"What is Danzo doing here at this time?"
Kevis's heart skipped a beat. His breathing hitched, and his running slowed abruptly before he finally came to a stop. His gaze followed the figure as it vanished into the depths of the Orphanage corridor, his brows knitting in confusion.
At a time like this, for the 'Shadow' of Konoha to personally appear at the Orphanage was no coincidence.
"Was Danzo looking at me just now?" As soon as the thought surfaced, Kevis became certain. That gaze wasn't the gentle concern of an elder for a child—it was an appraisal, like evaluating a rare commodity, meticulous and unflinching.
"Danzo is targeting me?" His heart sank.
"Most likely… there's no way to escape it," he muttered. His abnormal behavior had indeed been far too conspicuous. A child barely a year old, with a physique and intellect far exceeding ordinary people, undergoing excessive physical training—hiding something like this in Konoha, where Shinobi lurked everywhere and intelligence networks were as intricate as spiderwebs, was purely a matter of luck.
"No wonder… who told me to be so abnormal?" He twitched the corner of his mouth, self-deprecating. "Still, being targeted by Danzo… doesn't seem all bad."
The tension from an unknown threat evaporated quickly. Kevis's mindset adjusted with icy, calculating precision. His thoughts raced, weighing risks and benefits.
"Slice me up for research? Hmm… not impossible." A sterile laboratory, with the sharp smell of disinfectant, flashed through his mind. But he glanced at the nuclear bomb in his system space and smirked.
"Heh… slice me up? I'll just open the feast and everyone can eat mushrooms together!"
The megaton-yield miniature nuclear bomb steadied him like an old dog. A small, almost unexplainable smile crept across his face.
"Although it would be a slight loss, it's acceptable. If it comes to that, dragging Danzo, Root, and even all of Konoha along doesn't seem like a downgrade."
"Also… brainwashing? Standard Root operation. I know Danzo's methods too well." He subconsciously checked the 'Soul' column on his panel, relaxed, and thought, Danzo probably won't be able to brainwash me.
Looking at it logically, Kevis saw no real harm in cooperating with Danzo.
"The key… Root's food. They'll let me eat my fill, right?"
This was his immediate concern. Yakushi Nonou had done her best with the Orphanage's meals, but for a growing child like him, it was barely sufficient. Root, Konoha's clandestine organization, surely had far greater resources.
At the thought of unlimited meals, Kevis's eyes brightened. Big fish, meat at every meal… maybe even better than he had ever imagined.
As for Danzo, jokingly called the "Pot Shadow," Kevis's thoughts diverged from popular opinion.
People said Danzo took all blame in the Shinobi World and threw whatever he couldn't onto Black Zetsu. Kevis didn't concern himself with judgment. The Shinobi World was cruel, full of conspiracies, slaughter, and betrayal—far from the love-and-peace world of the shonen manga he had read in his previous life.
Danzo's methods were ruthless, sometimes unscrupulous, but for Konoha, a war machine, they were occasionally necessary. Though he stood opposite the protagonist, Kevis didn't care—as long as he could eat his fill and grow steadily, working for Danzo was fine. He was pragmatic.
"Alright, it's settled! Sell myself to Danzo, eat well, help Yakushi Nonou… and most importantly, avoid her tragic fate in the future!"
Thinking of Yakushi Nonou's gentle smile tinged with sorrow, Kevis's heart tightened. In his previous life, he had been cold, searching for meaning in a purposeless existence. In this world, born without parents, only Yakushi Nonou and the children of the Orphanage made him feel something resembling belonging.
As for others, Naruto, Sasuke? He couldn't care less.
Decision made, Kevis no longer hesitated. He followed Danzo into the Orphanage director's office, his small legs moving quickly.
"Miko, it's been a long time," Danzo greeted Yakushi Nonou, his voice as deep as ever.
Yakushi Nonou's heart sank, though her expression remained calm. "Lord Danzo, it has been a while." She quickly asked, "May I ask why you have come to the Orphanage today?"
As Root's former ace spy, she knew Danzo well. His personal visit today was not mere courtesy—he had a purpose, and she knew it: Kevis. Anyone aware of Kevis's situation would call him a prodigy. Danzo's visit was undoubtedly about him.
The office air turned icy.
"What is the child's name?" Danzo's tone left no room for evasion.
Yakushi Nonou's heart plummeted. Her fingers curled subconsciously, but she forced calm: "Lord Danzo, which child do you mean? There are many here."
"Don't play dumb in front of me, Miko!" Danzo's tone rose, sharp and terrifying. He slammed the table; a loud bang echoed, the teacup nearly spilling.
"Do you think I came to chat? That child—different from ordinary people! Why didn't you report him to Root immediately?"
Each word pressed like a weight. "Your misguided kindness almost let Konoha miss a future ace! Can you bear that responsibility?"
Yakushi Nonou clenched her hands, forcing herself to remain seated. "Lord Danzo, this is an Orphanage, a haven for children, not Root's workshop. I am retired; I no longer serve Root."
"Remember this!" Danzo leaned forward. "Once you enter Root, you are always Root! Even if you retire, your loyalty belongs to Root, to Konoha's darkness! It's an ironclad rule!"
Yakushi Nonou's expression wavered, but resolve burned in her eyes. "I am now the Orphanage director. My duty is to care for these children."
Danzo snorted coldly. "Hmph!" He stood, looking down at her. "I don't have time for words. That child, with unprecedented talent, I will take him."
Yakushi Nonou's composure shattered. She rose abruptly. "How can you do this?! Lord Hokage promised the Orphanage children normal lives! You cannot take Kevis; he is only one year old!"
"So his name is Kevis?" Danzo paused imperceptibly, chewing the name. "Not bad… I will personally train him. In the unknown darkness, he will become Konoha's sharpest spear and strongest shield!"
His tone turned icy, threatening. "Consider the time! The Third Shinobi World War is escalating. Konoha devotes all resources to victory. Funds, manpower, every penny must be used efficiently. Refusal will have consequences. Have you thought clearly about that?"