reserves, the transplant of Obito's Sharingan had earned him the nickname "Chakra-deficient Prince." The first time he used Kamui, he'd nearly hospitalized himself.
Speaking of which, Kakashi was still recovering from another recent Kamui incident.
Danzo fell silent in thought, then asked, "Did Uchiha Chiga demonstrate any Mangekyō abilities during the encounter? Any observable effects?"
Sai shook his head. "No, sir. He didn't use any technique directly. But when Naruto lost control... Chiga just looked at him, and Naruto calmed."
Danzo's lips tightened. "The Sharingan has a natural suppressive effect on tailed beasts. That much isn't surprising. Still... this is troubling. The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki is getting too close to him."
If Chiga ever chose to manipulate the Nine-Tails, the damage could far exceed the destruction of the original attack on Konoha. Danzo's eyes darkened at the thought.
But Sai suddenly spoke again.
"Danzo-sama... I'd like to remain on Team 7."
Danzo blinked. Rarely did Sai voice an opinion—he was a tool, nothing more. A machine for missions, without independent will.
A faint rotation stirred beneath Danzo's bandage. He activated his stolen eye, probing for signs that Chiga had manipulated Sai with his Sharingan.
But no foreign chakra or genjutsu was present.
Sai remained unaware of the inspection and continued, "Please allow it, Danzo-sama."
Danzo realized: Sai hadn't been influenced by Chiga. He had made this choice on his own. A change of heart.
Ordinarily, Danzo would execute a subordinate who wavered. But Sai... still had uses.
Coldly, he asked, "Are you trying to abandon Root? Do you wish to die?"
Sai didn't answer. In his heart, he already expected death before stepping into this room.
There's a saying from Earth: "A man can endure the dark—until he sees the light."
And Naruto... was Sai's light. He could no longer go back to the cold emptiness of Root.
Danzo sneered. "So that's your answer. Fine. You may go."
Sai looked up in disbelief, eyes wide.
But Danzo turned away, voice chilling.
"You're dismissed, but not for free. One last task—Uchiha Chiga is back, and you're close to him. I want you to discover his Mangekyō ability. Report everything. Understood?"
Sai hesitated. Disgust welled in his throat, but before he could refuse, Danzo activated the sealing jutsu branded on his tongue.
A surge of paralyzing pain ripped through Sai's body. He collapsed to the floor, barely conscious.
Danzo's form disappeared into the shadows, leaving only his final words behind.
"This is your last chance. Use it wisely."
---
On the bustling streets of Konoha, Chiga strode confidently through the crowd. Behind him followed Sakura and Naruto—though their expressions held unease.
Naruto, still carrying the unconscious Sasuke, leaned closer to Chiga and whispered, "Chiga-senpai... those two gatekeepers earlier... are they okay?"
Chiga glanced at him coolly. "What? Are you trying to speak on their behalf now?"
"N-No, not at all! I just—was afraid you might've gone a little... too far..."
"They'll live," Chiga replied with a casual wave. "They just fainted."
Earlier at the village gates, two unfamiliar Chūnin had blocked Chiga's path. His white hair and unfamiliar face triggered their suspicion.
Yamato had tried to step in and explain, but he'd been a second too late.
Chiga's Sharingan flickered red, and the two guards dropped like stones—eyes rolled back, unconscious.
Without pause, Chiga stepped over their fallen bodies and led the group inside.
The nearby villagers had already taken notice.
"Hey, look at that symbol on his back... isn't that the Uchiha crest?"
"Yeah! I thought the Uchiha were all wiped out... only Sasuke was left, and even he vanished!"
"No way that crest is fake. That guy must really be Uchiha!"
Among a group of young kunoichi, whispers of admiration spread like wildfire.
"Oh my god, he's gorgeous."
"Totally! I saw Sasuke at the academy once and thought no one could top him... but this guy? He's next-level!"
"Wait, isn't that Naruto? And who's that he's carrying on his back? That's... Sasuke, isn't it?!"
---