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[The Perfect Blood Successor]
Despite his initial suspicions, the mysterious figure quickly dismissed the idea that his opponent was an ordinary ninja. The way the enemy wielded a blade—precise, fluid, and masterful—was enough to block even Shisui's signature technique, the Kage Buyō combo that set up his devastating Three Sun-Moon Dance.
No matter how far back he searched his memories, he couldn't recall any ninja in Iwagakure (the Village Hidden in the Stones) with such unparalleled kenjutsu ability.
"Who are you?" a masked ANBU demanded, voice sharp. "Why have you been interfering with Konoha's ANBU operations again and again?"
Shimura Danzo, dressed in his typical kimono with his right eye and arm concealed in bandages, narrowed his gaze. Though the cloaked intruder wore a different outfit, Danzo instantly recognized him—this was the same individual who had disrupted his previous mission.
The man's mastery of chakra control was terrifying. He didn't just move fast—he accelerated unpredictably, twisted his trajectory mid-air, and attacked with pinpoint precision. His combat style surpassed even that of the Uchiha, who were famed for their Sharingan-assisted reactions.
And worst of all, the man was cunning. He had already distanced himself from the Leaf's internal politics by claiming allegiance to ANBU, not Root. That way, even if things went wrong, Danzo could push the blame elsewhere.
Uchiha Shisui, standing beside Danzo, clenched his fists. He could sense something off but didn't know how to speak up.
Was Danzo—one of Konoha's most powerful and feared leaders—actually trying to pin the blame on Hiruzen Sarutobi, his own trusted friend and the Third Hokage?
Ye Dou stood silently. Though his face was hidden beneath a mask, a flicker of emotion passed through his eyes.
He exhaled slowly and said, "I am from Konoha."
Danzo was momentarily stunned. From Konoha? That didn't make sense. He prided himself on intelligence gathering—how could a ninja this powerful exist within the village without his knowledge?
There was no doubt about it. The man was hiding something—and hiding it well.
"Since you refuse to speak the truth," Danzo growled, "then die with your lies!"
With a flick of his hand, Root ANBU launched into coordinated attack.
Ye Dou said nothing. He briefly exchanged a glance with Shisui, then raised his blade.
He ignored both Danzo and Shisui—choosing instead to dismantle the Root operatives. Facing Danzo's Izanagi, the Uchiha's Susanoo, or worse—both—would cost too much chakra. Better to let them wear each other down before stepping in for the kill.
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Nanhe Riverbed – Nightfall
Konoha at night was a lively place. The streets were busy, restaurants packed, and families laughed at food stalls under paper lanterns. Children ran with candied apples and sticky cotton candy, their parents smiling gently behind them. Young couples walked hand-in-hand, enjoying the peace of a Hidden Village that had known too many wars.
But beneath this peace, hidden from view, the battlefield near Nanhe River pulsed with killing intent.
Once a desolate, forgotten area, the riverbed was now a warzone.
Ye Dou had been fighting here for some time, yet not a single Root ninja had managed to even graze him.
These weren't ordinary shinobi—they were the elite of the elite, Danzo's personal force. Their missions were often lethal and classified, and only the most ruthless survived Root training. That they couldn't even scratch a lone man was unthinkable.
"Don't get close!" one of the Root commanders barked. "His technique is strange. Use shuriken and kunai to wear him down!"
"Captain…" one ninja hesitated.
"Speak!"
"I… I already threw my last shuriken."
"My kunai too," another added grimly. "Didn't even scratch him."
The commander's face darkened. He had faced strong enemies before, but never one so… elusive. The way this ninja moved felt unnatural. It was as if gravity itself bent to his will.
The technique reminded him of Iwagakure's Added-Weight Rock Technique—a signature jutsu of the Tsuchikage—but this man didn't even use hand seals.
And then there was the brutality. One of their comrades had been sliced with a single sword swing—and before he could react, four explosive tags stuck to his face. The resulting explosion left nothing but torn limbs and scorched earth.
On the cliff above, Danzo observed silently.
These Root shinobi were his most loyal agents—each one a potential bargaining chip in his quest to become Hokage. Their strength and devotion were supposed to be unquestionable. Even Shisui had once struggled to shake them off.
Now, they cowered before a single masked man.
Still, Danzo couldn't blame them. That sword… that technique… it cut a trench into the earth over ten meters long. The power was more than ninjutsu—it was like a kekkei genkai, a Bloodline Limit.
But even kekkei genkai usually required hand seals to shape chakra. This didn't. It was something else entirely.
Danzo's eyes gleamed. "Capture him. At all costs."
If they could retrieve the man's body—or even his DNA—it could be a key to unlocking a new generation of unstoppable Root operatives. He had harvested the cells of Senju Hashirama, experimented with Uchiha DNA. He wasn't above tampering with bloodline limits.
Below, one of his lieutenants, Aburame Torune, felt the insects under his skin stirring anxiously.
This man… is dangerous, the kikaichū warned. He must not be approached… run… run…
But orders were orders. The Root didn't retreat.
Torune clenched his jaw. Danzo had spoken. That meant they had to move forward, even if it meant death.
They were the shadows of Konoha—ready to sacrifice everything for its so-called peace.
"Night Fight," a voice hissed from within Ye Dou's mind—his mongoose partner. "They're trying to drain your chakra with sheer numbers. Don't get careless."
Ye Dou already understood.
He had amplified his chakra fivefold through his unique abilities. With minimal effort, his techniques became exponentially more destructive.
One time, five times. Two, ten.
But he wasn't Naruto Uzumaki. He had no tailed beast to draw on. If his chakra ran out…
That would be the end.
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