61-65

*Chapter 61: Faint Thunder, Overcast Sky*

The situation in Konoha was far more complicated than anything White Zetsu had managed to uncover. Even Uchiha Obito never expected the envoy from the Mist Village to have such a huge impact on Konoha. It seemed like the village was on the brink of internal conflict without even needing the Mist's army to set foot on the Land of Fire.

"You’re saying members of 'Root' have made their move?"

In a park in the center of the village, Uchiha Obito, disguised with a transformation jutsu, sat on a bench, listening to Zetsu's latest report. He sneered. "As expected of Konoha. They never miss an opportunity for infighting! So 'Root' has mobilized... but Danzo doesn’t seem to be the one pulling the strings this time. Could it be the Third Hokage?"

Obito quickly pieced together the truth based on the information he had.

"So, who's Root's target? Uchiha Sōgen?"

"Uchiha Sōgen and Hyūga Hiashi," White Zetsu said with a chuckle. "My clone infiltrated Root. Lucky for us, Danzo isn’t there, or I wouldn’t have made it in."

White Zetsu's transformation jutsu allowed him to absorb the target’s chakra and perfectly mimic it, so much so that even the most familiar person or sensor ninja couldn’t detect the disguise. The problem was that Danzo had placed curse marks on his subordinates.

The curse mark was a foreign chakra source, and White Zetsu's technique couldn’t replicate that. Besides, even if it could, that would mean falling under Danzo’s control. So, for groups controlled by similar methods, it was tough for White Zetsu's clones to infiltrate.

And since most White Zetsu clones were weak in combat, at best they could gather intelligence, cause minor chaos, or, with luck, assassinate a couple of strong enemies. But Obito and Zetsu weren’t counting on such low probabilities. Assassinating skilled ninjas wasn’t easy.

"Hyūga Hiashi? Hmph! Konoha!"

Obito shook his head, not particularly concerned about the Hyūga. "This works in our favor. If we can use this opportunity to force Uchiha Sōgen to reveal his Mangekyō Sharingan, or even just drain his eye power, it'll be worth it."

As for the outcome of the battle, without knowing Uchiha Sōgen’s full abilities, Obito couldn’t predict it. But win or lose, for him, it was a no-lose situation.

"Has the show started yet?"

"Not yet," White Zetsu replied. "But Root’s agents are already heading to that restaurant called the Matsutake Pavilion. Uchiha Sōgen and Hyūga Hiashi are meeting there. A fight should break out soon, so if you want to watch, you should go now."

Matsutake Pavilion?

Obito sifted through his memories. Thankfully, he knew of the place. It was an old, well-known establishment in Konoha with over thirty years of history. Of course, Obito, being a nobody back then, had never been inside—he’d just passed by it many times.

The restaurant was located in the southwestern corner of the village, somewhere between the bustling central area and the surrounding forest. The nearest prominent clan... seemed to be the Hyūga.

---

At the Matsutake Pavilion, Sōgen and Hiashi had just finished discussing the details of their cooperation. It had taken them quite some time, but now, with the formalities over, they were taking a break for tea. The Matsutake Pavilion was famous not just for its refined ambiance but for its exceptional cuisine.

However, Sōgen had barely finished his appetizers when he sensed a sharp killing intent, like a beacon in the night. With a sigh, he put down his chopsticks.

"Our Hokage is a bit too impatient. Can’t he at least wait until I’ve finished my meal?" Sōgen complained, though it was in vain.

Hiashi’s face darkened as he activated his Byakugan, seeing masked figures surrounding them from all directions. The net they’d cast was tight, like a storm with no escape, and his heart sank.

This wasn’t just a warning.

They were here to kill.

"Sōgen!"

"Clan leader!"

Shisui and Hiashi’s bodyguard, both sensing the approaching danger, burst through the screens to stand in front of Sōgen and Hiashi.

"Sōgen, what is going on? Why... why is this happening?" Shisui was filled with unease, his fists clenched tight, sweat already running down his temple even before the fight began.

"Shisui, don’t be so shocked. What’s so strange about this? Last time, I was ambushed by Mist spies. Isn’t it only natural that this time I’m surrounded by their agents in Konoha?" Sōgen chuckled at his own joke.

Shisui opened his mouth but found nothing to say. The last attack, involving several Jonin-level Mist spies, had been outrageous enough. He couldn’t possibly believe that this was another Mist operation, that hundreds of Mist spies had somehow infiltrated the village...

That wasn’t even a good joke! This was Konoha, not Kirigakure. There was no pretending this away.

"The attackers are from Root. The leader is Aburame Ryōma," Hiashi reported, his frustration clear. He had underestimated the Third Hokage, who had moved far quicker and with more force than expected. Upon seeing Aburame Ryōma at the helm, Hiashi realized the Third had emptied Danzo’s arsenal.

This time, there might be no escaping.

"Aburame Ryōma?"

Murmuring the familiar name, the faint light in Shisui’s eyes was completely extinguished. As a top genius of the Uchiha clan, he wasn’t lacking in intelligence. His naive ideals had blinded him to the obvious truth. Now, he had to admit that Sōgen’s perspective was far more realistic.

It wasn’t the clan that didn’t fit with the village; it was the village—or rather, the Third Hokage and his allies—that refused to let the clan integrate.

"Sōgen, should we fight our way out?"

Shisui’s mindset had shifted. Having realized the folly of his idealism, he now saw Sōgen’s plan as the only real hope. Though his love for the village hadn’t wavered, his respect for the Third Hokage had crumbled into deep disdain.

Killing intent surged within him.

After all, he too had survived a mountain of corpses and rivers of blood.

He had previously hesitated to turn his blade against fellow villagers, but now that he understood that "villager" didn’t necessarily mean "comrade," the sharp edge he’d concealed was finally ready to be unleashed.

"Of course, we’ll fight our way out. What, you want to stay here and get chopped into pieces?" Sōgen said, his hands already forming seals. He summoned Samehada, which had been kept at the police headquarters. As the sword fell into his grasp, the power of "A Knight Never Dies Unarmed" washed away all the seals placed on it.

Unless someone stronger than him intervened, or he allowed it, no one could take Samehada from him.

After calming the sword’s excitement, Sōgen turned to Hiashi.

"Hiashi-senpai, should we move together or split up?"

Sōgen hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder as he sought Hiashi’s opinion. Since they were now allies, it was only polite to check before making a move.

"Together!"

Hiashi didn’t opt for prideful independence.

He knew full well that he couldn’t handle so many Root elites on his own. Splitting up would be suicide. By sticking with Uchiha Sōgen, there was at least a chance of survival. After all, neither Sōgen nor Shisui seemed the least bit concerned.

If...

If Sōgen truly had awakened the Uchiha’s Mangekyō Sharingan, something not seen in decades, then following him was their best hope!

"If possible, head southeast. That’s the Hyūga clan’s territory. Once we’re there, we’ll be safe," Hiashi suggested.

"Southeast, huh? We’ll see."

Sōgen didn’t give a definitive answer.

The Third Hokage was a capable strategist. If he dared act now, he likely had a plan to prevent the Hyūga from assisting Hiashi. After all, the Matsutake Pavilion wasn’t far from the Hyūga clan’s grounds.

"For now, let's see just how tough these guys are. Maybe we won’t even need to break through!"

As the battle at the Matsutake Pavilion was about to erupt, the Third Hokage arrived at the Hyūga clan's compound, seeking out a member of the main family—an elder ranked just below Hiashi. Few knew that in their younger days, they had once been close friends.

"Sarutobi, times have changed. Leave. The Hyūga do not welcome you," the elder said, standing on the veranda in traditional Hyūga robes, glaring coldly at the Hokage.

Though Hiashi had yet to return, the Hyūga elders were well aware of what had happened at the Hokage’s meeting earlier that day. They had also taken note of Hiashi’s recent actions and knew exactly what he was planning.

“Masayuki, the Hyuga clan is one of the most prestigious in Konoha. As an elder of the Hyuga, if you see the young people going astray and don't correct them, it will bring disaster to the Hyuga. If the intel gathered by the Anbu is accurate, it seems like Hizashi intends to abolish the Hyuga's system of the main and branch families.”

The Third Hokage looked at Hyuga Masayuki, whose face had changed color, with a gaze full of meaning.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 62: The Storm is Coming (Requesting Votes and Support!)*

Ryoma Aburame leapt onto the treetops, his movements as light and silent as a ghost. Dressed in a black hooded coat, he seemed almost weightless, which wasn't far from the truth. As a member of the Aburame clan, renowned as the top insect users in the ninja world, he hosted parasitic insects within his body, feeding them with his chakra. This left no room for excess fat, unlike the Akimichi clan.

After observing the encircled Matsutake Pavilion for about seven or eight seconds, the insects he'd sent out brought back very little feedback. Most of the insects that infiltrated had perished—after all, even the Aburame clan's well-trained bugs could not overcome the natural fear of fire.

It just so happened that the Uchiha clan was the ninja world's foremost experts in fire jutsu.

Nevertheless, today’s mission had no room for retreat.

Ryoma Aburame was a typical member of his clan: quiet, reserved, and preferring to work alone. His hobby was collecting insects, but as a true ninja, he dutifully followed orders. Commands from above were absolute. Even if the task seemed suicidal, he'd carry it out without hesitation.

"Squad Three, Squad Six, Squad Seven—take the lead."

The orders were given.

Three elite squads moved instantly, vaulting over the walls without any attempt at stealth or disguise. They charged directly into the Matsutake Pavilion, heading straight for the target's location in the 'Stone Courtyard.'

There was no other choice. Their targets were the Uchiha and Hyuga clans.

Against the all-seeing Byakugan and the powerful Sharingan, any stealth techniques they prided themselves on were rendered useless. Assassination tactics would only waste chakra and leave them vulnerable to being picked off one by one.

As the vanguard, their mission was not to kill but to locate the targets and exhaust as much of their chakra as possible.

Just then—

Swish! Swish! Swish!

The sharp sound of shuriken cutting through the air echoed across the courtyard.

Shuriken sliced through the paper walls, hurtling toward the Root ninjas.

Four muffled cries of pain followed immediately.

Four Root members fell to the ground, dead, eyes wide open. Each shuriken had struck a fatal point—whether in the chest, throat, or liver. What horrified the survivors even more was that the dead had been holding broken kunai or katanas, cleaved clean through.

Every member of Root was an elite.

Not all were jonin, but their extensive combat experience meant they wouldn’t typically be killed so easily, even by a jonin. They had reacted to the sudden attack, raising their weapons to block the incoming shuriken.

Yet this seemingly perfect defense failed.

The shuriken sliced through their weapons, taking their lives. Six shuriken had been thrown, killing four. Of the remaining two survivors, one was a jonin who used a substitution jutsu to evade the attack. The other had a named blade that withstood the shuriken's power, sparing his life.

This was no ordinary attack.

The shuriken had been imbued with the "Knights Never Die Barehanded" effect, giving them the attributes of a D-rank noble phantasm, easily cutting through ordinary weapons.

Out of twelve, a third of the vanguard was eliminated in an instant.

The remaining five realized how dangerous this mission truly was. But Root’s resolve was unshakable. Danzo's methods might be controversial, but Root’s personnel were committed to completing their tasks at any cost, even death.

Their fallen comrades only made the survivors more vigilant, but their march forward didn’t falter.

"Uchiha Style: Gale Sword!"

"Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

The first to break through the paper walls was Shisui. Known as "Shisui of the Body Flicker," his reputation wasn’t for nothing. Wielding a short blade as swift as a gust of wind, he appeared like a flash of lightning, slashing at a Root ninja.

In one fluid motion, the blade rose and fell.

A flash of dazzling steel cut a clean arc through the air.

A head thudded to the ground and rolled far across the floor, while the headless body gushed blood before collapsing.

The second swiftest was not Sougen.

The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist wasn't limited to close combat. They could strike from a distance as well, albeit with a limited repertoire. The primary technique, Eight Trigrams Air Palm, along with its variations, was more than sufficient. With the Byakugan's aid, these mid-range attacks were devastatingly accurate.

"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"

Hiashi Hyuga’s positioning and strike were only a fraction of a second slower than Shisui’s decapitation. A near-invisible chakra blast shattered the walls in its path, directly hitting another Root ninja.

The impact sent the ninja flying like a severed kite, blood spraying from his mouth, along with fragments of internal organs. By the time he hit the ground, he was dead.

"Are they trying to take out the weakest first?"

With just one glance, Sougen took in the entire situation. In his hand wasn’t the Samehada but his regular longsword. He had strapped Samehada to his back for good reason—being a living weapon, it had its own fears of fire and heat. Sougen’s fire-style techniques couldn’t be channeled through Samehada.

For now, he carried Samehada on his back, using it to replenish his chakra while its broad blade offered some protection.

In his hands, he gripped his longsword tightly. A faint glow of fire danced along its edge.

"Uchiha Style: Blazing Sword!"

Sougen closed in on the Root ninja who had survived the earlier shuriken by wielding a named blade.

The searing sword, guided by Sougen's will, cut through the air.

The masked Root ninja couldn’t escape in time. All he could do was raise his named sword to block the incoming strike. And he succeeded, briefly—the two blades clashed, sparks flying from the friction!

In an instant, a torrent of explosive flames surged from Sougen’s blade like a tsunami.

"Aaaaah—!"

The scream was so short that it seemed almost like an auditory illusion.

The Root ninja standing opposite Sougen vanished, leaving behind no remains. Even the ground was scorched, with the ninja's half-melted sword sinking into the earth below.

Everything—walls, floors, buildings—was reduced to ash in the wake of the Blazing Sword.

This was the power of the Blazing Sword.

One of Sougen’s signature techniques, it sealed immense fire energy within the blade. With a single swing, everything it touched was incinerated.

There was no upper limit to the technique’s power.

The stronger the fire sealed within, the greater the destructive force. The only issue was the limit of the sword itself. Even with the "Knights Never Die Barehanded" ability, it could only possess the attributes of a D-rank phantasm, unable to reach higher levels.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 63: Obito's Lingering Thoughts (Please vote! Please recommend!!)*

The terrifying sword technique, which incinerated people completely, stunned the Root ninjas. The remnants of their instincts made them feel an unfamiliar fear toward such immense power. For a brief moment, they were paralyzed by terror, unable to move. Normally, this short-lived stiffness wouldn't be an issue, as the Root ninjas, with their skills, could quickly dispel the fear.

However, at this moment, in this situation, even a moment of stiffness was enough for Shisui, Hiashi Hyuga, and the others to make their move.

Even Shisui, who had no hesitation or mercy, slashed through the air with his short blade, casting bright flashes of sword light and mercilessly taking the lives of the Root ninjas. Not even a Jonin could withstand Shisui's blade.

Shisui’s *Body Flicker Technique* allowed him to cut down opponents almost as fast as the late Fourth Hokage.

Together with Hiashi Hyuga and the elite Hyuga clan bodyguard, the three took full advantage of the perfect opportunity created by Sougen. In just a moment, they killed more than half of the remaining five Root ninjas.

Only two were left alive.

Unfortunately for them, even with the numbers now even, they were no match for Sougen, Shisui, Hiashi, and the others. Their Jonin rank couldn't change their fate of defeat and death. As for the others who had yet to act, there was no hope for them.

When they began this mission, they knew it was a suicide mission.

The entire battle from start to finish took less than half a minute.

In that short time, three elite squads of Root were wiped out.

The speed of the fight made Aburame Ryoma, who was gathering information from the treetops, deeply frown. As expected of the Uchiha—so overwhelmingly strong, it was despairing. Despite the heavy sacrifices, they had not gathered much useful intelligence.

It was all information about Uchiha Sougen that had already been revealed.

His insanely powerful shuriken-throwing technique and the original Uchiha-style swordsmanship that could turn people into dust were not new. Sougen had already demonstrated these on the battlefield, and it wasn’t difficult for attentive observers to collect this information. Given Root’s power and influence, they naturally had access to such details.

Before the operation, Aburame Ryoma had passed on intelligence about their target, Sougen, to all involved.

Including the twelve at the front line, everyone knew some of Sougen’s techniques.

However, knowing was one thing, but being able to respond was another. In simple terms, their minds understood, but their bodies didn’t know how to react. They knew Sougen’s shuriken-throwing technique could shatter rock and steel, but they simply didn’t have enough time to dodge.

Then, there was that Uchiha-style *Flame Demon Sword*.

That technique was unbeatable—you either dodged it or endured it. There was no other way to counter it, at least as far as Aburame Ryoma could tell.

"Proceed with the original plan," a new order was given.

Aburame Ryoma knew he wasn't particularly clever or adaptable. He didn’t have much confidence in his ability to make quick decisions on the fly. At this point, rather than giving random commands, it was better to stick with the original plan. After all, Root had mobilized most of its elite for this mission. Manpower wasn’t an issue.

Even if they had to sacrifice lives, he would exhaust Uchiha Sougen to death.

———

In a blood-stained room, Uchiha Obito, wrapped in White Zetsu’s body, silently emerged from a nearby pillar. He lowered his head, his scarlet eyes gleaming from the single opening in his vortex mask, filled with solemnity and seriousness.

“*Flame Demon* Uchiha Sougen, huh?”

Obito glanced at the humanoid ashes on the ground. His gaze traveled through the floor’s gaps, spotting a still-steaming, half-melted famous sword. The intense heat hadn’t fully dissipated. Then, his eyes shifted to the four bodies killed by shuriken.

He was using his own eyes to verify the accuracy of the intelligence on Uchiha Sougen!

"Obito, that guy is terrifying! His Fire Release techniques are definitely stronger than yours!" White Zetsu, as unreliable as ever, casually voiced his thoughts, not caring about Obito's feelings.

Fortunately, Obito nodded in agreement.

"In terms of Fire Release alone, I am no match for him."

"And his shuriken-throwing technique—seriously, Obito, is your clan's shuriken-throwing really that terrifying? Slicing through steel… that's unheard of! Though, to be fair, I’ve never witnessed it myself.” White Zetsu continued his endless chatter.

Obito remained silent.

He was contemplating how to deal with Uchiha Sougen, the young clan leader seemingly destined to restore the Uchiha to their former glory. A powerful Uchiha didn’t fit into Obito’s plans for the future. Decline, downfall, even total extinction—that would be the best outcome.

“To take down someone this dangerous won’t be easy. The best approach is to force Uchiha Sougen into a situation where he must exhaust his chakra and visual power. Once his Mangekyo Sharingan goes blind, he’ll cease to be a threat,” Black Zetsu calmly analyzed their options.

“You mean the Mist Village?”

“Is there a better choice?” Black Zetsu’s smile was cold.

“If Root can help wear down some of Uchiha Sougen’s visual power, that alone would be a good result for us. But from the looks of things, Root is no match for him! Instead of expecting a miracle from them, we should start preparing for what comes next.”

“No rush. I still want to see if Uchiha Sougen will use his Mangekyo Sharingan techniques.” Obito hadn’t forgotten about Sougen awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan. More than anything else, he was most concerned with that.

“That’s reasonable too.”

At the mention of the Mangekyo Sharingan, Black Zetsu stopped trying to persuade Obito. Truth be told, he was also curious about what kind of visual powers Sougen had awakened. Having lived for a thousand years, Black Zetsu spent much of his life secretly observing the Uchiha clan, as well as the Senju and Uzumaki clans.

Over the centuries, he had seen many strange and powerful Mangekyo Sharingan abilities. While there had been instances of similar techniques, the Uchiha always managed to surprise him every few decades. Even Black Zetsu didn’t know how many abilities the Uchiha’s Mangekyo Sharingan possessed.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 64: Dance in Battle! ()

The slaughter continued.

Sougen and his group had already left Matsutake Pavilion, but the Root ninjas still charged at them fearlessly, undeterred by the threat of death, blocking their escape. Human lives had become the cheapest commodity here, and the scarlet blood mixed with the gray ashes of the fallen, creating a muddy path for their advance.

There were four of them in total, with Sougen at the front, acting as the spearhead to break through the tight web of Root ninjas.

"Uchiha Style: Grand Fire Sword!"

This overwhelmingly powerful move couldn't be blocked by any ordinary means. Even the strongest Root ninja, who specialized in Earth Release Hardening Jutsu, couldn’t withstand the sword's flame, which was hot enough to melt steel. The intense heat incinerated the target instantly, leaving only ashes to be blown away by the wind.

Right behind Sougen was Shisui. Even though they had agreed to overthrow the Third Hokage together, Sougen still wasn’t willing to fully trust Hyuga Hiashi with his back. Hiashi and his bodyguard remained at the rear of the group.

However, just because Hiashi was at the back didn’t mean he was taking it easy.

Hiashi’s Byakugan provided 360-degree field of vision, making his information-gathering ability superior to the Sharingan. He spotted enemies coming from above, below, and all around, even identifying those using secret techniques. He alerted Sougen about their moves ahead of time.

“Left front!” Hiashi shouted.

"Genjutsu: Shiranui!"

Sougen’s Sharingan flared with power, locking eyes with an enemy hiding in the bushes ahead. His powerful ocular jutsu invaded the opponent's mind, and illusory flames that didn’t exist in the real world began burning them mentally. The pain was so intense that it rendered the enemy helpless. A shuriken followed, finishing them off.

Moments later—

“Careful! Left rear, right—” Hiashi’s warnings abruptly stopped.

He had encountered a tough opponent: a master swordsman using Wind Release. Being from the same village, the Root ninja knew how to deal with the Hyuga clan’s Byakugan and Gentle Fist techniques. Hiashi was forced into a difficult battle and had to focus solely on fighting, unable to provide more intel to Sougen.

Hiashi wasn’t the only one struggling. His bodyguard, a jōnin, was also locked in a tough battle, worse off than Hiashi, with several injuries. Without help from Hiashi or Shisui, he likely wouldn’t have survived to make it out of Matsutake Pavilion.

But now, even Shisui was facing multiple elite jōnin-level opponents.

The Root ninjas attacking Shisui fought fearlessly, using self-sacrificing tactics that put Shisui in a difficult position. Some Earth Release experts assisted from a distance, altering the terrain to limit Shisui’s agility and his ability to use his Body Flicker Technique effectively.

“Tch!” Sougen clicked his tongue in frustration.

After dealing with the enemies on his flanks, he quickly surveyed the battlefield, taking in the situation.

He had to admit, Danzo’s Root ninjas were no pushovers. They were all highly skilled and battle-hardened, fighting without fear of death. Their teamwork was seamless, advancing and retreating with precision. Among them were also several users of secret techniques.

“This can’t go on!” Sougen thought grimly.

He still had enough strength to continue fighting, and Samehada could replenish his chakra as needed. However, Shisui and Hiashi didn’t have the same endurance for prolonged battle. If they couldn’t quickly end the fight or break through the encirclement, Hiashi would likely perish here.

Before, Sougen wouldn’t have cared about Hiashi’s fate. But after the meeting at Matsutake Pavilion, he realized the Hyuga clan—more specifically, Hiashi—harbored deep hatred for the Third Hokage. Letting Hiashi die here would be a waste, especially when the opportunity to overthrow the Third Hokage was so rare.

Still, saving Hiashi and turning the tide of the battle wouldn’t be easy—at least, not without using the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

———

“Lord Ryoma, the entire Kuroi Squad has been wiped out. The Tsuruta Squad has been wiped out. The only survivor from the Nozawa Squad is their captain, gravely injured… Seventeenth Squad… Twenty-Ninth Squad…” A Root ninja in a mask reported the mounting casualties to Aburame Ryoma.

Even though Ryoma had anticipated heavy losses for this operation, seeing the staggering number of dead stirred a ripple of emotion within him. However, the calm returned to his heart quickly. He had fought in the brutal wars of the ninja world, where battles were like meat grinders. These losses were nothing compared to that. Still, losing so many valuable subordinates stung.

"How are things looking now?" Ryoma asked his teammate from the Yamanaka clan, Yamanaka Shohei.

“Uchiha Shisui, Hyuga Hiashi, and Hyuga Masashi's chakra levels have dropped significantly. However, Uchiha Sougen’s chakra remains at the same level as when the fight began. His sword, Samehada, is replenishing his chakra as he fights. We still don’t know how long that will last.”

This mixed news made Ryoma frown.

As expected, the biggest problem was Uchiha Sougen.

A prolonged battle would have little effect on him. If they had more time, Ryoma wouldn’t have minded sacrificing more men to slowly wear down Sougen’s spirit. But time was against them. This wasn’t a remote location in the wilderness; they were in Konoha.

Even though the Third Hokage was keeping the Hyuga clan occupied, the various clans in the village weren’t blind or deaf. Sooner or later, someone would notice the commotion.

They had to finish the fight before they were discovered.

“Shohei, Juri, prepare to move.”

The urgency of the situation left Ryoma no choice but to personally join the fight. He wasn’t second-in-command of Root just because of his management skills; it was because he was the strongest fighter in the organization.

“Isn’t it too early to act?” Yamanaka Shohei asked, hesitating. He was Ryoma’s teammate and an expert in the Yamanaka clan’s mental techniques. As a leader of Root’s Yamanaka members, Shohei had a son named Yamanaka Fū, who wasn’t part of this mission but had stayed behind at the Root base.

“Now is the time. If we wait any longer, someone might interfere,” Ryoma said, spreading his arms as swarms of insects poured from his sleeves like dark clouds.

Their other teammate, a woman named Juri without a family name, picked up her brush and began painting on a blank scroll. With just a few strokes, lifelike ink animals appeared on the paper. Moments later, the creatures sprang to life, breaking free from the scroll. Tigers and leopards landed on the ground, while eagles soared into the sky.

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 65: Pseudo-Beast Art (Please vote! Seeking support!)*

The thriving roots certainly live up to their name.

The roots buried deep in the darkness provide ample nutrients to the leaves towering above, allowing this massive tree to flourish... Or so it seems. In reality, the roots hidden underground may have contributed to the tree’s growth, but more often than not, they’ve been drawing the tree’s nutrients to strengthen themselves.

While the roots in the darkness grow stronger, the towering tree above gradually withers.

Danzo, in his pursuit to cultivate the "Roots" organization, continuously extracted fresh blood from the ninja academy, taking prodigies from various clans. He used curse seals to suppress their uncertain futures, transforming these geniuses into obedient hunting dogs.

All of this was supposedly done under the guise of benefiting the village. However, in reality, Danzo was merely feeding his own desires, devouring the village’s very lifeblood.

To this day, even after a new leader took control of the hidden roots in the darkness, it continues to direct its malice toward part of the great tree, beginning yet another self-destructive act.

Yes!

The conflict between the Uchiha clan and Root is nothing more than a self-harming act for Konoha!

Of course, this might not be such a bad thing. In Sōgen’s view, if this situation could sweep away the decaying roots hidden in the dark, it would be a good thing for both the Uchiha and the village. Otherwise, simply taking down Danzo would still feel incomplete.

To resolve the issue once and for all, one must uproot the entire problem.

“Shisui!”

Sōgen swung his sword through the enemies blocking his way and arrived beside Shisui.

“Sōgen?”

“No time for chatter. Go protect the Hyuga clan head. Ensure your own safety while doing your best to keep him alive. If it’s absolutely necessary, you can use Susanoo, but unless you encounter that person I mentioned, don’t reveal your eye’s powers.”

Sōgen whispered these orders to Shisui so only the two of them could hear.

The Kotoamatsukami, a powerful genjutsu, required a long cooldown between uses, but Sōgen had used Samehada to help restore Shisui’s chakra, allowing his eyes to recover and use the technique again in a short period of time.

But if possible, Sōgen preferred not to reveal Kotoamatsukami’s power too early.

Although it wasn’t omnipotent, if used wisely, Kotoamatsukami could be a game-changer.

“I understand.”

Shisui solemnly nodded.

Unlike before, Shisui didn’t ask unnecessary questions, no longer worrying like a Hokage or clan head despite being just a Uchiha jonin. After years of Sōgen’s subtle influence and the recent events, he had finally shed his naivety.

He didn’t know what Sōgen’s ultimate goal was, but he knew that obeying his orders at this moment was enough.

With Shisui’s support, the previously perilous situation for Hyuga Hiashi eased, giving him a moment to catch his breath.

As for Sōgen...

He turned his gaze toward the distant forest, where a massive swarm of insects was approaching like a dark cloud.

Behind the insect swarm, Sōgen could sense the chakra of Aburame Ryoma closing in. It seemed like he had been marked as a priority target for elimination. Sōgen squinted his eyes, unfazed, even breaking into a pleased smile.

This is fine!

Taking down the leader first is always a smart move! With Danzo gone, if Aburame Ryoma is also eliminated, Root will become a headless chicken. No matter how fierce they are, they will be disorganized and unable to mount an effective resistance.

“Let’s start with a greeting, then!”

As the insect swarm quickly approached from the sky, Sōgen formed a single “Tiger” seal.

Most Fire Release jutsus ended with the “Tiger” seal, but in Sōgen’s hands, all of his Fire techniques had been simplified. A single “Tiger” seal was all he needed to cast any Fire jutsu at will.

In fact, for Sōgen, even forming hand seals wasn’t necessary to unleash Fire jutsus.

He just hadn’t encountered an opponent strong enough to force him to fight without them. Keeping some tricks hidden, like his ability to cast jutsus without seals, might come in handy one day.

“Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!”

This was Sōgen’s favorite Fire jutsu.

Its overwhelming destructive power and wide area of effect made it his go-to technique.

He unleashed a massive wave of scorching flames, swallowing the forest and the approaching insect swarm. The thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of insects lasted less than a second in the fiery inferno before being completely evaporated...

Wait a minute.

“Evaporated?”

Sōgen sensed something unusual.

No matter how small the insects were, they had flesh. After their bodies were burned dry, there should have been remains burning in the fire. But instead, they had been completely evaporated, as if they were made entirely of water.

Water?

The image of the dark insect swarm flashed through Sōgen’s mind, and suddenly, he had a suspicion!

“Ninja Art: Mind-Body Confusion Technique!”

An unexpected attack came from the sky.

Two figures stood atop a massive black eagle, launching their attack while Sōgen was busy burning the insect swarm. The middle-aged man on the eagle unleashed an invisible wave of mental energy that fell from above, aiming straight at Sōgen.

Unfortunately for them, the heat of the fire had forced the eagle to fly high, so Yamanaka’s attack took a bit of time to reach him. Despite the impressive range, it was useless if it couldn’t hit the target.

Thanks to his Sharingan, Sōgen had already sensed the subtle movement of the mental energy and easily dodged it. However, the eagle wasn’t carrying just one person. In the next moment, a rain of attacks followed, with countless black birds diving down toward Sōgen.

“Go.”

Sōgen threw his shuriken.

The black birds shattered, turning into drops of ink that fell to the ground.

“Ink? Pseudo-Beast Art? So this is…”

Sōgen murmured, analyzing the nature of the technique as he deflected the birds with his sword. Soon, he made his conclusion, “This must be a Yang Release technique, right?”

Within these ink birds, Sōgen sensed refined Yang chakra.

Animating ink into creatures, even temporarily, involved the essence of Yang Release. In truth, this secret art touched on the deeper principles of Yang Release.

Thanks to Samehada, Sōgen had gained a deeper understanding of Yin and Yang chakra, which allowed him to recognize their distinct properties. Otherwise, even a Sharingan or Byakugan would only see the chakra within the ink birds, not their true nature.

“Root certainly has its share of talent.”

Sōgen looked up at the black eagle soaring in the sky.

A thought formed in his mind.

He had experienced firsthand the complexity of studying Yin and Yang Release. Yin Release had been easier to grasp due to the Sharingan, a natural manifestation of Yin energy. Samehada had also aided him in unlocking the Mangekyō Sharingan, the ultimate expression of Yin Release.

But Yang Release had been more elusive.

Although he had considered “borrowing” techniques from the Akimichi clan, their Yang Release secrets were tied to their body-expansion techniques, which required a large physique to master. Picking a fight with the Akimichi clan didn’t seem worth it.

After all, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio had a bond that went back over 300 years—messing with one meant messing with all three.

Sōgen wasn’t afraid of facing them, but he would only do so if the reward justified the trouble.

“Pseudo-Beast Art... a Yang Release secret art. Looks like my luck isn’t bad after all.”

As he dodged the aerial attacks while running through the forest, Sōgen had already decided to capture the user alive. He wasn’t interested in the technique itself—having it would just be another skill in his toolkit.

What intrigued him was how the technique explored and applied Yang chakra.

“They're flying too high! Looks like I’ll have to use Susanoo…”

Before Sōgen could finish his thought, a sharp pain shot through his feet. Looking down, he saw countless tiny insects swarming up from the grass, biting at his flesh and burrowing into his body.

It was a trap!

Sōgen realized he had unwittingly stepped into a carefully laid ambush. The aerial assault had been a distraction to lure him into this trap.

Insects like these would typically be detected by the Sharingan when they moved, as their chakra would flare up. But when they remained still, their minuscule chakra signatures made them nearly undetectable.

It was a trap meticulously designed for him!

“Secret Art: Insect Sphere!”

Emerging from the ground, Aburame Ryoma finally revealed himself. The silent man didn’t waste words, immediately commanding his insects to gather from the surrounding area. In an instant, a dark cloud of insects swarmed toward Sōgen.

With so many insects, they could devour Sōgen down to his bones in seconds.

(End of Chapter)