"Where did you find that kid?"
Inside the Senju clan's camp, Yukika had just returned to his tent when he turned to look at Nawaki with a hint of surprise on his face.
He was asking, of course, about the ninja who had previously knelt down and sincerely requested that Yukika become the supreme commander.
Technically speaking, Danzo was still the official commander. If Yukika truly wanted to seize full command, it would take a little more time.
That said, there was nothing stopping him from planting a few well-timed provocations to disgust Danzo and win over the hearts of the troops. It was time to let the ninja see clearly who was really keeping the coalition stable and who was dragging them down.
So, that guy had been found by Nawaki—not someone who volunteered on his own. This was just a trigger. A carefully placed spark designed to open the eyes of the ninja, an essential step toward completely sidelining Danzo.
"His name is Ryō Sakazaki. His ancestors used to follow the Senju clan. There won't be a problem," Nawaki said with confidence.
"What I mean is…" Yukika paused. "Protect him."
He patted Nawaki on the shoulder, speaking with calm authority.
If someone publicly supports the Senju, Danzo wouldn't dare kill them outright. But he would certainly use his underhanded methods to target them from the shadows. And the ones who would act on Danzo's behalf—there was no doubt—would be the Root ninjas under his direct control.
"If anyone makes a move on him, capture them and drag them out in front of everyone," Yukika said. "You should already know what to do next."
So calculating, big bro!
Nawaki was impressed. He gave Yukika a big thumbs-up.
In just one month, even if it hadn't been enough time for a genin like him to fully mature into a wise leader, being at Yukika's side had helped Nawaki grow. He'd gone from being a reckless brawler to someone who actually thought things through.
Yukika didn't spell everything out, but Nawaki understood perfectly.
Protect Ryō Sakazaki in secret. Catch anyone who tries to silence him. Then expose them publicly, letting Ryō break down in tears and stir the emotions of the entire camp. That would be the perfect moment for everyone to openly criticize Danzo and raise Yukika up as the new supreme commander.
So whether it was Ryō's sudden "request" or Yukika's indifferent reaction—it was all part of the trap. Every piece was in place to bait Danzo into making a mistake.
"But, big bro…" Nawaki scratched his head, a bit puzzled. "There's something I don't get."
"When Danzo was captured before, wouldn't that have been the perfect time for us to take command? I mean, with your speed, you probably could've gotten in and out of the Sand ninja base faster than even Lord White Fang…"
"So why didn't you just finish off Danzo then?"
It was a question many had silently wondered. After all, if Yukika and Orochimaru had been able to rescue Sakumo Hatake, then surely Yukika had the chance to eliminate Danzo at the same time.
Ah, Nawaki's really growing up.
Yukika gave his head a gentle pat and smiled slightly.
It made sense that Nawaki wouldn't understand. Even Tsunade probably didn't fully grasp why Yukika had let Danzo live.
Letting such a loathsome man survive seemed like madness—but Yukika had his reasons.
"First, killing Danzo wouldn't solve the internal issues of the Senju clan. The others still wouldn't see the true face of the village leadership. I need to use him to unite the clan completely. Otherwise, what right do I have to lead a force full of confused, hesitant people against those in power who are plotting behind the scenes?"
"Second, I want him to remain the temporary commander for now, not Sakumo Hatake. I need him to stay in that position a little longer…"