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Chapter 44
Naruto let go of Sakyo and grabbed her shoulders. "Little Sakyo!"
"This isn't the time to overthink things. We're probably in serious danger right now."
"If we can't get away, your ideals and wishes will all become empty talk!"
That's right—what was Root?
Konoha's double-edged sword. Their experience in carrying out certain tasks was beyond what Naruto could imagine.
Fifth-year and graduating classes coming to the border of the Land of Rain for a competition—Danzō, as Root's leader, couldn't possibly not know.
Since he knew, why would he send a ninja carrying such an important secret through the competition area to deliver a letter to Uchiha Itachi at the exact same time?
And Root's behavior was too abnormal.
If they really had to pass through the competition grounds, without Danzō's special orders, they wouldn't risk exposure by rushing through like that.
In other words…
This letter wasn't actually meant for Uchiha Itachi!
The real targets from the beginning were Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sakyo!!!
Naruto turned back to look at the Root ninja's body. The man's face showed relief and joy—expressions that a Root ninja whose mission failed should never have in death.
That smile on the corpse seemed to mock Naruto's slowness and ignorance.
…
At the same time, deep underground in Konoha.
An old man wrapped in white bandages sat in the main seat, listening to a Root ninja's report below.
"Lord Danzō, 'Source' is dead."
"His mission was successfully completed."
Danzō narrowed his exposed eyes slightly. Hearing the report, he opened them and looked to the side.
From the shadows, a girl with an expressionless face slowly stepped forward—Tenraku Kumo, still dressed as a student, her appearance and demeanor completely mismatched.
"It's your turn now."
Tenraku Kumo didn't answer directly. Instead she said: "Don't forget your promise."
Danzō's lips curved into a smile. "Don't worry. I'm not going to deceive a little girl like you."
With that, he ignored Tenraku Kumo's relieved sigh and turned back to the Root ninja below: "Fire—even in death, you must complete the mission."
The Root ninja codenamed "Fire" replied loyally: "Yes!!"
After the two left, Danzō's expression turned thoughtful.
Naruto's strength had been unusually abnormal these past few days. Using that, Danzō had sent the Root ninja codenamed "Source" to deliberately deliver that letter to Uzumaki Naruto and Sakyo.
Then, he had "Fire" contact Uchiha Itachi and arrange for Itachi to meet his "sister" Uchiha Sakyo at the competition site.
The most crucial piece was the pawn Danzō had nurtured for years: Tenraku Kumo.
Tenraku Kumo impersonating Uchiha Sakyo would be flawless in Itachi's eyes.
If the enraged Sakyo encountered Tenraku Kumo during the competition, she would definitely attack…
Then Danzō could use Itachi's hand to eliminate Sakyo.
Once Sakyo was heartbroken and despairing, Danzō would appear as the savior, rescuing her from her troubles.
At that point, Sakyo would fully pledge loyalty to Root. After Danzō implanted his curse seal on her, he could reveal the full truth to Sakyo. In her grief, she would almost certainly awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
In the end, Danzō would obtain Sakyo's Mangekyō Sharingan and use its power to control the Nine-Tails jinchūriki…