Konoha Ninja Shop System

"Search quickly! Don't let that old man Danzo escape!" the Uchiha commander barked, his voice echoing through the narrow streets of Konoha.

The Uchiha clan's men spread out immediately, moving swiftly with practiced precision. Their dark cloaks swirled as they combed every alley, every shadowed corner, every rooftop—relentless in their hunt.

In a quiet, dimly lit alleyway far from the chaos, Shimura Danzo gritted his teeth in fury. The tension in his chest was almost unbearable.

"Damn the Uchiha," he muttered under his breath, eyes burning with hatred. "Damn the major families... How dare they betray me like this!"

His hand clenched into a fist so tightly his knuckles whitened. In his mind, a dark vow took shape: if he somehow escaped Konoha alive today, he would make those who betrayed him wish they had never been born.

The distant shouts of the Uchiha hunters grew louder and then slowly faded as they moved further away. Danzo glanced cautiously to both sides, making sure no one was watching. The moment the coast was clear, he slipped into the shadows and began running toward the Shimura clan's territory.

If he could reach his clan's land, where his loyal retainers waited, he might still have a chance. With their protection, Danzo hoped to slip away from the village unseen and disappear into the night.

But fate was far from kind that day.

Suddenly, a pale white face emerged from the darkness, blocking his path.

"So, it's you again," Danzo growled, stepping back. "You're here to blackmail me again, aren't you?"

White Zetsu's twisted grin spread across his face like a sick joke. "Oh, Master Hokage, what nonsense are you talking about? Just tell me, will you pay up or not?"

Danzo's eyes narrowed. This parasite had come around five or six times before, demanding hush money. Each time, Danzo reluctantly handed over funds to keep his secrets safe. Now, with the Uchiha hunting him, the last thing he needed was a freeloader asking for more.

White Zetsu was oblivious to the urgency of the moment. Danzo's heart pounded; one wrong step and the Uchiha would find him—and kill him.

"How dare you show up now? Don't you see I'm being hunted?" Danzo hissed. "I gave you nearly fifty million already! Why aren't you satisfied? What have you done with all that money?"

White Zetsu scratched his head, sheepishly. "Well... I lost it all gambling at the casino, and I owe a lot in debts now. That's why I'm here again."

Danzo's jaw dropped. "You idiot! You wasted my hard-earned money on gambling? And now you're begging for more?"

His eyes filled with a mixture of pain and rage. That money was meant to buy silence, safety... not to be thrown away like trash.

"Ask me for more? Forget it. Let the debt collectors come and collect you!" Danzo snarled.

White Zetsu's grin vanished. "Hokage, seriously? You won't pay up?"

"Not a chance. If you scream or leak my secrets, I'll make sure you regret it," Danzo spat back fiercely.

He didn't have much to lose anymore. If the Uchiha uncovered his secrets, so be it. Right now, his survival was all that mattered.

White Zetsu's eyes flickered, surprised by Danzo's defiance. "Alright, alright," it said with a sly smile. "But I know you're being hunted. If you don't pay, I'll scream."

Danzo's mouth twitched, then he groaned in defeat. "Fine, fine! Just don't do that, White Zetsu! I'll give you what you want!"

He pulled out a scroll and handed it to White Zetsu. "Here's all my savings. Take it."

White Zetsu grabbed the scroll eagerly, weighing it in his hands. "Not bad... you're smarter than I thought."

"Can I go now?" Danzo asked nervously.

"Yeah, go ahead," White Zetsu said distractedly, already imagining how to double his money at the casino.

Danzo exhaled in relief but glared at White Zetsu's retreating back. He swore to himself that once he was safe, he would never let this leech live.

How many times could he be threatened like this and still hold the title of Hokage?

Ignoring White Zetsu, Danzo quickly slipped away, heading toward the Shimura clan's land.

---

Meanwhile, the Uchiha were already lying in wait. Uchiha Fugaku stood firm at the border of the Shimura clan's territory, flanked by a group of his most loyal warriors.

As soon as Shimura Danzo stepped into their trap, there would be no escape.

"Master," an Uchiha warrior asked nervously, "Are you sure Danzo will come here?"

Fugaku's eyes gleamed with cold confidence. "The monk may run, but the temple cannot. Danzo will come back, mark my words."

His subordinate nodded, clearly impressed. "As expected of the clan leader, your insight is unmatched."

Not far from the trap, Danzo's ears caught Fugaku's confident voice. He cursed inwardly.

"Damn Uchiha, always so cunning."

He didn't dare step directly onto his clan's land yet. The risk was too high. He had to be sure first, or he would be cut down by the Uchiha's men instantly.

Danzo's face drained of color. The fact that the Uchiha guarded his clan's territory so brazenly meant one thing: the Shimura clan had already been slaughtered.

Without his clan's protection, he was a sitting duck.

His heart sank deeper into despair.

In that moment, a name flashed in his mind.

If only Peter were here... maybe he could help me escape.

Peter—the one person Danzo secretly hoped could turn the tide.

His eyes flickered with renewed hope as he turned sharply and prepared to flee.

But fate wasn't done with him yet.

A sudden snap echoed through the silent night—a branch breaking under Danzo's foot.

"Damn it!" he cursed, panic rising.

His cover was blown.

"Who's there?" Fugaku shouted, his voice sharp as a blade.

Danzo barely had time to react before the Uchiha leader's voice rang out.

"Danzo! The old dog! After him!"

Fugaku took off at a sprint, his men following without hesitation.

"Quick! Don't let him escape!" the Uchiha shouted, their footsteps pounding like thunder.

Danzo ran like a man possessed, his breath ragged and sweat pouring down his face. His legs blurred in motion, leaving faint afterimages behind him.

But no matter how fast he ran, the Uchiha gained ground relentlessly.

"Danzo, give up your life!" Fugaku roared behind him.

Fear gnawed at Danzo's soul. He regretted every choice that had led to this moment. If only he hadn't attacked the Uchiha clan...

Desperation drove him forward until he reached the outskirts of the Sarutobi clan's ancestral land.

There, at the gate, stood Sarutobi Hiruzen, calm and collected, puffing thoughtfully on his pipe.

Danzo's tired eyes lit up in relief.

"Hiruzen! Save me!" he shouted with all his remaining strength.

Hiruzen froze, the smoke curling from his pipe as Danzo's desperate cry echoed in the night.

Øóffer going on for diamond tier

pàtreøn (Gk31)