The real Shinobi World...
In the Konoha Hokage's office building, the corridor lights cast a cold reflection on Shino Aburame's sunglasses.
Two members of the Anbu, wearing animal masks, emerged from the shadows and reached out to stop him.
"Identity," one of them said in a low voice.
Shino silently rolled up his sleeve, revealing his arm covered in Kikaichū. The insects flapped their wings rhythmically, creating specific Chakra fluctuations—a unique identifier for the Aburame Clan.
The Anbu exchanged a glance and then made way for them.
Thump--
Shino gently knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.
"--Come in!"
A slightly hurried response came from Tsunade the door, accompanied by the soft sound of a glass bottle clinking against the table.
The moment he pushed open the door, Shino's sense of smell caught the aroma of sake, but his expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't noticed the sake bottle that the Lord Hokage had hurriedly stuffed back into the drawer.
"Oh? It's you..." Tsunade visibly relaxed upon seeing that it was Shino, and then took out the sake bottle again. "Kid, what do you want?"
Shino stood ramrod straight, his voice calm yet firm. "Lord Hokage, I would like to request your permission to see someone."
"Who?"
"Aburame Torune."
Tsunade paused, the sake bottle she had raised to her lips. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the boy before her. "That 'poisonous insect' from Root? What do you want to see him for? That guy is Danzo's loyal follower; he hasn't uttered a single word about him."
Shino's fingertips tightened slightly, and the insect in her sleeve emitted a faint buzzing sound.
He's my cousin.
The air suddenly became quiet.
Tsunade put down the bottle, gesturing for him to continue.
"Danzo originally chose me to join Root." Shino's voice remained calm, but the insects' agitation betrayed his emotions. "It was Toriyama who volunteered to Torune."
He raised his head, his eyes behind his sunglasses looking directly at the Hokage: "At the clan meeting a few days ago, I learned that you disbanded the Root... so I want to see him."
Tsunade was silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed the stamp on the table and slapped it onto the pass.
"Shizune!" she called towards the door. "Take this kid to see Torune —remember to keep a safe distance, his Nano-Sized Venomous Insects are no joke."
"Yes!" Shizune pushed open the door and entered, carrying the guinea pig.
Shino bowed deeply. "Thank you Lord Hokage."
Tsunade: "If you can persuade him to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, you'll have accomplished a great feat."
After the office door closed again, Tsunade looked out the window at the Hokage Rock, where her own portrait had been carved.
(That old bastard... he's already locked up and he's still causing me trouble.)
She rubbed her temples, thinking of the various family representatives who had visited in recent days— Yamanaka, Akimichi, Aburame ... Everyone wanted to take back their relatives who had been taken away by the Root.
(Forty-seven people were released, leaving sixty-three severely brainwashed individuals in prison...)
(Not to mention the remaining elements lurking outside...)
The wine bottle slammed heavily onto the table.
(This mess will take at least ten years to clean up!)
In the cold, dark underground corridor, footsteps were swallowed up by specially designed soundproof walls.
The lantern in Shizune's hand cast a swaying halo in the damp air. She stopped in front of the iron gate marked "B-2-7," and the Sealing Jutsu on the gate panel glowed with a ghostly blue light.
"This is it." She hung the lantern on the wall hook and took a bunch of keys from her bosom. "Do you need me to come in with you? His Nano-Sized Venomous Insects can even penetrate protective suits."
Shino shook his head, and the Kikaichū in his sleeve made a soft fluttering sound, "I can handle it."
Shizune hesitated for a moment, then inserted the key into the lock. The complex Sealing Jutsu dissipated layer by layer with the sound of gears turning, and the iron door groaned heavily as it slowly opened.
Click--
In the dimly lit cell, a black-haired youth wearing a special breathing mask suddenly looked up. The metal chains rattled with his movement, and the Chakra suppressor on his wrist gleamed coldly in the darkness.
"Another interrogation...?" A hoarse voice came from behind the mask, but stopped abruptly when the person was recognized. "... Shino?"
In the dim light, the two cousins stared at each other through the iron bars. Water droplets condensed on Torune's mask, and Shino's sunglasses reflected the light of the lantern; neither could see the other's expression.
"At the family meeting, Father mentioned that Root had been disbanded." Shino's voice was as calm as if discussing the weather. "I heard you're still imprisoned, so..."
His voice paused, a rare occurrence. Kikaichū poured from his sleeves, forming the rare insect shape they had discovered in the forest years ago—a shared "treasure" from when they were ten.
A muffled chuckle came from beneath Torune's mask, "... Still so bad at talking."
With a soft clang of the chains, he laboriously moved the chair that was fixed to the ground, Shino.
The ensuing conversation was intermittent, with the two taciturn individuals chatting about trivial past events: the migration of purple butterflies in the back mountain, the beehive under the eaves of the old house, and even the time when Torune the blame for Shino and was scolded by the clan chief... They made no mention of the Root, Danzo, or those dark years.
When the Shizune knocking signaled that time was up, Shino suddenly pressed down on his trembling insect swarm.
He looked directly into Torune's eyes for the first time. "Under Lady Tsunade's leadership, Konoha will become much better."
Torune's mask trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something. But in the end, he simply raised his chained hand and touched the insect on Shino's sleeve with his fingertips—this was the Aburame Clan's way of expressing affection.
As the iron gate closed again, Shizune was surprised to find that Shino's sunglasses were fogged up. Meanwhile, inside the cell, Torune was staring at a bright blue Kikaichū in his palm, one that Shino had deliberately "forgotten"—a signal they had made as children to "find their way home."
Stepping out of the cold, dark underground corridor, the sunlight stung Shino he squinted slightly.
He stood on the steps outside the prison, taking a deep breath of fresh air, and the Kikaichū in his sleeve seemed to stir a little more. Shizune stood beside him, holding the guinea pig, watching him with gentle eyes.
"Thank you for your help," Shino said softly, her voice still calm.
Shizune shook her head and smiled slightly, "It's nothing. Although Lady Tsunade disbanded Root, she never considered them enemies."
She gazed towards the Hokage Rock in the distance and continued, "These people... once risked their lives for Konoha, but they went astray. That's why Lady Tsunade only imprisoned them and never had the interrogation team use torture on them."
Shino nodded silently, her eyes flickering slightly behind her sunglasses.
(Cousin... there's still hope.)
(Next time I come...)
(Perhaps I can bring him some "family news.")
"I'll come back in a few days," Shino suddenly said.
Shizune seemed to read his mind and nodded gently, "Okay, let me know in advance."
She paused, then added, "Lady Tsunade really hopes... someone can lend them a hand."
Shino did not respond, but the insects in her sleeve fluttered their wings in unison, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
The two walked back along the tree-lined path, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on the ground. Suddenly, the guinea pig in Shizune's arms let out a "poof," as if breaking the heavy atmosphere.
"Let's go." Shizune smiled. "If we stay any later, the medical department's files will pile up like a mountain again."
Shino nodded and followed behind her.
(Change... takes time.)
(But at least now there is hope.)