Leaving the Hokage Tower—
Shenyue Yuan let out a quiet sigh.
Since things had come to this…
Once tonight's identity shift was complete—
He would head straight for the Land of Rain.
He'd stayed in Konoha long enough.
Going out for a change…
Didn't sound bad.
With that thought, his mind focused—
A panel appeared before him.
The reward from a previous task.
[Random Mission: Enjoy Yourself]
[Description: Everyone has their own way to relax after work—even a future god who saves the ninja world is no exception.]
[Requirements:]
Rest on Kurenai Yuhi's lap for 30 minutes.
Be fed 10 strawberries by Kurenai Yuhi.
[Mission Complete!]
[Reward: Achievement Trait — "Truth"][]
『Truth』:
Immune to all genjutsu.
System Evaluation:
Reality only.
…
…
Night fell.
The moon hung bright in a sparse sky. Thin clouds drifted.
Shimura Clan grounds.
An old courtyard. Wooden house.
Yellowed leaves drifted down from ancient branches.
Danzo Shimura sat quietly outside.
Bandages wrapped his head—covering the right side of his face.
His left eye remained closed.
Wrinkles carved deep into his skin.
His aged body, cloaked in black—
Looked like the gnarled root of an ancient tree.
The night wind brushed past—
He opened his left eye.
Sharp. Hawk-like.
His gaze locked onto a bright star in the sky.
His lips moved slowly.
"Tobirama-sensei…"
"Under my indirect influence—the Uchiha have finally reached their end."
"A problem… even you couldn't solve."
"With the Uchiha gone…"
"Konoha will finally unite as one."
A pause.
"Of course…"
"If you had chosen me as Hokage back then…"
"This would have been resolved long ago."
"But it doesn't matter."
"Even now—stripped of my position… confined within the clan grounds—"
"I will remain in the shadows."
"I will become the darkness of the shadows."
"And in my own way…"
"I will move closer… to that seat."
"Nothing will stop me—"
"My pursuit of the Hokage title—"
Whoosh—
The old tree trembled.
A figure appeared.
Like a ghost.
Standing atop a branch under the moonlight.
And then—
A strange humming voice drifted down.
"Nothing can stop you~ from longing for freedom~"
"…???"
Danzo's expression froze.
"What… was that?"
His gaze shifted upward.
Cold.
Sharp.
Even without his official position—
He still had over a dozen Root operatives stationed nearby.
For someone to appear so easily…
Spoke volumes.
"Who are you?" Danzo asked coldly.
His presence surged.
Oppressive.
Like a frozen abyss taking form.
In Konoha—
Aside from the Hokage—
Almost no one could face him without fear.
The figure dropped from the tree.
Landing lightly.
Then walked forward—
Completely ignoring him.
A Konoha forehead protector.
A standard green flak jacket.
Straight posture.
But—
His eyes were wrapped in white bandages.
At a glance—
He looked like a fan… imitating Danzo.
Danzo's gaze sharpened as he recognized him.
"A Konoha ninja."
"Who sent you?"
"Shenyue Yuan."
"I came on my own."
A faint smile.
"…," Danzo studied him.
Memories surfaced.
That name.
Shenyue Yuan.
A rising civilian genius—on par with Itachi.
No wonder…
No fear.
Then again—
He's blind.
He can't even see who he's facing.
"You came here… for what?" Danzo asked.
Shenyue Yuan smiled.
"I'm here for one thing."
He walked up—
Sat down cross-legged.
Right in front of Danzo.
Casual.
Uninvited.
Then—
He removed his forehead protector.
Placed it between them.
Took out a kunai.
And—
Scratched across it.
A clean, cold slash.
The Konoha symbol—
Split in two.
Even blind—
With chakra sensing—
His perception of the world was no different from others.
Just—
Covered in a refined layer of gray.
That was all.
"…"
Danzo's gaze turned colder.
He watched.
Silent.
Until the boy put the forehead protector back on.
"Do you understand what that means?" Danzo asked.
Cold.
Sharp.
On the surface—
He remained composed.
But inside—
Anger surged.
Since Konoha's founding—
No one had ever—
Performed a "defection ritual" like this…
In front of a high-ranking official.
In front of him.
After securing the forehead protector—
Shenyue Yuan nodded.
"I do."
"But before I defect…"
"I need to borrow something from you."
A pause.
"The kind I won't return."
Danzo's eyes narrowed.
He rose instantly.
"No matter who sent you—"
"With what you've done…"
"No one in this world can save you."
"I can crush you with a single finger."
In an instant—
The wind exploded.
Danzo didn't hold back.
A lion hunts a rabbit with full strength—
Let alone now.
Freshly confined.
Provoked by a nobody.
His anger—
Needed an outlet.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Wave!"
Hand seals—
Completed in less than a second.
Compressed air burst from his mouth—
Shrieking.
Like thousands of invisible blades tearing through the night.
The wind—
Took form.
Under Danzo's control—
It lashed outward.
Like a whip.
In all directions.
Walls—
Tiles—
Ancient trees—
Split apart.
Shattered instantly.
"Perfect timing."
Shenyue Yuan remained calm.
Inside—
One thought.
"Cut… Wind Release: Vacuum Wave."
[Notice: Cut successful!]
[Acquired: B-Rank Wind Release — Vacuum Wave]
In the next instant—
The raging wind…
Vanished.
Completely.
Danzo's body trembled.
A chill ran through him.
The ferocity in his eyes…
Faded.
Just a little.
His movements—
Stiffened.
He stared at his own hands.
"…What just happened?"
He lowered his head.
Thinking.
The jutsu—
Interrupted.
Mid-cast.
In all his years of combat—
This had never happened.
Something—
Was gone.
After a moment—
The veteran reacted instantly.
Hand seals again.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Wave!"
If it could be stopped once—
Could it be stopped forever?
"…Hm?"
This time—
His chakra responded.
But—
The jutsu…
Wouldn't release.
"…I see."
"So I can't use Vacuum Wave anymore."
Shock—
Then understanding.
Watching him struggle—
Shenyue Yuan smiled.
"Danzo-sama…"
"What are you waiting for?"
"Don't think some trick like that gives you the right to act arrogant before me!" Danzo snapped.
His hands shifted again.
The wind roared back.
"Wind Release—Vacuum Bullets!"
Chakra flowed smoothly.
In his mind—
The outcome was already decided.
The boy—
Torn apart.
Meanwhile—
Shenyue Yuan didn't move.
Didn't panic.
Didn't blink.
Inside—
A command.
"Equality of All Beings… activate."
[Notice: Select target.]
"Danzo Shimura."
[Synchronization complete.]
[Physical strength, mental power, chakra, taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu have been elevated to match the target.]