Going to the mission center, excitement bubbled up within the three genin. They could finally see the world outside. Fighting and using jutsus on their enemies was a dream they could now fulfill.
What would happen when their escort mission faces no problems? No bandits to fight and defend against?
"..." Yumiko groaned upon receiving her payment. "Really? Three days going to the settlement and back, yet not a single bandit?"
Isao's complaints were lesser in comparison. He saw value in the peaceful trip. It was a sign that no war was brewing, and conflicts were at an all-time low.
Hitomi chuckled at the two, "Nothing is as it seems. Both of you should think about why there weren't any bandits in our path."
Suguru nodded.
"We might have been a decoy that the Hokage used to break the enemy's formation and scatter them. For all we know, a different squad faced the full wrath of a hundred ninjas."
The analysis was calm, nigh cold-blooded.
"That unfortunate sacrificial squad could've been us."
"...Right," Hitomi always found Suguru's wisdom surprising, "That might've happened if even a single thing went wrong. The higher-ups always do their best to maintain our strength and peace. This involves a lot of moving pieces."
"It's like shogi," Suguru smiled.
"Exactly. Just like shogi," Hitomi chuckled.
Seeing the two on the same wavelength, Yumiko and Isao both felt depressed. They glanced at each other and spotted the confusion in each other's eyes.
They broke out into giggles upon realizing this.
Seeing them, Suguru smirked.
'Right. We need to enjoy the peace while we can,' Suguru's eyes flashed as discreetly wiped the blood that threatened to drip from his eyes.
'If Root stays still, our squad would indeed have peace. What the hell is Danzo planning?'
***
Sitting at his desk, Suguru couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He discreetly activated his Kaisugan and combed through the area until he found the bastard he sought.
'Indeed, an insect is creeping around me.'
Now, the question was — for what reason? Was it because he was a suspicious individual? Or because Danzo wished to induct him into Root?
Suguru felt that this would be an important fact to confirm first.
'Let's look at Isao and Yumiko.'
With his Kaisugan, Suguru began collecting information. He soon learned that he wasn't the only one being watched. His teammates had similar tails, stalking their every move.
'It seems like Danzo is keen on rebuilding his faction's strength.' Suguru clicked his tongue.
He wasn't ready to fight someone like Danzo. Even more so, now that he had Fugaku's eyes. Such a terrifying powerhouse was beyond his current capabilities.
Even though Suguru coveted Danzo's stash of Hashirama's Cells, he didn't dare approach Root's headquarters.
'Should I find a backer?'
No... That would backfire if his research ever came to light. It was too big of a risk. What Suguru needed to do was strike a balance between factions.
'But how do I do that?'
Suguru felt a rare headache coming along. All of these things could be solved if he had more combat strength. The unfortunate fact was that he did not.
Thus, he would be swept away by the current.
'Let's change my perspective...'
Suguru could do something else. Instead of fighting the powerful flow of fate, he could muddy the waters instead.
He thought of the Sharingan in his possession. There were still 18 eyes left of the 20 he had acquired.
Furthermore, he might become capable of creating more in the future.
'What if I create a business out of this?'
A terrifying light shone in Suguru's eyes.
If he became some sort of Sharingan merchant, he could cause unbelievable chaos.
'I'll sell one for now and gauge Konoha's reaction. Who would be a good recipient?'
Just as Suguru had this thought, he realized another possibility.
'What if I implanted Sharingan in several kids around the village?'
However, he swiftly turned it down. After a cursory checkup, it would be clear that someone had tampered with their eyes.
It would be a different story if it was thought to be a natural phenomenon. Now that would cause a sensation.
'Is selling my stash of Sharingan the only option to cause chaos? Of course not.'
Suguru decided to hold off on any rash actions for now. He stored these devious thoughts in his mind's library. He could create chaos eventually.
For now, he needed a boost to his stealth. It was the safest option when it came to eluding Danzo and his Root shinobi.
***
Suguru walked into the Water Release section of Konoha's Library. Although he knew that the information he needed wasn't here, what he needed were auxiliary sources of information.
He planned on building the Second Tsuchikage's invisibility jutsu from scratch. The Dustless Bewildering Cover was the perfect jutsu for Suguru's current situation. Ethereality and omniscience went hand in hand, after all.
Of course, Suguru would be using his own strengths to do so. Instead of Water Release, he planned on creating a similar phenomenon using Dark Release.
He already had an image in mind. All he needed to figure out was the recreation of the jutsu's supplementary effects.
'Dark Release allows me to absorb, analyze, and transmit chakra at its base form.' Suguru went through the theories behind Water Release and reflected on its properties.
Mu's Dustless Bewildering Cover uses water vapor to obscure one's entire presence. It bends light and manipulates the flow of the user's chakra.
Suguru pursed his lips.
'Dark Release — although named that way — does not allow me to manipulate shadows. It has no connection to light, or the absence thereof, at all.' Suguru pondered the reality of his Kekkei Genkai.
'This means that I have a good chance of hiding from Sensors. Perhaps I can cycle their chakra field in a way that allows me to blend in with their surrounding chakra.'
This was a good sign. As for direct visibility...
'That's the problem,'
He had no way to manipulate light.
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