Naruto: Eating Kaido's Azure Dragon Devil Fruit-Chapter 307: Old Matters Revisited

’Heart Devouring Soul Locking Seal?’

Sora frowned. The name itself carried a sense of viciousness and sinister strangeness.

This thing did not exist in the original story. It was probably some evil forbidden technique Orochimaru cooked up.

After listening, Danzo also frowned deeply and fell into thought.

He was indeed worried Sora might go back on his word, but Orochimaru’s words also sowed doubt in his mind.

’Why is Orochimaru so wary of Sora? He even thinks a verbal promise isn’t enough, insisting on planting such a vicious cursed seal?’

’Could it be... Sora’s strength is even greater than what I know? Does he have hidden trump cards?’

Danzo recalled the "Thunderclap Eight Trigrams" used during the encirclement of Sora that day, and Sora’s endless stream of bizarre abilities. He couldn’t help but believe it a little more.

He looked at Sora’s grim expression. Although Orochimaru’s suggestion was excessive, it did seem to guarantee his interests to the greatest extent.

Since he had already thoroughly offended Sora, he might as well be even more ruthless!

Thinking this, a flash of ruthlessness passed through Danzo’s eyes. He nodded.

"Orochimaru makes a valid point, Sora. To show your sincerity, let’s do as he says."

"Have the cursed seal implanted, and I will release them immediately!"

"That’s impossible!"

Sora flatly refused, his eyes icy. "You want me to hand my life over to you? Danzo, do you think I would agree to such a condition?"

Danzo seemed to have expected Sora’s refusal. He didn’t get angry, just signaled again to the Root member.

"Ugh..."

Kurenai let out a pained groan. The kunai at her neck pressed in a bit deeper.

Uesugi Min was also forcefully pressed to the ground by the Root member behind her, her cheek against the cold, damp earth, emitting helpless whimpers.

"My patience is limited, Sora."

Danzo’s voice was full of cold threat. "Will you accept the cursed seal in exchange for their lives, or will you let them die with you right now? You choose!"

Sora’s body trembled slightly.

Tagitsuhime’s voice sounded. "Master, does Ryuchi Cave need to help?"

Sora did not answer. Ryuchi Cave’s involvement would be useless in this situation.

He looked at the suffering girls, at Danzo’s disgusting expression, at Orochimaru’s sinister smile and Kakuzu’s indifferent aloofness.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Forcing an explosion of power might kill Danzo and Kakuzu, but Kurenai and Min would definitely die.

Pretending to agree, feigning compliance to buy time, might there be a slim chance?

Orochimaru’s cursed seal was vicious, but it might not be without a way to break it. In the original story, Sasuke’s Heaven Cursed Seal was ultimately overcome, wasn’t it?

Or... were there other methods?

Each choice came with enormous risks and uncertainty.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The roar of the waterfall, the girls’ suppressed sounds of pain, the enemies’ cold stares...

Everything turned into a heavy pressure, weighing on his heart.

Finally, Sora slowly closed his eyes. His tightly clenched fists loosened powerlessly.

"Fine..."

He prepared to agree to have that vicious [Heart Devouring Soul Locking Seal] implanted.

...

At the same time, in the Hokage’s office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to Shinku Yūhi’s report and speculation, his eyebrows tightly knitted together.

Team Kurenai had not returned on time...

Sora suddenly visited to reassure them and claimed he was going to meet them...

Danzo gave Sora time to consider during the meeting today...

Stringing these clues together, an extremely bad thought surfaced in Sarutobi Hiruzen’s mind.

"Danzo... You wouldn’t really dare..."

He stood up abruptly, not caring about formalities anymore, and immediately ordered the Anbu beside him.

"Notify the Ino-Shika-Cho families, the Hyuga, the Uchiha... No, notify all Jonin families you can reach immediately. Send elite personnel to search for Sora and Team Asuma’s whereabouts!"

"Yes!"

The Anbu received the order and disappeared instantly.

Shinku Yūhi’s face was full of anxiety. "Lord Hokage, you also think..."

"I hope my guess is wrong."

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s expression was grim, his tone unprecedentedly serious. "But if Danzo has really gone mad and attacks Asuma and the others..."

He did not finish the sentence, but the cold glint flashing in his eyes said it all.

Soon, with the Inuzuka clan ninja dogs’ super olfactory sense and the Hyuga clan Byakugan’s terrifying insight, the Konoha group quickly pinpointed the direction of the Valley of the End.

Led personally by Sarutobi Hiruzen, including Namikaze Minato, Shinku Yūhi, Might Duy and Might Guy who volunteered after receiving the news, and representative elite ninjas from the Hyuga, Uchiha, and other clans, a group of over twenty people headed for the Valley of the End at top speed.

...

In the Valley of the End, just as Sora was preparing to disgracefully agree to the cursed seal, and a victor’s smile appeared on Danzo’s face.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!

The sound of breaking air approached rapidly from afar!

Immediately after, over twenty figures appeared on the statues flanking the valley. At their head was Sarutobi Hiruzen, clad in the Hokage’s ceremonial robe and wearing the hat!

"Who goes there?!"

Danzo’s face changed drastically as he shouted sharply.

The Root members beside him also immediately tensed, adopting defensive stances.

Orochimaru, who had been standing beside him, sensing the Konoha group’s approach, a flash of unwillingness passed through his eyes. Without hesitation, he suppressed all his chakra and retreated into the dense forest further away.

Kakuzu swept his gaze over the suddenly appearing Konoha group, looked at Danzo again, snorted coldly. His figure also blurred, using Earth Release to quietly retreat. Clearly, he had no intention of getting involved in Konoha’s internal strife.

On the scene, only Danzo and the Root members remained, along with the detained Kurenai and Uesugi Min, and Sora opposite them.

Sarutobi Hiruzen scanned the entire area.

He saw Kurenai and Uesugi Min, controlled by Root, with injuries on their necks.

He also saw Sora and Danzo, with gloomy expressions, seemingly in a standoff.

His heart sank slightly. He did not immediately see his son Asuma, but as Hokage, he had to prioritize dealing with the obviously out of control situation before him.

"Danzo!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted angrily. "What is the meaning of this? Publicly detaining comrades from the village, forcing an Anbu member? You need to give me, and the entire Konoha, an explanation!"

Danzo cursed inwardly.

’Damn it! Those Root incompetents! Capturing someone actually left a trail? Or does this Sora brat have some special information channel? How did he bring this whole group of people who shouldn’t be here!’

He knew the plan was completely exposed.

Facing Sarutobi Hiruzen’s questioning, and the suspicious, angry, or indifferent gazes of the representatives from Konoha’s various clans, Danzo’s mind raced.

"Hiruzen, you’ve come just in time."

Danzo’s face instantly switched to a serious, businesslike expression. He did not directly answer Sarutobi Hiruzen’s question. Instead, he took out a scroll report from his robes.

"I am here today not for personal grudges, but to handle an old case concerning the village’s security!"

He raised the scroll, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally settling on Sora. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Approximately three years ago, deep within the Land of Fire, an incident occurred where a mysterious ninja attacked my Root squad."

"The scene left extremely unique traces, including inhumanly hard scales, and lacerations resembling those caused by beast claws."

As he spoke, he motioned for a Root member to hand the report to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Sarutobi Hiruzen took the report and quickly skimmed it, his frown deepening.

He knew about this incident, of course. He had even privately asked Sora about it indirectly. The two of them had a tacit understanding about it, tacitly letting it be buried.

After all, Sora had contributed to Konoha, and it was Root who had ill intentions first.

But he never expected Danzo would choose this moment to bring this matter into the open!

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