Thank you to our new Patrons: Jose cabrera atzin, Luke Matthews, allen pellissery, mark74497, Charlie Puente-Duany, Anime fan123456 and DeathClan1980! Your support means the world to me <3 We are up to Chapter 770: Xue Ye – Part 2 on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
I've also recently started a new translation, please check it out and show your support! It's called Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I Am the White Emperor of Heaven! As always, Patrons will have unrestricted access to all of my stories including futures ones!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Shimura Danzo, the embodiment of darkness in the ninja world, had spent his entire life adhering to the will of ROOT, constantly scheming from within his hidden ROOT base.
Though the Jonin council of Konoha wasn't convened frequently, it still met three or four times a year. However, Danzo paid no heed to such gatherings; he only concerned himself with his own domain.
After all, he couldn't interfere in matters beyond his control. Officially, ROOT was still under the jurisdiction of the ANBU, which meant it ultimately answered to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"I am the root of Konoha. Only I represent Konoha's hope. Hiruzen is far too soft-hearted."
As usual, Shimura Danzo indulged in self-admiration within the confines of his office.
"BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!!!"
Suddenly, a series of violent explosions jolted Danzo out of his reverie.
Although in the original storyline, Danzo's one true display of action seemed clumsy and reckless, as the shadowy figure of the ninja world, he was by far the most troublesome member of Konoha's F4.
He was the dirtiest and most despicable, yet also the most vigilant.
"Who dares attack my ROOT base? Could Hiruzen have finally decided to move against me?
No, we haven't had any major conflicts recently. That can't be it.
Is there a rat sneaking around? How bold—to dare trespass on my ROOT territory."
Danzo was confident in his organization's strength. Even in the face of an assault on his base, he remained calm and composed, carefully analyzing the unseen enemy.
But soon, a flicker of murderous intent gleamed in Danzo's narrow eyes.
"It seems my years of inaction have made these rats think I've grown weak. Heh heh heh, it's time for me to step back into the fray. Hiruzen, prepare the funds."
With this thought in mind, Danzo intended to personally enter the battlefield and see which faction's spies were foolish enough to attack his stronghold.
Even from a hundred meters away, Danzo could already smell the overwhelming stench of blood.
"These are my prized tools. Only ninjas like them can truly be called the hope of Konoha."
With this self-satisfied mindset, Shimura Danzo stepped onto the battlefield.
But what he saw next left him utterly stunned. His left eye widened in disbelief at the horrific scene before him.
"How is this possible?!"
Danzo immediately suspected he was under a genjutsu and quickly performed a release seal.
But it was futile.
The ROOT operatives—who had no past, no future, and no names—now lay dead or dying, their bodies torn apart. Some didn't even have complete corpses left.
And their attackers? They were Konoha ninjas.
Danzo's eyes bulged with rage. These were the tools he had painstakingly cultivated over the years, and now they had been slaughtered on his own turf by their own comrades.
"Stop this at once! Are you all trying to rebel?!"
Ignoring his composure, Danzo roared in an attempt to halt the brutal massacre.
But the attacking Konoha ninjas paid no heed to his commands. Instead, their attacks grew even more ruthless.
In mere moments, every remaining ROOT operative in the base had perished.
Danzo had considered intervening, but upon noticing the presence of the current Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the heads of various clans, he realized the situation was dire.
Acting now would be akin to throwing eggs at a stone wall.
Having committed countless atrocities, Danzo knew that if he made a move, he would likely be branded with a false charge and executed on the spot.
He also wondered why Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't present—it was strange.
Now, the only thing he could rely on was his title as Hokage Advisor to intimidate these hostile Konoha ninjas.
After all, the Konoha ninjas still respected hierarchy.
"Can someone explain this to me now? Why are you attacking my ROOT base?!"
Faced with Danzo's accusatory tone, the gathered Konoha elites remained silent, their cold gazes fixed on him.
This old man had extorted their clans endlessly. If not for his position, they would have killed him long ago, especially in the Warring States era.
At this moment, a young figure clad in the same ceremonial robes as the Fourth Hokage stepped forward.
Danzo stared incredulously at Kakashi, who stood at the center of attention.
"How is this possible?
Kakashi! How did you become Hokage?!
What have you done to Hiruzen?!"
Kakashi ignored Danzo's questions and instead glared coldly at the man responsible for his father's death.
"Gather the bodies and bind them," Kakashi commanded in a chilling voice.
"Yes!"
A group of ANBU swiftly carried out the order.
At this moment, Danzo's heart grew increasingly uneasy. But recalling the trump card hidden in his right eye, he regained some confidence.
Still, how had Kakashi suddenly become the Fifth Hokage? In less than a day, this change was far too abrupt. What were his subordinates doing, failing to relay such critical information to him?
Danzo inwardly raged at his subordinates' incompetence, but now wasn't the time for accountability. Thus, he could only glare silently at the unfolding scene.
Before long, the former ROOT operatives—now corpses—were neatly arranged before Kakashi. Even those torn apart had been meticulously pieced back together.
Truly, the ANBU's professionalism was unmatched when it came to handling any task.
The battered battlefield and the rows of neatly arranged corpses created an eerie atmosphere.
At this moment, Kakashi spoke.
"Pitiful souls. You've already sacrificed yourselves once for Konoha. Now, live the lives you desire."
Instantly, Kakashi activated his Vast Sea Chakra Mode.
Raising his hands, he declared,
"Divine Technique—Resurrection!!!"
A warm and radiant golden chakra enveloped the area, filling everyone present with a comforting warmth.
A miraculous sight unfolded.
The fragmented corpses reassembled themselves into whole bodies, while the wounds of the severely injured rapidly healed.
"Cough—"
The first cough signaled the revival of dozens of ROOT operatives, who now stirred back to life with disbelief in their eyes. Bound by restraints, they writhed on the ground like maggots.
Kakashi knew full well that his rhetoric about divine faith would be hard for Konoha's elite to truly believe. But if a miracle like resurrection occurred right before their eyes, he believed it would unite Konoha's forces like never before in service of the Vast Sea God King.
However, every ninja's life was still a life. And among them, these despised ROOT operatives were the perfect subjects for his technique.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow