First Comes the Tree World
Uchiha Itachi did not believe in conquering through violence, nor did he support using a coup to replace the Hokage.
Otherwise, what would make Xu Fan any different from the Uchiha clan he once betrayed?
If Xu Fan intended to attack the Third Hokage, then Itachi would stop him without hesitation.
To Itachi, it wasn't becoming Hokage that earned someone recognition—it was through the recognition of the people that one became worthy of the title.
So this conversation wasn't just small talk—it was a test for Xu Fan.
And based on Xu Fan's answer, he had passed.
"Xu Fan," Itachi murmured, glancing at him sideways.
Perhaps his chakra was immense, and his mastery over Wood Release (Mokuton) formidable.
But every technique had its weaknesses.
Xu Fan wasn't invincible.
"We're here," Xu Fan said, inhaling deeply. As expected, the moment Sarutobi Hiruzen left the village, Danzo began moving.
Countless Root operatives had gathered here—Danzo's hidden forces.
In truth, Danzo didn't appear much throughout Naruto: Shippuden. His first major role was during Pain's invasion of Konoha, where he ordered Root to remain hidden in the underground base and even killed the messenger to Mount Myōboku.
Later, he appeared during the Five Kage Summit, before being hunted down by Sasuke.
Because so little was known about Danzo's operations in canon, Xu Fan and Itachi had chosen this direct method to confront him.
"You really intend to act in a place like this?" Itachi asked, scanning their surroundings.
It was also his first time in Danzo's underground compound.
"The Root shinobi gathered here could crush the entire Uchiha clan if they staged a coup," Itachi muttered, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head.
The Uchiha had lost their composure. Even if they did rebel, Danzo's Root would annihilate them.
And it would end in blood.
"There are more Root members here than I expected," Itachi said.
"Yeah," Xu Fan replied. Even he hadn't anticipated such numbers. He recalled that during Pain's assault, Root had dozens of shinobi hidden underground—but here, there were easily hundreds.
Worse still, these weren't ordinary shinobi. They had undergone Danzo's conditioning—stripped of names, emotions, past, and future.
Even Shisui's Kotoamatsukami might not save them from a coordinated Root assault.
Xu Fan had no illusions about relying on Itachi's genjutsu. His Tsukuyomi might be powerful, but it taxed the Sharingan heavily.
And Xu Fan wasn't sure how many times Danzo could use Izanagi now.
"I'm just a Wood Clone," Xu Fan admitted, exhaling. "My strength is less than a third of the original."
The original Xu Fan had been clear: Make sure Danzo dies.
Which meant he had to conserve chakra so the clone wouldn't disperse.
"He's here," Itachi whispered.
Xu Fan followed his line of sight—Danzo emerged from the shadows of the corridor.
"That's the real one?" Xu Fan asked softly.
Danzo had only transplanted Hashirama cells into his arm—he couldn't create Mokuton clones.
As long as it wasn't a clone, Itachi's Sharingan could identify the real body.
"It's him," Itachi confirmed. "But are you sure about this? Fighting here…"
He glanced around. The area was spacious, but with so many enemies, their movement would be restricted.
And once the fighting started, they'd be up against not only Danzo but every Root member present.
To Itachi, that was suicide.
But Xu Fan didn't care.
In his eyes, there wasn't much difference between fighting fifty or a hundred Root shinobi.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!" Xu Fan shouted, slamming his palms together.
Clap!
The sound echoed like thunder. The earth trembled.
The ground beneath the Root operatives cracked, and thick vines surged upward, growing and hardening at a terrifying pace.
They twisted like demons clawing their way out of the underworld, latching onto anything within reach.
Chaos erupted.
Even Danzo, poised to begin his operation, froze in shock.
He knew this technique well—too well.
"Xu Fan…" he hissed, staggering backward.
A female Aburame operative stepped in front of him, shielding him with Root members and sending her insects to locate the attacker.
"He was supposed to be in the Land of Iron, attending the summit with Sarutobi! How—?!"
Danzo's shock twisted into fury. He had sent Yamashiro Aoba with a secret mission: assassinate the Raikage during the summit and provoke war. The resulting chaos would give Danzo the justification to seize power, just as the Second Hokage had once sacrificed himself for the village.
He believed Sarutobi Hiruzen would do the same.
He had even gathered all of Root to await his orders—ready to "save" Konoha and take control.
But before anything began, the battlefield exploded into a forest.
Dozens of his operatives were already entangled before they could react.
"Get me out of here!" Danzo snarled.
"Yes, Lord Danzo," the Aburame woman responded. She signaled several Root operatives to evacuate Danzo while she remained to delay the attackers.
But Xu Fan and Itachi were prepared.
"You think you can just leave?" Xu Fan said, removing his Root mask and tossing it aside.
Danzo's eyes widened as he noticed the man standing beside Xu Fan—his crimson Sharingan spinning.
"You!" Danzo growled.
Xu Fan was one thing, but Uchiha Itachi—an ANBU directly under Hiruzen—was another matter entirely.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen… Was this your plan all along?!"