Chapter 77: Danzo's Root Canal: About to Get a Whole Lot More Painful
"Hey, go fetch me some water!"
"Yes."
"Wait, come here and let me bite you first!"
"I…"
Death Forest.
Three Genin candidates from Kusagakure were resting behind a large rock.
A babbling brook flowed nearby.
Karin, who was about to obey and fetch water, could only reluctantly walk back to her companion and hold out her small arm.
As an orphan of the Uzumaki clan, she was born with the ability to heal others' bodies.
As long as someone bit her skin, they could recover from their injuries, even restore their Chakra.
But because of this special ability, and because of the shortsightedness of Kusagakure, a small border country, her mother had been bitten to death by Kusagakure Ninja as a blood bag in a small-scale war.
And now, it was gradually starting to be her turn.
Faced with the same fate as her mother, Karin felt utterly despairing.
"Hurry up, what are you spacing out for?"
The male Kusagakure Ninja glanced disdainfully at the malnourished, petite girl and urged her to roll up her sleeve.
"Um…"
Although she had only just begun to be used as a medical tool, Karin already had two or three teeth marks on her fair little arm.
"Not that one, give me the other arm that hasn't been bitten!"
"But… they're all the same."
Karin shrank back, somewhat unwilling.
"Don't waste time!"
The Kusagakure Ninja grabbed Karin's hair.
"Do you think any part of your body will avoid being bitten in the future? Hurry up and give me your arm!"
"It hurts…"
Karin winced in pain as her hair was pulled.
Then she carefully extended her intact arm.
Yes, sooner or later it would be covered in teeth marks, what was she even imagining?
Wanting to protect the integrity of her skin was simply a ridiculous idea.
Remembering her mother's body covered with tattered white cloth and full of teeth marks, Karin's eyes gradually became empty.
Sooner or later, she would be like her mother …
"Tch, next time you disobey, it won't be as simple as pulling your hair!"
Looking at the girl's tender, fair skin, the Kusagakure Ninja finally opened his mouth with satisfaction.
"I heard that your mother begged the Kusagakure Ninja to bite her back then, just so we would take you in. You should learn to be grateful, you know? Too bad that slut of a mother of yours died so young…"
"No, you're not allowed to talk about my Mother!"
Slap!
Like a conditioned reflex, because her mother was insulted, Karin pulled back the arm that was about to be bitten and slapped the man's face.
"You… you're even more of a slut than your mother!"
The slap wasn't powerful, but it made the Kusagakure Ninja feel greatly insulted.
"I'll teach you a lesson today!"
Covering his face, the male Ninja took a Kunai from his Ninja tool bag and looked at the girl's tightly wrapped chest.
"Don't you want to protect your body? I'll slash a few scars on your chest right now, let's see if you still protect it!"
"No… I don't want to!"
Looking at her enraged companion, Karin closed her eyes in fear and fell to the ground, desperately propping herself up with her hands, moving her body away from the Kusagakure Ninja in front of her.
"You don't get to decide!"
One Kusagakure Ninja forcefully tore at Karin's tightly guarded collar.
The other Kusagakure Ninja just watched the show from the side.
"Don't ruin it too badly, it'll be bad if someone resents us when we get back to the Village."
There were others in the Village who wanted to bite this girl too.
"Heh, we'll just say she was scarred by the enemy, who would know?"
"Help!!"
Looking at the fierce man raising the Kunai in front of her, Karin shouted desperately.
Although in her heart, she knew that it would be useless even if she shouted herself hoarse, but what if…
This might be her last struggle and resistance, before becoming her mother …
"Shut up, do you want to attract the enemy? You troublesome slut! I'll cut off your tongue first!"
"Hey, wait, it seems like someone's really coming…"
Just as the male Ninja pinched Karin's chin, wanting to poke the girl's mouth with the Kunai, his companion suddenly reminded him with some fear.
In this Death Forest, the Kusagakure Ninja were too weak, undoubtedly just cannon fodder there to make up the numbers.
So they were afraid of almost everyone they saw.
"Wait… it doesn't seem to be other Shinobi Village Genin, it's a Konoha Examiner?"
After seeing the style of clothing worn by the person who arrived, the Kusagakure Ninja breathed a sigh of relief.
However, he still put down the girl he was holding, who was still crying.
Although the Examiners generally wouldn't interfere in the struggles between candidates, bullying a companion was, after all, not very honorable, so it was better to wait for the person to leave before taking action.
"A Uzumaki clan bloodline?"
He didn't expect such an unexpected harvest.
At this time, Uchiha Kage, who had just dealt with the Sand Sibling trio, was on his way to the Tower to meet up with Ino and Samui.
He just didn't expect to run into this red-haired girl so coincidentally.
He almost forgot about this girl.
"You're called Karin, right?"
Completely ignoring the other two Kusa Ninjas, Uchiha Kage walked directly towards the girl who was still lying prone on the ground.
"Yes… I… You, you know my name?"
Is this the person who came to save me?
A ray of sunshine finally shone into Karin's desperate heart.
Even if it was only temporary escape from danger, she would take it.
"Then that's right."
Uchiha Kage looked at the girl's arm.
There were two shallow teeth marks remaining on it, which seemed to have been bitten only during this Chunin Exams.
"You, you're here to…"
Karin subconsciously shrank the arm with the teeth marks behind her back. In front of this overly handsome young man, she really didn't want to show her flaws.
She didn't even have the courage to ask the question, "Are you here to save me?"
"You'll follow me from now on."
Uchiha Kage reached out and pulled the girl, who had hidden one arm behind her back, up from the ground.
"Hey, what do you mean? Does the Konoha want to snatch our Kusagakure Ninja?"
"So what if I snatch her? Do you think you'll even see tomorrow's sun?"
Uchiha Kage turned back coldly, and just one glance made the two Kusa Ninjas fall into great panic and fear.
Illusionary Technique: Hell Viewing Technique!
"You… Ah!!!"
The two Kusa Ninjas, trapped in the Illusionary Technique, fell to the ground amidst screams.
"F-follow you?"
Wasn't this a dream?
Or did this Konoha Ninja also see her ability and plan to take her back to become a Konoha tool?
However, in any case, following this handsome Konoha youth was better than following those two Kusa Ninjas before.
Karin didn't even look back at the two fallen Kusagakure Ninja.
"Unwilling?"
Uchiha Kage pulled the girl's arm out from behind her, then rolled up her sleeve and checked the two teeth marks on it.
"No, no! If you… if you want to bite me, this arm is better…"
Karin wanted to pull back her left arm and hand over her flawless right arm.
But she couldn't pull it back successfully.
"If you want me to bite you, you have to grow to the Jonin level to have a chance, it's still too early now."
With his current amount of Chakra, it wasn't something a weak girl could bear.
"However, it seems that doctors can't heal themselves after all?"
Uchiha Kage slowly healed the teeth marks on the girl's arm with the Mystical Palm Technique.
"You…"
Karin had never seen a Ninja holding her arm not to bite her, but to treat her.
Moreover, under the other party's careful healing, the two teeth marks on her arm really faded, and were even about to disappear.
"Let's go, you'll work under me from now on, and help me with things."
After putting the two Kusagakure Ninja into his Dream Space.
Uchiha Kage also gave the other party a set of Konoha Anbu uniform after healing Karin.
Samui, Karin… not bad, his Anbu Squad had another employee.
"Yes!"
Looking at her arm, which was as white as new, Karin nodded happily while also shedding tears of joy.
Even if he used her as a Konoha tool in the future, she would be willing.
This was the first time someone cared about her and healed her.
And he was… so handsome…
Don't even mention being a tool, she would be willing to be a slave.
"Don't cry, I'll only let you bite me from now on, I won't let anyone else bite you."
Uchiha Kage thought that the girl was crying because she thought he would send her to a pile of Konoha Ninja to be a medical blood bag, so he comforted her slightly.
"How's that?"
Otherwise, it would be too eye-catching to follow him while crying all the way.
"Woo… mm! From now on… I'll only let you bite me!"
But what Uchiha Kage didn't expect was that after he said that, the tears in the girl's eyes fell even more.
Even the sobbing was much heavier than before.
Then, not knowing if it was because she was too emotionally excited, or too tired, she actually fainted directly on the ground.
"…"
Damn it, does letting her bite him alone make her feel very wronged?
Or does he have to save her from a bear's mouth?
Helpless, Uchiha Kage could only put the girl, who seemed to have cried herself to sleep, back into his Dream Space.
----
"Sasuke, what's… wrong?"
They had easily obtained the Heaven and Earth Scrolls to pass, and safely survived the previous powerful enemy.
Now that they were about to leave the Death Forest, it should have been a happy thing.
But Sakura found that Sasuke seemed to have become a different person from before.
Sasuke, who had been full of confidence before, with words like "weaklings," "trash," and "garbage can't satisfy me," was now like a frostbitten eggplant, with a gloomy expression and listless state.
"Don't mind him, Sasuke always has a period like this after being beaten up, wasn't it like this in the Land of Waves? Just get used to it…"
"Naruto!!"
Hearing Naruto slander him like this, Sasuke couldn't hold it in anymore.
What did he mean by being beaten up? When was he beaten up?
The affairs of Ninja battles, could that be called being beaten up?
"But, that Masked Man must be a good person, thanks to him, we escaped from Orochimaru's hands."
Naruto ignored Sasuke's impotent rage and continued to be curious about the Masked Man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara.
"Hmph, that kind of guy, he's just looking down on us."
What depressed Sasuke now was that even with the three-tomoe Sharingan, he still wasn't invincible.
Especially after hearing that Uchiha Itachi had defeated Orochimaru…
When Orochimaru fought him, he didn't even use his full strength, while that Uchiha Itachi dealt with Orochimaru as easily as today's 'Uchiha Madara' dealt with Orochimaru.
Mangekyo Sharingan… Is it true that only by obtaining these eyes can one become the truly invincible Uchiha?
But, what should he do to evolve into Mangekyo?
"It's Orochimaru again, and Uchiha Madara again… it's all so unreal…"
If Naruto and Sasuke weren't both talking about it, Sakura would never have believed that during the time she was unconscious, the Konoha Sannin and the legendary villain Uchiha Madara had actually appeared.
And right in front of their eyes.
"Wait, we have to report this matter to Hokage-sama!"
After being surprised, Sakura suddenly realized the blind spot.
"It seems so…"
Sasuke also forgot a bit that he was still a member of Konoha.
"Hmph! It's finally time for our Team 7 to shine!"
Naruto also looked excited, this was a major event of fighting against Orochimaru and Uchiha Madara, their Team 7 were all participants, saying it out would definitely make the other companions in the Village admire them!
But--
Just when Naruto hurriedly ran into Hokage-sama's lounge with Sakura and Sasuke, and confidently said the information about Orochimaru and Uchiha Madara's appearance, they found that no one in the lounge showed a surprised expression about this information.
They didn't even bother to cast their attention on them.
"What, it turns out someone else beat us to it…"
Looking at Anko, who had already completed the report on Orochimaru, and Uchiha Kage, who had already told Sarutobi Hiruzen about 'Uchiha Madara' appearing in the Death Forest.
Naruto leaned his arms behind his head with considerable boredom and narrowed his eyes.
----
"Are you sure it's the same Masked Man as before… that night?"
"Yes! And he also claims to be Uchiha Madara."
"Okay, I got it."
Looking at Uchiha Kage, who was loyal and came to report the information as soon as possible, Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded with great satisfaction.
Of course, he also gave Anko, who arrived the second time, enough comfort.
As a Disciple, wanting to deal with Orochimaru, this Teacher, was originally more difficult than ascending to the heavens for Anko, so Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't feel regretful that she let the other party go.
But…
Orochimaru aside, what's going on with this Masked Man?
Breaking into Konoha again and again, and coming and going as he pleases, what does he think of his Konoha Village!?
And what is Uchiha Itachi doing? He actually went to Danzo's place at such an important time!
"Go and call Kakashi, I have an important task to give him."
"Yes."
That Uchiha Obito, born in Konoha for a lifetime, even if he doesn't think about repaying the Village, he went to become a renegade Ninja for no reason!
But this guy has such a bizarre Mangekyo Sharingan, so he can only let Kakashi, who has Obito's other eye, deal with him.
But…
"I hope this child Kakashi can be worthy of my trust."
He had never cultivated Kakashi much before, but now it seemed that he had to cultivate the other party.
The only Ninjutsu that can deal with Obito is the Flying Thunder God Technique.
He hoped that Kakashi could learn it… no, he must learn it, if he knew that Obito was still alive and had become a renegade Ninja, he would learn the Flying Thunder God Technique even if he risked his life.
"Hokage-sama, Ita is back!"
Just when Sarutobi Hiruzen was frowning and worrying about a lot of affairs in the lounge, an Anbu Ninja suddenly brought news of Uchiha Itachi.
"He's back? Let him come and see me quickly!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen ordered with a murderous look.
If Asuma's matter was really done by Uchiha Itachi, then he couldn't be allowed to live!
----
"No, Hokage-sama, one of Shisui's eyes was really taken away by the Leader of Akatsuki, and the other eye should have been in Danzo's hands all along."
As soon as he came out of Root, Uchiha Itachi heard the Hokage's emergency summons.
He immediately understood that his private visit to Danzo must have been known by the Third Hokage, and maybe even Danzo deliberately revealed it to the other party.
So, after arriving in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen, he carefully explained the ins and outs of his visit to Danzo.
However, what he never expected was that Asuma was actually controlled by an Illusionary Technique.
And it was the Illusionary Technique of the Sharingan.
What he didn't expect even more was that the Masked Man actually appeared in Konoha again, and didn't even discuss it with him beforehand!
Helpless, in order to prove his innocence, in addition to carefully confessing what Danzo said to him, Uchiha Itachi also carefully talked about the loss of Uchiha Shisui's two Sharingan.
"What did you say!? Danzo took Shisui's eyes!?"
Compared to Asuma being controlled, compared to Obito, this unexpected traitor, Sarutobi Hiruzen was really shocked into a cold sweat by Danzo's possession of Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Yes, that night Shisui went to ask Danzo not to issue the order to exterminate the Uchiha clan, and then…"
"Then why didn't you tell me that day!"
"I…"
Did the Third Hokage-sama not know that there was a Sharingan of Shisui in Danzo's place?
Uchiha Itachi had always thought that Sarutobi Hiruzen had defaulted and already knew about Danzo's seizure of Shisui's Sharingan.
But now he realized that it was just Danzo's willful action.
So…
The Konoha Higher-Ups were also a mess.
Just like the Akatsuki.
"Forget it, I won't pursue such distant things."
These children always use conspiracy theories to suspect me …
Was he that dark? Don't always put what Danzo did on his head, okay?
Although he didn't do some things well, and even let Danzo go …
But putting aside the facts, he simply hadn't done anything wrong!
"But, Danzo called you, was it really just as simple as letting you kill Uchiha Kage?"
Although he reluctantly believed that Uchiha Itachi didn't control Asuma, Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't fully believe, and didn't dare to fully believe, what the other party described about the conversation when meeting with Danzo.
Even Shisui's eyes, Danzo dared to secretly take, he didn't believe that Danzo had no other ideas.
For example--wanting to get the 'Future Note' in his hand through Uchiha Itachi.
"Yes, he only told me to deal with the mistakes left behind that year."
Uchiha Itachi shook his head.
Danzo really only told him this much.
"Foolish! I am the Hokage! If he wants to threaten you, he has to pass my level first!"
He said that if there was anything, come to him, this Hokage, as soon as possible, but he had to hide it and meet Danzo.
He's an ungrateful wretch.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was angry at Danzo's concealment and angry at Uchiha Itachi's disobedience.
"If you really plan to harm the Village's companions, I will never allow you, you know?"
Uchiha Kage was much better than Uchiha Itachi.
Sarutobi Hiruzen thought that Uchiha Itachi would only be used for this moment, and in the future, he would often use the obedient Uchiha Kage.
"Yes…"
Uchiha Itachi quickly said yes with humility.
However, he didn't dare to ignore the threat of Danzo, this mad dog.
What if Sasuke was over there …
"Follow me to Danzo's place tonight and let him hand over the eyes! I don't think his Root needs to be kept anymore!"
The tree is big and the roots are deep.
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't know how many small actions Danzo had secretly made over the years, but just keeping Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan from him was enough for him to sentence Danzo to life imprisonment.
A full-scale war with Sunagakure was about to begin, so he couldn't let Danzo, this time bomb, come out to cause trouble again!
"Understood!"
Hokage-sama was finally going to deal with Danzo?
Uchiha Itachi was very excited.
He also felt that all the darkness in Konoha was caused by Danzo alone.
If he could get rid of Danzo, this tumor, he couldn't imagine how beautiful the future of Konoha Village would become.
"You go down first."
After Sarutobi Hiruzen sent away Uchiha Itachi, he finally relaxed and took a puff of smoke.
Danzo, Orochimaru, Uchiha Itachi, Obito, Akatsuki…
When he really thought about the events of these days, he only felt a headache.
"Go and ask when Jiraiya will be back!"
In addition to Kakashi and small generals like Uchiha Kage, he now needed a big general like Jiraiya to support the scene.
"And Tsunade… send people to find her whereabouts, the Village is in trouble, she must come back too."
Spitting out the smoke rings, Sarutobi Hiruzen instructed the Anbu Ninja by the window.
"Yes!"
"Teacher Tobirama, one day, I will achieve your last wish!"
I, the Third Hokage, will lead Konoha to the pinnacle of the Ninja World!
Putting the Pipe on the table, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was upset, walked to the portraits of the past Hokage again.
Looking at the portraits of the First Hokage and the Second Hokage, he rekindled his ambition.
Of course, what gave him the most confidence was--
Swish.
Opening the seal on the drawer, Sarutobi Hiruzen took out the 'Future Note' that he had been taking out to review recently.
With this 'treasure book,' he could clearly know Orochimaru's recent movements and the true identity of that mysterious Masked Man.
"Teacher Tobirama really gave me a good treasure, it's just that it would be better if it could be more detailed."
Sighing.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sealed the notebook back in the drawer.
Then he continued to think about the next plan after conquering Sunagakure.
Iwagakure? Kumogakure? Or… the allied Kirigakure? Or steadily advance and gather the surrounding small countries first?
At the thought of the magnificent Ninja World in the future, and himself who would surely stir up the situation, Sarutobi Hiruzen's troubled old face was full of excitement.