"Back again, Konoha."
Near the edge of Konoha's orphanage, the once peaceful air suddenly shifted as a circular gate opened, and a young man in a black ninja uniform with white disheveled hair emerged from another dimension.
"Yin Healing Wound Blast!!" Upon returning to Konoha, Yu summoned Tyrant from the alternate dimension as well. The massive bear paw pressed against his back, and instantly, a huge, round ripple of faint red bear paw energy burst out from his body like a balloon.
With the effect of Tyrant's Paw Fruit ability, pain, fatigue, and even the mental exhaustion from earlier were expelled from Yu's body. He felt his physical and mental state instantly restored to its optimal condition.
"Let's recover Chakra and regroup here first..." Yu's appearance startled numerous flocks of birds in the forest. Sensing the depletion of his Chakra, he decided to stay here to refine his Chakra and rest, while also taking care of matters at the orphanage.
As time passed, when Yu's Chakra had fully recovered, the long night had passed, and dawn had arrived, with the distant sky starting to lighten.
"It seems the recovery is about complete..." Yu reopened his eyes. The immense Kage Chakra within him had fully restored. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through the entire sky. "Danzo, it's time to reveal your true colors and let everyone see what kind of sinister figure you really are..."
The alternate space of Kaio opened behind him once again, and his figure vanished instantly into the grass, as if no one had ever been there...
Root.
This was a massive underground base built beneath Konoha, with a labyrinth of complex passages and layered structures. Looking down from above, it resembled a monstrous entity devouring its prey.
This enormous underground organization harbored countless root ninjas, each one a trained killing machine. Not even a Kage ninja, let alone an ordinary ninja, could forcibly intrude from the outside.
"How is it going?"
"Is there any new information coming from the Land of Earth?"
In the main hall of the deepest level of the Root base, Danzo sat upon a massive stone throne, speaking in a deep voice to the ninja beside him. His grim countenance appeared even darker and more terrifying under the dim, yellowish lamplight.
The so-called Root was a sub-part of Konoha's ANBU special mobile force, established single-handedly by Danzo, a staunch advocate of hardline policies in Konoha. Therefore, members of Root took direct orders from Danzo rather than the Hokage.
Although, after the failed coup attempt involving the assassination of the Hokage, Danzo nominally disbanded his Root operatives, in reality, The Root ninjas still remained loyal and obedient to him.
"In response to Danzo-sama's inquiry, based on the latest intelligence..." Upon hearing Danzo's question, the Root ninja standing behind him stepped forward. "Scarlet Yu has encountered the Third Tsuchikage and the Iwagakure forces in battle in the Land of Earth, but we currently lack detailed information about the situation."
"Mmm... It seems everything is proceeding according to my plan..."
After listening to the report from his subordinate, Danzo pondered thoughtfully. Sinister gleams occasionally flashed from his left eye, visible beneath the white bandage. "Given the temperament and strength of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, it would be best if the Iwagakure ninjas can keep Yakushi Yu there permanently this time."
"I believe that once we eliminate this individual, my chances of overthrowing Sarutobi and ascending to the throne of Hokage in Konoha will greatly increase."
In the current situation, Yu, as a disciple of the Third, stood as the first and most formidable obstacle on his path to controlling the future of Konoha. Therefore, in order to completely remove Yu, Danzo had devised a series of traps from the beginning, all aimed at luring Yu into his grasp and using the Iwagakure ninjas as a swift blade to cut off the roots.
However, despite this, deep down, Danzo couldn't shake a sense of unease. While the strength of the Hidden Rock Village and the Third Tsuchikage was unquestionable, the success of his plan this time remained uncertain, given Yu's demonstrated strength and achievements over the past few years.
"I'm still uneasy about the strength of those Iwagakure ninjas..."
With this thought in mind, Danzo's gaze flickered, and he spoke again to the masked ninja kneeling behind him. "Terai, arrange things once more. I need to make thorough preparations..."
Mid-sentence, Danzo's inner unease suddenly evolved into a strong sense of danger, and he instinctively stood up from his stone throne.
Boom!!
At the same time, a huge hole was blasted through the massive wall in the middle of the hall!
A beam of light, moving at a speed beyond description, instantly burst forth, its terrifying power slicing through and pulverizing everything in its path!
As Danzo stood up from his throne, he felt a sharp pain on his cheek, a bloody wound slashed across it. The massive stone throne behind him was shattered by the blast.
This... a wire?!
With lightning-fast reflexes, Danzo narrowly avoided the fatal strike of the God-Killing Spear. Ignoring the wound on his cheek and the blood dripping down, he watched as the beam of light that had just sliced through everything dissipated into dust, and he felt a chill run down his spine.
"Protect Danzo-sama!!"
Facing the sudden turn of events before him, the Root ninja named Terai behind Danzo reacted instantly.
In the vast Root hall, countless shadows flashed by as over a hundred well-trained masked ninjas leaped down from the upper floors. They formed a tight circle around Danzo, sealing off any angle from which the enemy might attack him.
"You managed to dodge it? Lucky..."
"I have to admit, the response of these dogs you've raised is quite fast..."
Accompanied by a calm and indifferent voice echoing in the dark underground hall, all the Root ninjas present only saw the silhouette of a white-haired youth gradually becoming clearer amidst the dust that filled the air after the wall was blasted open.
"How did this guy... get in?!"
With eyes fixed firmly on the youth who had suddenly appeared to attack Danzo-sama, Terai, the elite Jonin of Root, drew his weapon from his back and assumed a defensive stance.
"So it's you, Yu-sama..."
As he looked at the white-haired youth emerging from the dust before him, Danzo's pupils slightly contracted, but his face revealed a profound smile. "You've returned from the Land of Earth so soon? Just as I expected, those Iwagakure ninjas were no match for you..."
"Enough with these false words. I have no patience to listen to any of your nonsense."
As he stepped into the dark hall before him, Yu directly interrupted Danzo's ramblings. His calm gaze was akin to that of someone looking at a dead man. "You still have time now. I'll give you enough time to repent, and then... hate yourself for why you came into this world!"
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