"Pi… Pikachu?"
When Uzumaki Tong saw Pikachu standing in front of the roulette machine, he had the urge to pass out on the spot.
Now of all times… and you give me a Pikachu? What am I supposed to do with that?
His lips twitched in disbelief. He didn't even bother to look at the Pokémon. Without hesitation, he threw a hard kick at the machine.
BANG!
The sound echoed loudly.
The next moment, Uzumaki Tong collapsed unconscious, right beside Uzumaki Keiko's hospital bed.
Root Headquarters – Underground Chamber
Danzo narrowed his eyes upon hearing Yuantai's report. His expression turned unreadable.
"So, he wants to gain benefits without offering anything in return?" Danzo sneered. "Heh… quite the appetite on this little brat. Bring him here. I'll judge him myself."
Yuantai hesitated for a moment, then nodded and vanished with a flicker.
Beside Danzo, the ninja Jitai looked visibly annoyed. He dropped to one knee and asked in a low voice, "Lord Danzo, are you sure this is a good idea?"
As a loyal subordinate, Jitai felt the boy's request was far too vague—and too bold.
A seven-year-old child with that much value? Impossible.
Even if he did have potential, would they be able to invite Tsunade to help?
Danzo chuckled faintly. Then his tone turned icy.
"You think I'd fulfill his request? Hmph… Tsunade? We're not getting her back. But we can have Root's medics keep Uzumaki Keiko alive—just enough to use the boy. If he turns out useful, fine. If not…"
His voice grew colder, and even Jitai shivered.
When Yuantai returned with the now-awake Uzumaki Tong, Danzo remained seated, eyes fixed on the scrolls spread out before him. He didn't even bother to look up.
Tong understood what this was. A test.
He took a deep breath and said quietly, "Lord Danzo, if there's any way I can be of use, I—"
Danzo raised his hand to silence him, then spoke with a calm, dismissive smile.
"Don't talk about being of use. First of all, you're not. Not right now. And second… do you think your current strength gives me any reason to care?"
Uzumaki Tong clenched his jaw.
As much as he hated to admit it, Danzo wasn't wrong. His current strength wasn't even worth considering in Root's eyes.
Then—just as if he'd made a huge decision—Tong looked up suddenly.
His Sharingan had awakened.
The left eye was still wrapped in bandages, but in his right eye, the two-tomoe Sharingan spun into view.
Danzo froze. Even Yuantai and Jitai stood there stunned.
Seven years old. Only seven.
And he had already awakened his Sharingan.
In terms of talent, he was easily on par with Itachi or Shisui.
What made it even more shocking was that Uzumaki Tong hadn't grown up under Uchiha teachings. If anything, this might make his potential even greater.
Jitai glanced at Yuantai with envy. Danzo valued the Sharingan deeply, and now this man had somehow brought in a seven-year-old with awakened eyes.
Did he already know about this and just never report it?
But when both Danzo and Jitai looked at Yuantai, he looked even more shocked than they were.
He hadn't known either. This might have been a very recent awakening—possibly that same day.
A two-tomoe Sharingan at this age… Danzo was intrigued.
And most importantly, he hadn't yet taken Shisui's eye. This boy might become very useful.
Uzumaki Tong himself hadn't expected it, gaining this coveted eye the moment his mother collapsed. And along with it, he'd unlocked what seemed to be a pretty decent skill.
But this eye wasn't from the roulette system—it was real. Born from Uchiha blood. Not gifted by the machine.
Revealing it to Danzo was risky. But Tong had already calculated the move.
Danzo stared at him and began to laugh.
He kept laughing as he stared straight at Uzumaki Tong.
"In all these years, this might be the single most surprising thing I've seen."
His voice turned sharp.
"So, when exactly did you awaken it? I heard you detected the surveillance from those two."
He gestured at Jitai and Yuantai.
Danzo's brows furrowed again. "But logically… even with a two-tomoe Sharingan, that level of detection shouldn't be possible against two jōnin."
Tong had already prepared his answer. He gently began unwrapping the bandages over his left eye.
Once fully revealed, it became clear—this Sharingan was not normal.
Within the two tomoe was a strange serpentine imprint, as if a snake-like pattern had emerged from the very eye itself.
It was eerie—unnatural—and tinged with a strange aura of menace.
"A mutation?" Danzo muttered. "So you have inherited a fusion of Uchiha and Uzumaki power… but you've hidden it well. Haha! Who would've thought a child your age already understands the art of deception?"
Danzo stepped forward, closely examining Tong's eyes. He clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"So, you've had these eyes from the start, haven't you? Just been hiding them all this time, haven't you? Thought you were being clever?"
Then his tone darkened.
"But did it ever occur to you—if you'd shown this power earlier, maybe people would've paid attention. Maybe you'd already be standing on a greater stage."
Tong smirked. His Sharingan glinted as he looked Danzo directly in the eye.
"If I had these eyes back then, do you think I'd be revealing them now?"
Danzo was taken aback.
He thought back. His subordinates had been watching this kid for a while, and up until recently, there hadn't been anything unusual.
Everything seemed to have changed after Itachi came into contact with him.
Is this a Uchiha scheme? Danzo wondered.
But Tong, as if reading his thoughts, sneered internally. He spoke up:
"I'm not a Uchiha spy. I have no connection to the clan. You should know as well as I do—the Sharingan only awakens under emotional trauma. Everything from a few days ago… to my mother's condition… it all adds up."
"And if you want," he added coolly, "I can help you monitor the Uchiha clan."
Danzo turned away, then spun back suddenly and declared:
"Three years. I'll give you three years. In that time, you'll watch the Uchiha—and grow stronger. Yuantai, I grant you three years as well. At the end of those three years, you'll both receive your missions."
He turned and walked off, leaving just Uzumaki Tong and Yuantai in the chamber.
Yuantai, for his part, was thrilled.
Three years. With this kid's talent, that would be plenty.
In his eyes, a future sword master already stood before him.
Tong, however, suddenly felt all strength leave his body. He collapsed to the ground, drained.
His eyes faded back to normal, the black of his irises dull.
But his expression was hollow. Three years.
That was likely the maximum amount of time Root could keep his mother alive.
Which meant—for three years, he belonged to Root.
He also had to start tracking Tsunade's whereabouts, no matter what it took. Even if he had to drag her back by force.
The question of whether he could beat Tsunade… wasn't even something he thought about.
He took a deep breath. His eyes were filled with unwavering resolve.
"From this moment on, Uzumaki Tong—you're my first disciple," Yuantai said with a grin. "Maybe even the last. Heh… the endless hell begins now."
But Tong just scoffed coldly and didn't respond.
Hell?
If his mother died…
Then that would be hell.