Chapter 89: I Want to Expose the Hokage Advisor

With this level of combat, even an ordinary Jonin wouldn't be able to get close, right?

A burning forest, a massive deep crater.

The lingering scent of chakra everywhere, as well as the fluctuations of a special flame energy...

Although I knew Sasuke's strength skyrocketed after becoming a player, to be able to fight a Hokage Advisor to this extent in just a short half-year—the Samsara Game is truly mysterious.

Compared to the other Four Great Ninja Villages,

because of the decisions made by the higher-ups, Konoha ninjas do not have a clear understanding of the Samsara Game; while some ninjas are aware of the existence of the Samsara Game, they cannot imagine its astonishing power.

Even as an Elite Jonin,

I only understood the terrifying energy contained within the Samsara Game after completing trials and mastering new power.

"Jonin Hatake, are you trying to stop me from killing a rogue ninja?"

Danzou remained expressionless, using it to mask his inner anxiety;

Sasuke's strength exceeded his estimates, causing him to fail to resolve the battle in a short time.

The destruction caused by the two of them fighting would certainly alert the Anbu; the more people who rushed to the Death Forest, the more unfavorable the situation would become for him.

After all,

Sasuke still held the evidence of his human experimentation.

Thinking of this, killing intent surged in Danzou's heart as he considered the possibility and consequences of killing Sasuke Uchiha in front of Kakashi Hatake.

"Rogue ninja?"

Kakashi asked with feigned confusion: "Sasuke Uchiha is my student, and he has been with me recently; he has had no opportunity to do anything to betray the village. Has the village issued a wanted poster?"

At the Ichiraku Ramen shop, before he participated in his trial, he had seen Sasuke purchase a Mission Scroll and head in the direction of the Death Forest.

After his trial ended, before he could even react, he heard the massive explosion in the Death Forest.

The raging Black Flame was Sasuke's skill.

After becoming a player, aside from sparring with Naruto, no ninja of the same age was Sasuke's opponent; only Neji Hyuga could suppress him slightly.

However,

Neji Hyuga seemed very busy lately, acting mysterious and often being nowhere to be found.

Thus, the task of sparring with Sasuke fell to the lead Jonin of Team 7; although none of them went all out, they were still slightly aware of Sasuke's game class and skills.

So, upon seeing the Black Flame, Kakashi guessed that Sasuke might have been attacked and was fighting someone in the Death Forest.

But he didn't expect the attacker to be a Hokage Advisor, the head of Root, Shimura Danzou.

"He attacked a Hokage Advisor; doesn't that count as a rogue ninja?"

Danzou did not mention the laboratory; it had already been burned down anyway, leaving no evidence.

As long as he didn't admit it himself and found an opportunity to seize the research data, this matter could be perfectly resolved.

"Lord Danzou."

Kakashi's attitude was respectful, yet his eyes were puzzled as he said: "You were attacked by Sasuke, but why would you suddenly appear in the Death Forest?"

There was something fishy about this.

The Sharingan covering his entire arm alone was not right.

As an Elite Jonin, he knew Shimura Danzou's methods all too well: scouring for children with excellent talent from every Ninja Clan to bring into Root, brainwashing them into emotionless killing tools.

Even he himself had once been manipulated by Shimura Danzou to assassinate the Third Hokage.

So, even without knowing the full story, he instinctively sided with Sasuke.

This student of his, though he spent all day wearing an icy face and clamoring for revenge, was essentially a ninja with love in his heart.

If not for the sudden appearance of the Samsara Game, he had been thinking of teaching Chidori to Sasuke during the Chunin Exams.

He did not believe Sasuke would attack a Hokage Advisor for no reason.

Could it be that Danzou wanted to pull Sasuke into Root?

Kakashi's expression suddenly turned serious, and a faint trace of anger appeared in his eyes as he looked at Danzou.

I will never allow such a thing.

"Kakashi, get out of the way; this has nothing to do with you."

Knowing the truth, Sasuke felt nothing but deep hatred toward Konoha.

But seeing Kakashi standing in front of him still touched his heart slightly.

Kakashi turned his head, squinted his eyes, and smiled, saying: "If I walk away, you'll be killed by the Hokage Advisor."

Sasuke turned his face away and whispered: "So what? I don't need your concern."

Pat.

Kakashi reached out and ruffled Sasuke's hair.

Back when his strength was weak, he could still ruffle it, but since Sasuke became a player, he had rarely been able to touch it.

"Kakashi, you guy!"

Sasuke shook his head, shaking off the hand on top of his head.

Feeling the lingering warmth, his inner emotions were complex.

After learning the truth about the clan's annihilation, a tingling sensation had been continuously surging into his eye sockets.

His restless chakra reached its peak the moment Kakashi's palm fell, as if about to awaken some forbidden power.

All of this,

was covered up by Sasuke bowing his head.

Kakashi withdrew his casual demeanor, his eyes firm as he said: "Don't worry, leave the rest to me."

"Hmph..."

Responding was Sasuke's slightly emotional grunt.

"Harboring a rogue ninja, even Sarutobi cannot protect you."

Danzou's gaze was sinister as he said, "I haven't even settled the account with you regarding the Land of Locks spy case, yet you dare to commit an act of betrayal against the village. Jonin Kakashi, you cannot bear this responsibility!"

"My apologies, Lord Danzou. Although you are a Hokage Advisor, you do not have the authority to directly handle matters concerning Sasuke and me. You may report any issues to the Third Hokage."

As his voice fell,

Danzou's expression turned extremely ugly, suppressing an inexplicable rage as he questioned, "Are you saying that I need to report to Hiruzen Sarutobi?"

"That is correct. Designating a rogue ninja is the right of the Hokage; as a Hokage Advisor, you do not possess such qualifications."

Swish.

A Shuriken infused with Wind Style chakra was thrown by Danzou, piercing the ground at Kakashi's feet.

The wind blades on the exterior of the Shuriken stirred up dust that obscured their vision.

Body Flicker.

Danzou's figure suddenly vanished from his spot, and when he reappeared, he was already in front of Kakashi, thrusting a Kunai forward fiercely, intending to force Kakashi back.

Suddenly,

A violent sensation of numbness erupted from the soles of his feet.

A mass of bright Blue Potential lightning surged into Danzou's soles, then continuously climbed upward, as if to scorch his entire body.

A thin layer of lightning mesh patterns was revealed.

Lightning Trap.

The trap triggers after an enemy approaches, creating a lightning storm area that slows the enemy down.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!"

Blinding white light erupted from Kakashi's hand, with lightning intertwining and changing shape into a wolf's head that enveloped his palm, biting toward Danzou.

There was no killing intent.

Therefore, he did not aim for Danzou's vital parts, moving his palm slowly forward, preparing to strike his chest.

It was merely to force the opponent back.

Danzou leaned his upper body backward, dodging the bite of the lightning wolf head, but was kicked away by Kakashi.

"You are also a player?"

Danzou stood in place, his gaze looking like a venomous wolf at the white-haired youth protecting Sasuke.

In the intelligence recorded by the Root ninja, there was a list of all Konoha ninja who had become players, and Kakashi Hatake was not on it.

The Lightning Trap that could slow down speed was too sudden,

There was no chakra fluctuation.

This caused Danzou's steady, sure-kill opening move to suffer a setback at Kakashi's hands.

"I cleared the trial by luck."

The corners of Kakashi's eyes held a smile, yet the vigilance in his gaze did not relax in the slightest.

He appeared relaxed, but inwardly he was secretly groaning.

A single trial had almost drained all of his assets, and even his trump card, the Mangekyo, which he had never revealed, had been handed over.

However, the rewards after changing classes were also very bountiful.

(End of this chapter)