Tap, tap, tap…
Footsteps echoed from outside the secret chamber as Nonō Yakushi approached, carrying a tray of food.
"Come in."
"My lord, it has been seven days."
"Seven days already? Time really flies…"
Nonō Yakushi carefully placed the food and soup down before kneeling respectfully beside Danzo.
"It has been a long time since I've seen you train this diligently. If there's anything that needs to be done, please allow us to handle it. There's no need to push yourself so hard—it makes us feel useless."
Danzo glanced at her curiously and said, "You've already done enough. How is the orphanage coming along? Accompany me to take a look later."
"With your intervention, my lord, it was nothing short of a miracle. The orphanage has been set up, and in less than a month, Konoha will return to its former prosperity."
Recalling the day Danzo acted, the entire village had been in an uproar. Buildings rose from the ground as if by divine will, and the villagers revered him as a god.
Yet, Danzo could sense the subtle fluctuations in Nonō Yakushi's emotions—an undercurrent of anticipation and boundless tenderness.
He wasn't sure if these feelings had always been there, or if he had only now become strong enough to perceive them. But on the surface, even as she spoke words of flattery, her expression remained calm and composed.
After finishing his meal, he enjoyed the gentle care of Nonō Yakushi as she wiped his hands with a warm cloth. Gazing at her kneeling beside him, Danzo spoke:
"Do you still stand by the promise you made back then?"
He clearly felt her heartbeat skip for a moment, and the hand holding the cloth trembled slightly.
"Do you require it now, my lord?"
"Mm."
Nonō Yakushi set aside the cloth and carefully moved the tray of dishes away. Under the dim candlelight, she began undoing the fastenings of her robes.
The cinch of her nun's habit came loose, and the fabric slid down her shoulders, cascading to the floor.
The flickering firelight illuminated her porcelain skin, making her appear like a flawless jade statue. Though she had long passed the prime of youth, her slender frame remained well-proportioned and elegant, possessing a refined beauty.
As he watched her approach step by step, her expression gentle, prepared to serve him, Danzo's lips curved into a smile.
"Are you nervous?"
Nonō Yakushi paused momentarily.
"A little, my lord."
Meeting her calm and tender gaze, he mused that if not for her slightly accelerated heartbeat, one might mistake this for a routine moment.
"Will you stay by my side for the rest of your life?"
"Mm."
"Will you bear my children?"
"Mm."
Danzo rose to his feet, lifting her into his arms. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered softly:
"Do you need me to teach you how to serve me?"
"Mm."
...
There were few things in the world that brought Danzo true satisfaction, but his union with Nonō Yakushi was one of them.
After accompanying her for a brief outing to relax, Danzo resumed his closed-door training. He needed to quickly digest his recent gains, push himself to the level of the Six Paths, and achieve a qualitative transformation in his power.
Then, he would settle things with the Sage of Six Paths.
The Sage likely didn't have a physical body in the ninja world. If he had been in his complete form, there was no way Danzo would have survived their previous encounter.
If his theory was correct, the Sage now existed as a spiritual entity. Even his last intervention had been through borrowing the Rinnegan's power—one that ultimately drained Nagato's soul and life force.
In his past life, the anime had shown that the Sage had to rely on Naruto and Sasuke's power to seal Kaguya.
Now that the Sage had taken Sasuke and Naruto away, Danzo was even more convinced of his own hypothesis.
...
On a street in Konoha, a group of strangely dressed individuals walked leisurely. The surrounding villagers, however, paid them little mind, too busy with their own affairs to react.
"So, what should we do now? This place is so boring… and I can't even showcase my art," Deidara grumbled.
"Shut up, Deidara. Pain already proved that your 'art' is worthless."
"Tch… My art is the greatest!"
"The greatest thing in the world is money. I've decided to stay here—there's an endless supply of it." Kakuzu's eyes gleamed with greed as he recalled Root's financial records from a few days prior. The revenue streams and expenditures had convinced him that this was a treasure trove.
"I heard Itachi went to the Land of Lightning. I'm heading out to find him." Juzo Biwa hefted his Executioner's Blade onto his shoulder and walked off without another word.
"Hmph! You guys are so boring," Deidara muttered, annoyed that everyone had their own plans.
"Are you sure you don't want to stay? Root offers excellent benefits," Kakuzu suggested.
Deidara scoffed. "As if! I refuse to be tied down. My art is a journey!"
He was starting to miss Sasori, who had not come to Konoha. Even though their artistic philosophies differed, at least they could hold a conversation.
"What about you, Hidan? Want to chase art with me? If not, you'll be all alone—and let's be honest, nobody likes you."
"I don't care about being liked. As long as Jashin-sama watches over me, that's all I need."
"But if you go around causing trouble, they'll kill you." Deidara's eyes flickered toward the Root operatives lurking in the shadows, their watchful presence unmistakable.
"If that happens, I'll just move to another country. There will always be people willing to embrace Jashinism."
Hidan sounded annoyed, but he also remembered Itachi's warning: if any of them massacred civilians, Root would execute them without hesitation.
Just then, an unusual energy ripple swept across the area.
A powerful presence washed over them, making them freeze in place. Even Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear tendrils trembled involuntarily.
"This… this chakra… it's terrifying…"
"If I could sacrifice someone like that to Jashin-sama…" Hidan's eyes lit up with fervor as he turned to the others.
Only to find them stepping away from him, staring at him like he was an absolute idiot.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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