Chapter 9: The Limitations of This Damn System
For three consecutive nights, Danzo personally reinforced the genjutsu and psychological suggestions he had implanted.
The Sharingan left behind by Uchiha Kagami, while not a Mangekyō, far surpassed an ordinary three-tomoe Sharingan. Controlling someone as weak-willed as this was proving remarkably easy.
Once the plan was set in motion, he assigned a genjutsu specialist to ensure the illusion remained intact. With continuous reinforcement over the next few months, even if the genjutsu were to stop, the target wouldn't notice anything amiss.
A few days later, word spread among the nobility that the newly rising Higashikawa Trade Association had officially been taken under the wing of the Minister of Finance. The shops were reopening, and many nobles sent gifts to celebrate.
A stable trade route had already begun generating substantial profits. While some funds were reinvested into the company's expansion, Danzo could now divert one billion ryo per month to fund Root. According to the business reports, once they expanded trade routes with other nations, the profits would continue to grow steadily.
...
On the bustling streets of Konoha,
Yakushi Nono walked alongside a nondescript middle-aged man, blending seamlessly with the crowd.
The past three months of steady profits had lifted a weight off Danzo's shoulders, granting him a rare moment to step outside and breathe. The vibrant streets, filled with merchants, returning shinobi, and civilians enjoying daily life, painted a picture of prosperity.
For once, Danzo allowed himself to relax, considering a visit to a bar, a hot spring, or a fine restaurant.
But then, his mind drifted to the looming threats: the upcoming Third Shinobi War, the Nine-Tails' rampage, Uchiha Madara, Black Zetsu...
The fleeting desire for leisure vanished instantly.
'Knowing too much while lacking the strength to handle it… isn't a blessing,' Danzo mused.
His gaze swept across the scene, but instead of feeling like a part of it, he felt detached—like an observer standing outside the world.
Beside him, Yakushi Nono had a gentle smile on her face, her expression warm and approachable. But Danzo, who knew her well, understood it was merely a facade.
"Let's visit the orphanage."
The moment Danzo spoke, Nono's heart clenched slightly. Still, she respectfully replied,
"Yes."
She had no power to refuse his orders—only the hope that he would maintain his current restrained approach.
But Danzo had long planned to visit the orphanage to confirm his suspicions.
They left the village and arrived at a secluded, somewhat aged building—the very orphanage where Yakushi Nono had grown up before being recruited into Root.
As soon as they stepped inside, a swarm of children rushed forward, chattering excitedly as they clung to Nono.
"Director, big brother bullied me…!"
"Director!"
"…!"
For once, Nono's demeanor softened as she crouched down, gently patting each child while listening to their complaints with a warm expression.
But Danzo's eyes weren't on her. Instead, they locked onto a boy who stood at the back, unable to squeeze through the crowd. His anxious expression, his silver-white hair…
A young Yakushi Kabuto.
Danzo didn't linger. After a brief exchange with Nono, he left, noting the relief on her face as he departed.
As expected, Kabuto was indeed a significant figure in the story.
[Ding! Mission: Gain the acknowledgment of the important storyline character Yakushi Kabuto.]
[Warning: Target's mental maturity is insufficient. Acknowledgment invalid.]
Danzo's expression darkened. This damn system was airtight—it required a character to be mentally mature before their acknowledgment counted.
Looking at Kabuto's confused yet longing expression, Danzo knew that despite the early maturity of children in the shinobi world, it would still take years for Kabuto to reach that stage. By then, the Third Shinobi War would already be over.
This system was useless. If he had to wait for every character to mature before gaining benefits, it wouldn't help him in the short term.
Danzo dismissed any plans to approach other key figures like Kakashi or Might Guy for now.
Instead, his thoughts turned to the intelligence reports from the Land of Wind. Sunagakure's prodigy puppeteer, Sasori, had been missing for some time.
Danzo, with his knowledge of future events, knew exactly what this meant.
The catalyst for the Third Shinobi War was Sasori assassinating the Third Kazekage, throwing Sunagakure into chaos. Kumogakure would seize the opportunity to invade, dragging Iwagakure and Konoha into the conflict as well. Eventually, all major villages would turn their sights on Konoha, forcing it into a war it had barely recovered from after the Second Shinobi War.
Danzo had long planned to use this war to prove himself.
If he wanted to spread his ideology, then the battlefield would be the best stage.
But war was no game. Even someone as powerful as the Third Raikage, who could fight the Eight-Tails head-on, had perished in battle.
Though Danzo had grown stronger, he knew he was nowhere near the level of the Third Raikage.
Relying solely on self-improvement wasn't viable—time and his aging body wouldn't allow it.
He had considered following the original timeline's approach, staying in the shadows and biding his time. But in the end, even if he covered his entire arm with Sharingan, he'd still be nothing more than an overpowered experience pack for others to defeat.
'Other people reincarnate and get systems that hand out weapons, techniques, women…''
'I've been struggling for half a year, constantly living on edge, and I don't even dare to entertain thoughts about my beautiful secretary… And all this damn system does is dangle rewards in front of me like a carrot on a stick!'
For once, even Danzo, with all his mental fortitude, couldn't help but curse at his useless system.
After taking a deep breath to calm himself, he sighed.
'In the end, one can only rely on oneself.'
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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