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Chapter 607: Konoha's Promising Future
Chapter 607: Konoha's Promising Future
【Name: Danzo Shimura】
【Chakra: 146,000】
【Skills: Wind Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient: 6,100/15,000), Wind Release: Vacuum Wave (Proficient: 2,900/15,000) … Wood Release (Skilled: 1,200/3,000)】
【Potential: SS- (Base Talent + Six Paths Bloodline)】
Mu Yue furrowed her brows as she examined the data that appeared before her.
Danzo Shimura's status panel had received an all-around upgrade.
His chakra, skills, and potential had all increased, and the significant boost in chakra, in particular, indicated that this enhancement was far beyond what normal training could achieve.
Additionally, Danzo was one of the few ninjas Mu Yue had appraised who had experienced a change in their potential value.
The sudden surge in chakra, the appearance of Wood Release in his skills, and the increased potential immediately brought Senju cells to Mu Yue's mind.
Danzo's status panel enhancements perfectly aligned with the effects of Senju cells.
The increase in chakra could be attributed to the acquisition of a sage body, and Wood Release was also a necessary ability stemming from Senju cells.
"Danzo shouldn't have the ability to transplant Senju cells at this stage, and the extent of this enhancement doesn't seem typical of a regular Senju cell transplant." Mu Yue closed the panel and, using Flying Thunder God, returned to her home in the main city.
Previously, she had intentionally sent her shadow clone to retrieve the White Zetsu in fear that its body would fall into Danzo's hands, allowing him and Orochimaru early access to Senju cell technology.
Unexpectedly, Danzo had somehow managed to undergo a Senju cell transplant during his absence from Konoha.
In the current ninja world, Danzo had only two possible ways to acquire Senju cells.
One was through his collaboration with Orochimaru, as they had been working tirelessly on their Senju cell experiments.
The second was through Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
In the original story, Orochimaru and Danzo's research on Senju cells at this point wasn't advanced enough, and the transplant surgery was almost equivalent to murder. Out of all their test subjects, only Yamato had survived.
However, with Mu Yue's intervention as a time-traveler, the plot had already deviated significantly, so she couldn't be entirely sure that Danzo and Orochimaru's progress in Senju cell research mirrored that of the original story.
But after further contemplation, Mu Yue ruled out the first option, suspecting Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu to be the culprits.
Even if Orochimaru overcame countless difficulties and made a significant breakthrough in Senju cell research, Danzo, known for his cautious nature, wouldn't dare to test it on himself immediately.
Moreover, the extent of Danzo's enhancement was too vast. It was unlikely for him to exhibit such results shortly after a regular Senju cell transplant.
With one of the two options eliminated, the remaining one was undoubtedly the truth.
"Was it you, Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu?" Mu Yue tapped her finger on the desk, her eyes narrowing.
In the current ninja world, Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu were the ones who had delved deepest into Senju cell research, and their involvement would explain everything.
Mu Yue could even easily surmise their motives.
If Danzo succeeded in killing Souzu, they wouldn't need to devise another plan to get rid of him, and manipulating Nagato would become much simpler.
If Danzo failed and was killed by Souzu instead, Konoha would be shaken, providing an opportunity for rival ninja villages with designs on Konoha to make their move.
And if Danzo and Souzu killed each other, that would be a double victory for Uchiha Madara and his companion.
"Perhaps they're even hoping to draw me out."
Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu hadn't seen through Mu Yue's disguise, and Danzo was her secret superior.
As Mu Yue considered this, she realized that Danzo was indeed a useful pawn for Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu, whether he lived or died.
"Let's see what Danzo is planning." Mu Yue decided to bide her time and observe the situation for now.
She wasn't afraid of their schemes, as she currently possessed numerous means to counter them.
The more Uchiha Madara meddled in the shadows, the more it exposed his weakness.
If he were truly strong, he should have confronted her directly, as he wasn't suited for underhanded tactics.
What concerned Mu Yue were her disciples. Obito and the others were currently in a position where they could defeat ordinary jonin but were no match for stronger opponents.
Their strength wasn't sufficient to overcome Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu's schemes.
…
"Wood Style: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
In a remote, deserted area outside Konoha, Danzo Shimura performed hand seals at incredible speed, channeling a massive amount of chakra and converting it into wood-style chakra.
It was clear that he had failed. The Wood Style: Nativity of a World of Trees, as performed by Hashirama Senju, could instantly create a forest with thousands of towering trees.
Danzo hadn't even come close to that; he had barely managed to grow a dozen trees.
However, Danzo was not discouraged. Even Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, had started as a novice and achieved greatness through diligent training.
He had only recently acquired the Wood Style, and a minor setback like this was to be expected.
Instead of continuing to practice, Danzo pulled out a scroll containing secret Wood Style jutsu left behind by Hashirama Senju and began to study it intently.
This was one of the reasons he had returned to Konoha; the village possessed a wealth of information on Wood Style jutsu, and during the past month of preparation, he had been able to access these resources to strengthen his abilities.
Although he only had a month, Danzo was not a beginner when it came to ninjutsu, and this time was more than enough for him to master several Wood Style techniques.
"Wood Style: Wood Clone Jutsu!"
"Wood Style: Wood Log Wall!"
"Wood Style: Silent Killing Binding Jutsu!"
After failing to replicate the grand-scale technique, Danzo decided to start with simpler Wood Style exercises.
Several hours later, as he surveyed the ground scarred by his practice, a smile spread across his face.
It had been a long time since he had felt the satisfaction of growing stronger. His training had been hindered by his demanding work and the fact that he had reached a bottleneck in his progress.
When he finished training, Danzo meticulously erased all traces of his activities.
Fearing that Hiruzen Sarutobi might discover his secret, he dared not train within Konoha and thus took extra care to leave no evidence behind.
Danzo then quietly returned to the Root base and made his way to the Hokage Building.
It had been a while since he had last appeared before the Hokage, and he wanted to remind Hiruzen of his presence.
The wooden door to the Hokage's office creaked as Danzo pushed it open and stepped inside.
Hiruzen looked up from his work and fixed his gaze on his visitor.
Danzo's next words would determine the importance of his knock.
"Hiruzen, I believe it's necessary to strengthen the forces of Root and the ANBU. Our recent battle with Iwagakure has exposed gaps in our intelligence capabilities," Danzo said as he placed a document on the Hokage's desk.
This was a proposal he had prepared beforehand, but Danzo anticipated that Hiruzen would most likely reject it, so he hadn't bothered to present it earlier.
Now, it served as a convenient excuse for his visit.
After all, Danzo couldn't very well show up empty-handed just to chat with the Hokage.
That would only arouse Hiruzen's suspicion and increase the likelihood of his secret being uncovered.
"How many times must I tell you to knock before entering my office? As my assistant, you should set a better example," Hiruzen said, rapping his knuckles on the desk in annoyance.
From the moment Danzo opened his mouth, Hiruzen knew what he was after.
His request to strengthen Root and the ANBU was a ploy to avoid direct rejection by including the ANBU, as Hiruzen had no intention of bolstering their numbers.
Danzo's expression soured, but he held his tongue.
Now that he possessed the key to becoming the strongest, he wouldn't let himself be drawn into petty squabbles with Hiruzen.
Hiruzen picked up the document from his desk and began to peruse it.
After a moment, he shook his head.
"It will waste too many resources, and Root doesn't need such a large establishment."
The real reason for Hiruzen's refusal, however, was his reluctance to empower the ANBU any further.
Strengthening the ANBU would lead to a shift in power dynamics, increasing the influence of the Hokage—something Hiruzen did not desire.
The ANBU answered directly to the Hokage, and their strength reflected upon the leader of the village.
While empowering the ANBU would benefit Hiruzen as the current Hokage, he already held significant sway in Konoha and did not need to bolster his authority further.
Moreover, Hiruzen feared that a stronger ANBU would disrupt the balance of power among the village elders and render the role of the Hokage's assistant and advisory elders meaningless.
"Our intelligence capabilities were indeed outmaneuvered by Iwagakure, but that's not a matter of numbers. We were outclassed in terms of technology," Hiruzen said.
"Can you guarantee that with an additional squad, you will be able to replicate their camouflage technique within two years?"
If Danzo could truly reproduce the spy-hiding technique used by Iwagakure, then the expansion of Root would be justified.
The ability to conceal spies was a formidable asset that could turn the tide of wars.
"Intelligence ninjas don't equate to the root and ANBU ninjas." Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and continued, "There are other talented individuals in the village."
The two men argued, and finally, Danzo left the Hokage's office with a sullen expression on his face.
"That Danzo, next time, make him pay for the office door repairs." Hiruzen shook his head as he watched Danzo storm out, slamming the door shut behind him.
Recently, Hiruzen had been in a good mood, so he didn't take Danzo's behavior too seriously.
At the moment, Konoha's future was indeed promising.
Among the younger generation, there were exceptional talents like Mu Yue and Minato, who were young but capable of leading and even surpassing the Sannin of the same age.
Looking further, there were geniuses like Kakashi, Obito, and Might Guy, who were bound to become the next generation of elite shinobi.
Among the older generation, the Sannin were still in their prime, each possessing the capability to become the Hokage. Aside from Tsunade, who had faced some setbacks, the other two were formidable.
And if one looked even further up, Konoha still had more to offer.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his black hair showing no signs of silver, was at the peak of his power.
His old friend and rival, Mito Men, wasn't far behind, still maintaining a formidable level of strength.
As for Danzo, a former friend and rival, he was a specialist in Wind Release and a formidable opponent in his own right.
Lowering the threshold a bit, Konoha still had capable shinobi like Chen and the previous Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
Hiruzen believed that if they won this war and had a decade of peace, Konoha could return to its former glory.
While they might not have an absolute powerhouse like Hashirama Senju, the collective strength of Konoha would surpass the other ninja villages by a large margin.
...
After leaving the Hokage's office, Danzo's displeased expression instantly turned neutral, even carrying a hint of disdain.
"Hiruzen, what can you do now? I've obtained the Wood Release that you've always desired but could never attain." Danzo thought to himself.
His behavior in the Hokage's office had been an act to mislead Hiruzen.
He wanted Hiruzen to believe that he was still scheming to strengthen the root organization.
Now that he had acquired the Wood Release, Danzo felt a sense of superiority.
He had obtained the bloodline limit of the Ninja God, placing him on a level above Hiruzen.
"Once I fully master the Wood Release, the position of the Fourth Hokage will be mine!" Danzo's heart swelled with confidence.
He no longer thought about supporting Orochimaru to become the Hokage.
Compared to him, Orochimaru wasn't worthy of the title.
While Danzo had dedicated his life and shed blood for Konoha, Orochimaru was still an unknown entity.
Thinking about his contributions to Konoha over the years, Danzo felt that the village owed him the position of Hokage! If it weren't for Hashirama Senju's untimely death, the position should have rightfully been his.
After leaving the Hokage Tower, Danzo didn't return to the Root base. Instead, he went out to continue his training.
Although he felt that he was the obvious choice for Hokage, Danzo knew that his path to that position would be filled with challenges and opposition.
He intended to use his newly acquired Wood Release and overwhelming strength to suppress any dissent.
While he was already strong, he wasn't yet at the level where he could silence everyone.
That night, Danzo returned to the Root base and called out to one of the root ninjas, "Bring Mu Yue to me. I wish to see him."
Danzo had returned to Konoha for three reasons.
First, he wanted to master Konoha's Wood Release secret techniques to enhance his power. Second, he wanted to deceive Hiruzen and prevent his actions from being exposed. And finally, the third reason was Mu Yue.
"Uchiha Madara" was keeping too many secrets, which made Danzo feel insecure. He suspected that "Uchiha Madara" would dispose of him once his purpose was served, denying him the Ninja Lineage and even trying to kill him.
Therefore, Danzo wanted to bring Mu Yue, who was now in the open, under his control as a backup plan.
This would not only increase his security but also give him a chance to negotiate for the ownership of the Rinnegan if "Uchiha Madara's" strength fell short of his expectations.
After all, the Rinnegan was the legendary eye of the Sage of Six Paths, and Danzo had no intention of letting it go so easily.
Moreover, to Danzo, the Rinnegan wasn't just the eye of the Sage; it was a crucial piece in his puzzle to become the Hokage!
(End of Chapter)
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