Chapter 113: Setting the Tone!

No one expected Danzō to die so quickly.

Fujinaka Genma didn’t expect it either.

Clearly, Danzō felt invincible, believing his Izanagi could turn the tide.

Or perhaps he thought Fujinaka Genma wouldn’t dare strike down a leader in Konoha.

But he didn’t know that Fujinaka Genma, given the right opportunity, would kill him even in the Root’s base—or right before Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes.

“The truth proves: don’t be overconfident!”

Fujinaka Genma stared at Danzō’s corpse and felt he must take this as a lesson.

“Wait…”

Suddenly, Fujinaka Genma remembered Izanagi: “Does the Root have any backup records on Izanagi?”

Though it costs an eye, it’s a life-saving technique—he couldn’t ignore it.

He retrieved the sealing scroll, packed Danzō’s body, and walked into the Root base.

Inside, in the gloom, Fujinaka Genma saw Root ninja wandering helplessly.

Danzō is dead!

Their cursed seals were gone.

Yet they felt no relief—only the collapse of faith, the loss of their spiritual pillar.

Fujinaka Genma saw it, and felt it too.

He had to admire Danzō’s brainwashing skills—they were masterful.

He stopped, facing Root ninja who stood before him, weapons raised but too afraid to strike, and said calmly: “From now on, I am your leader.”

“Root remains Root!”

“Itachi are still the heroes who guard Konoha from the shadows!”

A few Root ninja calmed slightly, lowering their weapons; Fujinaka Genma immediately activated his Charm attribute.

Six men.

One point assigned to each.

Watching them, Fujinaka Genma monitored the changes in the Mount & Blade system.

In the Mount & Blade system, under the Root roster, the loyalty values behind the six names began rising after the Charm points were distributed.

In an instant, they jumped from 0 to 10, then surged higher.

When they reached 60, the pace slowed.

Simultaneously, the six Root ninja knelt before Fujinaka Genma: “We bow to Lord Genma!”

They weren’t fully subdued yet, but they no longer resisted.

Satisfied, Fujinaka Genma nodded and stepped forward: “Follow me.”

Aside from the Root ninja knocked out outside, the base didn’t hold many personnel.

This was the headquarters; Root had other bases.

Like the training grounds.

Like the experimental facilities—none were here.

This headquarters held mostly secret documents.

Of course, every Root member had living quarters here.

After distributing 15 Charm points, everyone still standing in the Root headquarters acknowledged Fujinaka Genma’s authority.

After touring the place, Fujinaka Genma stepped back out.

At this moment, the previously knocked-out ninja were beginning to wake up.

“Fujinaka Genma, where is Lord Danzō?”

“What did Itachi do to Lord Danzō?”

Once they realized their cursed seals were gone, each Root ninja demanded answers, voice trembling with false bravado.

Fujinaka Genma said nothing—just pulled out Danzō’s corpse. “Danzō attempted to assassinate me. I executed him on the spot.”

“They can testify!”

The waking Root ninja turned to look behind Fujinaka Genma—among them was Danzō’s former bodyguard, Aburame Ryūma.

Earlier, Fujinaka Genma had shattered Ryūma’s mask, so one of the Root ninja behind him directly named him: “As Lord Genma said, Lord Danzō tried to assassinate him—and was killed in return.”

“Fujinaka Genma, how dare Itachi?”

One Root ninja cried out.

“Why not dare?”

Fujinaka Genma snapped coldly, his gaze piercing the Root ninja: “When Danzō leaked my whereabouts and Konoha’s plans to the Iwa ninja last time, he should have died then!”

“Root upholds the rules—guarding Konoha from the shadows.”

“Your duty is to protect, by any means necessary—Itachi should be heroes of the dark, not vermin crawling within it!”

One Root ninja immediately argued: “Lord Danzō never betrayed Konoha—he only opposed the Hokage’s decisions, which didn’t serve Konoha’s interests!”

“Avenge Lord Danzō!”

One Root ninja charged again—but Fujinaka Genma killed him instantly.

This time, he showed no mercy.

Know when to be lenient—and when to be ruthless to crush resistance.

After killing three more, no one dared move.

“Didn’t serve Konoha’s interests?”

Fujinaka Genma laughed. “Itachi mean didn’t serve Danzō’s interests?”

“He wanted battlefield glory to become the Fourth Hokage—but never considered that endless war would bleed Konoha dry. Even if they won, what then?”

“Lose your strength, and hidden enemies will end your life.”

“Besides—could Danzō even lead Konoha to victory?”

“Could he defeat the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki?”

“I can’t. Could he?”

The Root ninja were silenced, unable to utter a word.

Strength is simple: Itachi can, or Itachi can’t.

Danzō is dead—he was weaker than Fujinaka Genma.

Fujinaka Genma can’t defeat Ōnoki; therefore, Danzō couldn’t either. No surprise.

“Guardians of Konoha’s shadows—that was Root’s founding purpose. But Danzō forgot. Itachi forgot. Itachi became his blade for his own ambition.”

“Itachi were meant to be Konoha’s blade—aimed at the enemy.”

Fujinaka Genma sighed, glancing at Danzō’s corpse: “Danzō had merit—and faults. Merit and fault cannot cancel each other.”

“Danzō is dead. He deserved it. But he will still be buried as a Konoha hero. He will still have a memorial stone—that is his merit.”

He didn’t vilify Danzō outright—he was factual.

Danzō had faults, but he had merit too.

Considering Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Shimura clan, granting him posthumous honor was reasonable.

The Root ninja had nothing left to say.

They were loyal to Danzō—but not mindless, nor trained into fearless killing machines.

They feared death. They feared.

Those who had dared to rise after being beaten and after Danzō’s death? All were Shimura clan members.

“Remember: your loyalty is not to Danzō, not to me, not to any future Root leader.”

“It is to Konoha—to your families behind Itachi—to the Hokage!”

Fujinaka Genma spoke with finality.

He didn’t believe a few words could instantly change their minds.

He was setting a tone—establishing a principle.

Yet.

Under the influence of Charm, his words had an unexpected effect.

Of the fifteen standing behind Fujinaka Genma, five suddenly crossed the 70 loyalty threshold.

He gained 700 Mount & Blade points.

Meanwhile, Aburame Ryūma and others who hadn’t received Charm points saw their loyalty rise from negative values, inching upward.

A very good start!