Law of the Shinobi World Carrying the Blame

The Yakushi Clan had been one of Konoha's founding elders when the First Hokage established the village.

Already few in number, they had suffered many losses during the First Shinobi World War.

Nonō's parents had been among them.

Fortunately, small families tended to have closer bonds.

After becoming an orphan, Nonō had still grown up healthily under the care of the other clan members.

She had been deeply grateful for their care.

But a small family was still a small family. Aside from some Medical Knowledge, the Yakushi Clan had no secret Ninjutsu Inheritance to pass down.

Yakushi Nonō had done well for herself, earning admission into the Ninja Academy's Elite Class.

Yet she had never expected that this decision would bring disaster upon her.

After receiving Hiruzen Sarutobi's approval, Shimura Danzō had targeted small families like theirs first.

Though these small families were not powerful, their ninja were of far higher quality than Civilian Ninja.

As an elite who had entered the top class, Yakushi Nonō had naturally caught Danzo's eye right away.

Unable to defy the Hokage's Order, the Yakushi Clan could only leave the Decision Power to Yakushi Nonō herself.

After school yesterday, Yakushi Nonō had happily returned home after saying goodbye to her Classmate.

Then she had encountered her nightmare.

Even now, Yakushi Nonō remembered the man standing in the shadows.

Shimura Danzō had explained Root's Ideology to Yakushi Nonō, using plenty of lofty-sounding Brainwashing Words.

But as a future Ace Spy, Nonō had still seen through Root's Darkness.

Before she could refuse, Danzo noticed the Resistant Expression on Yakushi Nonō's face and spoke.

In a Calm Tone, he spoke the Cruel Words.

"Root is short on Manpower right now. I have received the Hokage's Order to recruit you."

"But if you join, the Yakushi Clan won't need to send anyone else into Root."

Too kindhearted to refuse those terms, she did not want the clan members who had cared for her to fall into darkness.

In this Multiple Choice Question, she had loaded herself into the Gun Chamber.

Danzo did not care what she thought.

After receiving Yakushi Nonō's answer, he did not immediately take her away.

Instead, he gave her her first order: observe Hoshiryu Uchiha for one year, then Drop Out if her Grades were poor.

Over the next year, Yakushi Nonō had to gradually let her Grades worsen until they reached the point where she would have to Drop Out.

The purpose was to let Root absorb Nonō without drawing attention.

After all, if a Student who had just entered the Elite Class suddenly dropped out, it would attract a great deal of attention.

Danzo thought highly of Yakushi Nonō and did not want unnecessary trouble or mistakes to arise during her recruitment.

So he had come up with this simple yet convenient method.

And to Make the Best Use of Everything, he took advantage of Nonō being in the same class as Hoshiryu Uchiha and had her gather intelligence.

During that year, Nonō had to promptly report anything unusual about Hoshiryu Uchiha and any intelligence concerning him to Danzo.

That way, Danzo could be prepared when it came time to Deal With Hoshiryu Uchiha.

Whenever Nonō thought of her Dark and Hopeless future, despair welled up inside her.

Though it had been the path she chose, this had ultimately been a single-answer question. Danzo had never given her any other possibility.

With Danzo's personality, even if she had not chosen this path now,

other threats would still have awaited Nonō until she entered Root.

Having suddenly suffered such a Change of Circumstances, six-year-old Nonō could not help imagining the stories from her books.

She could not help thinking that it would be nice if a Prince came to save her.

Just then, Hoshiryu Uchiha walked over to the absentminded Nonō.

He greeted her but received no response, which struck Hoshiryu Uchiha as strange.

Their Small Group had gotten to Know Each Other yesterday.

Nonō was not the sort of person who lacked manners, so why would she ignore him?

So Hoshiryu Uchiha looked at Nonō, wanting to see what was going on.

Then he saw her Pale Face, white as paper, with Dark Circles beneath her eyes.

Nonō's frail appearance left him stunned.

Following his gaze, Tsunade looked over at her as well.

Seeing Nonō in that state, the straightforward Tsunade cried out in alarm.

This immediately drew the attention of most of the classroom, and everyone saw Nonō's complexion.

The children were still very innocent. Seeing that something was wrong with their Classmate,

they immediately crowded around her and began showing concern for Nonō.

"Nonō, are you okay?"

"If you don't feel well, hurry to the Medical Room and let a teacher examine you."

"Yeah, yeah, we can take you there."

Tsunade simply stepped in herself. She walked forward, ready to pull Nonō up and take her to the Medical Room.

Looking at the concerned eyes around her, Yakushi Nonō's eyes reddened.

But when she thought of her clan members, she forced back her tears and managed a smile.

"I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. Sorry for making everyone worry."

The Classmate looked at Nonō's forced smile. Though they were still worried, they gradually dispersed.

After all, the person involved had said she was fine. They were not close enough to forcibly drag Nonō off to see a doctor.

Once everyone around them had dispersed, Hoshiryu Uchiha frowned.

He felt that things were not so simple.

Then, following the Law of the Shinobi World Carrying the Blame, Hoshiryu Uchiha immediately set his sights on Danzo.

Though he had no evidence, Hoshiryu Uchiha felt that Danzo had to be involved.

Besides, Yakushi Nonō had originally joined Danzo's Root and become his Ace Spy.

Though he did not know the exact timing, with Hoshiryu Uchiha, this little butterfly, in the picture,

it was only natural for the story to change.

Nonō is supposed to be the future director of my Public Security Department. How dare someone try to poach her?

Thinking that Danzo actually intended to poach someone from him, Hoshiryu Uchiha grew somewhat angry.

He had already arranged Yakushi Nonō's future perfectly. There was no way he would hand her over to Danzo.

Besides, Danzo's Root was no good place.

Those inside were either brainwashed puppets or had been branded with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

It was clear that Danzo truly treated them as tools.

Lastly, and most importantly,

the First Hokage had founded Konoha so that children could grow up healthy and become adults.

While Mito was not yet so old that she could not move, Danzo actually dared to lay hands on children.

There were also many elders who had joined Konoha because they had been drawn by the First Hokage's proposal. These people had not died of old age yet.

Had Danzo gotten too full of himself, or could Mito Uzumaki no longer lift her blade?

Danzo, you handed me the knife yourself.

At that thought, Hoshiryu Uchiha looked at Nonō before him and comforted her.

"Nonō, we are companions."

"If there's anything you can't solve, you can tell us without worry. We'll all help you."

Nonō's lips trembled slightly when she heard this.

But in the end, after biting her lip, she still shook her head and said,

"There's really nothing wrong."