As the sun set, Mitokado Homura dragged his exhausted body home.
He took off his wooden clogs and was about to sit down for a moment's rest when a low voice suddenly came from the inner room.
"Homura, you're back."
Mitokado Homura stiffened all over and abruptly looked toward the inner room.
The man who should have been confined to his home was sitting in Homura's study.
Half his face was hidden in the shadows, his single eye gleaming coldly.
"Danzo?!"
Mitokado Homura was utterly shocked.
"How are you here? Aren't you under confinement?"
Mitokado Homura lowered his voice and hurried forward.
"The Anbu could come inspect your whereabouts at any time, yet you dared to..."
Danzo sneered, his voice hoarse.
"A handful of Anbu aren't enough to stop me."
Mitokado Homura frowned tightly and asked warily.
"What did you come to me for?"
Danzo did not waste words and got straight to the point.
"I have a laboratory that was originally within the Land of Fire. Some time ago, because of the Uchiha and Hatake Sakumo's interference, I had no choice but to relocate it to the Land of Rain."
He paused, his gaze sharp.
"The people in that laboratory are Root's most elite members."
Mitokado Homura was even more puzzled.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Danzo stared at him and spoke slowly.
"I need your help."
"What kind of help?"
Danzo took out a Scroll from his robes and held it out before Mitokado Homura.
"Deliver this Scroll to the laboratory in the Land of Rain and give it to the person in charge."
Mitokado Homura did not reach out for it. Instead, he said solemnly,
"Danzo, given your current situation, you shouldn't be meddling in these matters anymore. Hiruzen has explicitly forbidden you from participating in