Chapter 4: A New Seed
"Boom!"
A mud wall shattered instantly, torn apart by a swirling blue chakra sphere.
Danzo swiftly leaped backward, avoiding the collapsing debris. Slightly out of breath, he looked at the crumbling Earth Release barrier and allowed a faint smile to form on his face.
Over the past few days, he had successfully mastered the Rasengan—this seal-less technique—using his knowledge from the anime.
Though the Rasengan's destructive power was not quite on par with his Vacuum Wave or Vacuum Great Sphere, it had the advantage of requiring no hand seals. Moreover, its advanced form, the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, surpassed even his Vacuum Great Sphere.
And if he could master Sage Mode and elevate it to a Sage Art: Rasenshuriken…
Swish… swish…
Two Root Jōnin, wearing masks, appeared at his side, holding a set of clean clothes prepared after his training.
Danzo donned his usual long robe, concealing the battle attire beneath. Once again, he transformed into the shadowy figure that instilled unease in many.
"How are the preparations at the training facility?" he asked.
"Everything is ready according to your orders, Danzo-sama. The oath ceremony has been arranged, and the new bloodlines from the various clans have already arrived," an Anbu operative respectfully reported.
That night, after meeting with Tsunade, Danzo had solidified his path.
Aside from strengthening his own power, he also planned to pass on his will—to earn recognition, gain rewards from the system, and, most importantly, find a way to rejuvenate his aging body.
This decision was made after careful consideration. The world of Naruto was chaotic, but it upheld certain ideals that people were willing to follow.
The First Hokage had enforced peace through overwhelming strength.
Yahiko had believed in achieving world peace through communication.
Even the concept of "Infinite Tsukuyomi" had its appeal within the shinobi world.
Danzo possessed a broader vision than anyone in this world, coupled with the advantage of knowing most of the future events. He could carve out a new path of ideology, one tailored to the reality of this world.
And if possible, he wished to change this suffocating world.
The first candidates for his plan were the newly promoted Chūnin from the Root training facility.
Most of them were orphans, though a few came from Konoha's secret technique clans.
Originally, they would have been scattered—some absorbed into the Hokage's Anbu, while the rest remained in Root, marked and monitored.
Danzo arrived at a valley on the outskirts of the village. The valley was fortified with countless ninjutsu traps and sealing techniques, leaving only a single entrance.
This was where orphans were typically housed, undergoing six grueling years of training before being sent on missions. Only those who reached Chūnin level could officially become members of Root.
One hundred and fifty-three newly graduated Chūnin stood in rigid formation, lifeless like wooden stakes.
On the other side were the newly arrived orphans and clan children. Most of them appeared confused and timid, cautiously observing their surroundings.
Beyond them, more than twenty Root shinobi, skilled in genjutsu, stood in formation. Their cold and emotionless aura made them seem more like puppets than human beings.
As Danzo approached—
"Danzo-sama."
"…"
"Let the ceremony begin," he ordered, frowning slightly as he looked at the lifeless Chūnin before him.
These were shinobi whose emotions had been stripped away. Root's training had long since erased their humanity, reducing them to mere tools.
One of the newly promoted Chūnin stepped forward, his gaze dull and mechanical as he began to recite:
"The long night is upon us. From this moment, I take my watch, and I shall not waver until death. I shall conceal my name and seek neither glory nor disgrace. I shall remain loyal and devoted, offering my life for this cause. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the root of Konoha… I am the flame that repels enemies, the light that breaks the dawn, the horn that awakens the sleeping, the shield that protects the village… I offer my life and honor to Danzo-sama, tonight and for all nights to come."
By the end of the vow, his voice wavered slightly, and a flicker of emotion surfaced in his eyes.
Then, he picked up a mask and placed it over his face, officially becoming a member of Root before stepping back into the ranks.
One after another, the next candidate stepped forward… then the next…
Danzo stood motionless at the front, a silent witness to the ceremony, offering neither praise nor reprimand.
Meanwhile, the newly arrived recruits, their faces flushed with excitement, began to tremble as they watched. Some of them couldn't resist and started murmuring the vow along with the Chūnin.
"…the shield that protects the village… I offer my life…"
By the time the ceremony ended, the sky had darkened, enveloping the valley in shadows.
Only the twenty or so official Root members remained standing. Most of them appeared exhausted, their chakra reserves depleted.
After all, they had maintained genjutsu throughout the entire ceremony.
But Danzo knew that these illusions were nowhere near the level of Kotoamatsukami.
They couldn't truly alter a person's thoughts.
What he aimed to do was simply plant a seed.
And then, through his own efforts, nurture that seed until it took root and flourished.
He also ordered changes to the training curriculum. The previous method of erasing emotions would be replaced with a doctrine of "sacrifice and protection."
Though the core idea remained the same, the latter was far more acceptable.
After all, there was a vast difference between seeing oneself as a mere tool and as a protector.
He also revised the mortality standards—no longer would three hundred talented children enter training, only for half of them to survive.
Danzo trusted that the Root shinobi overseeing the training facilities would carry out his orders with utmost diligence.
Beyond shaping the minds of others, he also sought to gradually change his own persona.
The way he had previously conducted himself was utterly unacceptable. If he continued down that path, he would eventually become just as twisted as his original self.
Moreover, his new ideology and vision for the shinobi world were completely at odds with his old methods.
As long as he continued to nurture this ideology, Danzo believed that one day, this seed would sprout.
The road ahead was long…
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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