"Impossible?! Yamamoto's a Kage-level expert!"
"This kid beat Yamamoto! That means his power's already Kage-level! How old is this child?!"
"Terrifying! That lightning power is too scary!"
Satoru and Yamamoto's fight shocked many. No surprise: Satoru's Goro Goro no Mi was too strong. Even against a Kage-level expert, he could win easily.
"H-h-h!" Yamamoto breathed heavily. He'd planned to put up a fight. Even against a Kage-level expert, he could've held his own for a while. But he never expected to be no match at all for this Konoha genius.
"Truly strong! No wonder Danzou wants you dead too. You can't even be called a 'genius' anymore. Not even the First Hokage or Uchiha Madara had talent like yours," Yamamoto assessed.
"In that case, Yamamoto, do you submit? The rest of you?" Satoru naturally had no intention of killing him. His goal was to subdue the underground exchange, turning it into his force for the future.
Satoru didn't want to be ordinary. He wanted to change the entire shinobi world, because new challenges loomed for the ninja world ahead.
"Third Shinobi World War, Akatsuki, Uchiha Madara, Otsutsuki..." — dangers abounded before Satoru, so his own power needed rapid growth, and his subordinate forces development.
"We submit... We submit..."
Even the exchange's strongest, Yamamoto, had submitted—what about the weaker ones?
Subduing the underground exchange greatly eased Satoru's future endeavors.
"I'm the Third Hokage's student. You've all seen my power. In the future, I'll definitely become Hokage. Then you won't have to live so harshly."
"I'll definitely accept you."
Satoru knew accepting these rogue ninja meant enmity with other shinobi villages. These rogue ninja were hot potatoes: misuse them, and they'd bring trouble instead of help.
But fear solved nothing. Satoru believed he had the ability to handle the difficulties, because boosting power and influence was most crucial now.
"You're so young, your potential boundless, the Third's student, and so farsighted. I believe you'll become Konoha's Hokage for sure, and hope you keep your word," as exchange leader, Yamamoto naturally wanted better lives for his subordinates.
Of course, he hoped they could all make money too.
"This money, take it—as tips for you," Satoru casually pulled out several million Ryo and gave it to them. He had loads of money and didn't worry at all.
A few million meant nothing to Satoru, but to these people, it was a small fortune.
"That's the benefit of submitting to me. In the future, if you obey me, I'll definitely improve your lives! Of course, if anyone wants to betray me, I don't need to explain what I'll do, right?"
Lightning suddenly enveloped Satoru's body. Everyone stepped back. They knew his power now—they both admired and feared him.
Seeing the effect achieved, Satoru naturally stopped intimidating them.
Dispelling the lightning, Satoru left the underground exchange.
"I must return to Konoha immediately!"
"Danzou! You'll pay for this! Dared to hire people to kill me! Just jealous, huh? I'll show you what happens to those who mess with me!"
Satoru knew what Danzou was like. Originally, he hadn't wanted to tangle with him, but who'd have thought he'd actually attack. Those who dared attack Satoru naturally had to pay the price. Even as Konoha's advisor, even as Root's head, Satoru planned to settle scores properly.
Leaving the underground exchange, Satoru followed his own secret markers back to Konoha.
Back in the village, he naturally headed straight to the Hokage's office.
Pushing the door open, Satoru saw the Third sitting formally.
"Teacher, I'm back."
"Hm? Satoru! Minato and the others said you had more investigating to do. How'd it go? Results?" the Third Hokage asked directly.
"One person placed the order at the underground exchange, hired a Kage-level expert..." Satoru detailed everything to his mentor.
The Third Hokage looked at Satoru in great surprise and asked:
"So, you know who ordered your kidnapping?"
"That person is..." Before Satoru could say "Danzou," three entered.
Danzou, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura.
"Sarutobi, this brat, like the White Fang, completed the mission but didn't return to Konoha right away. I'm afraid he has ill intentions," Danzou slandered Satoru first, not letting him speak.
"Hmph! Danzou! You know damn well what you did—don't muddy the waters!" Satoru glared fiercely at the elder.
"Kushina was kidnapped, Minato went to save her—that counts as leaving the village without permission too. Does that make Minato a rogue ninja?"
"Satoru got the mission to rescue them, so he naturally had to investigate the cause. And the mission's successfully done. He even knows who's behind the order," the Third Hokage naturally sided with his student.
"Speak, child—tell me who the culprit is!" Hiruzen was very indulgent with his own, especially loving the genius Satoru, so he naturally wouldn't let the other advisors bully him.
"That person is Danzou!" After Satoru's words, the atmosphere heated up instantly.
"Danzou?!" Sarutobi didn't doubt Satoru's words and immediately looked at his old comrade.
Danzou stayed silent, offering no explanation. Sarutobi, who knew him well, instantly realized Danzou was likely involved.
"Why did you do it?" Hiruzen asked directly.
"Remember Uchiha Madara? This kid's talent and power surpass even Uchiha Madara. Though not from the Uchiha clan, I really don't want him becoming like that and harming Konoha in the end," Danzou replied evasively.
"What does my talent and power have to do with Uchiha Madara? That's just an excuse to frame me!" Satoru shook his head and said: "Danzou, say it straight—you want me to join Root?"
Unexpectedly, Danzou nodded and said:
"Yes. Only by joining Root will you fully become part of our Konoha! Only through my training can you truly be loyal to Konoha."
Satoru couldn't stomach Danzou's twisted logic and immediately retorted:
"Hiring an assassin—that alone's enough to get you kicked out of Konoha. I'm just a bit more talented, a bit more capable—what's it to you?!"
"You, brat! How dare you talk back to me?!" Danzou seemed somewhat enraged.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan