After absorbing some of Danzo's memories, Yamanaka Shinno immediately created two shadow clones.
One transformed into Danzo's likeness using the Transformation Jutsu, stepping in to handle Root's daily affairs in front of Aburame Ryoma and Squad Captain Omega.
The other acted with utmost respect toward Danzo, officially assuming the role of deputy minister and gradually taking over the various responsibilities that came with it.
As for Shinno himself, he continued to dig deeper into Danzo's memories.
Countless hidden secrets of the shinobi world unfolded before him like a veil being lifted.
Two full days passed.
Only then did Shinno finish going through the entirety of Danzo's decades-long memories.
During that time, he also made initial progress in altering the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on Root's key department heads—transferring their loyalty from Danzo to himself.
However, the department heads were just a small fraction of Root's vast network.
Over the decades since Hiruzen Sarutobi took power, Danzo had built Root into a massive, sprawling organization.
By Shinno's estimate, it would take at least one to two months to reconfigure the seal for every member.
Especially the spies and covert agents stationed in other villages—recalling them all at once was nearly impossible.
Unless he summoned them back immediately, even finding them in the short term would be a challenge.
"So, that means he still can't die?"
Kushina's face was full of frustration as she poked at Danzo's collapsed body with a small wooden stick she had found in Root's hideout.
Two days without food or water, combined with the forced extraction of his memories, had left Danzo in an extreme state of weakness.
His entire body was covered in bruises from Kushina's relentless poking.
She had fulfilled her earlier promise—there wasn't a single unscathed inch of him left.
"I misjudged you, Yamanaka Shinno. You will become Konoha's new Root… The shadow of Root will stretch over the entire village! Even the Hokage will kneel before it! Hahahaha—!"
Danzo's weak voice carried a twisted, feverish excitement.
All the resentment and unwillingness he had felt before seemed to vanish at the thought of Root's continued existence and future dominance.
"Not dying doesn't mean he'll get to live comfortably."
Shinno stepped on Danzo's face, utterly unfazed by the old man's rhetoric.
Did he think that if he survived, he'd get another chance to claw his way back to power?
After reading through all of Danzo's memories, Shinno knew this man inside and out—including how far he could pee. There was no point in playing mind games with him.
"Oh? Then what should we do?"
Kushina pushed Shinno's foot aside and resumed poking Danzo's forehead with her wooden stick.
His face could still move? That meant there was still some unharmed flesh left!
"Enough playing around. Step outside for a bit—I'm going to perform a little surgery on him."
Shinno formed a series of hand seals. Using the pathway he had opened into Danzo's mind through Yin Release and Memory Extraction, he began forcibly erasing his memories.
Kushina obediently left the underground chamber, though her mind buzzed with curiosity.
"Bastard… I won't let you—!"
Danzo's entire body convulsed as searing pain exploded in his mind. His eyes widened in shock and fury.
But in the next moment, the agony overwhelmed his limits, triggering his body's self-defense mechanism.
His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
Shinno felt no sympathy for him.
Without hesitation, he wiped every single memory from Danzo's mind.
Then, from his own King of Knowledge, he carefully selected a series of horrific images he had seen in his past life—altering them using Yin Release to replace the figures with shinobi from this world—before forcibly implanting them into Danzo's subconscious.
Once that was done, Shinno formed another set of hand seals. His left hand glowed with the precision of a Chakra Scalpel.
With the Euphoric Healing, a blue-tier medical technique, he began to reconstruct Danzo's face.
Using a combination of medical Water Release techniques—specifically the Healing Jellyfish jutsu—his modifications quickly took effect.
In less than thirty minutes, the aged and decrepit Danzo was transformed into a handsome middle-aged man.
His once loose and sagging skin, worn down by the years, was now firm and youthful, perfectly matching his new facial features.
As Danzo's body twitched violently due to the Euphoric Healing's side effects, Shinno's expression remained cold and indifferent.
After seeing all of Danzo's memories, the fact that he hadn't carved him into tiny pieces was already an act of restraint.
Whatever happened to him from now on…
Would be nothing more than karma.
Grabbing a fistful of Danzo's bloody hair, Shinno pried out his Sharingan and replaced it with an ordinary pair of eyes. He also gave him a new hairstyle for good measure.
With a flicker, he teleported using Flying Thunder God Jutsu, bringing Danzo to one of Konoha's most desolate corners.
Then, with no hesitation, he tossed the naked old man into a pile of garbage.
A system notification rang in his mind.
Ding—! Major alteration to the fate of a villainous boss. The worldline progression has shifted. Rewards obtained: Concept Trait Extraction x1, Random Blue Trait Upgrade x1, Trait Extraction x1, Trait Reset x1.
The Fate Weaver effect activated in response to the system's prompt.
Danzo's fate energy rapidly dissipated, drawn toward Shinno.
He could feel it clearly.
Under the effect of his trait, the lost fate energy was converted into luck energy, which quickly integrated into his body.
His surroundings were now filled with a more vibrant green hue—his aura had strengthened.
However, his initial satisfaction faded the moment he realized something.
Even after absorbing all of Danzo's fate energy, it wasn't enough to upgrade his luck to blue-tier.
Tch.
Annoyed, Shinno clicked his tongue.
He vanished from the alleyway and reappeared in the underground chamber, using his barely proficient Fire Release techniques to erase any remaining traces of the scene.
It took quite a while.
Only after ensuring there were no lingering clues did he finally turn his attention to the system interface in his mind.
...\
Host: Yamanaka Shinno
Profession: Shinobi
Activated Traits: Transmigrator (Red), Zero-Frame Startup (Red), Sage Body (Red), Yin Release Master (Purple), Water Release Mastery (Purple), Spatial Awareness (Purple), King of Knowledge (Blue), Handsome (Blue), Silent Walker (Blue), Fate Weaver (Blue), Euphoric Healing (Blue), Ominous Duel (Black).
Unactivated Traits: Hardened Survivor (White), Fragile but Tenacious (White), Nine Babies in One Birth (Blue), Nothing to His Name (Gray, Complete Childhood (Gray), Courtesan's Grace (White)
Trait Duplication: 1
Trait Extraction: 2
Trait Gifting: 7
Trait Downgrade: 2
Trait Reset: 1
Concept Trait Extraction: 1
Random Blue Trait Upgrade: 1
...\
"Five blue-tier traits… Not much I can do with them."
Shinno sighed.
After calculating how to maximize his gains, he decided to use the Concept Trait Extraction first.
Congratulations! You have obtained the blue-tier trait [Invisible Execution Slash].
[Invisible Execution Slash (Blue)]: A lifetime of dedicated swordsmanship has granted you insight into an unknown realm. When attacking a target with any form of slash, there is a small chance to activate this power, randomly severing one of the target's 'heads.' While wielding bladed weapons, proficiency, power, and speed are enhanced.
"...Their head? What kind of head are we talking about here?"
Shinno stared at the system's vague and cryptic description, and his mind immediately conjured some less-than-wholesome possibilities.
He wasn't even trying to think that way!
It was just that…
The system had a history of being unreliable.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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