Tsunade still didn't fully understand the political mess brewing inside Konoha.
"I am Senju Tsunade!"
She declared it with absolute confidence — the kind of confidence only she could radiate.
In her mind, as long as she was here, Danzo wouldn't dare send people after Shiki again.
Shiki only shrugged.
He didn't even bother responding.
Even if Shimura Danzo did try something, Shiki genuinely didn't care.
He just turned back around and continued preparing dinner, as if nothing in the world could interrupt his routine.
Unfortunately for Tsunade… that confidence didn't survive long.
The very next morning, reality smacked her across the face.
A mission scroll sat on Shiki's table.
"Suspected Sand infiltrators spotted in the southern forest. Shiki is ordered to investigate."
Shiki looked at the scroll and laughed.
The southern forest — quiet, isolated, perfect for an "accident."
Perfect for someone to conveniently vanish.
This mission practically had Danzo written all over it.
Shiki lifted the scroll and smirked at Tsunade.
"Looks like your reputation wasn't very effective after all."
Even an idiot could read the intention:
Since Tsunade was staying in his home, Danzo simply forced Shiki out of the home.
This mission wasn't random.
It was designed for one purpose — to separate Shiki from Tsunade.
Tsunade's face twitched so hard it nearly cracked.
"That old dog!"
She slammed the table, splintering it in pure fury.
Just yesterday she proudly declared nothing would happen.
Today this mission appears?
Wasn't that basically slapping her across the face in public?
"No — no, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!"
Tsunade stood up, ready to march to ROOT headquarters and punch Shimura Danzo straight through a wall.
"Calm down.
Use that energy to train.
If you really want the Hokage seat, your strength still isn't enough."
"Boom!"
Her fist hit the floor again.
Strength could grow.
But pretending to be invincible had limits.
Shiki pocketed the scroll, amused.
Kurenai, still young and far from understanding Konoha's political shadows, sensed the tension anyway.
"Shiki-nii… this mission is dangerous, right?"
"Don't worry."
Shiki placed a large hand on her small head.
Dangerous?
For others, maybe.
For him — absolutely not.
"I will never fall before reaching the top of the sky."
That expression — unwavering, absolute — stunned both Tsunade and Kurenai.
One big, one small, both speechless.
"Go bring my ninja swords."
"Mm!"
Kurenai sprinted off without hesitation.
Shiki slid the scroll away as Tsunade bit her lip.
"… I'll come with you."
"Huh?"
"Don't misunderstand! I'm not worried about you or anything!"
"…Did I say anything?"
Shiki chuckled at her flustered expression.
"No need.
Someone went out of their way to set this up just for me. If I don't go, wouldn't that be rude?"
At that moment, Kurenai returned, carrying two finely crafted ninja swords.
"Shiki-nii!"
"Mm."
He fastened the twin blades at his waist, left and right, eyes bright with confidence.
"Let's see what these clowns are planning."
---
Southern Forest — Konoha's Quiet Edge
A lonely, quiet stretch of woods no one visited anymore.
Once used for training… now abandoned during wartime.
Standing in the shade of the trees,
Shiki rested both hands on the hilts of his twin blades.
"I'm already here.
Why haven't you come out yet?"
His voice echoed across the empty forest.
From the very moment he left home, Shiki had sensed it... through Observation Haki — someone had been tailing him.
His words stretched into the silence.
Still no one appeared.
Shiki chuckled.
"Waiting for the perfect one-hit assassination?"
ROOT operatives loved ambushes.
If they couldn't kill instantly, they didn't show themselves at all.
"In that case…"
"Earth Scroll — Stone Dragon."
The ground cracked with violent rumbling.
Fissures tore open, and streams of stone shot upward like cannon fire... each one aimed directly at the hiding spots Shiki sensed.
Half a month of training had turned his mastery of the Fuwa-Fuwa Fruit completely natural.
"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"
Five ROOT shinobi burst from the shadows, landing in a circle around him.
"There weren't even any hand seals!"
They had been watching him the entire time.
To see him use ninjutsu without any signs at all —
they were shaken to their core.
Shiki smiled.
The power of the Fuwa-Fuwa Fruit?
How could these idiots possibly understand?
The ROOT members didn't hesitate.
The leader stepped forward.
"Shiki. Come with us.
Danzo-sama wishes to see you."
Shiki snorted.
"Drop the attitude."
Underestimation — exactly as expected.
"What if I refuse?"
The moment Shiki finished speaking, all five operatives raised their blades.
The leader thrust his knife forward.
"Danzo-sama has ordered it.
If you resist — we will subdue you by force!"
"…I really hate when someone points a knife at me."
Shiki's eyes locked onto the leader.
A crushing presence — the majesty of a true lion — pressed over the forest.
"You—!!"
"Slash."
A golden arc of sword-light flashed.
It pierced straight through the captain's chest.
"What was—?!"
"So fast!"
"Captain!"
Shiki's strike was so quick none of them could track it.
The captain didn't even react —
just froze, then collapsed lifelessly.
Shiki calmly lowered his right hand, blade already sheathed.
His left hand slowly drew his second sword.
"My decision…"
A dangerous smile curved across his lips.
"…is to silence you forever."
He never planned to provoke Shimura Danzo.
But Danzo insisted on troubling him.
And that — was a terrible mistake.
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