Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 462 A New Contest

The arena for power is no less intense than the battlefield. Here, some rise to fame and fortune, some lose their heads, some ascend to great heights, and some fall short of their goals. Every victory is a face-to-face battle between several factions, and taking a step back could mean utter ruin.

Danzo's death was a perfectly timed accident.

The Uchiha's revenge was certainly not simply about destroying the body. With Shisui and Izuna attacking from both sides, Danzo didn't even have a chance to break the seal before one of his eyes was blinded. Izuna, having come from the Warring States period, had witnessed countless horrific tortures. He directly used genjutsu to subject this heinous and selfish man to all of them. This punishment was far from enough to satisfy the Uchiha's hatred.

However, Tobirama summoned Izuna without warning. The team learned from the communication that Pain's ultimate attack was about to rain down from the sky, and they all fought with all their might. The only survivor, Shisui, was thrown out of Konoha by Tobirama. Pain's location was in the very center of Konoha, which was also the central hub of the Root's underground base. This meant that Danzo and Shisui were within the most likely area to be affected. Tobirama himself wasn't confident he could withstand the attack, let alone what would happen to the underground base. Therefore, throwing Shisui, whom he could save, out was the most logical choice.

As for whether Danzo will escape this fate? Impossible. Even if he doesn't die, Izuna has already placed Tobirama's mark on him, so in the end, it will only make Tobirama make an extra trip.

Coincidentally, in order to protect that area, Konoha deliberately lowered the entire foundation, which directly destroyed the load-bearing structure of the underground fortifications. Later, with the full force of the Deva Path's attack, the underground cavity in that area completely collapsed.

Danzo was trapped in the illusion and unable to protect himself. He was hit on the head by the falling beam and nearly turned into mush. At the moment of his death, the Hashirama cells in his right arm broke free of his control and grew wildly, turning into a tree that partially filled the cavity and miraculously saved half of Danzo's body.

Later, the above-ground part of that area was restored by Sasuke's Dark Revelation, but the underground part, because it was buried too deep, had already escaped the range of the technique and was not affected at all. It remained a mess, and Danzo naturally did not revive.

The body was discovered on the third day after the situation in Konoha stabilized. The human parts were almost completely dried up, barely embedded in the strange tree trunk. Such a bizarre situation naturally required confirmation from the village's Wood Release experts. They confirmed that the tree was indeed a product of the First Hokage's cells. Even more terrifying, Danzo's body had also been significantly invaded by these cells, and it was clear that the invasion had started from his right arm.

"This level of invasion is impossible unless he implanted invasive cells into his own body." Shizune, currently the most authoritative doctor besides Tsunade, pronounced Danzo's death sentence. Even more alarming, Naruto said there seemed to be something else inside the tree, and when the advisor brought in Hyuga, one of his subordinates, they indeed found it: countless eyes, all bearing the three-tomoe mark of the Uchiha clan!

Human experimentation is strictly prohibited in Konoha, and the First Hokage's cells and the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan are even more taboo. Yet, Danzo managed to get involved with all of these, and in a particularly shady way. One of the Root members even defected, producing a lot of evidence. However, Konoha's reconstruction is the top priority right now, and the advisory board intends to downplay the matter, so they haven't discussed it yet.

However, the advisory group clearly wanted to take the initiative and seize control of the investigation, which is why they used underhanded tactics to assign Kakashi a seemingly important task. If Kakashi backed down, they would not only get the land they had been eyeing, but they might also gain the final right to explain the accident.

This is why Tobirama was determined to provoke Kakashi into returning. He might be able to secure the construction planning rights by leveraging Naruto's connections, but Naruto had never been to the Anbu, and his promotions were exceptionally rapid. Moreover, his victory over Pain didn't take place in the village, so he probably couldn't control these ninjas who roamed the shadows and took pride in their strength and achievements.

If Kakashi hadn't come, this excellent opportunity to weaken the advisor's influence would have been lost. Fortunately, the kid was quite capable and soon knocked on the door of the small conference room.

While Tobirama was doing his best to avoid Naruto's close friends and trying to appear too busy to connect with them, "Ki" was also working hard to plan several important things at the same time.

First, there's a power vacuum in Konoha. It's unclear when Tsunade and Jiraiya will be able to fully restore power, and too many things could happen in the meantime. The advisory group might very well try to seize the Hokage's power during this period, perhaps by installing someone as acting Hokage. Furthermore, the Daimyo's hasty arrival in Konoha further increases this possibility.

Therefore, they decided to propose to the Land of Fire that they take this opportunity to integrate "East Wind" into Konoha, and at the same time put forward their final conditions.

Make sure Naruto Uzumaki becomes Hokage.

The reasoning behind this condition is that they had encountered this boy during a mission and had a very comprehensive understanding of his character, concluding that he was a kind and reasonable leader. If such a person were to become Hokage, regardless of who it was, it would facilitate the complete integration of "East Wind" into Konoha.

This reason, though seemingly far-fetched, was perfectly suited to the daimyo's purposes. Those in high positions naturally assume that their leadership decisions can influence everyone's will, and it was reasonable for "East Wind" to want an easy-going Hokage. Coincidentally, the daimyo also wanted a Hokage who was straightforward and easy to control, so the two sides quickly reached an agreement.

Secondly, after a fierce internal struggle, Konan finally agreed to the Impure World Reincarnation of Nagato and Yahiko. Nagato's body absolutely could not be returned to Amegakure, as the remaining Rinnegan would become a disaster for the village. Even Konan herself could not return alone; the enemy might torture her to obtain information about the Rinnegan's location.

Before Naruto awoke, Konan remained in Hokushin. Only after the Impure World Reincarnation was completed could she and her companions return to their homeland. Of course, Akatsuki didn't waste her time; the two sides had a friendly discussion about the future development of the Land of Rain. They exchanged all the information about Akatsuki and outlined a considerable path for the Land of Rain's development.

Third, Orochimaru, whom Naruto left behind, should come in handy. Being surrounded by a large group of Uchiha and Senju was no pleasant experience, and Orochimaru, realizing he had no chance of escape, settled down because he was now interested in something else.

His iceberg-like vessel, which could barely be called a disciple, was actually willing to impersonate Naruto and continue walking in the world in place of his deceased good brother. He never expected that Naruto could create such an organization without the ninja world's knowledge. They were simply like... an unparalleled hurricane, still hidden in the depths of the ocean, constantly absorbing clouds and rain to grow stronger. Once they land, it will be a moment of cataclysmic destruction.

He was genuinely curious: would that peaceful world where everyone is equal ever truly come to pass?