"Kakashi, why are you here?"
Danzo stepped forward, his expression a mixture of curiosity and cold authority. His tone carried an edge, subtle yet unmistakably challenging.
Kakashi met his gaze, unflinching, his posture calm and measured. There was neither servility nor arrogance in his tone. "Uchiha Sasuke is missing. The Third Hokage suspects the Akatsuki Organization is involved," he said simply, his words deliberate.
At the mention of Sasuke, a flash of cold light ignited in Danzo's eyes. His expression hardened, a sneer forming at the corner of his mouth—sarcastic, unreadable, and tinged with contempt. "The last orphan of the Uchiha Clan has been abducted as well? Hmph… Hiruzen truly is no longer fit to lead Konoha," he remarked, his words sharp, almost venomous.
Kakashi remained silent. Though Danzo's statement carried criticism, there was an undeniable logic to it. Konoha's current situation was chaotic—threats loomed not only from Akatsuki but from an impending planetary catastrophe that could annihilate the entire Ninja World. And yet, the village's leadership appeared slow, almost indifferent, preoccupied with transferring and protecting the elite while the ordinary citizens' safety hung precariously in the balance.
The inefficiency gnawed at Kakashi, a subtle sense of powerlessness creeping into his thoughts. Danzo, noticing the slight pause, tapped his cane lightly on the ground. The dull thud echoed in the stillness, carrying a menacing weight.
"So," he said coldly, "are you here to warn Jiraiya?"
"Yes," Kakashi replied without hesitation, his voice steady.
A tense silence followed. Rain fell in fine, piercing threads, chilling both men to the bone. Finally, Kakashi asked, looking up toward the shadows of Hidden Rain Village, "Lord Danzo, what exactly do you intend by coming here?"
Danzo's lips curled into a faint, chilling smile. "I want to meet the owner of the Rinnegan."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed subtly. He knew well that the Rinnegan, the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths, would be Danzo's prime target.
"The world is in turmoil," Danzo continued, his voice low, resonant with authority. "The Five Great Nations must eventually cooperate with organizations like Akatsuki. If Konoha does not demonstrate sufficient strength, how can we expect them to submit willingly?"
His words sounded grandiose, almost noble, but Kakashi sensed something deeper, something insidious. Danzo's aim extended beyond mere deterrence; his lust for control and acquisition underlined every carefully chosen word.
Danzo's gaze swept over Kakashi, cold and piercing. The younger ninja said nothing, and Danzo remained silent for a moment before raising a hand, a subtle signal.
The Root operatives behind him moved with uncanny precision, stepping aside to form a perfectly straight path in the shadows.
Kakashi paused, assessing the situation, then stepped forward, merging into the darkness. But just as his figure was about to vanish, Danzo's voice rang out again, sharp and deliberate.
"Kakashi… I heard your dream is also to become Hokage?"
Kakashi stopped, his back stiffening. He turned slightly, his voice calm yet probing. "Lord Danzo… what about your dream? Is it also to become Hokage?"
Danzo's face darkened instantly, his eyes sharpening like blades. "What… do you mock me?" he demanded, his tone tense and dangerous.
Kakashi met his gaze evenly, undeterred. "I do not mock anyone. What matters is Konoha's future. Who serves as Hokage is irrelevant… even if it were you, Lord Danzo."
The words hit Danzo like a cold gust of wind. They were candid, sincere, and devoid of flattery or deceit—a sharp contrast to the obsequious obedience he was accustomed to. For a fleeting moment, he seemed genuinely taken aback. Kakashi, usually reserved and unreadable, had spoken plainly, with implications Danzo could not ignore.
"The world faces a catastrophe," Kakashi continued, his tone unwavering. "If there is a truly powerful leader who can guide Konoha through it, then I will support them fully—regardless of who they are."
Danzo let out a slow, deliberate laugh, tinged with dark amusement. "Kakashi, your words are dangerous. Hiruzen would be troubled if he heard them."
"I am merely expressing my honest opinion," Kakashi replied. "The Hokage will not hold it against me."
With that, he turned, disappearing into the shadows. Rain streaked down his figure as he merged with the night, leaving Danzo standing alone.
Danzo's eyes lingered on him, flickering with complex thoughts. He had assumed Kakashi to be a compliant, obedient subordinate, yet those words cut deeper than any blade. They hinted at independent thought, judgment, and an understanding of power and responsibility that Danzo could not manipulate easily.
A dangerous thought stirred within him: if Kakashi's loyalties truly aligned with Konoha's future rather than personal ambition… then he could be a wild card, unpredictable and dangerous.
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Slowly, with deliberate intent, his right eye opened. The crimson Sharingan activated, the three tomoe spinning like ripples in a blood-red pond. Its chilling, cold presence spread outward, suffusing the air with tension.
The Root operatives remained statuesque, silent as stone. Yet one among them trembled slightly, betraying a moment of incoordination. Danzo's gaze locked onto the movement immediately.
He had never been naive. Root was tightly controlled, yet he knew infiltration was always possible. And now, it seemed, a rat had indeed crept in.
The targeted member understood instantly. His heartbeat quickened, and he stepped back, realizing exposure was inevitable. Kakashi's words had carried more than caution; they revealed potential dissent, a hint of ambition, and a subtle deviation from expected loyalty—all information of critical value to Konoha.
Danzo's body tensed as he sensed the approach of a strange force from behind the rogue operative. His Wood Release cells, dormant for the moment, sprang to life. Gray-brown ripples surfaced along his skin, and withered wooden roots erupted from his body, twisting and coiling like veins.
Within moments, the roots converged in his hand, forming a grotesque wooden blade, black as ink, its surface resembling the texture of living blood vessels. Several of these wooden veins connected seamlessly to Danzo's arm, as though the weapon were an extension of his own flesh.
The Sharingan in his palm glowed, crimson and unyielding, echoing the twisted power of the wooden blade.
Without another word, Danzo moved with lethal speed. His form blurred in the rain, faster than the eye could follow.
"Danzo…"
The ninja's startled exclamation cut short as the blade struck. Rain pelted down in torrents, yet the sound of it was instantly drowned out by the blade's lethal precision.
The wooden weapon pierced flesh. Blood sprayed silently into the air, a stark contrast against the gray rain. The ninja's eyes widened in shock, trying to speak, but no sound emerged. Kneeling slowly, life fading from him, he fell silent.
Danzo stood over him, cold and unfeeling. The blade retracted, dripping blood onto the rain-soaked ground, mixing and turning the water a deep crimson. With a subtle flick, Danzo removed the blood from the weapon and turned away, leaving the body to be consumed by the spreading roots. Within moments, the figure was entirely enveloped, leaving no trace.
He deactivated his Sharingan slowly, the shadows of his face reclaiming their darkness.
"Continue with the original mission," he ordered.
"Yes, Lord Danzo," the Root operatives replied in unison, their voices chillingly uniform, devoid of emotion.
Danzo's gaze swept over them once more, assessing each one with meticulous scrutiny. In a world teetering on the edge of chaos, only absolute control could ensure that Konoha would survive—and thrive. And he would not hesitate to use any means necessary to secure it.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)