166-170

Chapter 166: Kaneki's Talent

"To become the root that supports Konoha, one must possess sufficient power."

After receiving Danzo's instructions, Aburame Ryoma immediately began training the two new arrivals.

Even Kaneki couldn't help but sigh. As expected of Root. They had just arrived and didn't even know where their rooms were, yet training was starting right away.

Ryoma looked at the two young-looking individuals and said sternly, "My name is Aburame Ryoma, and I will be in charge of your training. You can call me sir from now on."

"If there are no questions, we can begin training."

Kaneki raised his arm.

"Hmm? Do you have a question, Otsu?"

Kaneki scratched his head and asked, "Sir Ryoma, Lord Danzo just said that we Root members don't need names, so why do you have one?"

Ryoma's expression instantly darkened. Although what Kaneki said made sense, as the second-in-command of Root, being questioned like this by a newcomer still made him quite unhappy.

"Kid, your seniors' matters are not for you to ask about. I have my reasons for using my own name."

He then added through gritted teeth, "And my name is Aburame Ryoma, not 'Aburame Ryomal'!"

Kaneki smiled faintly. "Okay, Sir Ryomal."

Looking at the grinning newcomer, Ryoma said through gritted teeth, "Heh, newcomer, you'll soon see the cruelty of Root. I hope you can still laugh like this then."

Kaneki's eyes narrowed as he smiled. "Okay."

"Hmph."

Ryoma's face was like ice, determined to teach him a good lesson next.

Kou, who was beside him, gently tugged at Kaneki's clothes, somewhat worried. "Otsu, you should know that in Root, angering Ryoma is not a good thing."

As a child who grew up in Root, Kou clearly understood the cruelty of the organization.

There was no such thing as emotions or human rights here.

The ninja of Root were all cold tools. If a tool didn't obey or wasn't sharp enough, they would use various methods to torture it until it obeyed.

Faced with Kou's friendly reminder, Kaneki said cheerfully, "Don't worry, Kou. We are not who we used to be."

"We are not who we used to be?"

Kou was stunned.

The only difference between now and the past seemed to be...

Wood Release.

"You two, come here quickly!"

Ryoma, who was holding back his anger, directly drove Kaneki and Kou to the center of the training ground.

"Your training task today is..."

"To dodge kunai."

As Ryoma made a hand gesture, his Root colleagues hidden in the darkness immediately activated the device.

Four walls rose from the ground, enclosing Kaneki and Kou. Countless black holes appeared on the walls, and kunai emerged from the holes, aimed at Kaneki and Kou, emitting a cold light.

"These are real kunai. If you are pierced in a vital spot, you will die on the spot."

Ryoma's voice was like that of a demon from hell.

Kaneki looked at the surrounding walls. These dense mechanisms could fire hundreds of kunai in an instant.

In such a narrow environment, it would be difficult for them to dodge...

Unless the two cooperated, back to back, blocking attacks for each other.

Kou also realized this problem. "Otsu, we need to cooperate..."

Kaneki shook his head with a smile. "That sir probably won't let us cooperate."

Sure enough, Ryoma saw through Kou's plan.

"Root has never had a tradition of cooperation. Only by fighting alone can you be trained into truly independent and qualified ninja."

Ryoma's eyes fell on the two, a playful smile appearing on the corner of his mouth.

"So, who will go first?"

"I..."

Just as Kou was about to step forward, Kaneki held him back.

"I'll go!"

"Okay, then you go first."

Ryoma agreed without hesitation.

Seeing this, Kou had no choice but to obediently leave the kunai-covered 'room'.

In Root, disobeying the sir would only result in more severe punishment.

It might even implicate Kaneki...

For some reason, Kou had an inexplicable feeling for this companion who was a test subject like himself, who also obtained Wood Release, and who returned to Konoha together with him.

He couldn't say what it was.

As soon as Kou left the training ground, the training began without any warning!

After all, on the battlefield, the enemy wouldn't wait for you to be ready before attacking...

Countless sharp kunai instantly shot out from the black holes on the walls mercilessly.

Kaneki had long anticipated this. With his current mental power, he could completely control every part of this body and accurately predict the trajectory of all the kunai.

It could be said that as long as Ryoma didn't fire enough kunai to cover the entire space at the same time, as long as there was a little bit of space, Kaneki could dodge.

Although Ryoma wanted to teach this arrogant newcomer a lesson, he also knew that these two guys had mastered Wood Release and were highly valued by Lord Danzo.

If he really killed them, he probably wouldn't live long himself.

Therefore, he still held back. At least, there was a time interval between each kunai launch, instead of releasing them all at once for a saturation attack.

But he found that he seemed to be a bit too conservative.

Because Kaneki in the training ground was like a butterfly dancing gracefully in the rainstorm of kunai.

Those kunai flying at high speed from different directions couldn't even touch the corner of his clothes.

Every kunai that could potentially touch Kaneki would pass him by a tiny distance.

"How is this possible..."

Ryoma's face was full of disbelief. These two guys were just experimental subjects in Root. They only underwent the most basic training to improve their physique. How could they have such agile skills?

Could it be that Orochimaru also gave them special taijutsu training during the experiment?

That was the only explanation.

"Then let me show you what a newcomer is."

Ryoma immediately ordered to increase the density of the kunai projection.

More kunai poured out. Kou's face turned ugly, because with this density of kunai, it was no longer possible to dodge with just body skills.

Under Kou's worried gaze, Kaneki suddenly reached out and caught a kunai in his hand.

Then he exerted force from his waist and turned around, abruptly throwing the kunai in his hand.

Splendid sparks flashed continuously. The flying kunai collided several times in mid-air, precisely deflecting all the kunai that could threaten Kaneki.

"If the test is only at this level, then it won't be able to test my talent."

As the last kunai fell, Kaneki still stood unharmed in the center of the training ground.

(End of chapter)

(otsu = kaneki)

Chapter 167: The One Who Betrayed Beliefs and Ideals

"This kid..."

Seeing that the training he had arranged had no effect on the newcomer, Yūhi Kurama's face became extremely ugly.

As a veteran of Root, was he going to be overshadowed by a newcomer on the very first day?

If he couldn't even handle a newcomer, what would Lord Danzō think of him? Would he think he was useless? Would he completely lose Lord Danzō's trust and favor from now on? This... this couldn't be happening!

"Increase the intensity!" he roared. "Release all the kunai at once!"

The Root ninja in charge of controlling the kunai hesitated.

"Lord Kurama, this is a newcomer that Lord Danzō values. If something goes wrong..."

Yūhi Kurama was losing it, but they didn't want to lose it with him. That would get them killed by Lord Danzō. Of course, for these Root ninja, dying at the hands of Lord Danzō wasn't unacceptable; what was unacceptable was losing his trust!

Hearing this, Yūhi Kurama regained some composure.

"Just avoid his vital points."

"Yes, sir."

This time, his subordinates no longer resisted his order.

Hundreds of kunai instantly targeted Kaneki's body, but without exception, they were all aimed at non-vital areas such as his arms, shoulders, and buttocks.

In other words, as long as Kaneki stood still and endured it, he could get through this.

However, Kaneki wanted to show Danzō his talent this time, so how could he not move? He didn't want to slowly rise through the ranks in Root. Only by demonstrating sufficient talent could he obtain more investment and resources.

After all, Konoha was the number one ninja village in the ninja world, and there were still many good things that Kaneki coveted.

For example, a wide variety of secret techniques and various Kekkei Genkai...

Under Yūhi Kurama's order, hundreds of kunai were instantly launched, falling like a violent storm.

Because they were launched simultaneously, in such a short period of time, Kaneki couldn't continue to block the new kunai with the incoming ones like before to dodge the attack.

And in such a narrow space, hundreds of kunai left Kaneki with nowhere to dodge.

It seemed that his only option was to stand still and get stabbed.

Yūhi Kurama narrowed his eyes slightly. It was time to suppress this newcomer's arrogance, making it easier to mold him into Lord Danzō's ideal shape.

However, things didn't go as planned.

Because the moment the kunai were launched, Kaneki raised his hands.

Under the shocked gazes of all the Root ninja and Kō, Kaneki brought his hands together in front of his chest.

Immediately afterward, the training ground beneath his feet suddenly shattered, and countless trees and vines broke through the ground, forming a thick circle of trees around Kaneki, easily blocking all the kunai.

Not only that, but the rapidly growing roots of the plants even burst and shattered the surrounding walls where the kunai launchers were attached!

"This is... Wood Release!"

Yūhi Kurama's hand gripping the railing suddenly tightened, even trembling slightly.

As for Kō, she opened her small mouth wide enough to fit an egg.

Although they had mastered Wood Release chakra, they could theoretically use Wood Release ninjutsu.

But this was only theoretical!

Having Wood Release chakra meant that you met the prerequisites for learning and using Wood Release ninjutsu, but it didn't mean that you could already use it.

After all, to successfully release Wood Release ninjutsu, in addition to having the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai and possessing Wood Release chakra, you also had to learn the ninjutsu to finally master it!

And Kō and Otsu had just obtained the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, so where would they have learned the ninjutsu?

Only Konoha possessed Wood Release ninjutsu in the entire ninja world, right?

The Wood Release ninjutsu that Kaneki had just released caused a huge commotion.

At the very least, the entire training ground had been burst open by the massive tree roots and was completely destroyed.

The Root ninja inside the base thought that the base had been invaded and quickly gathered around the training ground with weapons drawn.

Even Danzō, the leader of Root, who had just left not long ago, appeared here with his cane.

As soon as he appeared, the Root ninja on both sides quickly lowered their heads and naturally made way for him.

Danzō looked at the destroyed training ground, the towering giant tree on the field, and the innocent-looking Root newcomer, Otsu, standing in the center of the giant tree, his face slightly serious.

"What's going on here?"

His voice was extremely majestic, and many Root ninja subconsciously lowered their heads.

Yūhi Kurama was also a little apprehensive and prepared to explain the whole story to Lord Danzō.

But Kaneki spoke first.

"Lord Danzō, Senior Yūhi Kurama openly violated the rules of Root by using his real name in the base. This shows that he is not truly loyal to Root and has not implemented Root's core philosophy of 'no past, no future, only missions, loyalty to Root, concealing one's identity and becoming the root of Konoha.' He has betrayed his beliefs, has no discipline, and only thinks about personal gain. He does not have the determination to give up everything for Lord Danzō and Konoha."

Listening to Kaneki's endless accusations, Yūhi Kurama was first disdainful, then his face turned pale, revealing a trace of panic. Finally, his eyes looking at Danzō were filled with terror. He almost knelt down and confessed to Danzō, "I didn't, I'm not!"

Kaneki rattled on and on, then stared at Yūhi Kurama and said, "To protect the peace of Konoha, to obey Lord Danzō's orders, to carry out the will of Root, such a person who betrays beliefs and ideals... must be killed!"

Ruthless!

Too ruthless!

The surrounding Root ninja looked at this newcomer with a hint of fear in their eyes.

If you said that these Root ninja were afraid of death, they would only smile faintly. But if you accused them of betraying Root and betraying Lord Danzō, they would truly feel worse than death!

This was exactly the situation Yūhi Kurama was in now.

Fortunately, Danzō spoke in time: "Alright, Otsu, Kurama...cough, Kurama has followed me for so long, I naturally know whether he is loyal or not. You don't need to say anymore."

Then he turned his gaze to Yūhi Kurama: "However, the rules of Root indeed cannot be broken. Kurama, you will use your codename from now on."

Yūhi Kurama breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "Yes, sir."

Actually, he did have a codename, called [Poisonous Insect], but he was indeed a veteran of Root, and he was also Danzō's most trusted right-hand man, so he had always used his real name and Lord Danzō hadn't said anything about it.

It was also a kind of affirmation for him as the second-in-command in a sense.

But now that Lord Danzō said so...

Could it be that he really suspected him?

Damn it, was he really getting ahead of himself?

Yūhi Kurama was filled with deep regret now. He should have taken the initiative and honestly used his codename...

(End of chapter)

Chapter 168: Could He Really Be a Genius?

After dealing with the matter of Yūhi Kurama, Danzō shifted his attention back to Kaneki, or rather, "Otsu."

"Where did you learn your Wood Release ninjutsu?"

Danzō's sharp gaze pierced Kaneki's eyes, as if trying to penetrate his mind and see his true thoughts.

Kaneki scratched his head. "I came up with it myself."

"Came up with it yourself?"

Danzō had considered the possibility that Orochimaru had taught him Wood Release techniques from Konoha's archives, techniques that originated from the First Hokage. However, he never expected this answer.

Kaneki nodded obediently. "Yeah, because at that time, a lot of kunai were flying towards me. I couldn't dodge them and I was really scared, so I subconsciously shouted out, and then, boom, this tree suddenly appeared."

Hearing this, Yūhi Kurama, who was standing nearby, had a strange look on his face.

You were scared of kunai? 

Wasn't it you who just said, "This level of attack can't even test my abilities"?

Danzō looked at the thick trees surrounding them, then back at Kaneki.

A thought suddenly emerged in his mind: Could this kid really be a genius?

With this thought, Danzō made up his mind. "Aburame, from today onwards, I will personally train Kō and Otsu."

"Yes, Lord Danzō."

Yūhi Kurama agreed, but there was a hint of bitterness in his heart.

As expected, Lord Danzō still harbors doubts about me...

Moreover, that kid's talent is so extraordinary. Will I be replaced by them in the future and lose my position as Lord Danzō's most trusted dog?

Just thinking about this was enough to make Yūhi Kurama panic, but he had no choice but to accept this reality.

After all, Root had always been a place of survival of the fittest. Only those with sufficient talent were qualified to become weapons in Lord Danzō's hands.

But in any case, Lord Danzō still needed him for now.

"Alright, except for those responsible for repairing the training ground, everyone else is dismissed," Danzō ordered.

"Yes!"

After a uniform response, most of the Root ninjas vanished from the spot.

After all, Root was a busy organization, and they didn't have much time to waste here.

Only one Earth Release ninja remained to repair the damaged training ground.

Danzō then took Kaneki and Kō to Root's second training ground.

Compared to the underground training ground, this one was open-air, making it more suitable for Kaneki and Kō to practice Wood Release ninjutsu.

That's right, Danzō planned to teach them Wood Release ninjutsu ahead of schedule.

"According to the original plan, you were supposed to undergo a month of training under the Aburame. The training would include improving your combat abilities, intelligence gathering skills, disguise techniques, and so on."

"But since you have demonstrated sufficient talent, I will personally train you and teach you the legendary Wood Release ninjutsu."

Danzō spoke very seriously. As the leader, it was only fitting for him to teach them ninjutsu.

After all, this was a great opportunity to win their loyalty.

"However, although you will begin learning Wood Release ninjutsu, don't neglect other skills. From now on, you will learn ninjutsu in the morning, combat in the afternoon, and intelligence gathering and knowledge of the shinobi world in the evening."

Faced with such high-intensity training requirements, Kō nodded obediently. "Yes, Lord Danzō."

As for Kaneki, he showed an expression of three parts confusion, three parts curiosity, three parts innocence, and one part doubt. He asked, "Lord Danzō, why do we need to learn intelligence gathering and knowledge of the shinobi world?"

Danzō seemed to have anticipated this question. He calmly replied, "We at Root aim to cultivate well-rounded individuals. Without mastering these skills, how will you infiltrate enemy territory and gather intelligence in the future?"

Kaneki scratched his head. "To gather intelligence, can't we just knock out the enemy and bring them back?"

Danzō glanced at him. "Without understanding the local culture and knowing how to disguise yourself, what if you are discovered by the enemy before you can bring them back?"

Kaneki scratched his head again. "Wouldn't it be fine to just kill all the enemies who discover us?"

Danzō's tone became a bit harsh. "Can you guarantee that you can defeat all enemies?"

Kaneki showed a silly smile. "That's why we need to learn ninjutsu."

"Hmm?"

Learning about culture = Disguise

Disguise = Not being discovered

Not being discovered = Killing all enemies

To kill all enemies = Learning more powerful ninjutsu

Therefore...

Learning about culture = Learning more powerful ninjutsu!

Danzō was stunned. He felt like he had been led in circles by this kid.

"Alright, alright!"

Danzō's expression turned serious. He asked in an extremely stern tone, "Since you are so eager to learn ninjutsu, can you guarantee that you can learn all the powerful techniques?"

"If you can't learn powerful ninjutsu, your strength won't improve, you won't be able to kill enemies, you won't be able to conceal yourself, and you won't be able to complete missions!"

"Do you think you can do it?"

Danzō stared at Kaneki and threw the scroll in his hand towards him.

He decided that he must give this child a harsh reality check. Although he possessed good talent, as a Root ninja, he absolutely could not be unrealistic. Learning the necessary knowledge step by step was the most important thing!

As for the scroll handed to Kaneki, it was the Wood Release ninjutsu left behind by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

Of course, it was the detailed version that had been revised by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, after much coercion and bribery.

It recorded the specific flow of chakra when performing the jutsu, as well as the corresponding hand seals.

Otherwise, with Hashirama's "do whatever you want" method of performing jutsu, no one would be able to learn Wood Release ninjutsu in the future, unless they created their own.

Danzō's purpose in taking out this scroll was precisely to make Kaneki back down.

The First Hokage's Wood Release ninjutsu was not so easy to learn. If you couldn't even learn one ninjutsu, you still wanted to become invincible?

Dream on! Go back to diligently learning other skills.

To be honest, there was nothing wrong with Danzō's approach.

Even with Wood Release cells, it was not so easy to learn the God of Shinobi's techniques. It was perfectly normal to spend several months on it.

Even a veteran ninja like Danzō himself had spent two months learning his first Wood Release ninjutsu.

However...

Kaneki looked at the scroll in his hand, and a flash of understanding crossed his mind.

Having analyzed thousands of ninjutsu techniques, he could now confidently call himself a ninjutsu master.

The ninjutsu that ordinary people spent a long time mastering were merely complex data to Kaneki's terrifying computational abilities. As long as he knew the principles and chakra pathways of the jutsu, Kaneki could perfectly replicate them by precisely controlling the flow and release of chakra!

Therefore, after a short minute passed...

He clasped his hands together.

"Wood Release: Wood Spear!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 169: You Can Do It Too, Right, Kō?

"Wood Style: Violent Spear Tree!"

As the words left his mouth, Kaneki's chakra surged towards his arm like a raging river.

In an instant, his arm began to lignify, bursting with an incredibly powerful life force. His entire arm rapidly expanded, growing and twisting into a terrifying giant tree, piercing through the entire training ground like a spear.

The wall at the edge of the training ground was no match for this colossal tree spear, dozens of meters long. It was smashed to pieces the moment they made contact.

Danzo's eyes were filled with shock.

This kid, is he really a genius?

If the Root leader's eyes held shock, then Kō's were filled with blank astonishment.

He couldn't understand. Why? They were both Wood Style users, so why could this guy use Wood Style jutsu immediately?

"Did you really just learn that technique?" Danzo probed, unable to believe it.

Although there were indeed some geniuses and prodigies in this world...

But to be this monstrous... even Danzo had never encountered such a thing.

Learning a Wood Style jutsu in just one minute? This efficiency was comparable to the Sharingan's copying ability!

Kaneki wore a curious expression. "I just learned it."

Then he added matter-of-factly, "The scroll clearly explained the chakra pathways. I just followed the instructions."

Danzo looked at Kaneki's nonchalant face, his teeth aching.

This guy's expression was like saying: Wood Style jutsu? Isn't this something anyone can learn instantly? There can't really be people who can't learn it or take a long time to learn, right? No way, no way? There can't really be such people, right?

However, Kaneki was a member of Root, his subordinate. The stronger his talent, the stronger Root would be in the future.

But why did he still feel a bit annoyed?

Danzo let out a deep breath, adjusting his mindset.

Then, as if he couldn't believe it, he pulled another scroll from his pocket and said to Kaneki, "This is another Wood Style jutsu. Try it."

"Oh."

Kaneki took the scroll from Danzo with an expressionless face, opened it, studied it carefully for a minute, then clapped his hands together.

"Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Technique!"

With a rumbling sound, the ground split open, and four giant wooden pillars abruptly rose, occupying the four corners of the training ground.

Countless wooden planks then grew from these four pillars, connecting with each other.

With the "thump, thump, thump" of wood hitting wood, countless planks formed a... house! Right before Kō's shocked eyes.

The training ground, which was filled with a murderous atmosphere just moments ago, instantly transformed into a cozy wooden cabin.

No formaldehyde, ready to move in.

Danzo examined the wooden structure that had sprung up out of nowhere.

All the connections between the wood were perfectly intact, without any errors. This meant that the caster had a certain level of understanding of the jutsu and had very strong chakra control.

He had originally intended to use the [Wood Style: Violent Spear Tree] to make Kō and Otsu face reality, and then use the [Wood Style: Four-Pillar House Technique] to train their chakra control.

But now it seemed that there was no need for that.

At least not for Otsu.

Seemingly finally accepting the fact that Kaneki was a genius, Danzo's gaze softened.

"Alright, dispel it."

Hearing Danzo's words, Kaneki obediently stomped his little foot, and the newly built three-bedroom, one-living room wooden cabin quickly dissipated.

The planks retracted back into the pillars, and the pillars sank back into the ground.

Only the four holes in the corners of the training ground remained as evidence of what had just happened.

Danzo looked at Kaneki. Through these two jutsu, he had also noticed something about him.

"You don't use hand seals when releasing jutsu?"

Hand seals were very important for a ninja.

Because the essence of ninjutsu was to guide the flow of chakra through hand seals, allowing the chakra to manifest in different forms, thereby achieving various ninjutsu effects.

But this kid... he didn't use hand seals?

This was something that only a very small number of people could do. If Danzo remembered correctly, in his impression, only the God of Shinobi, Hashirama, could perform Wood Style without hand seals.

As a result, the Wood Style scrolls currently stored were all later forcibly requested by the Second Hokage, his teacher, to have the First Hokage recount the chakra flow method, and then design the corresponding hand seals.

The purpose was to provide a reference for future Wood Style users in Konoha.

Unfortunately, in the decades that followed, the Senju clan never again produced a Wood Style user, and these scrolls could only be sealed away.

Until Orochimaru gave him this arm.

To be precise, his own Wood Style was also an incomplete version that could only be forcibly used by suppressing it with the Sharingan.

This kid in front of him was using the true Wood Style.

It's really infuriating to compare yourself to others.

Facing Danzo's question, Kaneki tilted his head. "Lord Danzo, I did use hand seals."

After saying that, he clapped his hands together, demonstrating to Danzo.

"Isn't this a seal?"

Danzo: ...

Kō: ...

Okay, okay, so this is how you form hand seals, huh?

Looking at the clear stupidity in Kaneki's eyes, Danzo sighed deeply and asked again, with renewed vigor, "What I mean is, why can you release jutsu with just this one seal?"

"Oh, that. Actually, you just need to control the flow of chakra. It's nothing special."

Who doesn't know to control the flow of chakra?

The point is, how do you control the flow of chakra without hand seals, you bastard!

Forget it.

Danzo decided not to continue asking.

This kind of thing was like top students and struggling students doing problems. Some people knew how to solve it at a glance, while others were still trying to recall the formula.

If you asked those top students to teach the struggling students how to do the problems, they wouldn't know how to teach either. It was something they could see at a glance...

Danzo's gaze lingered on Kaneki.

Learning Wood Style jutsu in one minute, and being able to release it without hand seals.

He had to say, this newcomer's talent was so strong that it surprised, even intimidated, Danzo.

Such a powerful weapon must be firmly grasped in his own hands.

But the sharper the weapon, the higher the risk of backlash.

Therefore, Danzo needed to install a safety device on this weapon.

"That's all for your lessons today. Practice and consolidate these two jutsu," Danzo said to Kaneki with an expressionless face.

"Understood, Lord Danzo."

Kaneki acted very obediently.

Of course, he could understand Danzo's thoughts. After all, no one wanted the blade in their hand to eventually fall on themselves. So it was reasonable for Danzo to temporarily slow down his growth and look for ways to control him.

After taking back the scrolls, Danzo handed them to Kō.

"Since Otsu can do it, you can too, right? Kō."

Kō, who came with Kaneki: ???

(End of chapter)

Chapter 170: The Illusionary Drug

Ko stared at the complex diagram of chakra pathways laid out in the scroll before him, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

That guy…he only took a minute to understand this thing and then perform it with a clap of his hands? He thought, his expression stiffening.

To be fair, Ko's talent for ninjutsu surpassed that of the average child; at the very least, he could comprehend the scroll's contents.

However, it would take a considerable amount of time, at least four or five hours.

Moreover, understanding the scroll didn't equate to mastering the jutsu.

The crux of learning a jutsu lay in manipulating one's chakra according to the scroll's instructions, a process that demanded a significant time investment.

Therefore, when faced with Danzo's inquiry, Ko honestly shook his head.

"I apologize, Lord Danzo. I cannot grasp this jutsu as quickly as Otsu."

Danzo merely nodded in response. Although he didn't voice any reproach, Ko could still keenly detect a hint of…disappointment in his eyes.

It figures, he thought, After witnessing a genius like Otsu, my own performance must seem rather disheartening.

"Otsu, although you have grasped the basics of these two jutsu, you are still somewhat unrefined. You need to practice diligently. Once you've become proficient, I will arrange sparring partners to enhance your combat awareness."

Danzo habitually injected a note of suppression into his praise for Shiki.

Then, he glanced sideways at Ko and said, "You best not fall too far behind. Root needs sharp swords, not useless tools."

Ko lowered his head and respectfully replied, "Yes, Lord Danzo."

Only after Danzo departed did he raise his head, offering Shiki a polite smile. "Congratulations, Otsu."

"Hmm?" Shiki looked at him quizzically.

Ko explained, "Having displayed such talent, you will surely gain Lord Danzo's favor quickly. So, congratulations."

Shiki regarded Ko for a moment, then asked, "Do you also desire Lord Danzo's approval?"

Ko was taken aback. Wasn't that a given?

"If one cannot gain the recognition of others, then what meaning is there to one's existence in this world?"

Shiki frowned, a hint of disdain in his voice. "The meaning of one's existence is self-defined. The approval of others is completely irrelevant."

"Not needing the approval of others?" Ko stared at the carefree boy before him, feeling a sense of bewilderment.

Despite being experimental subjects from the same batch, despite sharing the same experiences, have we become two completely different people?

Ko's world was like the silent roots buried beneath the earth, shrouded in darkness.

Shiki, on the other hand, was like the burgeoning crown of a tree, constantly striving towards the sky. His gaze encompassed the sky, the sunlight, freedom, and unrestrained growth.

While Ko was lost in thought, Shiki had already approached him and landed a punch on his shoulder.

The sudden blow jolted Ko back to reality, causing him to clutch his shoulder and take a step back.

When he looked up, he saw his peer extending a hand towards him.

"Don't overthink it. Want to learn Wood Release? I can teach you."

"But Lord Danzo didn't say you could teach me…" Ko hesitated. Although Danzo hadn't explicitly forbidden it, would such initiative incur his wrath?

Perhaps Danzo's intention was for them to compete against each other, relying solely on their own talents?

Before he could finish his contemplation, he felt another sharp pain in his other shoulder.

He snapped back to attention, realizing that Otsu had punched him again.

"Why are you overthinking it? Do you want to learn or not?"

Gazing at this boy who seemed completely out of place in Root, Ko finally extended his own hand.

"Yes."

In truth, he couldn't discern whether his desire to learn stemmed from genuine interest or simply a reluctance to disappoint Shiki.

This scene undoubtedly fell within Danzo's sight.

He hadn't immediately left the training ground, instead opting to observe the two from the shadows.

The moment their hands clasped, a sinister smile crept across his lips.

Only by severing the bonds they form can I forge a truly emotionless and infinitely sharp weapon.

Only those who have lost all emotions and attachments can become true guardians of the Leaf, the Root!

After watching for a while, Danzo quickly vanished into the darkness.

He returned to his office as the leader of Root. At his summons, a Root ninja swiftly appeared before him.

"Lord Danzo." The ninja knelt respectfully on one knee.

Danzo's icy gaze swept over him. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and said flatly, "Kabuto, this is a letter from Nonou."

At these words, the bespectacled young man's eyes lit up with a brilliant light. He eagerly accepted the letter from Danzo and began to peruse it carefully.

Although it contained fairly ordinary, caring words, such as inquiries about his well-being, whether he was eating enough, and if he was staying warm, it was precisely this kind of language that allowed Kabuto to find a sliver of solace in the cold depths of Root, a reason to persevere.

Ten minutes later, Kabuto finally relinquished the letter and envelope to Danzo with reluctance.

"Thank you, Lord Danzo."

"Hmm." Danzo observed the young man before him, who at such a young age had already mastered various espionage techniques and displayed considerable talent in medical ninjutsu, a satisfied smile gracing his features.

No matter who it is, once they have attachments, they inevitably become a laughable puppet.

"Kabuto, aside from showing you Nonou's letter, I have another task for you."

Kabuto wasn't surprised by Danzo's words.

If he had no further use, this man wouldn't be so kind as to deliver letters from the orphanage director.

"I need you to formulate an illusionary drug for use in conjunction with genjutsu." Danzo stated his request.

To control a person, brainwashing alone was insufficient. It had to be combined with genjutsu, drugs, and prolonged mental manipulation to completely transform someone into an emotionless weapon.

As Root's most skilled medical ninja, the illusionary drug Kabuto concocted was undoubtedly crucial.

"This particular drug is critical. There is absolutely no room for error," Danzo emphasized.

A cold glint flashed across Kabuto's glasses.

He had already formulated countless illusionary drugs for Danzo. This seemed to be the first time Danzo had been so serious about one.

It seems he has acquired another exceptionally talented pawn… Although Kabuto harbored such rebellious thoughts, his expression remained respectful. "As you command, Lord Danzo."

For the director, I can do anything!

*(End of Chapter)*