บท 119: Chapter 118
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"Where is Rin now?" Obito, clearly overwhelmed, asked White Zetsu after hearing the troubling news.
He didn't immediately grasp the cause and effect, but he knew Rin was in danger. His priority was to find out where she was.
"Also, who wants to harm her?"
"It's a high-ranking Konoha official named Shimura Danzo. He intends to extract the Three-Tails from Rin and reseal it into another ninja."
"If the Three-Tails were to be removed from Rin, she would die instantly."
White Zetsu emphasized the gravity of the situation, ensuring Obito understood the lethal consequences for Rin. Upon hearing this, the light in Obito's exposed Sharingan turned a deeper scarlet.
To conceal Obito's identity and alleviate his worries, White Zetsu transformed into an armor-like form, covering Obito's entire body, leaving only a dark figure, and even obscuring the Uchiha clan emblem on his back.
"Who is Danzo Shimura…?"
Obito, unfamiliar with Konoha's high-ranking officials except for his own sensei, had never heard of Danzo Shimura. But White Zetsu knew him well.
"Danzo is a key leader in Konoha. Aside from the Sandaime Hokage, he holds the most power and commands some of Konoha's ANBU."
"The operatives who took Rin are elite ANBU members, all highly skilled."
With his newfound strength, he jumped from an abandoned house, causing a hole to appear on the roof, and disappeared, heading towards the mountain behind the village.
"Is it this direction?"
"Yes! It's not far, but Obito... have you really decided to take action against these Konoha ninjas?"
Guiding Obito while avoiding the sight of other Konoha ninjas, White Zetsu led him to a base hidden in a dense forest. Luckily, the barrier here was designed to shield sensing abilities, even Byakugan, preventing Uzumaki Kushina from sensing it.
Obito's clenched fists and determined eyes answered White Zetsu's question. For him, concepts like Konoha's leadership, tailed beasts, and balance were too abstract and distant. Rin was his most cherished treasure, and he wouldn't allow anyone to harm her.
'I'm sorry, Grandma, but I must protect Rin personally this time!'
Resolute, Obito stepped forward and entered the hidden barrier.
"Who's there?"
As he entered, a ninja sword swiftly slashed towards his neck. Prepared by White Zetsu's warnings, Obito countered with a powerful punch, releasing a huge chakra burst and killing the attacker instantly.
"Ah!"
The scream alerted everyone in the barrier to Obito's presence.
"There's an intruder!" a voice shouted.
Obito saw Rin lying on a circular altar covered with seals, alongside a young ninja. She turned to look at Obito, recognizing him immediately despite the confusion among the ROOT members. Though she was being controlled and unable to speak, her eyes conveyed worry and pleading.
She was deeply worried about Obito's safety. The people surrounding her were powerful ninjas from the village. How could Obito, a mere chuunin, possibly stand a chance against them?
Her eyes pleaded with him to leave quickly. Her fate was already sealed, and she didn't want Obito to die trying to save her.
"Kill him!" Ryoma, commanding a group of sealing ninjas, ordered without much concern for the intruder.
He didn't waste time on the unknown enemy. His priority was the tailed beast transfer. Someone else would handle the intruder.
"Sealing team, focus on controlling the target. Don't worry about the intruder." Ryoma instructed.
When the enemy first broke in, Wu glanced at the intruder, causing the controlled target to also turn her head and see the intruder. This was dangerous; the technique required absolute precision, and any emotional instability in the target could lead to unnecessary complications.
"Tora, it's time for you to act!"
"Yes!" A figure wearing a tiger mask, standing next to Ryoma, formed a hollow, strange seal with his hands and aimed it at Nohara Rin, who lay on the ground.
"Secret Technique: Mind Turning Jutsu"
This secret technique of the Yamanaka clan allowed the root ninja, codenamed Tora, to control Rin. With her under their control, there would be no accidents during the Three-Tails transfer.
None of them cared about Rin's life or death.
"You all deserve to die!" Obito roared as he rushed toward the altar, seeing Rin lying motionless. In his rage, he didn't notice that his Sharingan had evolved to the three-tomoe state.
Consumed by anger, Obito was overwhelmed by the surrounding root ninjas.
"Danzo, what are you trying to achieve?" The Sandaime Hokage demanded, furious as he confronted his old partner.
"What? It's all for Konoha's prosperity," Danzo replied calmly. He knew his friend well. Sarutobi Hiruzen aspired to be a Hokage like the First, bringing peace to everyone. But whether in strength, magnanimity, or wisdom, he fell short of the God of Shinobi. In the end, Hiruzen could only comfort himself with the title of the 'strongest' Hokage.
Danzo didn't realize that his old friend viewed him with the same critical eye; their thoughts were surprisingly aligned. One was emulating the First Hokage, the other the Second.
At that moment, an ANBU officer appeared next to the Third Hokage, hesitating as he glanced at Danzo.
"What happened? Danzo is not an outsider."
"The ANBU unit 11 monitoring Nohara Rin was attacked, and she has disappeared," the ANBU reported.
"What? Nohara Rin is missing?" The Sandaime Hokage was shocked and immediately sought more details, casting a suspicious glance at Danzo.
"There were no casualties, but nearly twenty minutes have passed since the incident."
"You may leave now," the Sandaime said, dismissing the ANBU with a wave.
"Keep an eye on Uzumaki Kushina's emotions!" the Sandaime Hokage reminded, grimacing at the memory of Kushina's last outburst. This time, Minato wasn't around to help soothe her anger.
"Danzo, what are you trying to achieve? Don't you understand the implications of meddling with the Three-Tails?" Sandaime Hokage's stern gaze fixed on his old partner.
"If something goes wrong in this war with Kirigakure, I will…"
The Sandaime Hokage left the threat unspoken.
"If we don't have the Three-Tails, how will you balance Namikaze Minato after he becomes Hokage?" Danzo countered calmly. His words caused the Sandaime Hokage's expression to change several times.
"Namikaze Minato, Uzumaki Kushina, Jiraiya—they may be your disciples, but they are still outsiders. Minato has strong ties with the Ino–Shika–Chō, Aburame, and Inuzuka clans. Even Kushina is close friends with the Uchiha clan leader's wife."
"Only I, Koharu, and Homura are your staunchest comrades. We will always stand behind you and support you."
Seeing the Sandaime Hokage's conflicted expression, Danzo pressed on, "Can they do that?"
Danzo knew what Sarutobi Hiruzen had in mind. Namikaze Minato was young and needed time to build a solid foundation of support, which allowed the Sandaime to continue controlling Konoha for a while longer. Although Sarutobi would eventually hand over power, the timing remained uncertain—five years, ten years, maybe longer.
Noting that the Sandaime Hokage did not refute his words, Danzo felt a surge of pride. His plan was to sow doubt in Sarutobi's heart. The matter of Nohara Rin or the Three-Tails was secondary; the real target was Namikaze Minato, who was in the Water Country camp. This was a God-given opportunity to remove Minato from the Hokage candidacy, using Kushina as the weak point.
Despite Danzo's influence, the Sandaime Hokage remained focused on ending the war.
"No matter what, we cannot keep the Three-Tails. It will put us under too much pressure," Sarutobi insisted.
He indeed planned to maintain control for a few more years after Minato became Hokage. This was partly due to his love of power but also to ensure Minato was a suitable candidate for the heavy responsibility. Minato, like the First Hokage, was powerful, talented, and widely respected, yet sometimes equally naive. Sarutobi needed time to observe him carefully.
"Pressure? When have we ever been without pressure? We must face difficulties head-on. Konoha's potential is far from exhausted; there are still many untapped resources," Danzo argued.
Several Konoha families, such as the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Kurama, had fully mobilized for the battlefield. But many young ninjas from families loyal to the Hokage—Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, Mitokado, and even the Ino–Shika–Chō—remained behind, engaged in village missions or government logistics.
For the sake of the Three-Tails, it was time for them to contribute.
"You…"
The Sandaime Hokage was taken aback by Danzo's suggestion.
"No, these people are the cornerstone of Konoha's stability. We cannot send them to the battlefield unless absolutely necessary!" Sarutobi insisted.
Maintaining control over a village and commanding its ninjas required more than just the Will of Fire. These seemingly inconspicuous people were protected by the Hokage's power and were essential to his rule over Konoha. Sacrificing them would make it difficult to suppress powerful clans like the Uchiha and Hyuga. Furthermore, clans such as the Ino–Shika–Chō were loyal not just because of tradition but also because of tangible benefits. Without these, their allegiance could waver.
Sarutobi knew that the Will of Fire was a useful tool to inspire younger ninjas, but real political power required more pragmatic measures. His long-time comrade, Danzo, still struggled to grasp this nuance.
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