Chapter 202: Danzo's About to Have a Really Bad Day!
Konoha Village.
Deep within Root.
The air was thick with the smell of earth, mold, and hidden blood.
There were no windows. Only dim chakra lamps emitted a faint glow, barely illuminating this underground space where power and conspiracy bred. The dampness clung like a shadow, causing an instinctive discomfort.
This was Danzo Shimura's domain, the lair of "Root."
Beneath a tall metal framework, Danzo sat on a crude stone throne. His right arm was wrapped in thick bandages, concealing secrets unknown to others. His gaze swept over the Root members surrounding him below—Sai, Torune Aburame, Fu Yamanaka, and other masked ninjas.
"Until the chaos above subsides, we will lie dormant underground."
His subordinates questioned him.
"Don't we need to help?"
"Shouldn't we provide some assistance?"
"Even if Lord Danzo leads us, it will be meaningless if Konoha and its people disappear."
Danzo spoke.
"It's chaos out there."
"Orochimaru won't truly destroy Konoha."
He paused, a cold, imperceptible sneer curling his lips.
"And he might even clear away some resurrected obstacles. Like… the Uchiha."
At the mention of the Uchiha, a complex emotion flashed in Danzo's eyes. It's just a pity… those Sharingan that could have replenished my stock… are now falling into Orochimaru's hands.
"Chaos… is the perfect time for reform," he muttered to himself. The position of Hokage seemed within reach at this moment.
Beside the stone throne sat the two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, though they were unable to move. Their expressions were grave, anxiety and doubt churning deep within them. This sudden catastrophe, Orochimaru's madness, the village's devastation… and the naked ambition Danzo displayed in this moment of crisis.
Was this Danzo truly fit to hold the power of the Hokage?
They wanted to speak, but under Danzo's cold gaze and the dead silence of the surrounding Root members, they swallowed all their doubts.
Silence.
Oppression.
The air was as heavy as lead.
From the other side, Kabuto Yakushi walked in quietly. He wore glasses and carried a metal briefcase. His face wore his trademark gentle smile. He looked like an outsider, a harmless bystander.
He waited. Waited for this boring conversation to end.
Danzo finished his "care" for the advisors and subordinates. He looked at Kabuto. "What are you doing here, Kabuto Yakushi?"
Kabuto's smile deepened. His gentle tone, however, made the temperature in this dark underground space plummet.
"Lord Danzo." He spoke slowly. "Lord Orochimaru sent me to retrieve what belongs to him."
"What belongs to him?" Danzo narrowed his eyes.
"Naturally, the… Sharingan you treasured before you backstabbed Lord Orochimaru."
Kabuto took a step forward. The eyes behind his glasses glinted dangerously. His gaze fixed directly on Danzo's bandaged right arm.
"And also… regarding the Director back then…" He added softly, as if mentioning it in passing. "Nonou."
The name flashed through Danzo's mind. His expression stiffened for a moment. He certainly understood the implication in Kabuto's words. The "spy" opposite him, under Orochimaru's protection, had finally come for revenge.
"Hmph." He snorted coldly. "You want the Sharingan? You think you can take them?"
Danzo signaled the Root members with a look. Sai, Torune Aburame, Fu Yamanaka, and dozens of Root elites moved instantly. They drew weapons, chakra surging, forming a massive encirclement as they pounced on Kabuto.
The air was instantly torn by various ninjutsu and taijutsu.
However.
The moment the Root members launched their attack, the briefcase Kabuto held opened automatically.
Several metallic glints flashed.
Click-clack!
Crisp and rapid sounds of mechanical interlocking rang out. Kabuto's figure was swallowed by dazzling metallic luster.
In the blink of an eye, he was clad in a streamlined, high-tech serpentine battle armor! The armor joints had an eerie fluidity, the helmet was styled like a snake's head, and the eyes glowed with cold red light.
"!!"
Danzo and the two advisors' pupils contracted violently.
What is that?!
Another new invention of Orochimaru?!
"Apologies, everyone."
The voice emitted from the Snake Armor had a metallic chill, but the tone remained Kabuto's usual gentleness. "I'm in a hurry."
Hiss!
Without warning, the Snake Armor moved. So fast it left only an afterimage! It charged straight at Sai, who had attacked first!
Sai reacted quickly, forming seals with both hands. A giant ink lion leaped from his scroll, the ink still unfurling in mid-air!
However, the Snake Armor was faster! It raised an arm, and a high-frequency vibrating energy blade popped out from the palm! This blade, composed of compressed energy, could cut through chakra constructs!
SHING!
Before the ink lion could fully solidify, its "body" was instantly sliced and vaporized by the energy blade! The form made of chakra was fragile and pathetic under the pure energy strike! Sai's ink vanished like steam meeting high heat before the Snake Armor!
"What?!" Sai was horrified. Just as his Ink Clone tried to react, the Snake Armor swept past him.
And he was already decapitated.
Torune Aburame and Fu Yamanaka tried to flank from left and right. Torune opened his sleeves, about to release his invisible microscopic insects, while Fu focused his gaze, preparing to lock onto Kabuto with a Mind Transfer Jutsu!
The Snake Armor executed an instantaneous change of direction between the two!
The joints and back suddenly erupted with blinding chakra drive streams! At this moment, the Snake Armor generated acceleration undetectable by the naked eye! It closed in on Torune instantly!
Torune instinctively extended his arm—the Aburame fighting style, letting insects swarm from his body to touch the enemy.
However, the Snake Armor's arm transformed again! The casing popped open, forming a device resembling an "EMP" or "energy field" generator, instantly releasing a high-energy bio-interference wave!
VMMMM—
The high-energy interference wave enveloped Torune instantly! The microscopic insects, before fully leaving Torune's body, had their chakra link with their master forcibly severed. They lost direction and vitality within the energy field, even showing signs of disintegration!
Insects. The Aburame clan's special life forms dependent on chakra and possessing biological structures were instantly paralyzed when hit by this specially modulated energy strike! Torune himself was also knocked to the ground by the close-range interference wave, his insides churning!
Simultaneously, Fu Yamanaka's Mind Transfer Jutsu had activated! His spiritual wave attempted to invade Kabuto inside the Snake Armor!
Small devices popped out on both sides of the Snake Armor's helmet, emitting a faint hum.
[Anti-Chakra Psionic Field Activated.]
A cold system notification sounded inside the armor. An invisible anti-chakra psionic field instantly expanded around the helmet area!
Fu's mental link slammed into this field!
Splurt!
Like hitting an invisible high-voltage net! Fu felt his spiritual energy instantly cut off by a rigid force and suffered a violent backlash! This defense field possessed extremely high resistance to the Yamanaka clan's mind control!
Fu grunted, clutching his head, swaying before kneeling on one knee, temporarily incapacitated.
The remaining Root members were terrified! Their prized stealth, assassination, and various basic ninjutsu seemed like childish tricks before this unknown monster!
The Snake Armor gave them no chance to breathe. Multi-functional mechanical tentacles popped from its back, tipping with arcs of electricity, blades, or shockwaves. Energy beams shot from joints, fingertips, and even the chest.
The Snake Armor moved at high speed through the crowd. Every appearance was accompanied by the horrific sounds of flying flesh and tearing metal. The smell of blood instantly filled the cramped underground space. Mixed with burnt protein and cold metal.
The elite of Root were merely fragile, outdated prey before this monster.
The battle lasted only a dozen seconds. The elite of Root were all dead.
In the chaos, the two advisors tried to distance themselves, but the shockwaves of the Snake Armor's attacks reached them. An energy beam grazed Homura Mitokado, instantly turning half his body into charcoal. Koharu Utatane was crushed by a collapsing stone pillar, letting out a wretched scream before falling completely silent.
Blood splattered the walls and floor.
Kabuto Yakushi, or rather, him in the Snake Armor, stood amidst the corpses and ruins. The metal snake head turned toward Danzo Shimura.
"Lord Danzo." The Snake Armor's voice was cold and ruthless. "Now, can we talk?"
Danzo, the Root leader who plotted everything in the ninja world's shadows, finally showed a look of shock and surprise.
Shock.
Disbelief.
And the ecstasy of potentially obtaining this power!
This battle armor and the knowledge in Kabuto's brain were more valuable than everyone here combined! If Orochimaru had been chosen as Hokage back then… If Hiruzen hadn't banned Orochimaru's experiments… Maybe Konoha would now be…
"Hiruzen, that stubborn old fool…"
Danzo knew he had to use his greatest trump card. For Konoha's future. For the knowledge about Orochimaru in Kabuto's head and this armor.
He suddenly widened his eyes! In his eye socket, the Mangekyo Sharingan belonging to Shisui Uchiha, with its unique pattern, spun continuously!
Kotoamatsukami!
Target: Kabuto Yakushi!
He would use Shisui's ultimate genjutsu to rewrite Kabuto's will, making him contribute his power to Konoha!
However.
Just as the power of Kotoamatsukami erupted.
[High-Risk Energy Fluctuation Detected: Mental/Genjutsu Type. Triggering Defense Mechanism!]
A cold system alert sounded inside the Snake Armor. The red light in the armor's eyes surged!
A completely different energy poured out from within the armor. This was the mana source stored beforehand by the magical girls of the Hidden Sound! Certain magically modified abilities could only be driven by mana.
VMM—
A visible energy barrier formed on the surface of the Snake Armor. The invisible force of Kotoamatsukami, attempting to erode will, slammed into this magical barrier.
Ripples spread across the barrier. Although the surface flickered violently and stored mana was consumed, the power of Kotoamatsukami ultimately failed to penetrate! The mental interference was forcibly blocked!
Even though it wasn't cast by an Uchiha. Even though it was Kotoamatsukami with only one eye. It was still Kotoamatsukami.
But right now, it was blocked!
Danzo's Kotoamatsukami failed!
"Th—this is impossible?!"