After hearing Fox's report, Danzo immediately pressed for key information:
"You're saying someone's Genjutsu is powerful enough to control a Konoha Jōnin and two Tokubetsu Jōnin?
He can also remotely control your subordinates, making them kill each other? And you can't even get close?"
Yōkō replied:
"Yes, Lord Danzo. His strength is immense, extremely difficult to deal with.
Squad Leader White Goat was a Hyūga clansman. My squadron lost its reconnaissance capability and couldn't face such a bizarre enemy, forcing us to retreat and seek aid.
My squad leader, Purple Cat, was also hit by that strange attack and is severely injured."
A Root ninja beside Danzo jumped down from the tree trunk to examine Purple Cat.
So fortunate, this Root member was actually also a Yamanaka clansman.
Danzo particularly favored the Yamanaka clan's abilities—manipulation, framing, control—they fit his character perfectly.
After examining and performing simple treatment, the Root ninja jumped back onto the trunk and whispered something into Danzo's ear.
Danzo nodded repeatedly, confirming the perpetrator's identity.
"So it's him. I should have guessed it was him. He's actually killing ANBU members... Anyone who slaughters Konoha comrades must be executed."
As there were many subordinates present, Danzo didn't explicitly name the enemy, but he had already deduced it was Kato Dan.
After brief consideration, Danzo said:
"Fox, the intelligence you brought back is valuable. Lead the way ahead, quickly return to the scene, and find the general area you mentioned.
If it's him, having more people is actually a disadvantage. Have your squadron proceed first to the front-line camp in the Land of Grass. Only you will come with me."
"Understood, Lord Danzo."
Yōkō had the other ninja in his squadron take the unconscious Purple Cat away, while he himself led Danzo.
What should I do? I'm just a lowly ANBU squadron leader; I truly don't know who the enemy is.
I don't know where Kato Dan is either. Would it be too much if I coincidentally found Uchiha Madara's hiding place instead?
If Madara-sama dies, the shinobi world reaches its conclusion.
If Danzo dies, Konoha reaches its conclusion.
Yōkō's pace as he led the way grew faster and faster.
When people do bad things, the corners of their mouths can't help but turn up.
Fortunately, he wore a mask; they couldn't see Yōkō's barely suppressed smile.
Yōkō led Danzo straight to Uchiha Madara's cave.
He wondered if Uchiha Madara had completed transplanting the Rinnegan into Nagato.
Chaos was good. Chaos was wonderful.
Danzo had deduced that the person assassinating the ANBU was Kato Dan. He must have thought Yōkō would lead him to kill Kato Dan.
In reality, the person Yōkō was taking Danzo to meet was Uchiha Madara, the one who had controlled the three Konoha ninja with Genjutsu.
Thinking about it made him a little excited.
Yōkō was in front, two Root ninja flanked them, and Danzo was at the rear.
Soon, Yōkō arrived at the hillside where Uchiha Madara was located.
The boulder on the hillside was still there; presumably, the cave entrance's camouflage had been restored after the three Konoha ninja entered.
Confident in his Mangekyō Sharingan, Danzo stood boldly at the foot of the hillside, exuding an air of fearlessness and being completely in control.
In his previous life, money was a man's courage. In this life, strength was a shinobi's courage.
Danzo looked at Yōkō: "Fox, you go in first to scout. Test how many guards he has around him."
Yōkō was extremely reluctant inwardly. His monthly resurrection chance had just been used; dying again now would be permanent.
But to drive a tiger to swallow a wolf, he steeled himself and went.
Yōkō created a Shadow Clone.
After his real self and the Shadow Clone performed a series of confusing position swaps, they finally separated, approaching the large boulder on the hillside from two sides.
Arriving together with his clone at the base of the boulder, they encountered no resistance.
Yōkō sighed thankfully. Could it be that Madara was busy transplanting the Rinnegan and had no time to deal with him?
That would be incredibly lucky.
Yōkō took out an explosive tag and attached it to the base of the boulder. Still, no one paid him any attention.
With a roar, the boulder was blasted open, revealing a dark, gaping cave.
Yōkō avoided the explosion and cautiously watched the cave from a distance that was neither too close nor too far.
At this distance, Danzo couldn't accuse him of slacking, and he still had a chance to escape.
A black figure rushed out of the cave!
Suppressing his fear, Yōkō saw it was the Konoha Jōnin controlled by Genjutsu.
Following the Jōnin were the two Tokubetsu Jōnin.
These three Konoha ninja had dull eyes, clearly under control.
Danzo glanced over. Indeed, three Konoha ninja were controlled; Fox's intelligence was correct.
However, this didn't quite resemble the Spirit Transformation Technique. Had Kato Dan's power increased?
Yōkō quickly chose the seemingly weakest Tokubetsu Jōnin, rushed to intercept him, putting on a show of not letting him take another step towards Danzo.
The two Root ninja also rushed up the hillside, each engaging one of the Konoha ninja.
"Wake up! Don't be controlled by the Genjutsu!"
The Yamanaka Root ninja seized the chance to channel his chakra into the Jōnin's body, trying to disrupt his chakra flow and break the Genjutsu, but he failed.
Such a powerful Genjutsu...
Yōkō had no intention of seriously fighting the Tokubetsu Jōnin. He pretended to be outmatched, slowly retreating, constantly keeping part of his attention on the cave.
From the cave came the sound of slow footsteps.
These footsteps overpowered the sound of the heavy rain, reaching everyone's ears directly.
The aged Uchiha Madara, leaning on his scythe, appeared at the cave entrance.
A flash of lightning crossed the rainy night, its light illuminating Uchiha Madara's deeply lined face.
Uchiha Madara's eyes were not the Rinnegan, but an ordinary Three Tomoe Sharingan!
Madara had already transplanted the Rinnegan to Nagato. Next, he would design Nagato's life, making him more and more extreme.
Uchiha Madara stood at the cave entrance and looked down at Danzo below.
"Shimura Danzo, you've grown quite a bit, to actually find my well-hidden refuge."
Yōkō thought to himself, it was because he had followed Nagato in his previous life and found Uchiha Madara by accident, not due to Danzo's ability.
Danzo didn't recognize the old man at first glance. On the second look, his eyes showed terror.
"Uchiha! Madara! You're still alive!"
Excellent, they finally recognized each other.
In the original story, did Danzo ever discover Madara was alive? Now, by sheer coincidence, he had.
Danzo thought he was about to meet Kato Dan. He never expected to meet the leader of the Uchiha clan from two generations ago, one of the two founding pillars of Konoha, Uchiha Madara.
This was a shinobi on par with the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
Danzo immediately lifted his bandaged eyepatch, revealing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly.
"Despicable thief, you actually got your hands on a Mangekyō Sharingan.
That Mangekyō pattern... it should be Uchiha Kagami's. Foolish Uchiha Kagami, actually believing in Konoha, ended up dead himself, his eyes becoming Konoha's collectibles.
No Uchiha who trusts Konoha meets a good end.
I told Senju Hashirama long ago that you, Shimura Danzo, have an extreme disposition, are scum, and should have been killed long ago.
You should be grateful you hold the status of a Konoha shinobi, that you lived until I left Konoha, lived until Hashirama died."
Uchiha Madara's trash talk was in a league of its own.
Danzo's face turned green.
The Tokubetsu Jōnin facing Yōkō collapsed; Uchiha Madara had stopped controlling him. Yōkō had by now retreated almost to the bottom of the hillside.
When big shots clash, he'd better not get caught in the crossfire.
Danzo slowly drew a kunai, spat a wind release onto it, and a Vacuum Blade formed on the kunai.
"Uchiha Madara, you have aged so much. I wonder what fraction of your prime strength remains."
The Vacuum Blade was sharper than any longsword. Danzo gripped it and charged straight at Uchiha Madara.
"Prime? Have you seen my prime?" Madara watched Danzo charge and continued his taunts:
"In my prime, I possessed the Mangekyō, yet was no match for Hashirama's Wood Release.
Now you can taste the treatment I once received.
I'll show you Hashirama's prime!
Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
(Chapter End)