Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

He gritted his teeth, abruptly shoved the still-stunned Temari and Kankuro behind him, and hissed, "You two step back! He's not an enemy you can face!"

Temari and Kankuro felt a chill run down their spines; they had never seen their usually composed teacher, Maki, display such a solemn expression.

“But, Mr. Maki…” Kankuro wanted to argue.

"That's an order!"

Maki's voice brooked no argument; he stared intently at Jiraiya, "Only when Gaara uses the 'Feigned Sleep Technique' and draws upon 'that guy's' power can we contend with him..."

Just as he was speaking, several whooshing sounds came from the air, and several Konoha Jonin arrived in an instant. Leading them was a special Jonin named Genma Shiranui, who had a senbon needle in his mouth.

"Lord Jiraiya." Genma Shiranui and the others quickly took their positions, protecting Jiraiya behind them, and warily watching the Sunagakure group opposite them.

"Leave this to me."

Jiraiya turned around and gave him a relaxed smile, "You guys go help the rest of the village, I'll take care of the tailed beasts."

Genma Shiranui was slightly taken aback, but immediately understood the intention.

"clear."

He nodded, winked at his companions, and the group's figures flickered again.

............

Meanwhile, at the entrance to an even more secluded underground passage in Konoha Village.

This is one of the backup passages to the "Root" base, and it's also the least noticeable entrance that Kakashi found based on his memory.

However, just as Sasuke and Kakashi arrived, several muffled sounds and the sound of blades cutting through the air came from the depths of the passage.

The two exchanged a glance, tacitly concealing their presence and disappearing into the darkness.

At the end of the passage was a relatively spacious underground guard post.

Four Root ninjas wearing animal masks had silently fallen into pools of blood.

In the center of their corpses stood three Sunagakure assassination squad ninjas dressed in the same attire, their kunai still dripping blood.

One of the Sand Ninja was about to go forward to explore the depths of the outpost when he was stopped by the captain in charge.

"Our goal is simply to create chaos and draw 'Root's' attention. Don't linger; retreat immediately!"

However, he had barely finished speaking.

"Pfft—!"

A wind blade appeared out of thin air, moving with incredible speed, and instantly sliced ​​open his throat.

The Sand Ninja captain didn't even have time to let out a scream before clutching his neck and collapsing in disbelief.

"Who goes there?!" The remaining two Sand Ninja were shocked and stood back to back, scanning their surroundings warily.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Ball!"

A cold voice rang out from the shadows deep within the sentry post.

Two more condensed wind blades precisely reaped the remaining two lives.

Blood stained the cold ground.

From the shadows, an elderly figure leaning on a cane slowly emerged—it was Shimura Danzo.

Behind him, Aburame Tokine and Yamanaka Kaze stood quietly.

"Hmph, the trash from Sunagakure actually managed to find this place." Danzo looked at the corpse on the ground and let out a disdainful snort.

Yamanaka Kaze stepped forward, bowed slightly, and said in a flat voice, "Lord Danzo, there is unrest throughout the village, and the chakra fluctuations I sense are very chaotic. Judging from the situation, it seems that Sunagakure could not hold back and made its move ahead of schedule."

He paused, then asked, "Should we send someone to support the Hokage?"

"No need."

A cold light flashed in Danzo's single eye. "Moving out now will only prematurely deplete our strength."

He turned around and walked back into the darkness, his voice drifting back softly.

"We will remain inactive."

"That old monkey should pay the price for his naiveté..."

He is waiting.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi dies in battle, when Konoha is leaderless, and when everyone is in despair, he will reappear as a "savior," clean up the mess, and rightfully ascend to that position.

"Disrupt all support forces attempting to approach the Hokage, especially the Hokage's directly subordinate Anbu," he coldly ordered.

However, at that moment, the mountain wind, who had been sensing with his eyes closed, subtly changed his expression.

"Lord Danzo."

"Ok?"

“A very strong chakra is rapidly approaching this place.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure appeared silently at the entrance of the passage, like a ghost.

Silver hair, a tilted headband, and a standard Jonin vest.

It was Kakashi Hatake.

Danzo slowly turned around, his one eye narrowing, his voice hoarse: "Kakashi, what are you doing here instead of protecting the Hokage at a time like this?"

The questioning was filled with undisguised scrutiny.

"I have come here to ask you something, Lord Danzo."

Kakashi's voice was very soft, yet it sounded exceptionally clear in the deathly silent underground passage.

This opening remark intensified the cold glint in Danzo's eyes.

He hadn't expected that Kakashi Hatake would dare to speak to him in such a questioning tone.

"explain."

Kakashi refocused his gaze on Danzo's wrinkled face and asked, word by word:

"You should remember that my father, Hatake Sakumo, chose to sacrifice himself to save his comrades during a mission, right?"

Upon hearing the name "Sakumo Hatake," Danzo's eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.

"The tragedy of Konoha's White Fang is known to everyone in the village."

He answered hoarsely, "What do you want to say?"

"I would like to know."

Kakashi stepped forward, his aura becoming incredibly sharp at that moment. "What exactly is the truth behind that mission?"

Danzo fell silent, his single eye fixed on Kakashi.

After a long while, he finally let out a cold laugh, his voice filled with condescending arrogance.

"Kakashi Hatake, it seems that your comfortable life these past few years has made you forget your identity."

He slammed his cane on the ground. "There are some things you have no right to meddle in."

"Sakumo Hatake's death was his own fault; he chose cowardice and violated the ironclad rules of ninjas!"

"is it?"

Kakashi's lips curled into a cold smile. "It seems you're not planning to tell me the truth."

He slowly raised his right hand and gently pushed up the headband that was covering his left eye.

"Since that's the case..."

As the headband was lifted, the crimson Sharingan suddenly lit up in the darkness, radiating an ominous light.

"I had no choice but to ask for advice in my own way."

Chapter 76 The Fall of the Root

The moment Kakashi's Sharingan lit up, the atmosphere in the underground passage instantly became oppressive.

The last trace of pretense in Danzo's eyes quietly faded, leaving only pure coldness.

"It seems I underestimated you, Kakashi."

His hoarse voice held neither approval nor threat, "Fine, since you want to walk into the darkness yourself, then I'll grant your wish."

He didn't say anything more, but simply tapped the ground lightly with his cane and glanced coldly to his side.

"Mountain Wind".

"Yes."

Without the slightest hesitation, Shan Zhongfeng stepped forward.

With his hands forming a hand seal, his figure instantly became blurry, and he launched an attack on Kakashi.

Kakashi's eyes sharpened instantly, his Sharingan spun rapidly, and he, too, gripped the White Fang and charged forward.

"Clang!"

White teeth and kunai collided in the dark passage, sparking a dense shower of sparks.

Yamanaka Fu's martial arts are clean and efficient, with each move aimed at vital points.

Kakashi's movements were even faster; his years in the Anbu had made him intimately familiar with this fighting style.

Every block was perfectly timed.

Yamanaka Fu seemed to realize that physical skills alone could not win. In a fleeting moment as they passed each other, he suddenly turned around and formed a strange hand seal.

The art of turning your mind around!

However, the instant his chakra was gathered, Kakashi left an afterimage and instantly appeared beside Yamanaka Fu.

"Sizzle—!!!"

A sharp shriek, like the cry of a thousand birds, suddenly echoed throughout the entire underground passage!

Blue and white lightning gathered in his palm, illuminating his pale profile.

Faced with this S-rank ninjutsu that condensed the ultimate lightning release chakra, Yamanaka Fu's pupils contracted violently. He wanted to dodge, but his body's speed couldn't keep up with his reflexes.