Smoke still curled inside the Hokage Office.
The cat-masked Anbu who had led the way earlier knelt on one knee, reporting to Hiruzen Sarutobi about the situation inside the vault.
"So... in the end, he chose 'Water Release: Water Blade.'"
Hiruzen paused the pipe that was about to reach his lips, lifting his gaze toward the Anbu below.
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen slowly set the pipe down and leaned back into his chair.
'Water Blade... he picked that one.'
The choice was both unexpected and perfectly reasonable.
After all, Water Blade was the Water Release secret art left by the Second Hokage; among Water Release Ninjutsu its power ranked at the very top, more than worthy of being any water Ninja's ultimate goal.
For a youth blessed with exceptional Water Release talent and in the prime of hot-blooded impulsiveness, succumbing to the temptation of such a legendary technique was only natural.
'Looks like he's still just a boy at heart,' Hiruzen mused. 'Confronted with power strong enough to decide everything in a single blow, he simply couldn't resist.'
'True gold will shine. Right now, what needs attention is...'
Before his thoughts could settle, Hiruzen waved for the Anbu to withdraw.
The office fell quiet again, yet Hiruzen's mind did not rest.
Tejima Shinichi's choice was a small interlude, reminding him of a far more pressing problem —Danzo.
Today Danzo had overstepped far too many boundaries; he had to be restrained, or else... 'It's time to tighten supervision of Root once more... certain mission channels and funds must be re-examined.'
Hiruzen picked up a file, his eyes sharpening.
"In short... this time I absolutely won't let you run wild... Danzo!"
...Meanwhile, deep within the shadowy Root base.
Bang!
A cane smashed against the stone floor, sending a heart-stopping thud through the air.
Danzo Shimura's chest rose and fell; clearly the scene in the Hokage Office moments ago was more than the nearly seventy-year-old man could accept.
Tejima Shinichi's mocking face and Hiruzen Sarutobi's protection flashed through his mind again and again.
For so many years, when had he ever suffered such humiliation!!!
"Truly an evil brat..."
Danzo burst into curses!
"So unruly, so disrespectful, so sharp-tongued —he's exactly like those innately evil Uchiha!"
"The Senju clan was once so glorious, Shodai-sama so magnanimous! Mori Chie also served the Village faithfully... how could such a rebellious offspring be born? Where in him is the slightest hint of the Senju bloodline's big-picture thinking? He clearly inherited the Uchiha's worst traits!"
The more Danzo spoke, the angrier he became, his voice echoing through the empty base.
"That fool Hiruzen actually protects him! A boy with such a temperament, no matter how strong, is a hidden danger to the Village —he should be thoroughly disciplined by Root, his rebellious bones ground to dust!"
Only after that string of curses did some of Danzo's pent-up anger vent, yet the sinister look in his lone eye did not diminish in the least.
A moment later a shadow finally slid cautiously from the darkness, silently kneeling behind Danzo's side, head deeply lowered as he carefully reported:
"Danzo-sama, please calm your anger. Regarding Tejima Shinichi... do we still list him as the core candidate of the 'Vessel Plan'?"
"The Vessel Plan..."
Danzo repeated the codename, suddenly a little calmer.
The so-called Vessel Plan —because the current Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Uzumaki Naruto, could not be fully controlled —was to find and control a superior 'spare vessel'.
Once the time was ripe, they would trigger the Nine-Tails inside Naruto to run wild, disqualifying him as a container, and then smoothly seal the Nine-Tails into the alternate host, thereby indirectly seizing that devastating power.
Tejima Shinichi, possessing the Senju bloodline, was born with vast Chakra and a sturdy body; he was almost the perfect choice to carry out this plan.
His potential far exceeded that of the unstable Jinchuriki Uzumaki Naruto.
Yet the moment Danzo recalled Shinichi's unruly eyes and blade-sharp tongue, irritation surged through him.
Such a personality, even if turned into a Jinchuriki, would be extremely hard to brainwash and completely control.
But... Danzo's lone eye narrowed.
Compared with the strategic value of controlling the Nine-Tails, personal likes and dislikes counted for nothing.
"The plan remains unchanged." Danzo's voice returned to its usual gloom. "Tejima Shinichi is still the highest-priority target of the 'Vessel Plan.' His bloodline and Chakra make him the optimal vessel for the Nine-Tails; he cannot be lost."
"Continue close surveillance; collect every scrap of data on him. At the same time, prepare a forced-control protocol —if necessary we can move directly to capture and control!" A ruthless glint flashed in Danzo's eye. "Once the deed is done, even Hiruzen Sarutobi will be powerless!"
He paused, his tone betraying his loathing for Shinichi:
"When the time ripens, I will personally plant the Curse Seal of Tongue Destruction on him. Not only will he become the vessel, his will shall forever kneel to Root!"
"Understood."
The Root Ninja below voiced no question, acknowledging the order in a low tone.
Danzo leaned on his cane, turning to gaze into the boundless darkness deeper inside the base, a fiercely determined chill gleaming in his eye.
'Tejima Shinichi... you cannot escape my grasp.
Your future will eventually become nourishment for Konoha's darkness, a stepping-stone for me, Danzo Shimura, to become Hokage!'