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Arc V Chapter 7

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The first rays of sunlight flooded her bedroom and ripped Asami out of her peaceful slumber. The sun killed her dreams without mercy, and Asami despised the sun for her cruel deeds.

The bright sun smiled upon her, but Asami didn’t accept the sun’s hollow peace offer for the horrible crime the light had committed, the crime of shattering her joyful illusions

Hell hath no fury like a girl deprived of her happiness. Asami hated the sun with passion. The sun ruined her fleeting moments.

Asami snuggled under her warm cashmere blanket and turned away. She wanted to sleep. “Stupid sun.”

But sleep eluded her and now awake, Asami started to roll around in her fluffy canopy bed. Obviously, her bed was fluffy as good sleep was the foundation of a fresh mind and a sharp spirit.

Asami rolled from one side to the other in a never ending cycle. Her semi-conscious body moved left, then right. Left, right, left, right, left, left, right, right, right, right, and then sharp left to not fall off the bed. Not a pleasant experience.

Asami hugged her beloved silk pillow and enjoyed the rest of her morning in a state of eternal harmony and peace.

She has to get up soon, but that moment hadn't come yet. Getting up was the problem of future Asami.

Asami ignored the nagging thought in the corner of her mind. She felt she had forgotten something, something important. But it couldn’t be that important, otherwise she wouldn’t have forgotten it. That sounded logical.

Asami yawned softly and huggled her plushy pillow

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There are normal days in the life of Shimura Danzo, and there are less normal days. Today was a normal day and Danzo spent his time with reading field reports, nothing out of the ordinary.

He received them from his Root operatives, and they brought mixed news. Apparently, Iwa and Kumo staged a major joint exercise near Konoha’s borders during the final phase of the chunin exams. Iwa and Kumo even announced partial mobilisation. Did they plan something?

Danzo continued to read in his office located in Root's former headquarter. Root might have been dissolved, but their installations were never abandoned. Few people knew about this place’s existence, and even fewer knew about the secrets hidden behind these walls.

The thick concrete walls had seen much. They struck fear into the hearts of the knowing.

Many entered this place, but never left. Cold cells, iron shackles, closed steel doors, long corridors illuminated by pale artificial light lurked in the dark, hidden from the eye of the public. The silent walls witnessed, his failures, his successes, his defeats, his triumphs,

Danzo acted behind the scenes. He pulled the strings from the shadows to assure Konoha's safety, Konoha's greatness.

Blood covered Danzo's hands, a price he was willing to pay. No sacrifice was too big for Konoha. He committed the acts Hiruzen was never prepared to.

Danzo hated Hiruzen and his empty idealism. Hiruzen stole from him the position of Hokage. His ideals corrupted Konoha. His false beliefs infected Konoha’s ninja like a cancerous tumour. Entire generations had grown soft under his rule, their potential wasted.

Hiruzen's reign weakened Konoha and one day, the village would pay the price for his delusions.

Not a single day passed that he didn’t plot his demise, which was easier said than done. Conquering the Hokage proved exceedingly difficult as all his assassination attempts failed miserably. The old man didn't know how lead a village, but he sure knew how to survive.

But today, Hiruzen didn't occupy his mind. Danzo was occupied with another domestic problem, a problem called Asami.

The Uchiha might be the biggest assholes in the known universe, but they were absurdly powerful assholes, Asami in particular.

Danzo knew her strength, and he wasn’t stupid enough to face her on an open battlefield. He wouldn’t survive her.

Danzo clicked his tongue. His face distorted. Perhaps, he bit off more than he could chew this time. He didn’t see the entire clan die only to be bested by a single girl.

He hoped Akatsuki would take the bait and accept his dishonest offer. He promised them 60,000,000 ryo, money he didn’t have and never had the intention to pay, but Akatsuki didn’t know.

Either they would succeed and eliminate her, or he would use them as sacrificial pawns, as expendable cannon fodder to soften up her resistance. Two birds with one stone.

“Danzo-sama.“ Fu arrived and knelt.

Danzo acknowledged his presence. ”I listen.”

“We received a response from Akatsuki, Danzo-sama.” Fu presented him a scroll.

Danzo took the scroll and opened the seal. The guys were fast. Maybe he should hire them more often in the future. He had plenty of work to do for them.

”We received your letter ... we are grateful you requested our services ... Unfortunately, we have to inform you that your mission request has been … rejected.”

“ ... rejected.“ Danzo crumbled the scroll and threw it against the wall.

Danzo started to think. The situation had changed, and he was forced to improvise. He required a new sacrificial pawn, a new victim, but who? Powerful ninja were a limited commodity, not readily available.

Danzo looked up. ” Fu, call Torune and Sai, I have to discuss something important with you three.”

Fu, Torune, Sai had the privilege to work together with Asami during her ANBU time. They knew Asami better than him. Their experiences should prove useful.

“Understood, Danzo-sama.” Fu disappeared.

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