Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Inside the root office,

"Great! Excellent! Fantastic!"

Danzo, overjoyed at finding a treasure, excitedly flipped through the classified documents in his hands. Orochimaru and the others opposite him exchanged glances, their last trace of unease vanishing with a burst of cheers.
"I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You completed the mission perfectly. I hereby declare you passed the assessment. From this day forward, you are glorious members of the Root!"

After the inspection, Danzo, seated in his high position, suppressed his slightly excited expression, offered a few perfunctory words of encouragement, and then waved to Hiruko, who was behind him carrying a cat and a dog.

"Little Orchid, take them to complete their onboarding process."

"Yes!"

On the root corridor,
Hiruko, who was leading the way, spoke softly as she explained the Root's confidential records, disciplinary rules, and other important details to the group.
But Jiraiya and the others didn't care about that; they were only concerned with more practical issues.
"Hiruko, we can learn about these things gradually after we join the company. Tell us about the specific benefits and treatment at the Root first."

Having received a helping hand from Root during his most difficult time, Hiruko naturally felt a strong enthusiasm for his work.
"Jiraiya, don't you have any dreams?"

In his eyes, the entire organization was a sacred and inviolable entity, and his lifelong dream was to dedicate his life to the organization.
"My dream has come true."

Faced with his childhood friend's questioning, Jiraiya, now a successful bestselling author, proudly puffed out his chest.
That's because you didn't join the root.

Hiruko shook his head, his eyes filled with a fanaticism that the others couldn't comprehend.
"Jiraiya, Root is a great place. You'll love it once you join. Lord Danzo is a great leader. I'll never be able to repay the debt of gratitude I owe him."

"Um, you'd better hurry up and tell me about the perks~"

Looking at Hiruko, who had clearly been brainwashed by Root, Jiraiya and the others secretly curled their lip, their hearts filled with disdain.

Who would love going to work?

A debt of gratitude can never be repaid; do you think you are the embodiment of the sun?
Seeing the dismissive attitude of the group, Hiruko sighed inwardly, then slowly began to explain the basic benefits for the Root employees.
"Let me briefly explain. In addition to the basic seven insurances and two funds, the head of the department receives 14 months' salary per year, works three days a week and rests four days a week, plus two extra days off per month. There is a free canteen where you can take out food, and the office always has free sweet drinks and snacks. When we go out to perform tasks, we will be paid at market price and there will be no commission. During holidays, everyone can receive half a pig, and double for birthdays."

"."

As the lengthy introduction drew to a close, the expressions of the few people who had just looked distracted began to subtly change.

From initial disdain to surprise, then through a series of progressively changing emotions—speechlessness, astonishment, bewilderment, and disbelief—the emotions finally coalesced into a single, tearful expression.

Six people raised their hands high, and a familiar background music seemed to play behind them.

If you come through the three winter months, you will return to me a city blanketed in white snow.

(Д`)(Д`)(Д`)(Д`)(Д`)(Д`)

"I can never repay Lord Danzo's kindness!" *6
The declaration of loyalty was so loud that even Danzo inside the office could hear it clearly, and he immediately nodded in satisfaction.
"These students trained by Monkey and Wind-Catching Education are actually quite good!"

His smug smile deepened as he returned his admiring gaze to the classified documents in his hands.
Since the Uchiha meat processing plant suddenly appeared, the Shimura clan's livelihood, their family business, suffered a devastating blow. The pigs they produced were once difficult to sell, and if it weren't for the later implementation of price reduction policies, the unsold pork would have rotted in their hands.
Danzo was puzzled. Why did the Uchiha clan dare to sell the same pork so cheaply, even at a loss? Could there be something fishy about the pork?

To this end, he specifically purchased a batch of live pigs from the Uchiha meat processing plant and sent them for quality inspection, but the results were quite surprising.

This batch of pork is of exceptionally high quality, rich in nutrients, and surpasses even the premium pork produced by the Shimura clan.

How exactly did the Uchiha clan manage to supply large quantities of fresh pigs to the outside world while ensuring the quality of the meat?
This question had lingered in Danzo's mind for many years, and it never truly faded away.
And now, the answer to the question is right in front of him.

"Uchiha, after hiding for so many years, I've finally found you, haven't I?"

The confidential document stolen by Orochimaru and his crew wasn't complicated; it was just a purchase order. But the fact that it was locked in a confidential safe at the meat processing plant was enough to show that it was far more than just an ordinary purchase order.
The purchase order only listed one type of item, which the Uchiha meat processing plant ordered in batches every month.
"Light-emitting agent, you know?"

Danzo frowned slightly upon seeing the unfamiliar name. He was a seasoned ninja, but this was the first time he'd ever heard of this potion.
"The country of origin?"

It's the Land of Waves again.
Danzo's brow furrowed even deeper. He couldn't pinpoint when it had started, but the markets of Konoha, and indeed the entire Land of Fire, were now dominated by goods imported from the Land of Waves. Brands from the Land of Waves were everywhere he went.
"Someone, go and secretly investigate whether the Wave Country Merchant Guild sells a product called 'Light Glow Potion'."

With the clues in hand, Danzo immediately ordered Root members to secretly investigate information about the Glimmer Potion.

Meanwhile, the Konoha Police Force's village-wide search operation also caused quite a stir, and the news quickly reached Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears.

"What is Uchiha Setsuna up to now?"

At this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi was studying the impending conflict between Sunagakure and Iwagakure. Upon hearing his subordinate's report, he felt a headache coming on.

"Reporting to the Hokage, it is said that an important item has been stolen from within the Uchiha clan."

"Is it about forbidden techniques or bloodline limits?"

In his view, the fact that the Uchiha clan would mobilize their entire force to search for something meant that what was missing must be some kind of powerful forbidden technique, or a secret of the Sharingan that no one else knew.

The person in the shadows, kneeling on one knee below, hesitated for a moment.
"It's pork."

"what?"

"The items were stolen from the Uchiha meat processing plant."

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly fainted from anger.
You Uchiha people went to such lengths to conduct this massive search, just for pork?
"What exactly was lost?"

"Your subordinate is incompetent; the Uchiha clan has kept this information extremely tightly under wraps."

"Never mind, it's not really anything important anyway."

He gently shook his head, then beckoned to the Anbu in front of him and gave the order.

"You don't need to follow up on this matter. Now go and summon Danzo to me."

"Yes!"

A moment later, Danzo, his face showing displeasure, pushed open the door to the Hokage's office. Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sat calmly on the Hokage's throne, he frowned.
"Monkey, what do you want?"

"Danzo, why didn't you come to the meeting last week?"

"I'm working overtime at the root."

Faced with Hiruzen Sarutobi's questioning, Danzo replied confidently,
"Are they up to some shady business again?"

"!!!"

What was originally a casual, sarcastic remark by Hiruzen Sarutobi took on a different meaning when heard by Danzo, who had just committed a wrongdoing.
"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

His expression remained impassive as his mind raced. He ultimately chose to feign innocence and ask, "What's the best way to advance?"
His obviously strange behavior didn't attract Hiruzen Sarutobi's attention. After all, our Hokage had been preoccupied with the power struggles between major nations lately, and had no time to speculate about people's intentions.
He took a deep drag on his pipe, his serious expression making Danzo extremely nervous.
"Danzo, a war without gunpowder is unfolding!" *Thump!*

"Uh?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was just about to give Danzo a concise summary of last night's meeting when he was completely bewildered by Danzo's sudden kneeling slide.
"Danzo, what do you mean by this?"

"Monkey, you don't need to say anything, I know what to do."

Danzo, his heart filled with despair, hung his head. He simply couldn't understand how he had been caught red-handed by Hiruzen Sarutobi so soon after stealing the Uchiha clan's trade secrets, before the brutal business war had even begun.

It was that lecherous white-haired kid; he was definitely the one who passed on the information!

The thought that he had recruited traitors into Root, and six of them at once, filled Danzo with remorse.

Indeed, disciples trained by oneself are more reliable.
Danzo made up his mind that when he returned, he would definitely take on a few disciples and train them as his future successors.

"You understood before I even said a word?"

Looking suspiciously at the dejected Danzo, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought to himself that although the two had a good relationship and had grown up together since childhood, they were not so close that they didn't need to talk to each other.

"Some issues can be left unsaid. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

In Danzo's view, Hiruzen Sarutobi's decision not to bring Setsuna Uchiha along was already a way of giving him a way out, and he didn't want to escalate the matter.
"It would be best if you could understand, so I wouldn't have to explain further."

Seeing that Danzo had agreed without even hearing the mission, Hiruzen Sarutobi's doubts were quickly overshadowed by relief, and his eyes were filled with warmth as he looked at his best friend.

This is a true brother who shares his burdens, unlike Yan and the others who made all sorts of excuses.
Qu Feng: What about me?

Danzo slowly stood up, his eyes filled with defeat and dejection. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a pang of guilt at his listless appearance.
Indeed, undertaking such shady tasks requires enduring psychological pressure that most people cannot bear.

"Danzo, why don't you take a break for a while?"

"Pfft!"

The words had barely left his mouth when Danzo's knees, which had straightened a second ago, bent again.

"Monkey, you..."

Danzo, kneeling on the ground, choked up. "We've been brothers for years. All I did was steal a million times. Why are you going to strip me of my title?"

"Danzo, what's wrong with you?"

Kneeling once might elicit tears of gratitude, but repeated sliding kneeling could be a symptom of osteoporosis.

"Monkey, we're brothers, right?"

In the very end, Danzo first tried to appeal to emotions.

"Do you remember when that perverted curly-haired guy beat up Kun Kun, who was the first to speak up for you?"

"Can we please stop bringing up such old, trivial matters?"

Seeing Danzo suddenly start dredging up old grievances, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened. His sinister gaze swept across the corner of the office, and only after confirming that the ANBU on duty had gone to relieve him did his expression soften slightly.
"Then tell me, is that right or wrong!"

"Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have entrusted such an important task to you."

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's affirmative answer, Danzo pinched his thigh hard twice, tears welling in his eyes, but upon hearing the word "mission," his eyes, about to burst forth, froze.
An important task?
Weren't we here to confront him and demand an explanation?
"Monkey, on my way here, I saw a lot of guards going door-to-door questioning people. Do you know what's going on?"

Out of caution, Danzo casually stood up, dusted off his knees, and asked with a puzzled look,
"Why are you bringing this up? It's just that something went missing from the meat processing plant. Uchiha Setsuna is really something, making such a big fuss over it. It's a waste of public resources."

"I think so too. Allocating the garrison's funds to my headquarters was the wisest decision of your career!"

Danzo nodded in agreement, secretly overjoyed. So, he hadn't been summoned to investigate the theft after all.
"Alright, go back and get ready. This task is just as difficult as getting Yin San to give up sugar."

"what!?"

Upon hearing this analogy, Danzo's heart, which had just settled back into his stomach, instantly leaped into his throat, and his expression became unprecedentedly solemn.
Is it really that difficult?

"While it falls short, it's not far off."

"Phew, monkey, you really think highly of me."

Danzo's spirits plummeted. Even when he mistakenly believed his theft of trade secrets had been exposed, he felt no despair.

"I believe you."

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's expectant gaze, Danzo, his face filled with bitterness, nodded slightly.

"Monkey, if I'm gone, I hope you can take good care of the Shimura family, and Shin-chan and Misae too."

"Why are you saying such discouraging things?"

Sensing Danzo's unwavering resolve to die, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a pang of sorrow. This was indeed a mission that gambled with the future of a ninja's career.

If the truth comes out, for Danzo, the rest of his life will be no different from death.

"Take this intelligence and study it carefully. Try your best to complete this mission flawlessly."

With a heavy heart, Hiruzen Sarutobi reached into a drawer and pulled out a summary of mission intelligence that he had personally overseen, solemnly handing it to Danzo.
"I will never let you down."

Danzo took the scroll, which was still warm from its grip, nodded slightly, and turned to leave Hiruzen Sarutobi with a desolate silhouette.

After leaving the Hokage Building, Danzo returned to Root headquarters with a heavy heart. He locked himself in his office, and with a bitter expression, took out the scroll given to him by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Is it as difficult as getting that curly-haired jerk to give up sugar?"

"Shua~"

As the scroll was slowly unrolled, and its contents were revealed, Danzo's ashen face visibly regained its color.

"That's it, that's it! That's all?" (End of Chapter)