I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 97 Is Light an Outsider Too?

That evening.

Uchiha Hikaru and Erii each carried a bunch of large and small bags as they returned home.

"Eri, the water temperature is ready. Go take a shower first, I'll go cook."

"it is good."

Erii nodded obediently, then took off her coat in the living room and continued to take off her white shirt underneath.

"Wait... take them off in the bathroom!"

Seeing that Erii was almost down to her underwear, Uchiha Hikaru quickly went over, pressed her hands down, and said in a very serious tone, "Remember, a girl's body should not be seen by outsiders, not even when she's wearing underwear..."

Erii blinked and held up her little notebook: "Is Hikaru an outsider too?"

"..."

Uchiha Hikari thought to himself, "Then how could I be considered an 'insider'?"

"In short, you must not expose your body to anyone other than your closest... no, I should say your soulmate."

Uchiha Hikaru gave a few instructions, then glanced at Erii's smooth wrist, suddenly raised his hand to touch it, and then squeezed it.

The texture is smooth and soft to the touch, just like that of an ordinary girl, or even softer, like solidified cream.

(No abnormalities are visible for now; it seems that not taking the serum for a few days won't cause any problems?)

Hmm... it might just be that the time hasn't come yet.

After all, Erii is two years younger now than she was in the Dragon 3 storyline, so her physical condition is definitely better than it was in 2011. In the main story, she ran away from home with Lu Mingfei for about a week, during which time she used "Word of Power: Judgment" several times, which caused her physical condition to deteriorate rapidly. Now, as long as she doesn't use Word of Power, she should be fine for about a week.

Of course, it would be best to be on the safe side and send her back in three to five days.

"?"

Erii tilted her head, looking at Uchiha Hikaru with some confusion.

"...It's okay, go take a shower."

Uchiha Hikaru smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

The sound of rushing water soon came from inside the bathroom, and under the dim yellow light, a suggestive silhouette could be vaguely seen reflected in the glass door.

Uchiha Hikaru created two shadow clones by performing hand seals, instructing them to cook. He then returned to his bedroom on the second floor, sat down at his desk, and closed his eyes slightly.

Consciousness slowly sank in.

During this time, Uchiha Hikaru never gave up training with the "Eight Thousand Spears," and had already conducted numerous experiments on Daki and her siblings, among others, captured from the Demon Slayer world. In the process, he even lost two "demons."

—Not all of these people became demons voluntarily. Many, like Nezuko or Tamayo, were killed by Muzan through "experiments" or deception, and thus became demons. After regaining their memories of their previous lives, some demons will give up their ability to heal themselves and instead seek death.

Faced with this situation, Uchiha Hikaru casually ended things for them after the experiment was over.

And now...

This was the first time that Uchiha Hikaru attempted to conduct experiments on living people.

In the dark and profound depths of the sea of ​​consciousness.

Among the fragments of the [engraving], each with varying degrees of brightness and darkness.

Hikaru Uchiha found the one that belonged to Danzo, and transformed his consciousness into tentacles, slowly seeping into it from the edge...

……

Deep within Konoha Prison.

Inside a heavily guarded prison cell.

Danzo Shimura was resting with his eyes closed on his sickbed.

As an elderly man nearing sixty, he has had a very difficult time lately, either being beaten or waiting to be beaten. Fortunately, Konoha Hospital has advanced medical technology, and with the life force provided by Hashirama cells in his body, he is still alive.

It's probably also because of getting older.

Danzo has been having a lot of dreams lately.

In particular, I dreamed about my teacher, Tobirama Senju, several times.

That happened during the First Shinobi World War, and it was a nightmare buried deep in Danzo's heart—

"...The Golden Horn troops are catching up quickly. One of us must stay behind as bait to avoid total annihilation."

"Hiruzen, Danzo, En... you've been with me the longest. You can choose your own path."

In the deep, dense forest, Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage at the time, presented this choice time and time again. Danzo also repeatedly shouted in his heart that he would stay behind as bait, but each time he was about to speak, he would suddenly stop. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward and was appointed by Tobirama Senju as the Third Hokage of Konoha with a gratified expression.

He himself could only remain as the dark side of the Hokage, hiding away and becoming the Root that could not see the light of day.

(if……)

(If only I had been more decisive back then...)

(If Tobirama-sensei could give me another chance to choose...)

Countless thoughts spread through Danzo's mind, like a wild dance of inner demons.

I don't know when it started.

He saw his mentor, a figure from the depths of his memory, begin to change—his short silver hair gradually turned black and grew longer, the red marks on his cheeks faded, and three black tomoe slowly appeared in his eyes, his body also began to shrink… This was no Tobirama Senju, but clearly the appearance of that Uchiha brat!!

(Damn it, that born evil Uchiha brat, how dare he...)

Danzo's emotions had just begun to surge when an invisible force swept them away, quickly smoothing out all his distracting thoughts.

then.

Like water flowing over a riverbed, the scenes in my memory are quietly rewritten.

Before he knew it, Danzo seemed to see that Uchiha brat wearing the Hokage's robes, standing in front of him, tiptoeing and patting him on the shoulder: "Danzo, this operation to destroy Root was my personal decision. For the future of the Uchiha and Konoha, you must escape the village as a rogue ninja and infiltrate the Akatsuki."

"...A rogue ninja?"

Danzo vaguely sensed that something was wrong with the scene before him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it: "But my roots..."

"Don't worry about the destruction of the roots; those are necessary sacrifices."

A voice, seemingly imbued with some kind of magic, entered my mind.

In Danzo's vision, the Uchiha brat's figure gradually grew taller, like an angel bathed in holy light:

"Don't refuse, Danzo. Of all my disciples, I only trust your abilities. Hiruzen and the others couldn't do it."

"When you return from this undercover mission, you will be the Fifth Hokage of Konoha!"

—The Fifth Hokage!

—Only I can't do it, Hiruzen can!

Upon hearing these two sentences, Danzo felt as if he had been struck by some mysterious force. In the instant his mind relaxed, all his doubts vanished, replaced by an inexplicable excitement, and his whole body began to tremble.

In a daze.

Danzo seemed to see his own portrait carved on the Hokage Rock in Konoha.

"…Mr. Hikaru, I'm willing to carry out your plan!"

"Oh."

The Uchiha brat's lips curled into a fleeting smile: "Let's set the defection time for three days from now. I've arranged everything. This operation is a top-secret plan of Konoha. You must never reveal my identity to anyone. If necessary, you can use the 'Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique' that I taught you to destroy your body and cover your tracks."

"Do not fear death. If that happens, I will still keep my promise and posthumously appoint you as the Fifth Hokage of Konoha. From this day forward, the villagers of Konoha will forever remember your achievements."

"Yes, Professor Hikaru! I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

"..."

In the dark prison cell.

Danzo had his eyes closed and was still asleep, but a flame was burning fiercely in his heart.

"All of this is for... Mr. Hikaru!"

(End of this chapter)