Konoha's Genius is a bit Ordinary?

Danzō's heart was filled with not only rage but also frustration and disbelief.

Izanagi was a forbidden jutsu, even among the Uchiha. Very few people knew about it, and Danzō was certain he had destroyed the stone tablet that recorded the technique when he acquired it.

Even Sasuke, an Uchiha, shouldn't have known about it. So how did Natsuro know? And how could he accurately explain its function?

"A man named Kishimoto told me," Natsuro said with a smirk.

Danzō froze, his face filled with confusion. Who is this Kishimoto, and how does he know about Izanagi?

"Are you just trying to buy time?" Natsuro suddenly asked, his tone calm but piercing. "Hoping your two subordinates will act? Too bad they've already encountered their clan leaders."

Natsuro's smile deepened. "After all, sometimes you have to fight fire with fire."

Danzō's heart sank. He didn't bother asking how Natsuro knew about his subordinates. It felt as if he knew everything.

If Itachi had told Natsuro about Izanagi, then how had Yamanaka Fū and Aburame Torune been exposed?

Danzō's face darkened further. If Torune had been present, his nanoscopic poisonous insects could have silently and efficiently killed everyone there. Even Tsunade wouldn't have been able to create an antidote fast enough.

But now that Natsuro had mentioned them, it was clear he had already sent them away the moment Danzō ascended the tower. And not just them, Natsuro had also sent Inoichi Yamanaka and Shibi Aburame to confront them.

Danzō didn't believe his two subordinates stood a chance against their clan leaders. Leaders of clans weren't just figureheads, they were powerful in their own right, especially when dealing with members of their own clans.

Outside Konoha, in a remote mountain clearing

In this open area stood five figures: Inoichi Yamanaka, Shibi Aburame, and their two opponents, Fū Yamanaka and Torune Aburame.

"Fū, there's still time for you to leave Root and stop this madness," Inoichi said, his tone filled with regret.

Fū removed his mask, revealing a face Inoichi hadn't seen in years. "Inoichi, it's you who's deluded! Only Lord Danzō can lead Konoha down the correct path!"

Inoichi sighed, his heart heavy. "You've been completely brainwashed, haven't you?"

Fū was once a prodigy within the Yamanaka clan. Someone of his caliber had easily caught Danzō's attention.

"Lord Danzō must be in danger. I don't have time to waste here," Fū said, forming hand seals. Before Inoichi could react, Fū used his clan's signature technique.

"Mind Puppet Switch Curse Technique!"

"What?!" Inoichi widened his eyes, realizing he couldn't evade the jutsu in time.

The next moment, "Inoichi" moved his hands, examining them closely. "It's not my own body, but the clan leader's body is the best match for mine. I'll need you to stay inside the puppet for a while, clan leader."

Fū, now in control of Inoichi's body, prepared to leave and support Danzō. He knew Inoichi was close to Natsuro and thought he could use this to his advantage.

"That's what I should be saying to you," a voice whispered in his ear.

Fū's vision blurred, and when he regained clarity, he saw Inoichi standing calmly in front of him.

It was then Fū realized he was the one trapped inside the puppet.

"Impossible!" Fū tried to move but found he couldn't.

"You removed your mask on purpose, thinking I'd focus on your puppet. Unfortunately for you, while I rarely use this jutsu, I've mastered ways to counter it," Inoichi said, taking the puppet from Fū.

Looking down at Fū's unconscious body, Inoichi sighed. "You'll stay in this puppet for now. Once this is over, we'll let Lord Hokage decide your fate."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, the battle between the Aburame clan members was reaching its conclusion.

"Your poisonous insects are nearly on par with Shikuro's," Shibi said, observing the swarm of deadly insects that Torune had released.

Torune remained silent, watching as his poisonous insects were completely neutralized by Shibi's destruction bugs.

"It's over," Shibi declared.

Among the Aburame clan, battles were straightforward, once one side's insects were rendered ineffective, victory was almost assured.

As the clan leader, Shibi had encountered every type of insect imaginable within the clan. He was especially familiar with Shikuro's poisonous insects, which Torune had inherited.

For Shibi, once the destruction bugs adapted to the poison, the battle was over.

From the very beginning, Torune had no chance of winning.

"Torune, it's not too late to turn back. Shino and I are waiting for you," Aburame Shibi said, watching as Torune's body was nearly consumed by the destruction bugs. "Afterward, we can petition Lord Hokage to spare you."

Torune remained silent. On one hand, these were his family members. Though he wasn't Shibi's biological son, he had grown up in their household and had long regarded Shino as his younger brother.

On the other hand, his loyalty belonged to Danzō, the man to whom he had sworn allegiance. The conflict left Torune torn and uncertain.

"Shino, leave the task of appealing to Lord Hokage to you," Shibi said, turning to his son.

"Understood, Father," Shino nodded. As someone familiar with Natsuro, he felt confident he could approach him with this request.

"Is it over?" Inoichi asked, walking over with Fū's incapacitated body.

"Of course," Shibi replied with a nod.

"Then let's head back. It'll take some time to return to Konoha from here," Inoichi said, glancing at their surroundings.

"I believe Lord Hokage chose this location out of concern for the potential spread of Torune's poisonous insects. Even though I can neutralize them, if we were in a densely populated area, I couldn't guarantee everyone's safety," Shibi explained.

"I see," Inoichi said, nodding thoughtfully. He couldn't help but wonder how Natsuro knew about these details.

But realizing it was likely one of Natsuro's secrets, Inoichi left it as a passing curiosity, deciding not to probe further.

"By the way, congratulations on gaining such an outstanding son-in-law," Shibi suddenly said with a rare smile.

Hearing this, Inoichi couldn't help but grin. This was a matter he took great pride in.

"Oh, it's just good fortune," Inoichi said modestly.

Shibi, typically reserved and quiet, seemed unexpectedly approachable in this moment, which Inoichi found refreshing.

"It wasn't luck. Those two have been close since they were children," Shino interjected matter-of-factly.

He had observed Natsuro and Ino's relationship over the years and had seen how their bond had naturally deepened.

"Ha! Let the young ones handle their own affairs," Inoichi said, laughing.

The group, now in good spirits, continued their journey back toward Konoha, engaging in lighthearted conversation along the way.

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Currently on Chapter 292 - Nagato and Konan