Thump... thump thump...
Danzo didn't turn his head. He simply continued walking forward, leaning on his cane.
"You truly live up to your reputation, Lord Danzo."
Hyuga Kawa slowly straightened up, his smile still on his face as he looked at Danzo's back. His voice was clear and bright. "But, how did you figure it out?"
Danzo stopped. Without turning around, he let out a cold snort. "Hmph! I have more seals and restraints on my body than you can possibly imagine."
"It's just an illusion that manipulates the five senses. The Kurama clan has produced similar techniques before, but you're nowhere near that level."
This time, he wasn't boasting; it was the truth.
He possessed far too many secrets and pieces of intelligence. If any of it were to be revealed, it would be a devastating blow to the entirety of Konoha.
That's why Danzo had etched more than one type of sealing and restraint method into his own body. The Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Jutsu, an S-rank forbidden jutsu, was one of them.
When the seal etched into his body is activated, it forces everything within a several-hundred-meter radius to be sealed inside his corpse.
What's more, when he dies, his brain is also destroyed, ensuring that no enemy can extract any information.
In the original story, when Danzo tried to steal Shisui's eye and was put under an illusion, he broke it in an instant, used Izanagi, and directly ripped out Shisui's eye.
It's highly likely that he has a way to detect whether he's under an illusion or a method to automatically dispel one.
In Danzo's mind, breaking Hyuga Kawa's genjutsu was a matter of course.
But in reality...
"You're that ruthless even to yourself?"
Hyuga Kawa chuckled, his voice full of admiration. "Lord Danzo, you are truly a frightening man."
"That's a line I should be using," Danzo said, his back to Hyuga Kawa. "Everyone thinks you're a perfect person, that any good word fits you without a single flaw."
"But I know perfectly well that there is no such thing as a perfect person in this world."
"The more radiant a person's surface is, the deeper the darkness hidden within."
With that, he slowly turned around, his single eye looking at Hyuga Kawa. "So, in front of me, can you drop that fake smile?"
"I can already smell the 'greed' hidden in your bones."
The wind in the forest seemed to still.
The smile on Hyuga Kawa's face faded, little by little.
His pure Byakugan was still clear, but deep within his eyes, something settled and became calm.
"It seems I underestimated you, Lord Danzo," he said, meeting Danzo's imposing gaze. "So, why don't you take a guess? What do I want to do?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes, suppressing the excitement of his fish taking the bait. He put on a calm front. "You simply want more, to climb to a higher position."
"You want to become Hokage."
He stared intently at Hyuga Kawa's face, as if trying to see through his gentle mask.
A look of surprise and doubt appeared on Hyuga Kawa's face, which only made Danzo more certain of his guess.
"I'm afraid you're wrong. I have no interest in the title of Hokage," Hyuga Kawa said, his look of surprise fleeting. He quickly regained his composure, shaking his head with a smile. "Lord Third suspects that you were involved in Itachi Uchiha's massacre of the Uchiha clan."
"He believes you are still in contact with Itachi and that you're plotting something more dangerous, which is why he sent me to see what you're up to."
"Unfortunately, this mission can't be completed."
He played the part flawlessly, appearing as a loyal subordinate whose mission had been thwarted, a misunderstood junior who remained composed.
But Danzo didn't believe a word of it, only letting out a cold scoff.
Danzo had already fully understood Hyuga Kawa. He knew that Hyuga Kawa must have gotten something from Orochimaru to make such great progress with his talent.
His actions, like teaching the Branch Family members a lesson and resisting Hinata Aoi, showed that he had been holding back for a long time.
And his recent actions of leading the Branch Family to resist the Main Family were not done with peaceful demands, but with brutal, almost suicidal tactics.
He stirred up the Branch Family's resentment and used the Main Family's apprehension to forcefully expose their empty bravado with a near-rebellion.
These ruthless methods were enough to prove that Hyuga Kawa was absolutely not the gentle young man others thought him to be, someone similar to Minato Namikaze.
The fact that he could pull out that 'Greed' blade showed that he had ambition and darkness in his heart, far greater than most people's.
"You don't not want to be Hokage, you simply can't be Hokage."
Danzo's voice was hoarse and certain. "You must feel pain and resentment, knowing that even with all your power, you cannot escape the 'Caged Bird' of the Main Family."
"If it weren't for that cursed seal, if it weren't for the restraints of the Main Family, with your talent, your power, and your achievements, you would be the one with the most hope of becoming the next Hokage."
"But... none of that matters now."
Hyuga Kawa's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly, and Danzo precisely captured that momentary flaw.
He suddenly took a step closer, his voice becoming even lower and more alluring. "I can help you," he whispered.
Sunlight pierced through the gaps in the branches, casting mottled shadows between them like an invisible chasm.
Hyuga Kawa fell silent, his Byakugan flickering slightly, as if weighing his options.
After a long time, he finally spoke. "Why?"
"While I don't like the smile on your face, I know it's a necessary facade," Danzo snorted. "Compared to that, I despise genuine naivete even more."
"Whether it's Hiruzen in the past or Jiraiya and Tsunade whom he taught, they only have power but naively believe in 'bonds' and 'peace.'"
"Now, with the emergence of the 'Void Realm' and the arrival of the 'Espada,' the entire ninja world is about to become chaotic and full of danger, but with danger also comes unprecedented opportunity."
"Their naivete and hesitation will only harm Konoha. It will make Konoha miss its chance in the surging tides and even be swallowed by other forces that seize the opportunity."
He then looked at Hyuga Kawa again. "But you're different, Hyuga Kawa. Your darkness, your ruthlessness, and your tactics are what I value."
"To survive in this world of the strong devouring the weak, Konoha needs a person like you."
Hyuga Kawa's eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked in a low voice, "If that's the case, why don't you become Hokage yourself?"
Danzo's face turned grim, and he said with undisguised resentment, "Hiruzen and the others won't allow it. The rest of Konoha won't accept it either."
"If someone like Jiraiya, Tsunade, or even Kakashi Hatake takes the position, their 'naivete' would surely lead to Root being suppressed, weakened, or even disbanded!"
"Since that's the case, it would be better to support you. All I want is to preserve Root, to preserve this blade hidden in the shadows, so it can continue to eliminate all obstacles for Konoha."
Danzo stared intently at Hyuga Kawa. "I think only you understand the importance of Root. It's not enough for the great tree of Konoha to stand only in the sun."
"Its roots must dig deep into the ground to draw sufficient nourishment."
This was, of course, a lie.
Danzo's goal had always been to become Hokage.
He truly believed that everything he did was for Konoha, but he also believed that only he could make Konoha better by becoming Hokage.
He looked down on Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and even Hyuga Kawa.
The reason he was supporting Hyuga Kawa was simply to use him to eliminate all of his rivals, so that he himself could take the position in the end.
After all, Danzo had enough self-awareness to know that he had no chance of winning on his own, so he had to resort to unconventional methods.
He was sure that Hyuga Kawa would agree to his deal.
Even if Hyuga Kawa guessed that Danzo's goal was more than just preserving Root, it didn't matter, as long as Hyuga Kawa needed his help to become Hokage.
Worst case, once all the enemies were eliminated, they would see who would reap the rewards in the end.
This was an overt plot.
"..."
Silence spread through the forest path. The air seemed to freeze, leaving only the silent test of wills between the two.
Finally, Hyuga Kawa broke the silence. "How do you plan to do it?"
Hearing this, although he was certain Hyuga Kawa would agree, Danzo breathed a sigh of relief. This was followed by a surge of ecstasy.
"Heheh, don't you already know?" His voice suddenly dropped, and he leaned forward, laughing hoarsely. "Your biggest obstacle is the Hyuga Main Family."
Hyuga Kawa's face changed, and he said in a low voice, "What are you going to do?"
"I'll help you remove that obstacle," Danzo said, patting his shoulder. He then whispered, "I don't think you'll feel any pity for the people who oppressed you, will you?"
"But in the process, I will need your cooperation."
"..."
Seeing that Hyuga Kawa had fallen silent again, the smile on Danzo's face deepened.
The more dirty work Hyuga Kawa did, the more leverage he would have over him, and he wouldn't have to worry about this guy not listening.
As for whether killing the Hyuga Main Family would have serious consequences...
Heh, Danzo wouldn't care. He was ruthless enough to kill the Uchiha clan to gain more power, and he even dared to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi for the title of Hokage.
If the plan went smoothly, Danzo even planned to get his hands on the Caged Bird Curse Mark—both the method of applying it and the method of activating it.
At that time, Hyuga Kawa would be his dog, and the Hyuga Branch Family would be his dogs, too!
"Wait for my message."
Danzo removed his hand from Hyuga Kawa's shoulder, smiled, and left without looking back, leaning on his cane.
Hyuga Kawa remained standing silently in the same spot until Danzo's figure disappeared in the distance.
If Danzo had looked back, he would have seen Hyuga Kawa's figure slowly dissipating before his eyes.
The real Hyuga Kawa was standing on a tree, not having moved a single step the entire time.
His black hair swayed in the breeze, and his face was hidden in the mottled shadows of the leaves. His expression was impossible to see.
Only his Byakugan stared into the distance, shining with a deep light in the darkness. They were like two bottomless cold pools, reflecting Danzo's gradually receding back.
Even Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan was deceived, so how could the so-called seals and restraints that Danzo mentioned ever stop Hyuga Kawa's multiple layers of illusions?
Everything had happened just so, and everything had seemed to make perfect sense.
"Danzo..." he whispered. "You are such an easy and useful pawn to use. No wonder Hiruzen Sarutobi has kept you around all this time."
"I just hope your methods won't disappoint me."
"That's what you do best, isn't it?"
With that, Hyuga Kawa's figure vanished, and he headed toward the Konoha Hospital.
If all went as planned, Lord Third would also have a gift for him.
Hyuga Kawa was already looking forward to it.
Deep inside the Root headquarters, in the special research area.
The cold metal walls on both sides reflected the pale light of the lamps. The air was filled with the pungent smell of disinfectants and preservatives.
This was the deepest and most heavily guarded area of Root.
Unlike the relatively mild environment of the Konoha Technical Research Institute, the atmosphere here was more oppressive, cold, and forbidden.
Danzo Shimura passed through layers of alloy doors and finally entered a large laboratory. He looked through a glass window into the main room.
A massive cylindrical container stood in the center of the laboratory. Inside the container was a Hollow.
But unlike the Hollow captured by the Technical Research Institute, this one was a Hollow that Danzo had personally created based on what 'Shadow' had told him. He had used various methods of torture to force the transformation.
To be honest, it was not an easy thing to do. It was almost impossible to catalyze a Hollow with pure pain alone.
So, Danzo found a ninja who was skilled in genjutsu, and then he found that ninja's cherished family, and had them tortured to death right in front of him.
Only then did a very ordinary Hollow finally emerge.
In Danzo's opinion, all of it was worth it.
Danzo Shimura looked away from the Hollow and down at a report on the table in front of him.
And the name of that report was...
Experimental Report on the Forced Fusion of Hashirama's Cells and Hollows.
I only share the most exquisite and beautiful novels. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon DaoistWujinzi