Chapter 61

Yugito Nii lay in her bed, the faint sounds of the Village Hidden in the Sound settling into silence. Sasuke and his team had departed hours earlier, leaving her with the mantle of leadership for the fledgling village. It was a strange feeling—being entrusted with such responsibility in a place that wasn't her home. Yet she believed in Sasuke's shaping vision, and more importantly, she believed in him. Her resolve was unwavering, but for the first time since she'd met Sasuke, she felt the familiar pang of loneliness.

Sleep claimed her quickly, though it was not the peaceful rest she sought.

From the ceiling above her bed, a substance oozed silently, moving like liquid darkness. Zetsu—or rather, a malformed white parasite clone of him—descended slowly, its grin a grotesque parody of its intent. The absence of Zetsu's black half made the creature seem even more alien. Its singular, mangled face split into a sneer as it regarded the sleeping woman below.

"Too easy," the Zetsu clone thought, its voice a distorted rasp as it crept closer. Tendrils of white reached toward Yugito, mere inches from grasping her.

In an instant, the room exploded into chaos. A blade flashed through the dim light, slicing cleanly through the Zetsu clone's neck. The creature's head separated from its body with a sickening squelch, and white, viscous blood sprayed across Yugito's bed.

Startled awake, Yugito bolted upright with a shout, her eyes instinctively glowing with the chakra of her Tailed Beast. Her eyes darted to the headless corpse at the foot of her bed, then to the man standing over it, wiping his massive blade clean on a scrap of fabric.

"Hey, that was close," the intruder said casually, grinning wide enough to show off his shark-like teeth. "Would've been a shame if you got grabbed."

Yugito's amber eyes narrowed. "Who the hell are you?"

"Suigetsu Hozuki," the man replied, resting the enormous Executioner's Blade against his shoulder with a flourish. His tone was light, almost playful. "Sasuke told me to keep you safe, so that's what I'm here to do."

Yugito blinked, her expression unreadable. "Why are you in my room?"

Suigetsu tilted his head as though the question confused him. "I just told you—Sasuke sent me to protect you. Figured I'd make myself useful since, you know, you were about to be kidnapped and all."

Yugito exhaled sharply, crossing her arms. "And I suppose your idea of a job well done involves killing the intruder before we can capture and interrogate him?"

Suigetsu's grin faltered, replaced by a sheepish look. "Uh… yeah, okay, maybe that was a bit rash. But in my defense, he was about to grab you."

"You're forgiven. Now, kindly take these to the wash on your way out." Yugito rolled her eyes and threw the soiled sheets at him.

"Wait, what?" Suigetsu held the stained bedding at arm's length, his bemused expression quickly shifting to mild horror as she tossed her soiled sleep dress onto the pile as well.

"You're dismissed," Yugito said firmly, walking past him to retrieve a fresh outfit. "And next time, try not to make such a mess in my room."

Suigetsu stared after her nude form, flabbergasted. His mind reeled, equal parts impressed and bewildered. He glanced at the pile of soiled fabric in his arms and then back at Yugito's retreating figure. "Sasuke sure knows how to pick them," he muttered under his breath before trudging out of the room.

As the door closed behind him, Yugito allowed herself the faintest of smiles. She didn't need protection—not really—but she appreciated Sasuke's concern. She glanced down at the decapitated Zetsu clone on her floor and sighed.

"Guess it's time to make some adjustments around here," she murmured to herself. Her gaze hardened. The Sound Village might still be finding its footing, but she would ensure that no one dared test its strength again.

—

The moonlight seeped through the cracks of the Hokage Residence, casting pale streaks across the room where Tsunade lay motionless. The rhythmic beeping of medical equipment was the only sound in the otherwise still chamber. Her injuries from Pain's invasion had left her comatose, her body suspended in a state of fragile recovery.

Danzo Shimura stood over her, his face a stoic mask. His bandaged arm stretched outward, unwrapped to reveal a hand that trembled with purpose. His exposed eye glowed ominously, the crimson pinwheel of Shisui Uchiha's sharingan spinning slowly.

Danzo leaned closer to Tsunade's face, his breath steady, his voice a quiet rasp. "You were a fine ninja, Tsunade. But your ideals… your sentimental weakness… have led this village to ruin." He pulled her eyelid open with his gnarled fingers, the sharingan gleaming with malicious intent.

The word he spoke was soft but absolute, carrying the weight of his ambition. "Sleep."

Tsunade's breathing remained steady, unchanged, her body continuing its involuntary rhythm of life. Her eyes stayed closed, unaware of the manipulation occurring just above her. Danzo studied her for a moment longer, ensuring his command had taken hold. Satisfied, he stepped back, rewrapping his arm in the shadows of the dimly lit room.

The old war hawk straightened his robes, smoothing them with methodical precision. He glanced at the slumbering Tsunade one last time. "The village cannot afford weakness now, not in the wake of this destruction. It needs strength. It needs my strength." His voice was low, spoken to no one but himself.

The door creaked faintly as he slipped out, the darkness of the night wrapping around him like a shroud. He moved silently through the corridors of the Hokage's residence, his every step calculated. Outside, Root operatives awaited him, their blank expressions mirroring the cold, emotionless leadership they served.

"Is it done, Danzo-sama?" one of them asked, his voice devoid of curiosity.

Danzo nodded curtly. "It is. Tsunade will not awaken for some time." He surveyed the men before him, his eye gleaming with resolve. "Now, to the next phase. The council must be reminded of the village's precarious state. They must understand that Konoha requires a leader who is unyielding and decisive. Prepare the way."

The operatives melted into the shadows without a word, leaving Danzo alone under the pale moonlight. He turned his gaze to the horizon, where the ruins of Konoha were bathed in the faint glow of rebuilding fires. He saw opportunity in the chaos, a chance to mold the village into the bastion of power it was meant to be.

"This village was built on sacrifice," he murmured to himself, his tone cold and resolute. "And I will see to it that those sacrifices are not in vain."

As he disappeared into the darkness, the faint sounds of construction echoed in the distance—a stark reminder of the village's fragile state. Danzo's ambition, however, was anything but fragile. Tonight was only the beginning.