Night swallowed Konoha.
For half an hour—
A battle raged within the Shimura clan grounds.
And yet…
It vanished like a stone sinking into the sea.
No ripples.
Wind howled.Explosions roared.Kunai clashed endlessly.
But—
No one came.
No one cared.
The entire compound…
Felt like a stage.
Built specifically—
For Shenyue Yuan… and Danzo Shimura.
As if some unseen force had intervened—
Tonight—
No one would interfere.
…
After briefly forcing Shenyue Yuan back—
Danzo exhaled heavily.
"Haah…"
His single eye scanned the surroundings.
Suspicion.Unease.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
His black robe—
Torn open in several places by wind blades.
A miserable sight.
He noticed it.
Something was wrong.
Too quiet.
Under normal circumstances—
Even the slightest disturbance here—
Would have drawn ANBU like bloodhounds.
But tonight?
Nothing.
Dead silence.
"…That damned monkey."
Danzo cursed.
"He's set me up."
Only one person in Konoha—
Could seal off this area so completely.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
As for why—
Danzo didn't know.
But right now—
What angered him most…
Was the brat in front of him.
At first—
He had looked down on Shenyue Yuan.
Even after witnessing his strange abilities—
He hadn't taken him seriously.
But now?
After multiple exchanges—
He understood.
Completely.
This boy—
Was no joke.
Shenyue Yuan…
A true Wind Release prodigy.
That was Danzo's conclusion.
At this age—
To wield Wind Release: Vacuum Wave with such destructive force—
The control.The nature transformation.The sheer chakra output—
Even Danzo had to avoid it.
And worse—
That wind style…
Reminded him of himself.
A boy—
Casually using techniques he had spent decades mastering.
If that wasn't talent—
What was?
Given time—
Konoha would face a terrifying enemy.
He cannot be allowed to leave.
Danzo clenched his teeth.
Thoughts raced.
But—
He was helpless.
Because it wasn't just Wind Release.
Taijutsu.Other ninjutsu.Even genjutsu—
Shenyue Yuan was not inferior.
Still—
There was one saving grace.
They were equal.
Roughly.
Neither stronger than the other.
But that—
Was the most terrifying part.
Because Shenyue Yuan was young.
The future…
Was his.
Another prodigy like Itachi.
Another… like Minato.
"I need to stall."
"Break the stalemate."
"Wait for reinforcements."
"Even if that monkey wants me gone…"
"The other elders won't let me die."
Danzo made his decision.
If it came down to it—
His face twitched slightly.
Beneath the bandages—
His right eye stirred.
He could use it.
Control this boy.
Turn him into a loyal tool.
A genius like this—
Would be an incredible asset.
"Danzo-sama…"
Shenyue Yuan's voice cut in.
"Spacing out in battle isn't a good habit."
Then—
Word by word.
Slow.Deliberate.
"I'm guessing…"
"You're planning to use Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan—"
"Kotoamatsukami."
"…!"
Danzo's eye widened.
A storm exploded in his mind.
How does he know?!
Did he see it that day—
When I took Shisui's eye?!
No time to think.
Shenyue Yuan was already in front of him.
Kunai flashed—
Fast. Precise. Deadly.
Aimed straight for his throat.
Clang—!
Metal collided.
Sparks burst.
Danzo barely blocked—
His kunai coated in Wind Release: Vacuum Blade.
The two clashed head-on.
Deadlock.
Again.
"Hahahaha!"
Shenyue Yuan laughed wildly.
"Danzo-sama—"
"Go on!"
"Use Kotoamatsukami!"
"Let me experience its power!"
"YOU—!" Danzo's thoughts spiraled.
On this boy—
He saw something.
Madness.
The kind unique to the Uchiha.
The battle continued.
…
Meanwhile—
Under the same night sky—
Hokage Tower.
Rooftop.
At the edge of the railing—
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood, gazing toward the Shimura clan grounds.
Behind him—
Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane.
The atmosphere—
Heavy.
The Uchiha massacre had thrown everything into chaos.
From morning till night—
They hadn't stopped working.
And now—
This disturbance.
Again.
"…Is it Itachi?"
Koharu frowned.
"Taking revenge on Danzo?"
After all—
While they approved the massacre—
It was Danzo who drove it forward.
If Itachi had gone mad—
Retaliation wasn't impossible.
Homura frowned.
"…That doesn't make sense."
"Would he risk his brother's life?"
Hiruzen shook his head.
"Relax."
"It's not Itachi."
"No need to speculate."
"Danzo will be fine."
"…Should we send someone?" Koharu pressed.
"No."
A pause.
Then—
Unspoken words in his mind:
Let this be a lesson.
Let him remember—
Who the Hokage is.
To establish Shenyue Yuan as a true S-rank rogue ninja—
Hiruzen had accepted his plan.
That plan—
Was simple.
Attack Danzo.
Afterward—
Spread the story.
Root was destroyed by Shenyue Yuan.
A heavy enough crime—
To brand him S-rank.
…
Back at the battlefield—
Fifteen more minutes passed.
Nearly an hour of fighting.
"Hahahaha!"
Shenyue Yuan threw his head back.
"Magnificent!"
"Danzo-sama—this has been exhilarating!"
Under "Equality of All Beings"—
He was enjoying himself.
Strong body.
Endless stamina.
Adrenaline surged.
But Danzo?
Old.
Declining.
Chakra nearly depleted.
His body—
Failing him.
This wasn't a fight anymore.
It was torture.
"…Haaah."
"If you want to see Kotoamatsukami…"
"Then I'll show you."
Danzo inhaled deeply.
His gaze turned cold.
He stopped holding back.
No more hiding.
His hand rose—
And tore off the bandages.
His right eye—
Revealed under moonlight.
Scarlet.
Glowing.
The pupil—
A black, shuriken-like pattern.
Sinister.
Cold.
"Kotoamatsukami!"
Chakra surged—
The last of it—
Poured into the Mangekyō.
His gaze locked onto Shenyue Yuan.
Buzz—
Yin Release chakra flooded out—
Like a tide.
Wrapping around him.
"Submit to me…"
Danzo whispered.
"I will grant you… a new life."
He moved to alter Shenyue Yuan's will—
To rewrite his mind.
But—
The next second—
His expression changed.
"…Impossible!"
"Kotoamatsukami… doesn't work on you?!"