Chapter 102: 102. Kabuto: I Want to Become a Hero
Danzo's words pierced through the gloom in Kabuto's heart like a sharp sword.
Like a beam of sunlight, they illuminated his gradually closing heart.
In the end, he couldn't hold back anymore.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from the corners of his eyes, rolling down his cheeks.
Young Kabuto suddenly threw himself into Danzo's arms, clutching him tightly with his small hands.
Kabuto's action seemed to trigger a chain reaction.
In an instant, all the children rushed toward Danzo.
Their clothes were tattered.
Their faces were covered in dust.
But at this moment, they united and embraced each other!
Thus, a scene unfolded before everyone's eyes—
Danzo, the elder, stood amidst a group of children, his kind gaze soothing one wounded young soul after another.
This powerful figure of authority and the symbol of vulnerability, the children, merged into one at this moment.
This scene would be enough to influence many lives.
It might even be seen as the embodiment of the Will of Fire.
Nothing could better represent the meaning of "passing the torch" than this scene before their eyes.
Even Nono, who had always regarded Danzo as a demon, couldn't help but feel shaken.
Perhaps, this time, Lord Danzo truly intended to protect these children?
Even Nara Shikai, known for his calm demeanor, had to admit the impact of this scene.
Although there might be an element of performance in it, when Danzo took the act to this level, whether it was genuine or not no longer mattered.
At this point, it had become art!
After comforting the children, Danzo turned his attention to Aburame Ryoma.
Seeing that it was finally his chance to shine, Ryoma hurriedly brought over the prepared bread and milk.
With the comfort of food, the children quickly calmed down.
And Danzo's deeds spread rapidly throughout Kikyō Castle through the mouths of the people.
The sound of "Skill Point +1" could be heard incessantly!
This made the kindness on Danzo's face appear even more genuine.
"Lord Danzo, the information about these children has been compiled."
Under Danzo's orders, Nono quickly utilized her professional skills, establishing good relationships with all the children and gathering detailed information about them.
"Good. Then, I may need your help in taking care of this child along the way. After all, I'm not very skilled in such matters."
Danzo requested.
This startled Nono.
You're not skilled at taking care of children?
The children trained in the Root division would have something to say about that.
Some of them might even be unable to speak anymore.
Of course, Nono would never dare to voice such thoughts.
Seeing her hesitate, Danzo proactively asked:
"Do you have any questions for me?"
Since Danzo had taken the initiative, Nono decided to go all out.
Temporarily overcoming her fear of Danzo, she asked:
"How do you plan to handle these children?"
Danzo sat down, leaning on his cane, and after taking a sip of tea under Nono's anxious gaze, he slowly replied:
"Don't worry, I will never go back on my word."
He finished the tea in his hand and continued calmly:
"Since I've said that I won't let them suffer any harm, no one can hurt them."
Danzo wanted to add: Not even the Sage of Six Paths could change that.
But it didn't quite fit his demeanor, so he let it go.
Hearing Danzo's bold and sincere response left Nono at a loss.
Although she still harbored doubts about how Danzo would treat the children, his words made it clear that pressing further might only provoke him.
As a top spy known as the "Wandering Priest," Nono's ability to read people was exceptional.
It was only in front of Danzo that her fear caused her to falter.
Seeing that Nono had no further questions, Danzo slowly rose, leaning on his cane, and before leaving, he said:
"Take good care of these children. Once this mission is over, I can approve your early retirement from the Root."
This sudden surprise left Nono stunned.
She stood there in a daze, even forgetting to say thank you.
By the time she regained her composure, Danzo was already far away.
This was the biggest mistake of Nono's entire career.
But instead of feeling discouraged, she was filled with joy.
To be honest, she had long grown tired of life in the Root.
It was only because Danzo had used the orphanage's funding as leverage that she was forced to continue gathering intelligence for the Root.
Now that Danzo had suddenly agreed to her resignation, it meant she could finally focus on running the orphanage and live a peaceful, stable life!
Though she wondered if the orphanage's funding could be increased...
Danzo returned to his room.
Almost the moment he allowed Nono to resign, a pleasant notification sounded in his ears.
"Detected gratitude from Yakushi Nono. Skill Point +1."
"Drawing skill package..."
"Congratulations! Obtained skill package [Yang Release Talent (A-)]."
An A- level Yang Release talent?
Danzo rubbed his cane thoughtfully.
He was quite satisfied with this reward.
After all, Yin Release and Yang Release were core aspects of the chakra system.
The former represented the soul, while the latter represented the body.
Thanks to his Sharingan, Danzo already possessed Yin Release chakra and talent.
Now, with an A- level Yang Release talent, along with his other five elemental affinities, Danzo had mastered all chakra natures.
However, since Nono's potential was limited, what truly caught his attention was the reward he obtained from Kabuto.
"Detected intense gratitude from Kabuto. Skill Point +1."
"Drawing skill package..."
Suddenly, a golden light burst forth!
"Congratulations! Obtained skill package [Natural Energy Affinity (S-)]."
Good!
Very good!
Danzo almost jumped out of his chair.
He had expected to get something good from Kabuto, but not something this incredible!
Natural energy was the biggest hurdle for ordinary people trying to learn senjutsu.
It was entirely dependent on talent.
If you had a natural affinity for it, you might sense the natural energy around you with your eyes closed.
If you lacked the talent, no amount of treasure could help you perceive it!
Thus, the ability to sense natural energy was the foundation for mastering senjutsu.
And senjutsu was one of the most powerful systems in the ninja world.
Driven by natural energy, senjutsu was a completely independent system, separate from the chakra system.
Senjutsu attacks, infused with natural energy, could even affect the Sage of Six Paths.
In fact, senjutsu was the best weapon against the Ōtsutsuki clan and other extraterrestrial threats.
Without senjutsu, the legendary God of Shinobi might never have achieved such terrifying power.
With this in mind, Danzo closed his eyes and began to meditate.
As he focused, the space around him began to change.
Tiny, multicolored specks of light, like fireflies, emerged from the air.
They appeared from the trees, the rocks, and even the ground...
Danzo didn't rashly attempt to absorb this energy into his body.
After all, he hadn't trained in the three great sage regions and didn't know the proper way to absorb natural energy.
If he wasn't careful, he might end up like those at Mount Myōboku who turned to stone while attempting to master senjutsu.
Still, being able to glimpse this new world excited Danzo.
Without delay, he summoned Kabuto to his presence.
Seeing Danzo again, Kabuto was still somewhat nervous, but not as fearful as before.
"Come here."
Danzo beckoned to the five-year-old Kabuto.
The boy obediently walked over to Danzo.
Danzo pulled out a lollipop he had prepared earlier.
"Here, this is for you."
"Thank you, Lord Danzo."
Kabuto's tone was reserved, likely because he had already learned of Danzo's status from others.
Facing such a powerful figure, an orphan like him naturally didn't dare to act too casually.
To Danzo's surprise, after taking the candy, Kabuto didn't immediately eat it but instead held onto it.
"Don't you like it?"
Danzo asked curiously.
Kabuto shook his head and smiled shyly:
"I want to save it for the other kids."
Hearing this, Danzo patted Kabuto's head and smiled.
"Don't worry, the other children will have some too."
Only after Danzo's assurance did Kabuto put the candy in his mouth, revealing a satisfied smile.
Danzo looked at Kabuto and felt a pang of emotion.
Who would have thought that the future master of reanimation, who would influence the entire ninja world, could be so content with just a piece of candy?
If not for the original Danzo's interference, Kabuto might have inherited Nono's legacy and continued to run the orphanage in Konoha.
Thinking about how the original Danzo had forced Kabuto to kill Nono, pushing him into darkness, Danzo couldn't help but feel exasperated.
Such a talented individual, and instead of nurturing him, he had driven him into Orochimaru's arms.
To be honest, Kabuto's talent was truly remarkable.
As a mere mortal, he had studied Orochimaru's body, gained the recognition of the Ryūchi Cave, and successfully mastered Sage Mode.
Such research talent was rare.
Not to mention, he had also learned the Reanimation Jutsu, becoming the greatest master of reanimation in the ninja world.
Thinking of this, Danzo couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.
"Kabuto, let me ask you something. Would you like to become my disciple?"
Hearing Danzo's question, Kabuto was startled.
Though still young, he understood the weight of the word "disciple."
Especially when the invitation came from someone as powerful as Danzo...
He hesitated for a moment.
But then he remembered his parents, who had died in the war, and Danzo's bold declaration to protect them.
With these thoughts in mind, he mustered the courage to ask:
"Grandpa Danzo, if I become your disciple, can I become like you and protect many, many people in the future?"
Hearing Kabuto's question, Danzo smiled.
He crouched down, meeting Kabuto's gaze, and said earnestly:
"As long as you train hard, you will definitely become a hero like me—or even greater!"
Danzo's words dispelled Kabuto's hesitation. The boy looked up at Danzo and nodded firmly:
"Then I will become your disciple! I want to be like you, a hero who protects the village and my friends!"
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