In a brightly lit bedroom, Uchiha Hikari opened her eyes and let out a silent breath.
Her first time using Yasaka no Magatama on a human had gone smoother than expected.
Maybe it was because Danzō's obsession with the Hokage title ran so deep. When she mentioned "Fifth Hokage," his resistance melted away almost visibly, rendering her backup plans unnecessary.
But…
This was just step one.
Hikari didn't care about Danzō's fate, nor did she actually plan to help him escape Konoha.
He was just a test subject, nothing more. The goal was to see if Konoha's forces—especially the Yamanaka clan with their Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch Technique)—could detect that Danzō's memories had been altered by Yasaka no Magatama.
If they couldn't, it meant her training with the technique was paying off. She could move on to rewriting the minds of people like Orochimaru or Dr. Gero, bending them to her will.
If they could, though, she'd need to refine her skills further. In that case, Danzō's role as a test subject would end early. To keep Yasaka no Magatama's secrets safe, she'd use Ura Shishō Fūin (Reverse Four Symbols Seal) to erase him and anyone nearby, ensuring no leaks.
"The pieces are in place. Now… we wait."
That same night, in a secluded, dimly lit room somewhere in Konoha, the door creaked open and shut. A figure wearing a pale mask appeared silently, bringing with them a chill like biting snow.
"How's it going?"
"I've got the details. Danzō-sama's been moved to a prison near the Police Force building. It's guarded by a mix of Anbu and prison staff. But the border situation's drawn most of the Anbu away, so security's looser than when he was in Konoha Hospital."
"What about Kō and the others?"
"Kō? Hmph, he's bought into the Third Hokage's nonsense. Goes by 'Tenzō' now, even joined the Anbu… His life was a gift from Danzō-sama, and now he's betraying him openly. I should've killed him ages ago!"
"Shh—"
The grim man already in the room gestured for silence. He checked both sides of the door, locked it, and returned. "I've assigned everyone's tasks. We move in three days—it's a starless, moonless night. Just do your part, and we're set.
This rescue is critical. No screw-ups. If Danzō-sama escapes, it's worth it even if every one of us dies in the process."
"Yes, sir!"
After a brief pause, the man turned to a boy standing in the corner.
Compared to the others, this kid was noticeably younger—maybe eleven or twelve. White, medium-length hair, glasses perched on his nose.
"Kabuto, you're a key piece of this plan. Danzō-sama's safety depends on you. Don't mess it up. Otherwise… you don't want to lose Yakushi Nonō forever, do you?"
"...Yes, sir."
Yakushi Kabuto lowered his head slowly.
Over the next few days, Hikari took Eri all over Konoha's bustling streets.
Maybe because she'd been cooped up at home for so long, rarely interacting with anyone beyond the Sheqi Bajia's top brass and medical staff, Eri was clearly drawn to lively places. The crowded shopping district, even a quiet video rental shop with just a handful of customers, fascinated her endlessly.
She even met Naruto once, along with Mochi and Dango, his two ninja dogs.
The pups seemed to sense Eri's dragon blood and were skittish at first, cowering a bit. Hikari tossed a quick genjutsu their way to calm them down, letting Eri indulge in some serious dog-petting fun.
In high spirits, Eri "talked" a lot. The notebook she'd brought from the Dragon Clan world was completely filled by the third day.
So Hikari took her to a general store in the Uchiha compound and bought a thicker one.
While there, Eri's eye caught on a hand-carved wooden statue.
Hikari didn't notice at first. It wasn't until she turned to leave and realized Eri wasn't following that she backtracked. "What's up? Want it?"
"Mhm."
Eri cautiously pointed at the statue, then held up her notebook with a pitiful yet hopeful look: "Is it okay?"
"Sure, it's fine, but it doesn't seem that special…"
"Because it looks like Hikari."
"Huh?"
Hikari raised an eyebrow and took another look at the statue. She'd initially mistaken it for a mini Uchiha Madara, but after studying the facial features, a weird feeling crept up. She called over the shopkeeper. "Hey, who's this statue supposed to be?"
"Uh…"
The shopkeeper froze, then started sweating buckets. "Well… it's actually you, Great-Grandmother-sama… But don't get the wrong idea! The clan made these to honor your strength, as protective charms…"
"?"
Protective charms? Honoring her??
Good grief, were they trying to set up a shrine for her or what?
Hikari was speechless, mentally noting to have a word with Fugaku later.
Not to ban the statues outright—banning things just made people want them more, and with her sky-high clan seniority, a shrine wasn't entirely unreasonable… But at least they needed to standardize the process, make sure these carvings were actually used for worship and not some weird side hustle.
—Thankfully, the Naruto world hadn't invented mobile games yet, or she'd probably end up as a five-star character in a gacha pool, complete with a dozen swimsuit skins…
After some careful browsing, Eri stuck with her first pick.
The statue depicted a figure in Sengoku-style armor, long hair flowing, with a faint Susano'o ribcage shimmering behind. Looking at "herself" from this angle felt odd, but Hikari had to admit the craftsmanship was top-notch. Not quite lifelike, but it captured her vibe perfectly.
"Maybe I should have one made for everyone in the group chat. Bring them as souvenirs next time I visit?"
As Hikari mulled it over, Eri grabbed a waterproof marker and scribbled something on the statue's base, flashing a goofy, childlike grin.
"What'd you write?"
When Hikari asked casually, Eri held up her notebook, her smile showing all eight teeth gleaming: "Secret."