After Danzo announced the departure, the ninjas swiftly moved toward the Rain Village.
Ninjas traveled at remarkable speed. In just half a day, the delegation covered dozens of kilometers.
"Lord Danzo, it's noon. Shall we rest here?" one of Danzo's trusted aides, Yamanaka Reiko, asked. A member of the Yamanaka clan and a loyal Root operative since childhood, she was among Danzo's most trusted.
"Very well, we'll rest here," Danzo nodded, his hoarse voice unsettling.
The ninjas received orders to halt on a flat clearing. While some scouted or set temporary traps, others rested to recover stamina.
Yusuke leaned against a tree, adjusting his condition while observing his surroundings.
Then, he noticed Danzo approaching, followed by several Root ninjas.
"Uchiha Yusuke, do you know the Third's true intent in sending you to monitor me?" Danzo asked gravely.
"A ninja doesn't question mission reasons," Yusuke replied formally.
Though he had some guesses about the Third's motives, Yusuke had no intention of discussing them with Danzo.
"Well said. You have a ninja's resolve," Danzo said, a cold glint in his eyes, unsatisfied with Yusuke's evasive response.
Seemingly unbothered, Danzo continued, "Root needs ninjas like you. Unlike the village's weak institutions, only Root truly embodies the ninja way."
Despite his disdain for the Uchiha, Danzo was pragmatic. Recognizing Yusuke's potential, he tested whether he could recruit him.
If Yusuke joined, willingly or not, Danzo was confident he could control him, turning him into a valuable asset.
Yusuke was momentarily surprised by Danzo's veiled offer. He'd anticipated hostility, not recruitment.
But he knew he and Danzo were fundamentally incompatible. Danzo believed scheming in the shadows would secure him the Hokage title.
To Yusuke, Danzo was a specter thriving in darkness, unable to survive in light. As in the original Naruto, Danzo's brief tenure as Hokage marked the start of his downfall.
"Sorry, I have no interest in joining Root," Yusuke said, shaking his head.
"A pity," Danzo replied curtly, turning as if to leave.
Unseen by Yusuke, Danzo's eyes flashed with killing intent, signaling his subordinates.
Suddenly, two Root ninjas appeared on Yusuke's sides, grabbing his shoulders to restrain him.
Facing Yusuke, Reiko began forming seals to use her clan's secret technique.
"Mind Body Switch Technique!" Reiko completed her seals, smiling as Yusuke seemed pinned.
But Yusuke surged with strength, overpowering the two ninjas holding him.
With a swift kick, he sent the left ninja flying. Grabbing the right one, he pulled him in front, blocking Reiko's technique.
Reiko's smile faded as sharp pain hit her abdomen.
Her technique had possessed the ninja Yusuke used as a shield, and Yusuke's punch to that ninja's stomach transferred the damage to her.
Yusuke flung the possessed ninja sideways, knocking back two others charging at him.
The two couldn't dodge, stumbling backward while catching their comrade.
At that moment, two hands emerged from the ground, seizing Yusuke's ankles, likely preparing the "Headhunter Jutsu" to drag him underground.
The Headhunter Jutsu, a common Earth Release tactic, pulls enemies into the soil, leaving only their head exposed, immobilizing them.
"Fire Release: Scorched Patch," Yusuke sneered, rapidly forming seals.
A jutsu seal appeared beneath his feet, and the ground within its range dried and cracked, as if baked for months. Heat rose from the fissures, indicating intense underground temperatures.
A scream rang out. A charred ninja, reeking of roasted meat, burst from the ground. Yusuke mercilessly kicked him away.
Having dispatched the first wave, Yusuke faced another group of Root ninjas charging, with a dozen kunai hurtling toward him.
To the Root ninjas' shock, the kunai passed through Yusuke's body. His form flickered like flames, splitting into flaming crows that circled and reformed into Yusuke on a tree branch behind Danzo and his team.
"Lord Danzo, shall we continue?" Yusuke asked calmly, arms crossed, leaning against the tree.
Danzo's plan to subdue Yusuke had failed. If they pressed further, Yusuke wouldn't hold back.
Though he might not defeat Danzo and all of Root, he was confident he could kill a few and escape.
Hearing Yusuke's voice, Danzo turned, his gaze icy.
He'd heard Yusuke excelled in the Third War, rivaling Kakashi and earning the "Flame Blade" title.
But after this ambush, Danzo rated Yusuke's skills above Kakashi's, impressed by his taijutsu, reaction speed, and seal formation.
"A true Uchiha genius, as expected," Danzo said coldly, gesturing to stop his advancing ninjas.
With the ambush failed, Danzo said no more, leading his team away.
In his mind, Yusuke was now on his kill list. He wouldn't tolerate defiance, especially from an Uchiha.
As Danzo withdrew, Yusuke resumed resting against the tree.
Though he appeared relaxed, his senses were on high alert, monitoring Danzo and Root for further threats.
"This mission's no walk in the park. The Third really gave me a tough one," Yusuke thought, glancing at Danzo's group.
After a brief rest, the Konoha delegation resumed their journey to the Rain Village. The ambush was a minor incident, with both Danzo and Yusuke acting as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, within the Rain Village's territory, a group called "Akatsuki" conducted covert activities, catching the attention of the village's true leader.
In a hidden base, Akatsuki's founders—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan—were in discussion. Their black robes lacked the red clouds of later years.
"Great news! More ninjas are joining us. I believe our ideals will one day end all wars," Yahiko said excitedly under dim candlelight, his yellow hair catching the glow.
Initially, Akatsuki wasn't a terrorist group or tied to capturing Tailed Beasts for the "Eye of the Moon" plan.
It began as three idealistic youths seeking peace without violence, based in the Rain Village, a buffer between Konoha, Iwa, and Suna.
Akatsuki roamed the great nations, recruiting rogue ninjas who shared their peace vision and spreading their ideals.
At this stage, Yahiko led the group, his charisma and leadership drawing many rogue ninjas to join willingly.
"You're right, Yahiko. If enough people embrace our ideas, even the great nations will have to stop fighting!" Nagato, with red hair and active Rinnegan, smiled.
Nagato's combat prowess far surpassed Yahiko's, but he believed Yahiko was the ideal leader. He aimed to use his strength to help Yahiko achieve "ninja world peace."
"Recent reports say a Konoha delegation will visit the Rain Village to negotiate reparations with Hanzo. The leader, Danzo, is a Konoha elder, but his character is unclear," Nagato said.
Yahiko's face lit up. "Could this be our chance? We could share our ideals with Konoha's delegation, reaching the Land of Fire! As the strongest ninja nation, if our ideas spread there, worldwide acceptance isn't far off."
Nagato nodded. "It's a good opportunity. Recently, Hanzo sent word, hoping to meet us and propose peace talks with the surrounding nations through us. This could let us forge peace agreements with both Konoha and the Rain Village."
"Even the 'Demigod' of the ninja world can't ignore us now!" Yahiko said, his eyes brimming with confidence and hope for the future, certain his ideals would advance.
Konan sat quietly, her gentle gaze on the two, a simple, contented smile on her face.
To her, Yahiko and Nagato were everything. She'd give anything to help their ideals succeed. Despite the challenges, as long as the three stayed together, nothing else mattered.
Yet, the naive trio was unaware that an event loomed—one that would shatter their ideals and alter their destinies forever!
(End of Chapter)
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Do You Know:
The Headhunter Jutsu traps foes underground, leaving only their head exposed.