His head was wrapped like a mummy, leaving only his eyes and mouth exposed. Wearing a hospital gown yet donning a samurai helmet, he radiated such intense resentment that it almost felt tangible… It had to be Danzō!
Kei's eyes showed a flicker of surprise, momentarily doubting whether he had recognized the right person. He never expected that in just one day, Danzō would be reduced to such a miserable state by the black trait.
But as he noticed the ANBU ninja who had been monitoring him the entire way now standing behind Danzō, he couldn't help but feel that [Big Brainstorm]'s effect still wasn't strong enough.
Why didn't the beam from the waiting room collapse and crush him to death? That guy from earlier was actually a Root ninja?!
"Kei, Danzō-sama just delivered intelligence—there have been frequent skirmishes between Suna and Kiri in the southern region of the Land of Tea. The casualties on both sides are rising, and it appears the conflict may escalate. To obtain accurate information, I need you to go there."
Hiruzen, with a pipe in his mouth, casually tossed a scroll toward Kei.
Glancing at Danzō, who was seated on the sofa, Kei then lowered his gaze to examine the scroll.
Hiruzen's words were clear—this intelligence came from Danzō, and it was Danzō who suggested Kei be the one to handle it. As Hokage, he had assessed the mission's authenticity and importance, determining that Kei, as a member of the Yamanaka clan and a former member of the Analysis Team, was the most suitable choice.
That's why he was summoned.
Scorch Release user Pakura?
Seeing the name in the scroll, Kei's eyes twitched slightly.
Pakura was one of the rising stars of Suna in recent years. Her mastery of Scorch Release had left many Kiri ninjas utterly helpless, earning her a formidable reputation.
Even without his knowledge of the original story, any ninja who frequently carried out missions outside the village would have heard of her.
If this was a solo mission… he had to wonder if the Third Hokage and Danzō were in on this together, planning to get rid of him.
After all, ever since joining the Analysis Team, he had deliberately been keeping a moderate profile, only displaying strength slightly above that of an average jonin with no deep foundation.
Facing Pakura head-on? That was practically suicide.
"She's quite well-known, and it's too dangerous for you to go alone. I've arranged a partner for you." As soon as Hiruzen finished speaking, there was a knock on the office door.
After receiving permission, Minato opened the door and walked in.
The serious expression on his face softened slightly when he saw Kei standing in the office.
Minato, huh? Now that's a reliable teammate.
Kei smiled as well. The doubts and distrust he had toward Hiruzen eased significantly.
Minato's strength was unquestionable. Having mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique of the Second Hokage, his mobility ranked among the best in the entire shinobi world.
Forget just Pakura—if they encountered an entire Suna force, the two of them could still retreat without issue.
"Kei, looks like we'll be fighting side by side again."
Minato's expression carried a hint of nostalgia, clearly recalling the missions they had once completed together.
The two had grown up side by side, entered the Academy together, and graduated as ninjas at the same time. Though they were not assigned to the same team after graduation, before Kei joined the Analysis Division, they had completed countless missions together, forming an unshakable bond.
"If you want to catch up, do it after your mission. Minato, let Kei brief you on the details. Time is tight—once you're ready, set out immediately," Hiruzen urged them on.
After they accepted the mission and left the Hokage's office, he turned his gaze to Danzō, who had remained silent on the sofa.
"I told you before, Kei is a child I watched grow up. He has always been careful in his actions—there's no way he was the one who targeted you from the shadows."
"Even if it wasn't him, his connection with the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki is too close. The power of the Nine-Tails should never be influenced or controlled by a ninja clan."
Danzō pressed his fingertips against the chakra-sensing seal in his palm, his already grim expression darkening further.
This seal was a forbidden technique developed by the Second Hokage. Its sensitivity surpassed even the most advanced medical instruments available. Just now, it had shown no reaction to Kei, proving there was no lingering chakra signature linked to him.
While this eliminated one suspect and narrowed his search, he had actually hoped Kei was the culprit.
With Kei's connections to the heads of the Ino-Shika-Chō clans and his ambiguous stance regarding the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki, he was a highly valuable asset for Root.
Hiruzen, unaware of the schemes in Danzō's mind, assumed he was genuinely concerned about the issue of the jinchūriki. After a moment of contemplation, weighing the pros and cons, and considering the potential consequences of Kushina marrying into the Yamanaka clan, he attempted to reassure his old friend.
"Danzō, feelings aren't something that can be forced. Just like back then, you and Koharu… ahem—what I mean is, Kushina was bound to marry someone eventually. Konoha will need a new jinchūriki in the coming decades."
"A female jinchūriki giving birth will significantly weaken the seal's strength—that's too great a risk for the village. The Land of Whirlpools may be gone, but there are still others with Uzumaki bloodlines in the shinobi world."
"Kushina is a Konoha kunoichi, not a Root operative. Besides, Lady Mito made it very clear back then—a jinchūriki developing psychological issues could lead to disastrous consequences."
"Then you—ah, damn it…" Danzō scoffed but, in his agitation, was suddenly struck by a sharp pain in his head.
"Calm down a little. We can talk things through without you sending yourself to the afterlife."
Hiruzen watched as Danzō groaned, nearly incapacitating himself. His rising blood pressure quickly subsided, and he inwardly sighed in relief.
Thank goodness he wasn't the one who got targeted.
Not to mention the six head injuries in a single day—just arguing for a few minutes and the pain was already unbearable. Who could endure such a thing?
"Bring in the next one…"
Danzō clutched his helmeted head, taking deep breaths to ease the throbbing pain. His hatred for the one who had targeted him reached its peak at that moment. Even the matter of the jinchūriki was temporarily pushed aside—all he wanted now was to uncover who had done this to him!
Just as he spoke, a faint creaking sound came from somewhere, like the sound of a wooden board cracking.
After experiencing so many unexpected incidents, he was already on edge. The moment the sound reached his ears, he sprang from the sofa and used the Body Flicker Technique to leap out of the open window.
A pained and furious scream echoed from outside.
Hiruzen looked out to see Danzō clutching his head in agony, having just crashed headfirst into a crow. For a moment, he wasn't sure whether to feel sorry for Danzō… or for the unfortunate bird.