Chapter 21 — Was the Dark Side of the Ninja World Set Up?
Nawaki was dragged away by Tsunade, lifted by the back of his collar, not even given the chance to say goodbye. In the blink of an eye, only Yami remained on the training field.
He didn't dare linger to relive what had just happened—afraid Tsunade might suddenly double back. Without even bothering to dust himself off, he forced himself to get up and leave.
But the aftereffects of opening the Fourth Gate for the first time were severe. His muscles throbbed as if pierced by countless needles, pain spreading through every fiber.
All he could do was slow his pace, hobbling step by step toward home.
No matter how one looked at it, today's "training" had gone well beyond expectations.
Having Tsunade-hime herself as a sparring partner had given him a far clearer understanding of his own strength.
Chakra went without saying—even before reaching full physical maturity, he estimated his reserves were already at roughly seven to eight standard units.
As for taijutsu, with the boost from the Eight Gates, he could probably scrape the threshold of a Special Jōnin.
Genjutsu… well, let's say he wouldn't be helpless. Against someone on a similar level, it was at least usable.
Of course, if he were to lay all his cards on the table and go all out, that would be another matter entirely.
The moment he returned home, Yami collapsed onto his bed, utterly drained.
Since coming to this world, he had been constantly running just to survive. Coupled with habits carried over from his previous life, he'd never seriously considered romantic matters—especially before eighteen.
But what happened today felt like someone had pierced a thin layer of paper.
For the first time, unfamiliar ripples stirred in his heart.
As his chaotic thoughts slowly settled, his breathing grew steady. Before he realized it, he had fallen into a deep sleep.
---
Hokage's Office
The Hokage's office was unusually lively today, filled with faces Hiruzen Sarutobi knew all too well.
"Danzō? Why are you back?!"
Hiruzen stared at the man before him, feeling none of the relief he'd felt upon seeing Tsunade earlier—only a surge of irritation. Danzō's sudden return to the village bordered dangerously on disobeying frontline orders.
"The front lines are already under my and Orochimaru's control," Danzō replied calmly. "I returned because I heard Tsunade has come back to the village. I require her to treat my eye."
Hiruzen Sarutobi only then noticed that Danzō Shimura's right eye was wrapped in bandages. He had assumed it was nothing more than a superficial injury—never expecting it to involve the eye itself.
"What happened to you…?"
Now that there was a reason behind it, Hiruzen couldn't very well lose his temper. His tone softened as he asked about his old comrade's condition.
"The fighting on the front lines was intense. I was caught in the aftermath during an engagement—that's all," Danzō replied lightly. The words sounded casual, yet beneath them lay a quiet attempt to underscore his own contributions.
"I'll arrange for Tsunade to treat you immediately."
"No need. Official matters come first," Danzō said righteously. "I'll return to Root and deal with the backlog of affairs. Waiting a few days won't matter."
He cut a noble figure, as though prepared to bleed dry for Konoha.
In truth, this return to the village had far more to do with the emergency report from Root: the base had been infiltrated, and a large number of items stolen. Danzō was furious—he had to personally assess the losses.
Especially because many of the secrets in Root's office were known only to him. Even his most trusted subordinates would be unable to inventory what was missing.
On the way back, he had already made his calculations. This eye injury provided the perfect excuse to replace it with the three-tomoe Sharingan of Uchiha Kagami he had long kept in reserve. His strength would increase, and the bandages would conveniently conceal the truth—a perfect solution.
After parting with Hiruzen, Danzō returned to his beloved Root headquarters. The moment he stepped into his office, his expression changed drastically.
Even though his subordinates had already reported the theft, Danzō had been confident in his arrangements. He believed that even if Hiruzen himself were to investigate, he might not uncover the hidden measures Danzō had laid down.
But now—
The bookshelves were stripped bare. Worse still, the secret chamber in the corner—one he himself rarely opened—was fully exposed. And the special metal door that had once been seamlessly fused with the wall was simply… gone.
No exaggeration: if the contents of that room were exposed, even as the Hokage's right-hand man, Danzō would be finished.
In an instant, cold sweat soaked his back. The anger that had filled him moments before was completely replaced by shock.
He hurried to inspect the hidden compartments behind the shelves. The sealing formulas—his final line of defense—were still intact. Yet everything stored within them had vanished without exception.
The last shred of hope collapsed.
A vast conspiracy seemed poised to swallow him whole.
He even began to wonder—had Hiruzen finally secured his position as Hokage and decided it was time to turn on him, his longtime "advisor"?
The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Not long after Danzō was dispatched to the front lines, Root had been surgically looted.
And yet… Hiruzen had not taken advantage of this to strike. Was he deliberately holding back? Giving him one last chance?
Possibility after possibility churned through Danzō's mind, leaving him increasingly unsettled.
So lost in thought was he that he failed to notice someone approaching.
"Danzō-sama."
It was Shimura Shinsei, still grievously injured, coming to accept punishment. After all, this incident was closely tied to his failure.
In truth, Shinsei had been incredibly lucky. His chest had been pierced clean through by a bone spike, blood pouring out—by all logic, a fatal wound. Yet Yami's lightning technique had scorched the wound shut while passing through, cauterizing it and stopping the bleeding. Against all odds, he had survived.
"You useless trash!"
Already seething, Danzō exploded with rage at the sight of him. Learning that the intruder had broken through by first taking down Shinsei only fueled his fury further—he nearly wanted to strangle this clansman with his own hands.
Shinsei, seeing Danzō's wrath, was about to withdraw in silence when Danzō suddenly called out to stop him.
Before he could react, Danzō ripped the clothes from his body.
"D–Danzō-sama…?"
"Silence!"
Shinsei's thoughts were in chaos, yet a strange resignation crept in—if it's Danzō-sama…
Danzō knew his actions were abrupt, but his mind was in too much turmoil to explain himself. He slashed through the bandages around Shinsei's wound, exposing the partially scabbed injury to the air.
His eyes narrowed as he studied it intently.
"This wound… it looks like…"
The words nearly slipped out—but he swallowed them back down.
This was not something that could be spoken aloud.
Even within a base entirely under his control, after being infiltrated so silently, Danzō no longer felt safe.
Bone spikes?
The assassination attempt on Nawaki also used bone spikes.
Is this a spy hiding within the village… or a bloodline ninja secretly cultivated by Hiruzen as a 'black glove'?
Others might miss the signs—but not Danzō Shimura.
As an elite shinobi without a bloodline of his own, he had long since etched the traits of every major bloodline into his memory.
Seeing that Danzō made no further move, Shinsei dared not act, standing rigidly as Danzō scrutinized his bare torso.
At last, perhaps sensing the oppressive tension, Danzō waved his hand.
"Leave. Focus on recovering from your injuries."