Before the group reached the Hokage building, Minato and Danzo separated and departed.
Yagami followed Sarutobi Hiruzen inside.
After filling out updated documentation, he was officially promoted to Jōnin.
[Ding! Promotion to Jōnin complete. Reward delivered to system inventory.]
Hearing the familiar system chime, Yagami bowed and said, "Lord Third, I'll head back now."
"Very well," Hiruzen nodded. "Come by tomorrow. I'll assign your team then."
"Understood."
Yagami left the Hokage's office.
…
By the time he stepped out into the street, the sky had already grown dark.
He followed the lantern-lit road back toward his home.
But as he approached his gate, he noticed a figure standing in front of his house, leaning on a cane.
Shimura Danzo.
Yagami's brows twitched.
Why is he here?
Why did he come to my house?
Stepping forward cautiously, Yagami asked, "Master Danzo, did you need something from me?"
"Hehehe… won't you invite me in to sit?" Danzo smiled.
It had clearly been a long time since Danzo last attempted a smile—his face muscles barely moved, making the expression stiff and unnerving.
Yagami frowned inwardly, wondering what this old fox was planning.
Still, he nodded politely. "Since Master Danzo doesn't mind my humble home, please come in."
Though Yagami wasn't wealthy, he did own a small house with a courtyard.
He guided Danzo inside, brewed a pot of tea, and set it on the table.
He wanted to see where this was going.
"Unexpected… One so young, yet skilled in swordsmanship, and even refined in tea-making," Danzo commented after taking a sip.
Of course Yagami felt a small swell of pride.
In his previous life, he was very particular about tea.
"Master Danzo, if you have something to say, please say it directly."
Pride aside, Yagami had no intention of chatting leisurely with Danzo.
He knew exactly what kind of man this was.
Nearly every filthy thing in Konoha's dark history had Danzo's fingerprints on it.
"Since you prefer directness, the old man will be direct." Danzo set down the cup.
He spoke bluntly:
"This old man sincerely invites you to join Root."
"Root?"
Yagami blinked, caught completely off-guard.
Danzo wanted… to recruit him?
Before today, hadn't Danzo believed his talents were insufficient?
Why the sudden change of heart?
Confused but resolute, Yagami shook his head. "Thank you for your offer, Master Danzo, but I will not join Root."
Root's reputation alone disgusted him.
Danzo leaned back slightly, unbothered. "Do not underestimate Root. Without us, Konoha wouldn't stand as it does today—"
"Master Danzo, no need to explain." Yagami raised a hand, cutting him off. "I'm simply not interested."
Regardless of Danzo's sincerity, motives, or benefits—
Yagami would never join Root.
"Rejecting me?" Danzo's eyes narrowed. His voice dropped into something cold. "Think carefully."
"Or what?" Yagami's expression hardened. His gaze flicked to the sword at his waist. "Does Lord Danzo intend to threaten me?"
Danzo's pupils shrank.
The moment Yagami lifted his head, a suffocating killing intent washed over him—sharp, lethal, unhesitating.
A primal fear gripped Danzo's heart.
For an instant, it felt as if a Shinigami's blade rested against his neck.
Huh—huh!
Suddenly, two Root operatives materialized beside Danzo, cloaked, masked, armed.
Yagami's eyes darkened.
His left hand slid to his sword, thumb slowly pushing open the guard.
There were Root operatives hidden in his courtyard.
"Master Danzo!" the orange-haired Root operative barked, stepping protectively forward with a kunai drawn.
"Don't move!" Danzo snapped, raising a hand sharply to halt him.
He was petrified.
After seeing Yagami dismantle Uchiha Eikō earlier, Danzo no longer dared to take reckless risks.
He was too close to his ambitions to throw his life away here.
Silence fell.
The air turned heavy.
Sweat began to form on the brows of both Root operatives.
"Good… You're impressive," Danzo finally said, exhaling shakily as he suppressed the anger and fear boiling inside him.
"But remember—you just offended Uchiha Eikō. Be prepared to face the Uchiha clan's resentment."
So that's it.
You want to use Uchiha hostility to pressure me into joining Root?
Yagami frowned—then his expression relaxed.
"I appreciate your concern, Master Danzo," he said coolly. "But I can handle my own affairs."
"Very well." Danzo forced a smile. "Then you're on your own."
"Let's go."
He signaled his operatives and slowly rose.
The three retreated a few steps, then vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
Haaa…
Yagami let out a long breath once they were gone, inhaling and exhaling several times to steady himself.
His back was drenched in sweat.
At the peak of that tense moment, he had even considered defecting from Konoha.
Thankfully, he held himself back.
Gulp—gulp—
He poured himself tea and drank deeply, finally calming down.
"To put it simply… I'm still not strong enough."
Murmuring to himself, Yagami turned and walked back into his home.
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