Preparing for revenge

Gato, the name on Kirito's lips, will dominate the shipping industry in Wave over two decades later. Now, he languished as a bankrupt old man, hounded by relentless debt collectors.

The shipping industry in the current wave country demanded influential backers, and joining the fray without one spelled financial ruin.

Gato had a powerful patron from the Land of Waves, but misfortune struck as his benefactor was recently assassinated.

In this turbulent world, wealth without might was a recipe for disaster.

Driven by avarice, failed to see the bigger picture. As the saying goes, chasing money blindly courted disaster.

Kirito's pursuit of Gato stemmed from the latter's desperate surrender, where he'd rather hide his dwindling fortune and spend his time within prison walls. Rumors of this move reached Kirito's ears through colleagues' boastful tales.

Upon learning of Gato's financial acumen, Kirito, in need of such talents, pulled strings and expended resources to secure Gato's release and offered him temporary refuge.

Ryoko promptly brought Gato before Kirito.

gato, still relatively young and robust, stood before Kirito with shrewd, squinted eyes. Despite recent setbacks, he exuded strength and anticipation as he addressed Kirito respectfully.

"My lord, may I ask if there is anything you need to use for this villain."

Kirito hadn't restricted Gato's freedom after his release. Thus, gato had been discreetly employing his contacts and influence to investigate the truth about him. The nobleman Gojo Shin has undergone remarkable transformations recently.

Not only had he grown smarter, but he'd also become significantly more formidable, witnessing Kirito dispatch more than a dozen ninjas and warriors with ease.

The ninja's unparalleled strength was etched in his memory.

The more scary was the nobleman's newfound, powerful backing. Those who opposed him had either perished or vanished, yet he remained untouched, with his subordinates' power and wealth surging at a breathtaking pace.

Such dramatic changes couldn't be without a hidden agenda.

gato had no interest in the deeper mysteries but understood that Kirito and his backers valued him, offering him a chance at redemption.

With his family gone and his hard-earned wealth seized, he harbored a thirst for vengeance and a chance at resurgence.

For this, he was willing to pay any price.

"Gato, with your intelligence, you can start anew. I appreciate your financial prowess, and I hope you'll pledge your loyalty to me and become my retainer. Are you willing?"

Kirito, a man who abhorred wasting time, got straight to the point, revealing his intentions.

"Yes, this subordinate will be your loyal servant from this day forth, Master Gojo. I'll do whatever you ask without hesitation."

Kado had been awaiting these words, promptly dropping to his knees, bowing his head to the ground, and fervently swearing his allegiance.

"Excellent. In return, I can assist you with one matter."

Kirito, pleased with Gato's compliance, couldn't help but smile.

"Anything is acceptable?"

Hope gleamed in Gato's eyes as he raised his head, eagerly awaiting Kirito's response.

"As long as it's within my capabilities, I will fulfill your request,"Kirito assured him with a grin.

_

In the Uchiha clan's training area, beneath an artificial waterfall, Chizuru sat cross-legged on a rock jutting out from the cascading water. Her eyes were closed as she focused on comprehending the water escape chakra's nature.

However, as a member of the Uchiha clan naturally attuned to the Fire Release and Yin Release chakra attributes, understanding the Water Release chakra nature proved to be challenging. Despite nearly a month of practice, she had yet to grasp it fully.

She sensed that she was on the verge of comprehension but found herself just short of a breakthrough. Something seemed to impede her progress, preventing her from mastering the Water Release chakra nature.

Abruptly, Chizuru opened her eyes to find a familiar face, Kirito, grinning at her.

"Hey, you're still practicing. How about taking a break and sharing some of Ishinya's three-color meatballs with me?" Kirito offered, holding up a box of the delectable meatballs.

"Me?" Chizuru retorted coldly, her recent encounters with Kirito's shadow clones having drained her interest in fighting him.

"Of course, I got off work early today," Kirito replied with a smile as he settled on a nearby stone, ready to savor the meatballs. However, his attempt to bite into one ended in failure, as the meatball had already disappeared into a callused white hand.

In one swift motion, Chizuru devoured the meatball, her face betraying a mixture of delight and satisfaction due to the treat's sweet and slightly bitter taste.

Seeing her reaction, Kirito, suppressing his complaints, retrieved another meatball from the box and joined in the feast.

Soon, all the meatballs in the box vanished, with Kirito enjoying two, and Chizuru claiming the rest.

"Now, tell me, why are you looking for me this time?" Chizuru's expression turned serious after savoring the last meatball, her cold demeanor returning.

"What are you talking about? I just happened to finish work early and thought of paying you a visit," Kirito attempted to dodge the real reason.

However, as Chizuru's gaze grew icier, he had no choice but to confess, "I was targeted for assassination today. Sand Ninja were the apparent culprits, but it was orchestrated by Danzo."

Upon hearing this, Chizuru's countenance shifted to a cold, furious expression, and her Sharingan eye activated.

Danzo, the Root, how dare they attempt his assassination!

Kirito could only be crushed by her, Uchiha Chizuru!

"Stay calm," Kirito urged as he observed her murderous aura, hoping to temper her emotions.

"Hmph, I am perfectly calm; I don't need you to remind me," Chizuru responded, retracting her Sharingan.

Then, she inquired in a cold tone, "What do you plan to do about this? With just the two of us, we are no match for Danzo and his followers."

"Who said I intend to confront that old man now? Although he's a nuisance, he's undeniably powerful. I can't defeat him yet, and he's extremely averse to death. He's heavily guarded. Let's wait a few years and catch him off guard when the time is right," Kirito suggested calmly.

He had the desire to eliminate Danzo immediately, but he wasn't one to act impulsively. Danzo, as a Kage-level figure, held significant influence in Konoha. His death would trigger a major upheaval, attracting the wrath of the hawkish martial art ninja faction and possibly even the Third Hokage. Kirito wasn't ready to face the consequences at this point. It would take several years before he could hope to handle the backlash that eliminating Danzo would bring.

As for relying on Mito-sensei, he dismissed the idea, as such a task shouldn't burden an elderly person nearing the end of their life. He would have to bear it himself. Becoming a Shadow-level ninja was not an unattainable goal for him, and once achieved, he would have the resources needed to continue.

"Now, what's your plan?" Chizuru asked, slightly dissatisfied with Kirito's response. She remained silent for a moment before pressing the issue.

"Of course, it's revenge. I'm not the type to let others trample on me without retaliation. While I may not be able to kill Danzo right now, I can certainly deal with his henchmen. Those loyal drones in the Root are a pest, and we can never have too few exterminators," Kirito declared with a cold expression.

In Konoha, aside from Nono, Chizuru was the only person capable of coaxing Kirito to speak his mind openly. Others, even Nawaki and Mito, could not achieve that level of trust, as they could obstruct his path. Only Nono and Chizuru remained unwavering in their support.

Seeing this, Qianhe smiled, recognizing the Kirito she knew and respected.

Debts must be repaid, vengeance must be sought, and strength must be revered.

She wholeheartedly agreed with Kirito's mindset.

"What's your plan, then?" Chizuru inquired, feigning ignorance.

"Those rats from the Root are hiding too well. I'm not strong enough to find them. Can you help me by seeking information from your grandfather, Homura Uchiha?" Kirito replied, sporting a flattering smile as he revealed his true intent for approaching Qianhe.

The Uchiha clan, being the most despised by Danzo, would undoubtedly possess information on him and his Root members. With their formidable illusion techniques, they excelled at gathering intelligence.

Uchiha Homura, the clan patriarch, likely possessed a list of Root operatives. With this list, Kirito could gain an upper hand in reporting to the authorities and avoid being ambushed or deceived by Root members.

Ninjas, with their unique abilities, had a saying: "There is only a thousand days for a thief to steal, but there is no thousand days to guard against a thief." Constantly being surveilled by Root operatives would make him uneasy. Moreover, their sneaky tactics might extend to targeting those around him, like the children at the orphanage, who represented his most significant vulnerability.

Therefore, he needed a countermeasure to dissuade Danzo and the Root from acting recklessly.

"Yes, but you must agree to two conditions," Chizuru replied.

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Chizuru, seeing that Kirito hesitated, immediately wore a cold expression, and her eyes grew dangerous.

"Alright, I agree, but you must ensure that my actions remain secret. This is between us," Kirito said with a sigh, then raised his head slightly and glanced at a large tree in the distance.

"Of course," Chizuru replied with a cold snort, accepting Kirito's additional condition.

With that settled, she pointed toward the nearby training ground. Kirito understood her intentions and responded with a sly expression, "Oh, since you want to lose to me again, let's do it."

A sudden burst of intense murderous aura emanated from Chizuru.

"Clang!"

Sharingan eyes activated met golden eyes as they clashed fiercely with kunai, generating sparks before quickly disengaging and making their way to the training ground.

During their approach, they hurled kunai into the air, which collided mid-flight and rebounded.

Both of them swiftly executed hand seals.

Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

A massive fire dragon clashed with a raging water dragon, canceling each other out and enveloping the area in a dense cloud of white, high-temperature steam, obscuring their vision.

Seizing this moment, they swiftly employed their telekinesis to retrieve their ninja tools.

Chizuru held the Thunder God Cudgel, while Kirito wielded the enigmatic iron rod.

Moments later, a dazzling combination of blue and white lightning and an overwhelming black iron sand filled the training ground.

Meanwhile, at Chizuru's residence, Uchiha Homura stood in the courtyard, feeding the fish in the pond, while Uchiha Kari knelt before him, delivering a report on Kirito and Chizuru's recent encounter and conversation.

"You're quite the courageous one. You dared to provoke Danzo and Root. But you have the qualifications to be audacious. A Jonin power at the age of eight has a promising future. Moreover, he managed to discover Danzo's involvement, which is no small feat. If that old coot Danzo learns that this kid has exposed his deeds, he won't be able to sleep or eat. Hehehe~" Uchiha Homura chuckled after hearing Uchiha Kari's report.

He now understood why Danzo's conspiracy within the Senju Clan had been exposed and couldn't help but admire Kirito's abilities.

However, a tinge of fear also crept into his heart.

With such strength and intelligence at just eight years old, what would Kirito become in the future? Could the Uchiha clan's power suppress him?

"Patriarch, what do you mean? Miss has already agreed," Uchiha Kari inquired cautiously.

"Let her do it. Why not? It will give Danzo a headache," Homura Uchiha responded with a smirk.

Danzo, I never expected to see you in this predicament. I can't wait to witness how Kirito will corner you in the future.

Kirito, my boy, go for it. I have high hopes for you.