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"Lord Danzō, this is how it is. Please forgive me, Lord Danzō. If we hadn't done this, it would have been difficult for us to return."
At the Root base in Konoha, Shuuzawa stood before Danzō, maintaining a respectful demeanor.
His gaze briefly swept toward Aburame Ryōma beside him, then to the Root shinobi training outside.
He figured that it was best to keep a low profile unless necessary. Meanwhile, Danzō had fallen into deep thought.
Though his expression remained composed, his eyes carried the same sharp intensity as Hiruzen Sarutobi's—if not even more astonished.
Danzō was indeed astonished. He never expected to hear such a report.
Like Kabuto's intel, this brat Shuuzawa had caused absolute chaos in Sunagakure, stirring up trouble under Danzō's name.
Yet, Danzō couldn't find a reason to reprimand him.
From Konoha's standpoint, disrupting the peace agreement between Sunagakure and Kirigakure meant stripping Rasa of his leverage against Iwagakure.
A weakened Sunagakure was in Konoha's best interest—there was no doubt about that.
Moreover, Danzō personally disliked Rasa.
He still held grudges from the Third Great Ninja War, and Shuuzawa had conveniently handed him an ally—Ebizō.
Even if Ebizō hadn't agreed yet, that was expected.
Shuuzawa lacked the authority to make enticing promises, and Ebizō was cautious enough not to be easily swayed.
But this was undeniably a good thing. Danzō even wondered if he could have handled it as well.
"No, you did well. Exceptionally well."
After a long silence, Danzō finally spoke.
"Your growth pleases me. Your strategy was flawless. As for your mission, she is more valuable alive. Consider it complete."
Consider it? Damn it, I risked my life, and it's only considered complete? Shuuzawa felt a strong urge to curse.
But at that moment, his interface suddenly flashed.
[Mission Complete: Neutralize Pakura]
[Mission Rating: S]
[Rewards Earned: 5 Free Points]
[Bonus Reward for High-Difficulty Mission]
[Danzō's Wind Release]
Shuuzawa blinked in surprise, then quickly composed himself, showing a respectful expression. "Thank you, Lord Danzō."
The special reward wasn't particularly impressive, given that he had barely explored Wind Release chakra.
However, those five free points were invaluable.
So the higher the mission difficulty and rating, the more free points he would earn?
Shuuzawa had always maintained a "working for Danzō barely covers a month's stipend; why risk my life?" mentality.
As a seasoned veteran, he often played it safe by sticking to group operations as a "trainee," allowing him to complete missions with minimal risk.
But now, it seemed he might need to put in more effort.
"Also, I won't pursue the matter with Kabuto. He played a role in this as well."
As Shuuzawa thought deeply, Danzō continued, "But remember, Root must abide by Root's rules. Understood?"
"Yes, Lord Danzō." Shuuzawa nodded.
Meanwhile, Danzō was reminded of Kinoe, another troublesome figure that gave him headaches.
Waving his hand dismissively, Danzō said, "You're dismissed."
"Kabuto should be back by now. Go meet with him. Also, you'll handle the follow-up negotiations with Sunagakure."
"I understand. Then, I'll take my leave." Shuuzawa had been itching to leave.
He was no longer interested in exchanging words with Danzō, especially since he wanted to check his rewards.
Without hesitation, he gave a slight bow and walked out.
As for future dealings with Sunagakure, he wasn't surprised.
Danzō had lost his most elite "Root 1.0" forces in Amegakure, nearly dying to Nagato's rampage.
He likely wouldn't dare leave Konoha again—at least not until he became the Hokage. Only then did he have the confidence to step out.
"Like a ruler whose ambitions were cut short before his reign truly began."
Sitting under a shaded spot outside the Root base, Shuuzawa waited for Kabuto while reviewing his rewards.
"Another 5 free points. This was an absolute jackpot!"
Sure, he had received smaller rewards of 2 or 3 points before, but getting 5 or 6 at once was rare. He needed to decide how to allocate them carefully.
"I'll raise Yang Release to LV2 first. The rest will go into chakra reserves."
The power of Yang Release was undeniably tempting.
However, it seemed to suffer from a "stat-based anomaly"—where Yin Release amplified ninjutsu while Yang Release enhanced taijutsu.
Shuuzawa found this rather frustrating. Still, he understood the importance of physical attributes.
Ideally, he would max out Yin Release, Yang Release, the Cursed Seal, and all the elemental jutsu he specialized in.
But since he lacked the necessary points, he had to prioritize what would give him the greatest boost.
"Without a strong body to channel and maximize these abilities, none of it matters."
[Shigenari Shuuzawa]
[Physical Attributes: LV7]
[Chakra Reserves: LV7]
[Abilities: Cursed Seal LV3, Yin Release LV3, Yang Release LV2, etc.]
[Free Points: 0]
Looking at the updated stats and feeling the surging chakra within him, Shuuzawa nodded in satisfaction.
"At this point, I should qualify as an elite jōnin, right?"
His ninjutsu might still need work, but his base attributes were solid. Combined with his various buffs, his overall combat power was even greater.
As for [Danzō's Wind Release]—
"So I can acquire Wind Release at jōnin level?"
Shuuzawa found it amusing. This ability was similar to [Ninjutsu Scholar], but while the latter allowed him to enhance any jutsu, [Danzō's Wind Release] was limited to Wind Release.
"Not bad. Scorch Release requires Wind Release, after all. If I improve my Fire Release, I might be able to master it."
Shuuzawa nodded in thought. His time in the Land of Wind had exposed some of his weaknesses. In certain environments, his attack options were limited.
Especially Water Release—it was practically useless in the desert.
With Wind Release as a backup, his combat effectiveness would only improve.
"Once I enhance my abilities enough, I'll focus on strengthening my body. Let's see if I'm really heading down the path of Asura."
Shuuzawa's growth had no limits—that was the system's design. But how far he could go remained a mystery even to himself.
However, now, he felt he was truly seeing some possibilities.
What made Asura strong?
His powerful Yang Release and physical resilience far surpass Indra's ocular abilities.
Even without Asura's inherited Yang Release, Shuuzawa's unlimited physical growth gave him hope.
"If that's the case, step aside, Naruto. I'm going to be the next Asura!"
Clenching his fists, Shuuzawa solidified his resolve.
Just then, he spotted Kabuto approaching, now dressed in Konoha attire.
"Welcome back."
At a grilled fish restaurant, Shuuzawa smiled as he handed over a freshly grilled salted sea bream.
He knew Kabuto liked this dish—Nonō had personally made it for him back at the orphanage.
"Thanks."
Kabuto glanced at the grilled fish, then hesitated. Perhaps recalling his painful experiences in Root, he forced an awkward smile.
He then sighed, speaking with a hint of resignation.
"But even though I'm back, I probably won't be able to visit the orphanage."
Shuuzawa nodded. Root wouldn't allow its members to freely reconnect with their past.
Danzō's earlier words had been a warning—reminding him not to make foolish mistakes.
Although Shuuzawa completely disregarded Danzō's words, treating them as nonsense, he knew that going there would be pointless.
Nonō had already gone to Iwagakure. "Tell me about what happened in Sunagakure."
Shuuzawa thought for a moment and spoke softly before quickly forming hand seals. Instantly, an invisible barrier appeared around them.
"You—" Kabuto reacted swiftly, immediately understanding Shuuzawa's intention.
He slightly lowered his head to conceal his mouth before speaking. "Where do you think the Director would be now?"
"I can't answer that question," Shuuzawa observed Kabuto's reaction with satisfaction.
This kid was sharp—no wonder Orochimaru favoured him so much.
"But I think there's a high probability that your next undercover location will be the same as hers."
"What do you mean?" Kabuto was puzzled.
Even though he knew Shuuzawa wouldn't joke about something like this, he still didn't understand what he meant.
Was Danzō so kind-hearted that he would arrange a meeting for them?
However, Shuuzawa shook his head. He felt Kabuto was still too naive. He was about to give him a proper lesson.
Shuuzawa had already succeeded in making Danzō hated by both Sasori and Sunagakure.
Since Danzō would inevitably take the blame, why not expand the scope?
"It's simple—you and the Director are in trouble." Shuuzawa lowered his voice while slightly covering his mouth.
"You've repeatedly expressed wanting to leave Root after completing your mission. But have you ever thought about the things you've done?"
"Do you think Root would let you leave? The same goes for the Director."
"She still holds onto a sliver of hope regarding Danzō, but that hope has already sown the seeds of disaster. Don't even try to argue."
"You should still remember how Danzō coerced the Director into joining Root in the first place, right?" Shuuzawa's words left Kabuto speechless.
He wanted to refute him—after all, Danzō was a high-ranking official of Konoha. Surely, he wouldn't be so dishonourable?
But then he recalled overhearing the conversation between Danzō and Nonō back then. Coupled with Root's mission nature, he suddenly felt uneasy.
"As for why I say you and the Director will end up in the same place undercover—"
Shuuzawa tapped the table, signalling Kabuto to keep his composure before continuing calmly.
"When I was in Root, I once overheard the Director asking Danzō for our photos."
"Now, let's hypothesize—if I were Danzō and you were my subordinate, you're this disobedient, and your Director holds the same attitude."
"Eliminating both of us is the best choice to ensure Root's secrets never leaks."
"But how could he do it without dirtying his hands and still ensuring you both die together? The answer is simple."
"He gives the Director fake photos. After all, we were just kids when we joined Root, and how many years have passed since then? Time changes people, and we all grow up."
"When you and the Director meet again, you won't recognize each other because she won't know who you are anymore."
Kabuto's expression changed drastically—he was on the verge of breaking. "Or, he could give her real photos and then order her to kill the people in them. Once everything was done, he'd tell her the truth. Then—"
"Danzō wouldn't even need to act. The Director would likely end her own life!" Kabuto's face turned deathly pale.
He didn't even realise how devastating this would be for Nonō. Seeing his reaction, Shuuzawa nodded slightly.
After all, not everyone was like Uchiha Itachi or Uchiha Obito.
One who personally killed the couple who had cared for him and the other who reached enlightenment in the forest before slaughtering his entire clan, sparing only his younger brother.
Yakushi Nonō was an ordinary person, and at this moment, Kabuto wasn't a complete lunatic.
Otherwise, when he had killed Nonō and realized she didn't recognize him, he wouldn't have had a breakdown.
"So, from the beginning, you've harmed many people—yourself, the Director, and even me."
Shuuzawa watched as Kabuto started to break down further. But after a brief thought, he decided to add another line.
"Of course, this is all just my speculation. Everything depends on what happens next. For example, will you be sent on another mission soon?"
Kabuto fell silent, unable to find the words to respond. He was now deeply conflicted.
He still wanted to believe in Danzō and Konoha's upper echelon.
But Shuuzawa was his childhood friend—the one who grew up with him in the orphanage and later got dragged into Root because of him.
Shuuzawa had already demonstrated his abilities in the Land of Wind.
With his conclusion laid out so clearly, even if Kabuto didn't want to believe it, he had to take it seriously.
But now, he didn't know whom to trust anymore. He was lost in confusion. "What do you want, Shuuzawa?"
After a long pause, Kabuto slowly regained his composure. He was, after all, a skilled spy—he knew he needed to stay calm.
"Me?" Shuuzawa blinked, rubbed his chin, and said, "Naturally, I want to marry multiple wives and live a good life. Besides, doesn't the Buddha say, 'Without indulgence, life loses its flavor'?"
What the hell? I wasn't asking about that! And since when did Buddha say something like that?!
Kabuto's face stiffened, and just as he was about to speak, Shuuzawa continued.
"Of course, certain things need to be dealt with to live a peaceful life. Joining Root is like falling into an abyss."
"In the shinobi village system, without power and status, you're nothing but a tool."
"If we want to crawl out of this abyss, if we want to stop being tools and become the ones who wield them, then we must find a way to climb up!"
"Why should we keep being oppressed by someone like Danzō? Why should he have control over our lives and deaths? And why shouldn't we be the ones sitting in that seat instead?"
Yes, Shuuzawa was a seasoned survivor, but even survivors needed a livable life.
In Root, he could be sold out by Danzō at any moment, sent on deadly missions at any time, and subjected to brainwashing until he became nothing more than a shell of a person.
That was something Shuuzawa could never accept! Before transmigrating, he had grown up watching 'Sun Goku.'
If you won't let me live, do you think I won't resist?
Shuuzawa knew he probably shouldn't be saying this to Kabuto.
But he also knew that if he didn't leave Kabuto with something, Kabuto, as a spy, would never feel at ease.
More importantly, he dared to say it because he had confidence!
"Aren't you afraid I'll report this to Danzō?" After a long silence, Kabuto finally asked.
"Not at all." Shuuzawa shook his head without hesitation. Then he pointed at himself and then at Kabuto.
"I've done so much for Danzō, and he knows how I treated you when we first joined Root. Who do you think he'd believe if you suddenly accused me?"
"You or me? Besides, even if he does suspect me, by then, you'd already be dead while I would still have a chance to escape, wouldn't I?"
Kabuto nearly lost his composure again. What Shuuzawa said was logical, but was he being a little too brazen?
"Think carefully." Seeing Kabuto fall silent again, Shuuzawa lightly patted his shoulder and spoke softly. "Even if not for yourself, think about the orphanage."
"Do you want to spend your whole life working for others, barely making enough to support the orphanage?"
"Or would you rather be the one signing the funding approvals, ensuring a better future for people like us and a safer place for the Director?"
Kabuto didn't know how to answer, but he had to admit—he was tempted.
He had little interest in Shuuzawa's ambitions, but those final words had struck his weak spot!
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