msmithbooks Chapter 462 Danzo's Troubles
Chapter 462 Danzo's Troubles
Minato's voice carried an uncontrollable excitement and fighting spirit.
This was a momentous turning point worthy of being recorded in history.
On the other end of the phone, Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up his teacup and took another sip.
The warm tea slid down my throat, taking away a bit of the dryness of autumn.
"I see."
His voice, transmitted clearly through the communication device, reached Minato's ears with a calmness that seemed to indicate he already knew everything.
"Watergate".
"You did a great job."
"Go ahead and do it. Konoha is your strongest support."
Communication was cut off.
Hiruzen Sarutobi put down his teacup with a soft click.
He looked up and gazed out the window.
Under the sunlight, the laughter of children echoed from the ninja academy, and the streets were bustling with people, filled with a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.
Hanzo's betrayal, the final battle at Thunder Valley, and even Minato's every move at this moment were all part of his countless deductions.
All of this is simply the script being played out on schedule.
What he wanted was never just victory in a war.
What we need is to completely break the millennia-old cycle of hatred that has plagued this world.
This battle was the first blow that shattered the old order.
A faint, unnoticed smile appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's lips.
He picked up the pen on the table and gently drew a new stroke on the grand blueprint.
The pen tip made its final stroke on the grand blueprint, the ink seeping evenly into the paper fibers. Hiruzen Sarutobi placed the pen on the wooden pen holder, leaned back, and pressed his back firmly against the chair back.
Outside the window, the automatic sensor glass doors on the first floor of the Konoha Building slid smoothly open to both sides.
Danzo Shimura, dressed in a crisp high-ranking uniform, had just stepped onto the marble floor with his right foot.
A violent and uncontrollable spasm suddenly erupted from deep within the abdominal cavity.
The internal organs twisted and writhed wildly.
His right foot was firmly planted in place, while the left side of his body tilted forward uncontrollably.
What happened?
Poisoning? Or some kind of hidden barrier spell?
Danzo Shimura quickly mobilized his chakra, attempting to seal off the meridians.
No response.
There was no sign of chakra intrusion, no indication of any external attack. It was simply a devastating rebellion of the stomach and intestines.
The second wave of spasms came, accompanied by an extremely dangerous feeling of falling.
Danzo held onto the smooth, load-bearing column beside him with one hand, his fingernail scratching a harsh, grating sound on the stone surface.
A layer of cold sweat instantly covered his forehead, sliding down his face and into his collar.
I... I absolutely cannot be in the hall...
The clerks and ANBU personnel coming and going in the building were turning their heads to look this way.
If I were to embarrass myself in public, how could I ever again call myself the Shadow of Konoha? How could I issue orders from within this building?
Danzo abruptly stopped in his tracks, turned around, squeezed his legs together, and took an extremely strange yet incredibly fast step.
Chakra gathers at the soles of the feet.
A fleeting afterimage flashed through the corridor.
He rushed into the restroom at the very end of the first floor and slammed the bolt on the last stall door shut.
The crisp click of the heavy metal buckle snapping shut is followed by a series of indescribable physiological reactions.
It permeated the enclosed space.
Danzo braced his hands on the partitions on either side, breathing rapidly.
What exactly went wrong?
What did I eat wrong today?
My thoughts raced forward through the gaps in the pain.
Three hours ago.
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Konoha Village, Hokage Avenue.
The smooth and wide asphalt road stretches into the distance.
The first tram of the morning slowly rolled along the tracks, its metal wheels rubbing against the rails with a dull, rhythmic clanging sound. The streetlights on both sides were still on, casting an orange glow.
Danzo, dressed in a gray casual outfit, stood at an underground pipeline outlet of the Namka River diversion project.
He reached out and touched the newly poured chakra-reinforced concrete to check its dryness and hardness, then gave instructions to the three construction department ninjas behind him.
"The joint gaps at Pump Station No. 2 are not properly sealed. Redo it."
After giving his instructions, Danzo brushed the dust off his hands and walked along the main road toward the Konoha Building.
A few days ago, Ri Zhan made a statement, and today he confirmed the funding allocation ratio for village-level construction and various projects in the next quarter.
I must be the first to arrive.
The subsequent power grid construction for the Nanhechuan Reservoir, as well as the third phase of slum redevelopment, will require massive amounts of funding.
We absolutely cannot let that Sakumo guy's farm empty the budget.
A long-term plan must ultimately be built on steel, concrete, and infrastructure.
After walking three blocks, a fragrant aroma of scallions, soy sauce, and meat gravy wafted into my nostrils.
In front of a shop called Akimichi Breakfast, white steam rose continuously from a steamer half the height of a person.
The line of ordinary people was very long, mostly workers who were heading to the factory early in the morning.
Danzo stopped in his tracks.
There's still an hour before Hiruzen goes to work.
Having breakfast allows me to knock on the door the very second Hiruzen steps into the office.
He walked to an empty table on one side of the shop.
I haven't even settled in yet.
"A large bowl of soy milk, six fried dough sticks, and two baskets of meat buns. No takeout, eat here."
A voice came from the side ordering.
Danzo turned his head.
Sakumo Hatake was wearing a canvas work uniform that smelled slightly of mud, a straw hat on his head, and even carrying a bamboo basket full of green vegetables and vines.
The two faced each other across a square wooden table.
Shuo Mao? What's he doing here?
At this time normally, shouldn't this guy be holding a morning meeting in the pigsty on the farm?
Did you come all the way to Naruto Avenue for breakfast?
And he was carrying a bamboo basket.
Arriving early to reserve a spot so I could report to Hiruzen.
Absolutely.
For the sake of the budget.