Aoki and Yamakaze were dumbfounded, utterly astonished.
Everyone knew that the words "Wood Release" carried immeasurable weight, practically synonymous with the God of Shinobi himself!
Yet ever since the death of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, Wood Release had faded into obscurity for decades, becoming a relic of ancient legend…
But who could have imagined that it would suddenly reappear here in the Ninja World?
Chiyu, however, showed no surprise.
He naturally understood that, in the current shinobi world, there indeed existed at least one user of Wood Release.
That was Root's Yamato.
He was the sole survivor from secret human experiments on Hashirama's cells—secret experiments that Orochimaru and Shimura Danzo had once conducted.
Of course, at this moment, Yamato was not yet called Yamato; within Root, he only had the code name "Kinoe" (甲).
As for "Tenzō," that was a codename used after entering the Anbu.
And "Yamato" was not used until the era when Tsunade became Hokage.
At this time, aside from Danzo himself, not even Sarutobi Hiruzen knew about Yamato's existence.
"Yamato, is it…"
"Or could it be…"
Chiyu instantly formed two possibilities in his mind.
One possibility: the user was indeed Yamato.
Alternatively…
Shimura Danzo might already have that Hashirama-cell arm!
A special "present" from Orochimaru to Danzo.
Of course, it was perfectly possible that both these deductions were true.
Chiyu had no interest in Tenzō (Yamato).
But if Danzo truly possessed a Wood-Release-infused arm, who could say whether or not he also possessed Sharingan or certain Uchiha forbidden techniques…
Izanagi!
Right now, Danzo could hardly have an entire right arm covered in Sharingan, since the Uchiha had not been massacred.
But one could not rule out the possibility that he had at least a few stolen Sharingan.
After all, the man had lived this long—through the reigns of the Second, Third, and Fourth Hokage, then the Third's reinstatement—carrying out countless filthy schemes from the shadows. A few stolen Uchiha eyes were hardly impossible.
Wood Release, Hashirama cells, Sharingan, Izanagi, Edo Tensei…
It looked like Shimura Danzo had gone utterly mad, wanting to acquire power from Orochimaru's various forbidden arts just to kill Chiyu.
Or rather, for him, this was only the beginning.
"Let's go."
Chiyu had already made up his mind, speaking coldly.
Aoki and Yamakaze knew his temperament.
They asked nothing further, swiftly following him.
Behind them, Daishi called out in a loud voice:
"Chiyu-sama!
"Everything depends on you now!
"Please, in the name of justice, kill those villains and purge Konoha once more!"
…
Chiyu paid him no heed. Using his unmatched powers of observation, he followed that faint trace of Wood-Release chakra at high speed through half of the Konoha.
Eventually, he slowed.
Not far ahead, the Root organization's secret base lay hidden.
Many villagers and even most shinobi knew nothing of Root's existence.
Let alone the identity of its members.
Yet for Chiyu, the Police Force Commander, such "secrets" were not hidden at all.
In front of them appeared a small squad moving with stealth, wearing distinctive masks different from the standard Anbu.
They were Root ninjas.
Leading them was—Chiyu immediately sensed it—the familiar chakra of Wood Release:
Yamato, Tenzō, code name "Kinoe."
He immediately sensed Chiyu's presence, turned around, and came to a halt.
Chiyu likewise stopped, Aoki and Yamakaze beside him.
"Kinoe" quietly studied him.
"You are…
"Uchiha Chiyu?!"
At that name, the other Root ninjas tensed at once.
Chiyu stood there, coldly blocking their path.
Aoki and Yamakaze were somewhat winded but held formation behind him.
"By the authority of the Police Force Commander, investigating the matter of stolen shinobi corpses, we suspect your involvement. You will come with me."
Chiyu's tone allowed no argument.
Those Root ninjas stiffened, turning to the leading figure, "Kinoe."
In truth, he was Shimura Danzo's direct student. Even within Root, only he alone had personally received Danzo's instruction in ninjutsu.
His Wood-Release ability was highly classified, so nearly no one in the Village knew.
At length, "Kinoe" spoke calmly:
"If I refuse?"
"You die."
Chiyu replied in a concise manner.
All the Root members were stunned.
They knew Uchiha Chiyu's dreadful reputation.
Even so, such brazen, domineering words far exceeded expectations.
"Kinoe" muttered:
"You want to pick a fight with us right here in front of Root's base?"
Chiyu smirked:
"Not me. You.
"I see how it is."
Then, as if recalling something, his voice turned icy:
"It baffles me that you, who are literally the product of Orochimaru and Shimura Danzo's inhuman experiments, are not only failing to take revenge but quite willingly serving Danzo as his dog—
"Even helping him abduct others for your own experimental atrocities."
"Tell me…
"Do you actually enjoy being a dog?"
"Kinoe's" face darkened.
"You… w-what are you talking about?!"
He was shocked that Chiyu knew so many secrets that even the Hokage had never discovered.
Chiyu sneered:
"So there's my answer—
"You do."
He truly could not understand.
Human experimentation—an act that, to any minimally moral mind, was unimaginable evil.
Yet "Kinoe," being an experimental subject himself, did not even resent the culprit but loyally served them—helping them continue these vile deeds.
It was incomprehensible.
"Kinoe," thoroughly exposed, found himself reeling in shock, mind utterly shaken.
But Chiyu gave him no time to recover:
"You've chosen the path to your death, then.
"So be it."
He spoke with calm finality, as if pronouncing a trivial matter.
~~~
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