Chapter 199: The Cocky Second Pillar
The chill of deep autumn quietly seeped into every corner of Konoha.
The core secret chamber of the Root Base, deep underground and never seeing sunlight year-round, had air even thicker and colder than the surface, mixed with the musty smell of aged files and the pungent aura of special potions, forming an unsettling atmosphere.
Shimura Danzō sat solemnly on the cold stone chair, his exposed single eye flickering with sinister and irritable light under the swaying flame of the oil lamp.
His rough fingers heavily tapped on several scrolls spread out on the stone table.
These intelligence scrolls, processed with special potions, carried the information that Kabuto Yakushi transmitted back from the distant Land of Stars.
Yuruma Aburame stood by like a statue merged into the shadows.
He wore Root’s signature gray high-collared uniform and hood, the mask covering his mouth and nose revealing only a pair of emotionless eyes like insect compound eyes.
“Yuruma!” Danzō’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying suppressed rage: “This is Kabuto Yakushi’s several months of effort in the Land of Stars? Besides that set of deceptive ‘no nobles’ policy from the Land of Stars, the Ninja Academy curriculum, and a few irrelevant officials’ names… the core intelligence on that Shura is practically blank!”
He set down the scroll, the oil lamp’s flame swaying slightly: “He could dig out deep secrets in Sand Village and Rock Village! But in the Land of Stars, how did he become blind?!”
Yuruma Aburame slightly bowed, his voice muffled and flat through the mask: “Lord Danzō, calm your anger. Kabuto Yakushi is currently active as ‘Kumamoto Kabuto’, one of the first batch of students at the Star Ninja Academy. Relying on his medical talent, he graduated early and was assigned some low-level tasks. But his contact level is limited to grassroots ninjas and school instructors.”
“Shura himself has elusive whereabouts, rarely appearing in public, and his core team stays deeply secluded. With Kabuto’s current identity and qualifications, directly accessing Shura’s core secrets indeed requires deeper stealth and an opportunity. The Land of Stars’ intelligence defense is stricter than anticipated.”
Danzō’s single eye narrowed dangerously, his gaze sweeping over another scroll.
That was Kabuto Yakushi’s achievements from his stealth periods in Sand Village and Rock Village, with detailed and profound content of immense value.
“Hmph! Compared to his smooth operations in other ninja villages, in the Land of Stars, he’s practically stuck in mud!” Besides dissatisfaction, his tone carried a trace of barely perceptible anxiety.
“This Shura… is even more mysterious than that Nagato with the Rinnegan from Rain Village! Akatsuki at least has traces to follow, with a leader, members, bases, and wealth-gathering goals! But this Shura alone possesses terrifying strength that heavily damaged Cloud Village, and even has a Mangekyo Sharingan owner like Uchiha Hikari, yet both Shura and Uchiha Hikari have blank pasts!”
“This defies common sense! No powerful strength can appear out of thin air!”
Yuruma Aburame caught the obsession with “Rinnegan” in Danzō’s words.
Failing back then to completely eradicate Akatsuki and seize those legendary Sage of Six Paths’ Eyes remained Danzō’s greatest regret and source of dread.
Yuruma Aburame timely added, his voice still calm: “However, Lord Danzō, at least one thing can be confirmed. Based on the limited information Kabuto has sent back so far, combined with our previous tracking of Akatsuki’s remnant forces, we can basically rule out the possibility that Shura is that Rinnegan-wielding Akatsuki leader or his core remnant.”
“Their styles of action, organizational structures, and goals are completely different. Shura’s power system also shows no descriptions of any Rinnegan characteristics.”
“This, old man is naturally aware.” Danzō snorted coldly, but his furrowed brows did not relax.
Ruling out the Rinnegan threat instead made Shura’s true identity even more enigmatic, like a giant beast shrouded in thick fog—its roar heard, but its true form unseen.
“As for those fools from Cloud Village who swore that Shura used ‘Nine-Tails’ Tails Mode’?” Danzō’s tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm and scorn.
“It’s just another one of their fabrications after being defeated and humiliated by Shura again, to cover their own incompetence, shift blame, and even attempt to extort Konoha! The Nine-Tails’ power was long ago thoroughly divided and sealed by the Fourth Hokage at the cost of his life using the Reaper Death Seal! It absolutely cannot reappear in the world in a short time!”
He paused, a cold reminiscence of past glorious days flashing in his single eye: “Back then, going to Cloud Village for talks as the Second Hokage’s guard, old man personally saw those two monsters, Gold Brother and Silver Brother, who had devoured Nine-Tails flesh.”
“Their so-called ‘Tailed Beast Transformation’ was merely borrowing a trace of impure Nine-Tails Chakra—powerful yet uncontrollable, far inferior to true, perfect Tails power!”
“If Shura can truly imitate it, at best it’s just that inferior, flawed counterfeit like Gold Brother and Silver Brother!”
Yet, the Cloud Village envoy group’s ironclad accusation still pierced like a venomous thorn into Danzō’s suspicious and imaginative heart.
His gaunt fingers unconsciously tapped on the cold stone table surface, producing monotonous, oppressive tapping sounds, plunging the chamber into brief silence, with only the crackling of the oil lamp and distant dripping echoes.
“However…” Danzō’s tapping fingers suddenly stopped, sharp light bursting from his single eye like a venomous snake spotting prey: “Those fools from Cloud Village’s ravings accidentally hit the mark and reminded old man!”
He jerked his head up, his sharp gaze piercing toward Yuruma Aburame: “If this Shura truly can use some… extremely similar Tails-like Chakra power… even if just superficial! Then, the source of this power might be the key key to unveiling his mysterious veil!”
“Clarifying the root of his power will reveal his weaknesses, even… his origins!”
“Yuruma!” Danzō’s voice suddenly rose, in an unquestionable commanding tone.
“Here!” Yuruma Aburame instantly straightened.
“Immediately! Send Kabuto Yakushi the highest-level encrypted order!” Danzō enunciated each word like ice spikes quenched in poison: “Command him to spare no cost, mobilize all stealth resources, and prioritize and fully gather all intelligence on Shura! Especially any traces related to Chakra!”
“I want to know where his powerful strength truly comes from!!”
“Yes! Subordinate will execute immediately!” Yuruma Aburame bowed to accept the order, his movements without the slightest delay, like a machine with preset programming.
He retreated silently, merging into the wall’s shadows, as if he had never appeared.
In the dim chamber, only Danzō remained, the dim yellow lamplight stretching his hunched figure long and distortedly projected on the cold stone wall.
His single eye stared at the dancing flame, burning with greed, scheming, and deep dread of the unknown power.
The same autumn sunlight generously sprinkled on the wide outdoor training ground of the Konoha Ninja Academy, dispelling the morning chill and bringing comfortable warmth.
In stark contrast to the Root chamber’s cold oppression, here was filled with the unique clamor, vitality, and a hint of tense expectation of boys.
“Hey! Menma! Menma! Did you hear me!” Naruto Uzumaki, like an overenergetic golden retriever, bounced and jumped around the lazily wall-leaning Menma, waving his hands excitedly.
“Today’s combat training! I hope Iruka-sensei puts me in a group with that arrogant Sasuke! Gotta teach him a lesson! Make that smug face of his not cool anymore! Let him know who’s the real genius! Let him…”
“Alright, Naruto,” Menma helplessly dug at his ear, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth, mumbling to interrupt him: “Got it, got it, my ears are about to go deaf from your noise.”
Today he used his real body, after all, combat training involved real physical collisions, and Shadow Clone was ultimately a bit lacking.
Golden sunlight fell on him, making him squint slightly.
Hinata Hyuga kept her head low, her fair little face tinged with faint blush, like a timid little rabbit, following closely beside Menma.
Her two slender index fingers unconsciously twisted together, betraying her inner tension.
Hearing Naruto’s words, she quickly glanced up to steal a peek at Menma’s profile, then dropped her gaze like startled, long lashes trembling slightly, the blush at her ears rapidly spreading.
“Naruto, save your energy.” Choji Akimichi sat cross-legged on the nearby steps, hugging a big bag of potato chips, munching crunchily with glee, his chubby face showing a worldly-wise expression.
“Sasuke that guy was named top student by Iruka-sensei right at the start of school, you’ve lost to him not once or twice.”
“Hey! Choji! You guy!” Naruto instantly bristled like a cat with stepped-on tail, jumping up and pointing at Choji, face flushing red.
“I’m the man destined to become Hokage! How could I keep losing to that cool-posing Uchiha! Watch, one day…”
“Hahaha!” Kiba Inuzuka hugged his chest, doubling over with laughter nearby, flashing white teeth: “Give it up, Naruto! Even bragging needs a draft! Forget Sasuke, you can’t even dodge my taijutsu attacks now! Better think how to stably refine Chakra first! Eternal dead last!”
His precise jab struck Naruto’s “dead last” sore spot.
“Damn Kiba! Who’re you calling dead last! Wanna fight?!” Naruto immediately switched targets, rolling up sleeves to pounce.
Shikamaru Nara leaned against the other wall root, hands in pockets, watching this chaotic daily scene, letting out a long, utterly exhausted sigh: “Sigh… such a pain… these energetic single-celled creatures…”
The first semester was already halfway through.
The “Will of Fire” instilled in theory classes felt too grand and distant for these mostly six- or seven-year-olds.
What truly divided the class clearly was the practical courses.
Chakra Refinement, shuriken and kunai throwing, Three Body Technique basics, taijutsu sparring… these were the real hard skills.
Ninja clan kids like Sasuke Uchiha, Hinata Hyuga, Shino Aburame had long built solid foundations under family systematic training, with smooth stable Chakra Refinement, shuriken throwing accuracy far surpassing peers, taijutsu stances proper and lifelike.
Sasuke especially proudly stood above all with his proficient C-rank Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu, becoming the undisputed top student, attracting worship from a large group of girls led by Ino Yamanaka and Haruno Sakura.
While Naruto, due to unconscious Nine-Tails Chakra interference in his body, had an extremely difficult and highly unstable refinement process, fluctuating wildly, often out of control, his grades firmly at the bottom of the class, the “dead last” moniker resounding through the entire year, forming a glaring contrast with the dazzling Sasuke.
The bell for afternoon combat training finally rang.
Iruka-sensei led the students to the wide field behind the school specially for sparring.
The ground was compacted flat mud, marked with clear white boundary lines, surrounded by stone steps for students to watch.
“Alright, quiet down! Everyone find seats!” Iruka clapped to maintain order, taking out a matchup list, announcing loudly.
“First group, Sasuke Uchiha! Menma! You two, come up to prepare!”
The training ground, still buzzing with murmurs, instantly fell silent, then erupted in bigger commotion, especially from the girls.
“Wow! It’s Sasuke!”
“Sasuke! Go for it!!”
“Sasuke is the coolest! You must win!”
“Me-Menma… pl-please do your best too…” This was Hinata’s encouragement in a tiny voice only she could hear, burying her flushed little face.
“Hahaha! Menma! Go! Beat that arrogant Sasuke hard! Show him there’s always someone better! Avenge me!” Naruto jumped onto the stone steps without restraint, waving fists, shouting hoarse cheers, as if he were the one about to fight, excitement overflowing.
Menma, who had been half-squinting against the wall root as if ready to sleep anytime, upon hearing his and Sasuke’s names paired, slightly raised a brow, finally perking up a bit.
He looked toward the field center.
There stood Sasuke Uchiha, hands in pockets, coolly in the center.
His black spiky hair looked spirited and neat under the sunlight, his fair handsome little face expressionless, but his slightly raised chin and the confidence and pride in those jet-black eyes silently declared his top student status.
Ignoring Naruto’s yammering, his calm gaze swept over the cheering girls, finally landing on the leisurely approaching Menma, with a hint of scrutiny and the faint superiority of a strong practitioner.
Seeing Sasuke’s classic “I’m number one, you’re all mortals” tsundere vibe, plus Naruto’s expectant and inciting “flatten him” shouts in his ear, Menma’s mouth corner uncontrollably hooked up in an amused, mischievous arc.
The sky cleared, rain stopped, and the second pillar felt cocky again.
A long-missed thrill of “bullying a kid” rippled in Menma’s heart like a stone tossed into a calm lake.
‘Heh… since it’s come to this…’ Menma chuckled inwardly: ‘Then let’s play with this tsundere arrogant second pillar from this period… properly.’
He casually flicked the blade of grass from his mouth precisely into the distant trash bin, his previously lazy limp posture suddenly changing.
Though not deliberately releasing aura, his steps became steady and casual, with an indescribable coordination, striding meteorically into the white circle at the training ground center, standing directly opposite Sasuke Uchiha.
Their gazes met in mid-air, invisible sparks seeming to instantly burst.
