Atop the Hokage Rock.
Sarutobi Hiruzen increasingly spent more time here.
Konoha would never lack for ninja who defect, nor would it ever be without those who, due to their own bonds, leave Konoha and suffer for it.
This time, it was Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, who felt the weight.
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but become increasingly anxious, fearing that Shimura Danzo might commit a grave mistake, worrying that Danzo might sacrifice Konoha's interests for his own, concerned that he might one day have to kill Danzo, disregarding their past camaraderie.
Standing atop the Hokage Rock, Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered the struggle between the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara, remembering how the First Hokage had decisively acted against Uchiha Madara.
"Lord Hokage."
Hatake Kakashi knelt on one knee behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, softly saying, "The warrant for his arrest has been made public."
"Good."
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded.
The official news from Konoha was unKabutobtedly credible.
All of Konoha and even the ninja world received the news that Shimura Danzo had become a rogue ninja of Konoha. This news didn't much affect the ordinary villagers, but it was unKabutobtedly shocking for the elite ninja of Konoha.
Since many things within Konoha could not be completely covered up, Sarutobi Hiruzen simply made public the three charges against Shimura Danzo, taking the opportunity to quell the resentment within the village.
The first charge: Shimura Danzo, in conspiracy with Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito, harmed the Uchiha clan, secretly scheming to acquire the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan.
This was undeniable.
Because Shimura Danzo indeed committed this act.
Sarutobi Hiruzen no longer wished to conceal it for Danzo.
The second charge: Shimura Danzo conducted unauthorized human experiments related to the Sharingan, aiming to obtain more powerful Kekkei Genkai.
Due to the significant impact of Hashirama Cells, Sarutobi Hiruzen had to omit this charge to avoid further disputes, although the higher-ups of Konoha ninja were largely aware of it.
The third charge: Shimura Danzo led his men in an unauthorized attack on the ninja of the Mist Village, intending to provoke a war between Konoha and Mist Village.
This was acknowledged by the Mist Village.
After all, the Mist Village was an ally of Konoha, and it was necessary to consider the feelings of an ally. This act indeed angered Sarutobi Hiruzen greatly; he had always treated allies with a conciliatory policy, and Shimura Danzo's actions were unKabutobtedly contrary to the policies of the Hokage's office.
These charges...
Were enough to infuriate the people of Konoha.
Over the years, Shimura Danzo had always within the Root, his name not very prominent in the village. Sarutobi Hiruzen's actions also made Shimura Danzo thoroughly infamous in Konoha.
In a sweets shop.
A group of ninjas were still discussing Shimura Danzo.
Might Guy, looking at the wanted poster in the handbook, felt some regrets: "I had once applied to join Lord Danzo's Anbu..."
"That's the Root."
Genma Shiranui, with a senbon in his mouth, muttered indifferently: "Well, it doesn't matter now. Danzo has defected, and the harm he has brought is too great. He must be killed... but it won't be easy to kill that guy, he has many subordinates!"
"He still has to be eliminated!"
"He has killed so many people!"
"Even wanting to provoke a war, how could this be allowed!"
A group of Konoha ninja having afternoon tea immediately became passionately agitated.
Most of these Konoha ninja had never really seen Shimura Danzo, nor understood the story between Konoha's high-level officials and the Uchiha. But they still considered the Uchiha as comrades, especially resenting people like Shimura Danzo and Uchiha Itachi!
Some resent...
Naturally, there are those who regret.
At the Root's base.
This base no longer had any of Shimura Danzo's subordinates.
The only trace left by Shimura Danzo might be that he was the founder of the Root, and perhaps once the guide for the current leader of the Root, Akihara Kagura.
Akihara Kagura still sat on the corridor railing, gazing into the dark abyss of the Root's base, seemingly mourning Shimura Danzo's defection in silence, and also lamenting the rewards he had received.
[System Prompt]: [Rescue Homura Mitokado and the allied forces Mist Village (Sarutobi Hizan), mission completed, reward: Five Elements Unseal]
[Five Elements Unseal (Can utilize the generating interactions among the five elements to break the Five Elements Seal, allowing the recipient to regain the ability to use ninjutsu.)]
This reward is not entirely useless.
Akihara Kagura once received the Five Elements Seal from Jiraiya, which can seal the chakra of a Jinchuriki, and it seems it can also seal the chakra of others. Now, he has acquired the means of the Five Elements Unseal from Sarutobi Hizan.
This is normal.
Sarutobi Hizan carries many and various techniques.
However, Akihara Kagura, having been with Jiraiya, has already learned many Fire Release techniques in another way. Since becoming a high-level figure in Konoha, Akihara Kagura could learn any ninjutsu directly, and he was free to learn any techniques, except for forbidden ones.
Having a method to unseal sealing techniques is better than nothing.
Compared to the rewards from Sarutobi Hizan.
The rewards from Nagato and Uchiha Obito are somewhat peculiar.
Since both Nagato and Akihara Kagura possess the Rinnegan (Temporarily), and both are disciples of Jiraiya, the techniques Akihara Kagura knows are not significantly less than those Nagato knows; their abilities are quite similar, and there's no special ability to gain.
Except for the abilities of the Uzumaki lineage…
Seems there's no other reward to offer him?
[System Prompt]: [Solve the problem of Shimura Danzo and the pursuit squad investigating the Akatsuki organization (Nagato), reward: Chakra level enhancement.]
[System Prompt]: [The host can synthesize chakra of up to SSSS level.]
Chakra can still be enhanced!
Akihara Kagura immediately felt a surge in life force!
This means that the more his abilities resemble those of his superiors, the less treasure the superiors can burst out, and once there's no treasure, it's time to start exploding with big ores!
[System Prompt]: [Solve the problem of Shimura Danzo and the pursuit squad investigating the Akatsuki organization (Uchiha Obito), mission completed, reward: Great Fire Annihilation knowledge.]
[Great Fire Annihilation (B-rank Fire Release ninjutsu, by condensing fire attribute chakra, can spit out flames as vast as the sea, extremely powerful in might and range!)]
It's Uchiha Obito, however, who keeps uncovering new coins, not telling how much of Uchiha Madara's inheritance he has received.
It's evident.
Uchiha Obito hasn't learned this technique, but he possesses the knowledge of it, meaning that completing missions from a superior could likely lead to acquiring the superior's knowledge.
Akihara Kagura immediately learned Great Fire Annihilation using the [Ninja Professor] trait, a formidable Fire Release ninjutsu that is rare to come by.
Most importantly…
Akihara Kagura has vaguely discovered some tricks.
If he could deplete all of Uchiha Madara's inheritance from Uchiha Obito, what big technique could he burst out if Uchiha Madara became his superior in the future?
Even though joining a superior's ranks and gaining traits from this superior is already powerful, some superiors indeed possess quite rich mines…
"Lord Kagura, everyone is here."
As Akihara Kagura was contemplating, a young girl's voice emerged beside him.
The little girl, Karin, stood next to Akihara Kagura, dressed in a gray Anbu ninja uniform. This little girl entered the Root directly after graduating from the ninja school ahead of time.
Yakushi Kabuto stood behind Karin, still wearing the glasses given to him by the Dean, his mouth curving into a playful smile, seemingly quite pleased to see Shimura Danzo's defection, as he and Yakushi Nono were nearly forced to defect by Shimura Danzo...
White Zetzu Awei body floated on a wooden pillar, his mouth wide open, very proud of the role he played in Danzo's defection event.
The twelve Uchihas still wore masks, their Sharingan never closed, standing quietly in the corridor, making it impossible to discern their expressions.
"People are gathered, so let's introduce everyone."
"Everyone present is one of us."
Akihara Kagura spoke calmly: "Apart from Awei, everyone here should already know each other. Awei acts on my behalf outside, Karin will be my assistant from now on, and Kabuto's identity goes without saying..."
Turning back, Akihara Kagura glanced at White Zetzu Awei and then at the twelve Uchihas: "Thanks to all of you, Lord Danzo could take a break from his busy duties in Konoha..."
"Hehehe, this is quite fun."
White Zetzu Awei responded with a laugh.
For White Zetzu, who enjoys observing, White Zetzu Awei is particularly fond of the novel stories that occur in the ninja world, especially since this story was completed with his help.
The twelve Uchihas remained silent.
Their identity as Uchihas meant they could not speak to Akihara Kagura as freely as White Zetzu Awei could, and they dared not make any mistakes at any time, for they had no way out, with the Uchiha clan having nowhere to turn.
These twelve Uchihas, after undergoing training in a limited Tsukuyomi world and first acquiring the three tomoe Sharingan and extensive combat experience, were then used by Akihara Kagura through "genetic modification technology" to transplant Hashirama's cells, successfully awakening Wood Release, becoming dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas.
However...
This was a novel experience for them.
This group of Uchihas was fully involved in the process of framing Shimura Danzo.
It must be said...
This was a textbook case of making something out of nothing.
First, Akihara Kagura secretly assisted Shimura Danzo's comeback, taking advantage of the need for manpower during Danzo's return to successfully place two spies, Aburame Torune and Yamanaka Fu, under Danzo's command, ready to influence him at any time.
Second, after Danzo left Konoha, a team of dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas took advantage of the end of Might Guy's training session to forge an incident where they sneaked into Konoha and were discovered by Might Guy, leading to a conflict and fight that attracted the attention of many in Konoha, allowing the existence of the dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas to be discovered by Konoha.
Third, Akihara Kagura used the evidence left in his hands by Shimura Danzo, [the order for 143 Sharingan], to directly blame the dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas on Danzo, taking Hatake Kakashi to investigate Danzo's home, finding two teams of people, and confirming Danzo's conspiracy to accumulate loyal soldiers.
Fourth, all dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas, under the cover of Akihara Kagura's interrogation, deliberately claimed that Danzo had another fifty-nine dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas, causing Hiruzen and the Konoha higher-ups to be alert and leading Hiruzen to send envoys to negotiate with Danzo.
Fifth, these dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas then pretended to be Hiruzen's envoys to capture Danzo, specifically framing Danzo to force him to hope for his subordinates to rescue him. As a result, a major battle occurred, and except for the two spies, Aburame Torune and Yamanaka Fu, all of Danzo's other subordinates died;
Sixth, these dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas, taking advantage of Danzo's shortage of manpower, pursued Danzo, forcing him to use the spy Aburame Torune's strategy, trying to instigate a major battle between the Mist ninjas and the dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas.
Seventh, White Zetzu Awei opportunistically led this group of dual Kekkei Genkai ninjas, posing as Danzo, initiating fights under Danzo's name to chase Mist Village ninjas, framing Danzo with the crime of initiating a war, even attacking the Hokage's advisors; white getting deceived by Aburame Torune and Yamanaka Fu, making Danzo believe he was carrying the blame for Hiruzen, once returning to the village, he would be dealt with.
Eighth, White Zetzu Awei spread rumors everywhere that Danzo was too afraid to return to the village and chose to defect, forcing the Konoha leadership to issue a warrant for Danzo, definitively branding him as a rogue ninja in name.
Finally...
Someone needed to conclude.
Making Danzo himself admit to defecting.
The crimes published by Konoha include those committed by Danzo himself and those Danzo thought he was framed for; anyway, he surely knew he couldn't refute them.
"Awei."
Akihara Kagura began to instruct Awei: "Go and ask Obito if there's anything else I can help with..."
"Okay."
White Zetzu Awei quickly disappeared.
"Kabuto."
Akihara Kagura looked at Yakushi Kabuto and said, "Let's go to the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rice Fields together, to meet Danzo!"
"Okay."
Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses and spoke softly: "Danzo is now like a dog that has lost its home. Not killing him, are you planning to let him join forces with Orochimaru?"
"Where else could he go, except to Orochimaru?"
Akihara Kagura spread his hands with a somewhat merciful heart: "An old man has been driven out of Konoha by an old friend; we should at least find a place for the elderly to live, right?"
"I'm not on good terms with Orochimaru..."
"Now that Lord Danzo has been driven out of the village by us, Orochimaru wants to get information about Konoha, he must go through me..."
"Just right, we ask Lord Danzo to mediate for us, letting them know my indispensability, only I can be their future reliance on mastering Konoha…"