The Merger Of Danzo And Black Zetsu

As Uchiha Hikaru gazed upon the brilliant fireworks illuminating Konoha's night sky, she was utterly captivated by the city's prosperity and peace.

With her powerful Eight Thousand Spears pupil technique, Hikaru possessed a deep understanding of chakra. This expertise also granted her an innate grasp of perception abilities.

At this moment, through her sensory skills, she discerned the presence of tens of thousands of ninjas coexisting within this single village. The realization shocked her!

For someone from the Warring States period, the idea of so many ninjas living peacefully in one place was nothing short of unbelievable.

Just then, Yuma reached out and gently patted the girl's head.

"Surprising, isn't it?" he asked with a knowing smile.

He understood perfectly how overwhelming this scene must be for someone from an era of constant warfare.

During the Warring States period, while individual battles may not have been as intense, their frequency was relentless.

For Hikaru, who had once lived by the dim glow of candlelight, the sight of Konoha's dazzling, lively cityscape was nothing short of astonishing.

She nodded earnestly, unable to hide her amazement.

"It's incredible... both in terms of the sheer number of ninjas and the peaceful, vibrant atmosphere."

She hesitated for a moment before adding, "In my time, peace was a luxury... something we could only dream of."

After all, no matter how strong or battle-hardened a person was, deep down, everyone longed for peace.

Hearing her words, Yuma and Tsunade exchanged a glance, both feeling a sense of relief.

Now, they were truly reassured.

A person who cherished peace was unlikely to be a threat to Konoha or harbor malicious intent.

With that concern laid to rest, Yuma created a Shadow Clone to arrange Hikaru's temporary lodging.

Meanwhile, he and Tsunade made their way toward the Hokage Building—after all, uncovering and bringing back a powerful Uchiha from the past wasn't something that could go unreported.

The Hokage's Office

"You two really are reckless!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice rang out, his expression filled with frustration as he glared at the two standing before him.

"You went and unsealed someone who had been imprisoned by the Senju clan for centuries?! Do you even realize the danger this could bring?!"

As the Third Hokage and a master of countless jutsu, Hiruzen was well aware of how perilous such figures could be.

The fact that someone was specifically recorded on a sealing scroll meant only one thing—

That even the mighty Senju clan had been left with no choice but to seal this person away rather than eliminate them.

Only truly dangerous individuals ever warranted such treatment.

After all, the Senju were one of the strongest clans in ninja history—if they had to resort to sealing someone instead of killing them, it meant the threat level was immense.

Hiruzen was not pleased.

But before he could voice further objections, Yuma stepped forward, his expression calm and composed.

"Hokage-sama, surely you haven't forgotten my previous battle with Uchiha Madara?"

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed.

"What are you implying?"

"I'm saying we need to prepare for Madara's return."

At these words, Hiruzen's brows furrowed slightly.

Yuma continued, "According to the records in our Uchiha clan, Uchiha Hikaru possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan. If Madara truly does return, having her on our side could be a crucial advantage."

Hiruzen exhaled sharply, his mind working through the implications.

At his age, he knew Madara was already in his eighties—he was nearing the end of his life.

But knowing Madara's hatred, it was entirely possible that before his death, he would attempt to strike back at Konoha with everything he had.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

Finally, he let out a sigh and relented.

Though Tsunade and Yuma had overstepped their bounds, their reasoning made sense.

Instead of severe punishment, he chose a lighter course of action—a fine.

With that, the matter was settled.

Meanwhile, in the Shadows…

Far from the Hokage's office, Shimura Danzo sat in a dimly lit chamber, his sharp eyes fixed on the mysterious figure before him.

A black mass pulsed ominously—Black Zetsu.

"Heh... I didn't expect you to reconsider my offer," Black Zetsu chuckled darkly. "You were quite stubborn the last time we spoke."

Danzo shot him a cold, piercing glare.

"Enough with the nonsense. Tell me what you have planned to deal with Uchiha Yuma."

At this, Black Zetsu smirked and slowly pulled out a scroll adorned with ominous red cloud patterns.

Unrolling it, he slammed his hand onto the ground.

—Bang!

A thick cloud of smoke erupted, and when it cleared, two unconscious White Zetsu lay sprawled across the floor.

"This is my answer," Black Zetsu said with a sinister grin. "With these as sacrifices, we can perform the Edo Tensei."

Danzo's eyes gleamed at the mention of Impure World Reincarnation.

"Even though Edo Tensei was originally created by Tobirama Senju for intelligence gathering and combat support..."

Black Zetsu continued, "It can still revive someone with around 50-60% of their original strength."

He leaned closer and added in a low, almost seductive tone, "And as someone who grew up in Konoha, you of all people should know how terrifying it would be to resurrect the God of Shinobi—Senju Hashirama!"

Danzo's breath hitched.

Yes… as a young boy, he had witnessed Hashirama's power firsthand.

Even at only half his original strength, Senju Hashirama would still be an unstoppable force.

This… was an opportunity.

A chance to eliminate Uchiha Yuma and finally secure control over Konoha.

And Danzo wasn't going to let it slip away.