"You've gone too far!"
Danzō Shimura let out a cold snort. Shadows burst from beneath his feet, darting toward Reiji like ghosts. Using the flickering candlelight to extend his reach, the shadow connected with Reiji's.
Reiji had already noticed him making a hand seal in his sleeve earlier.
But he hadn't stopped him.
He wanted Danzō to struggle, to exhaust every trick he had—only then would he understand that cooperating was the only real option.
As their shadows linked, Reiji's body momentarily stiffened.
Feeling the pressure locking his movements, Reiji gave Danzō a faint smile and sighed.
"So this is your trump card? A stolen heart from the Nara Clan?
Still, I didn't expect Earth Grudge Fear could even absorb a secret technique's power. That's kinda interesting.
But tell me, Danzō—have you ever tried integrating a Kekkei Genkai?"
"Hmph."
Danzō snorted, eyes cold as ice.
If Reiji hadn't mentioned Earth Grudge Fear, he might have held back. But now...
"Reiji Sakuhō, your mistake was being too greedy.
If you'd only wanted to become the Fourth Hokage, I would've supported you!
But trying to steal my secret technique—unforgivable!"
He slowly stood and approached Reiji, wariness still lingering in his eyes.
With his own heart and four extras, Danzō had five in total—giving him a chakra reserve several times greater than normal. And he was already no slouch in that department.
That let him use the Shadow Binding Technique far longer than the Nara Clan could.
And with far more power.
After all, Shadow Binding was a variation of Yin Release—its grip was terrifyingly strong.
Danzō came to a stop beside Reiji and extended his palm toward his chest.
On his hand, a thread-stitched scar slowly split open, revealing black threads writhing within.
The threads twisted, snaked out, peeled back Reiji's yukata, and touched bare skin.
Instantly, they went wild, like sharks catching the scent of blood, lashing out to pierce him.
Sparks flew.
Danzō was stunned as he watched the threads struggle uselessly to pierce Reiji's skin.
What the hell?! Are you even human?
Whose skin is this damn tough?!
At that moment, Reiji couldn't hold it in any longer—he burst out laughing.
I've been fused with Kitty for years. Except when she's on break, my Lightning Release chakra mode is always active.
And you thought your little toothpicks could break my indestructible body?
Shaking his head with a grin, Reiji said, "Danzō, know what the hardest jutsu is for me?"
Before the stunned Danzō could respond, Reiji answered himself.
"Summoning Jutsu. Because I can't even bite through my own damn finger."
Danzō was speechless.
This was all Hiruzen's fault—for letting this lunatic go undercover in Kumogakure. Now even his whole style was completely different!
As Danzō silently cursed, a surge of crackling blue electricity flared across Reiji's body.
In an instant, an overwhelming force shattered the Shadow Binding Technique's control.
Just as Danzō prepared to escape with the Body Flicker Technique, Reiji's right arm moved.
"A serious punch."
His fist, as big as a cooking pot, slammed into Danzō's chest like an afterimage. At the same time, four transparent shockwaves blasted from his back.
Danzō felt four of his hearts rupture violently all at once.
"Gah!"
He spat out a huge mouthful of blood.
Face twisted in disbelief, Danzō raised a trembling finger at Reiji.
"You said... one punch!"
Reiji sheepishly raised his left hand, smacked his right fist, and chuckled.
"Sorry, sorry. My right hand... kinda has a mind of its own sometimes."
Danzō stared at him in horror, hunched over, mouth bleeding, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
It was back.
That unbearable, soul-crushing disgust he felt whenever this guy was around—it was back.
"I'll do it again! I promise—just one punch this time," Reiji said with an earnest face.
Danzō's head shook fast, trembling all over as he backed away.
He was genuinely terrified of this maniac who refused to follow any logic.
Another punch?
Where would it land?
I've only got one original heart left!
"No! I don't believe you! You're too evil! Is this how you treat your comrades?!"
Danzō trembled as he refused Reiji's help, staggering back to his chair and slowly sitting down.
At that, Reiji's face fell.
Say I'm reckless, fine. Say I don't follow the village's orders, sure. But don't say I mistreat my comrades!
With a scowl, Reiji pulled a scroll from his ninja pouch, unrolling it right in front of Danzō.
Then, ignoring his protests, he grabbed Danzō's bloodied hand and slapped it down on the seal.
"Look! The title of Daimyō of the Land of Grass—consider it my compensation to you. How's that? Pretty loyal of me, right?"
At first, Danzō's eyes lit up in surprise, but his expression quickly froze.
He was a top-ranking Konoha official. The leader of Root. Danzō Shimura.
To the outside world, he was the elder brother of Dan Shimura.
And Dan Shimura... was the Daimyō of the Land of Rain.
The one who had issued the mission to eliminate the Grass Country ninja... was none other than the Daimyō of the Land of Rain!
If he now became the Daimyō of the Land of Grass, wouldn't that mean—
Damn it! That everything had been orchestrated by him from the shadows?!
You bastard! You planned all this just to screw me over!
No.
Everything had gone wrong from the very beginning.
First, he was painted as arrogant.
Then, he was forced to take the fall for the "Iron Calamity."
And now? Now he was being set up to take the blame for the Land of Grass?!
This was a trap! A layered setup! That damn Reiji had been scheming it all from the start!!!
It's a bottomless pit!
In that instant, the light vanished from Danzō's eyes.
This world is fake. It has to be fake.
I refuse to accept this absurd world!
I... I will create a world without Reiji Sakuhō.
A world that's real.