.
---
Ichiraku Ramen Shop
Stacks of empty ramen bowls piled high on the counter. Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, looked at the man in front of him in shock.
In all his years of running this shop, he'd never seen someone eat this much in one sitting.
Teuchi turned to his daughter, Ayame, and said, "Ayame, check the ingredients in the back. If this keeps up, we might run out before the evening rush."
Ayame glanced at their customer before heading into the kitchen. This is insane, she thought. Who eats this much ramen this early in the morning?
Naruto sighed, watching Killer Bee devour another bowl. In his past life, he had brought Killer Bee to eat ramen, but he had never seen him enjoy it this much before.
Finishing a bowl of broth, Killer Bee grinned and started rapping, "This ramen's so fine, it's blowin' my mind, a taste so divine, gotta make it mine, yeah!"
Teuchi chuckled while preparing another batch of noodles. "Your friend really likes ramen, huh?"
Because both Naruto and Killer Bee were using transformation jutsu, Teuchi didn't recognize Naruto.
Naruto smiled. "Yeah, I just found out myself."
Inside his mind, Killer Bee spoke to Gyūki, the Eight-Tails. "Yo, bro, how's the ramen treatin' ya?"
Gyūki sighed in annoyance. "You just ate grilled octopus, you idiot!"
Killer Bee froze for a second. Oh... damn. He had been so focused on devouring the food that he hadn't even realized. He wanted to let Gyūki taste the ramen, but now things had taken an awkward turn.
Naruto watched as Killer Bee slowed down, clearly distracted. Deciding they had eaten enough, Naruto pulled out his wallet and handed some bills to Teuchi. "Keep the change, old man."
Teuchi waved his hand. "No way. You did this last time too—bought ramen for a bunch of people and still had money left over. I'll just add this to your account, and we'll settle it later."
Naruto felt warmth in his heart. Teuchi had always taken care of him like a father figure. Maybe it wasn't just the ramen that was great, but the person who made it.
Just as he was about to leave, a wave of nausea hit him.
His stomach twisted as a sickening, evil presence washed over him.
Turning his head instinctively, Naruto spotted a man wrapped in bandages from head to toe, wearing a wide-brimmed hat to cover his face. The stranger moved quickly through the street, his aura radiating something unnatural.
Naruto frowned. Who the hell is this guy?
Even in this warm weather, the man was covered head to toe. That alone was suspicious. But more than that—his chakra felt... vile. It made Naruto's skin crawl.
As the man passed by, he noticed Naruto watching him and briefly turned to glance at him before continuing on his way.
Killer Bee, having just finished his last bite, stretched and burped. "Man, that hit the spot. But yo, who was that dude? Ain't he hot, wearin' all that?"
Naruto didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Did you feel anything weird when you looked at him?"
Killer Bee scratched his head. "Weird? Nah, just sweaty lookin'."
Naruto rolled his eyes. Of course, Killer Bee wouldn't sense it.
Still, something about that man wasn't right. Without another word, Naruto grabbed Killer Bee and dragged him into a nearby alleyway.
"Yo, what the—"
Ignoring him, Naruto activated Sage Mode, his eyes shifting to their golden hue with toad-like slits. He reached out with his chakra senses.
His heart sank.
That same, unnatural chakra was lingering in the air. Dark. Cold. Malicious.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"That chakra... It shouldn't exist in Konoha."
Without hesitation, he grabbed Killer Bee's wrist. "Come on. We're following him."
Before they could make a move, the chakra signature vanished.
Naruto's breath hitched. Impossible. Someone erased their chakra presence that fast?
Now, he was certain—whoever that was, they were dangerous.
---
Root Headquarters – Underground Bunker
Danzo sat in the darkness.
He had changed. The darkness, once just a metaphor, had now become his reality. His new body required him to avoid sunlight. The brightness made his skin feel like it was burning, though there was no actual harm.
Hanging upside down from the ceiling like a bat, Danzo let his thoughts wander.
Earlier, he had felt someone trying to sense him. His body instinctively sent warning signals, urging him to flee.
An animal's instincts... No, Danzo corrected himself. A predator's instincts.
His new transformation was evolving, and he was beginning to understand the changes better. The fusion of Orochimaru's experiments—bat DNA, snake physiology, and his own chakra—was reshaping him into something more.
Orochimaru had truly been a genius. It was a shame that such brilliance was wasted in death.
Danzo sighed.
His thoughts were interrupted when several Root ANBU entered the chamber.
Leading them was Terai, one of his most trusted subordinates.
"Lord Danzo, we have come to report."
Danzo slowly opened his eyes, now tinged with red. His gaze drifted down to the gathered operatives below.
A strange, unfamiliar hunger stirred within him.
"Proceed."
Terai hesitated for a moment. Something felt... off. His master, who always carried himself with an air of ruthless discipline, was now—hanging from the ceiling?
"Danzo-sama... why are you—"
Before Terai could finish, Danzo made a hand sign.
"Mind Transfer Jutsu."
A faint buzz rang in Terai's head as his body suddenly froze. His vision blurred, and then—darkness.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Then, Terai—now under Danzo's control—slowly stood up.
The two other Root operatives knelt before him, awaiting orders.
"Commander Terai, is something wrong?" one of them asked.
Without hesitation, Terai reached out and snapped their necks.
The two operatives gasped, their bodies going limp before they could react.
One of them, in his final moments, rasped out: "You... are not... Terai...!"
His chakra flared instinctively, his last-ditch survival jutsu activating. A kunai materialized in his palm, and with his dying strength, he plunged it into Terai's chest.
Danzo, still inside Terai's body, let out a grunt as pain coursed through him.
For a split second, his consciousness wavered.
And then—he was back in his own body.
Hanging from the ceiling, Danzo smirked as Terai collapsed, coughing up blood.
"Hmm... That was interesting."
His experiment had been a success. The jutsu integration was improving. Soon, he would no longer need bodies.
Soon, his own transformation would be complete.
Danzo looked down at the corpses beneath him and muttered,
"Konoha needs a true leader—one who embraces the darkness."
His red eyes gleamed in the shadows.
The real game was only beginning.
---
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