Chapter 51: Attention from Black Zetsu

Ryoma Aburame had always clung to the adage: in life-or-death situations, sheer desperation unlocks potential, allowing us to achieve feats far beyond our perceived limits.

It used to be an unshakeable truth for him, but now, facing the impossible task of staging a coup, he had his doubts.

He wracked his brain, desperately searching for a solution. Finally, with a heavy sigh, he took a gamble, approaching Lord Danzo with a hesitant.

"Lord Danzo, I'm afraid I've reached a dead end. I can't think of any other option."

To Ryoma's surprise, Danzo didn't unleash his usual tirade. Instead, a cold scoff escaped his lips, and the matter was simply dismissed.

After all, if Ryoma truly had a stockpile of coup plans, wouldn't Danzo be suspicious of his loyalty? Why else would the Aburame constantly delve into such subversive tactics?

However, Ryoma's two proposed strategies weren't entirely without merit. Just because there wasn't an immediate opportunity to implement them didn't mean they were useless. With Orochimaru ascending to Fourth Hokage position in the future, a window of possibilities could open.

The sight of Danzo lost in contemplation sent shivers down Ryoma's spine. Perhaps Danzo truly harbored his own coup ambitions.

Given their intricate political dance with the Hokage, Danzo might face a slap on the wrist, imprisonment at worst. But for a lowly Jonin from a minor clan like himself? The consequences could be dire.

Danzo, seasoned in the treacherous politics of Konoha, likely saw through Ryoma's thinly veiled fear, choosing to keep it to himself. As long as Ryoma remained discreet, his position as advisor remained secure.

Clearing his throat, Danzo looked at Ryoma.

"Ryoma, your plans hold promise. I intend to forward them to Byakuya. If he can truly manipulate the Akatsuki and Amegakure into warring against one another, it would be a significant contribution."

"I was simply fulfilling my duty."

Ryoma replied, a feigned smile plastered on his face. However, a deeper, gnawing anxiety festered within him. Was delegating his strategies to Byakuya of the Akatsuki merely a prelude to a staged coup rehearsal?

Ryoma's suspicion mirrored Danzo's far grander scheme. By entrusting these plans to Byakuya, regardless of success or failure, both Akatsuki and the Land of Rain would be destabilized. A successful Byakuya would not only be an ally but also offer invaluable insights into the mechanics of a coup.

Victory or defeat wasn't the game – Danzo craved a multitude of victories, each one a stepping stone on his path to power.

Suppressing a surge of excitement, Danzo reached for his writing instrument, no longer the cold, emotionless leader.

His pen scratched across the parchment, fueled by a newfound fervor. This wasn't just a message; it was a passionate treatise, brimming with his strategic experience and ambitions.

---

Byakuya received the letter two days later.

Two days might not seem long or short, but for Byakuya, Danzo's letters were coming too frequently, even more often than Yahiko's.

After feeding his dried meat to the ninja hawk, Byakuya opened Danzo's letter.

The opening words were still condescending, with Danzo showing no awareness that their positions were equal. However, considering the small gift included, Byakuya magnanimously forgave Danzo.

Next, Danzo, in the tone of an experienced elder, advised Byakuya on how to stage a coup and seize power.

He thoughtfully included two coup plans along with detailed implementation steps.

Looking at the extensive text and the considerate greetings, Byakuya couldn't help but picture Danzo writing the letter, his mouth twitching slightly.

The good news was that the persona he had established in Danzo's eyes was successful.

The bad news was that it was too successful.

He just wanted to trick some coup subsidies out of Danzo and confuse him a bit, but Danzo really believed he wanted to stage a coup and thoughtfully prepared two plans.

For the first plan, Byakuya had only one comment: it was too idiotic.

Eliminating all Akatsuki leadership to elevate the remaining members? Absurd! Byakuya could simply establish his own organization and be the leader from the get-go.

The second plan, however, had some merit.

Colluding with external enemies and then emerging as a hero to save the world was a normal process for seizing power. Nothing strange about it.

But did such a plan really need advice? Wasn't this common practice?

After reading the letter, Byakuya's doubts about Danzo's expertise in coups began to fester. Was this truly the leader of Konoha's Root, the organization shrouded in secrecy and tasked with the village's dirty work? How utterly incompetent.

At this point, Byakuya recalled Danzo's attempt to assassinate the Third Hokage.

In the anime, Danzo had indeed dispatched Kakashi and Yamato for the job, only to have Kakashi expose the plan, gifting the Third with a powerful Wood Release user. Even Danzo's appointment as interim Hokage was dubious.

Danzo's appointment as interim Hokage was even more straightforward.

The entire village was wiped out, yet he still hid in the Root organization's base. After Naruto defeated the Six Paths of Pain, he emerged again to run for Hokage.

It could only be said that Danzo's competence was truly lacking.

If the Hokage had not been the Third Hokage, Danzo might have died many times already.

Despite his inner criticisms, Byakuya, adhering to the principle that the client is always right, earnestly wrote a reply.

In the letter, he respectfully addressed Danzo as a senior and asked for guidance in a student-like tone. These little tricks were second nature to him, and he could write them without any burden.

After sealing the letter with quality wax, Byakuya summoned the ninja hawk to send it to Danzo.

Having completed this, Byakuya looked towards the nearby forest, then leapt from the tree trunk and headed towards the Akatsuki base.

Today, Akane wasn't following him, but White Zetsu had secretly tailed him. Why was Madara Uchiha constantly keeping an eye on the Akatsuki? Was the man simply senile and bored? Or old dudes in this world in general have a tendency to spy on kids. He remembered Third Hokage also used to do this.

Regardless, having two elderly figures scrutinize his every move was becoming tiresome. The thought even startled Byakuya, forcing him to shake his head and refocus. He had a recruitment process to manage.

Previously, he'd always been the one on the interviewee's side of the table. Now, the tables were turned, and he, the interviewer, held the power to shape the future of the Akatsuk.

---

Byakuya's departure wasn't unnoticed. As he vanished into the tree line, a grotesque shape emerged from the damp earth. It was a monstrous pitcher plant, its bulbous form pulsating with an unnatural life.

The plant swiveled its grotesquely oversized "mouth" in the direction Byakuya had taken, its single eye tracking the departing ninja hawk.

After a moment of silent contemplation, the plant activated its unsettling floating technique and sank back into the soil, burrowing purposefully towards the Land of Grass.

This unsettling creature was none other than Black Zetsu, a being "created" by Madara Uchiha but harboring a far more sinister truth – he was the offspring of the legendary Kaguya Otsutsuki.

After being created by Madara, he had been ordered to monitor the Akatsuki's activities.

Among the Akatsuki members, Black Zetsu was most concerned about Nagato, who bore the Rinnegan. The Rinnegan was crucial for reviving his mother, and no mistakes could be allowed.

Next in Black Zetsu's web of intrigue were Konan, Yahiko, and the enigmatic Byakuya.

Konan and Yahiko, with their focus on explosive tag creation and administrative tasks, held minimal interest for Black Zetsu. Byakuya, however, was a different story.

In addition to being a member of the Akatsuki, he secretly maintained contact with Konoha ninjas.

If there was any breakthrough point within the Akatsuki, Black Zetsu believed it would be Byakuya.

===

BONUS CHAPTERS!

Let's aim for the ranking this time, and you will get bonus chapters:

1000 PS = 5 Bonus Chapters!

1500 PS = 10 Bonus Chapters!

Please get this book in ranking so I can translate more chapters in a batch.