Six Years Later

Sarutobi Toru looked strangely at the map, then stared at Hatake Sakumo. "Kid, your path just got a whole lot narrower!"

"Wow, so a spy leaked our route! Damn it, we have to investigate this when we get back!" Hiruko cried out dramatically.

Yep, that settled it. The two of them would definitely be in for some trouble later.

There was a saying: if there was some Forbidden Jutsu in the ninja world and no one knew who had invented it, go ask the Second Hokage. If there was some blame no one knew who deserved it, go ask Shimura Danzō.

With Danzo's scheming nature, how could his travel route possibly have been leaked? Unless he had leaked it himself!

Even taking ten thousand steps back, if someone truly wanted to deal with Danzo, they would not have sent these few worthless stragglers! Any Konoha Jōnin could have swept them aside, much less a top-tier Jōnin like Danzo!

Clearly, this had been a test Danzo arranged for his two newly accepted disciples.

After hearing Sakumo and Hiruko's analysis, Danzo fell silent. He probably had not expected those wandering ninja to be so utterly useless that they would carry the route map around with them!

"Toru, what do you think?"

Sarutobi Toru, who had been watching the show from the side, had not expected the ball to be kicked his way. He nearly blurted out, I'm watching while sitting down!

Fortunately, he quickly came to his senses and said, "This isn't really important. We should return to Konoha first. We still have a mission to complete!"

First, shift the subject. Then, drag things out!

Only then did Sakumo and Hiruko remember that their team still carried the Hokage's Commission.

Danzo glanced at Sarutobi Toru, knowing that he had already seen through the truth. In a deep voice, he said, "Toru is right! We should return to Konoha first!"

There were no further obstacles along the way, leaving Sakumo and Hiruko—who had remained on high alert throughout the journey—rather surprised.

After returning to Konoha, Danzo went straight to the Hokage Building without bringing along the three Genin. He was probably afraid that if the matter of spies came up in front of his old friend, he would never be able to hold his head up again.

Hokage Building.

"What? Flying Thunder God?"

"That's right." Danzo sat in his chair and leisurely took a sip of tea. "Without intelligence, even an ordinary Jōnin would probably be killed on their first encounter. Unless someone like you or me launched a surprise attack, he could always escape!"

"Hahaha, just as expected. Sending him out for experience was the right choice!"

"Mm. I intend to make him my deputy. The future of Root will be entrusted to him."

"Root? I think you're overthinking this."

"Hiruzen! What do you mean by that? He's my disciple!"

"That is true, but having him in Root would be a complete waste!"

"Oh? Now you're even setting your sights on my disciple!"

"He's also my nephew. Haven't I left him alone?"

"Then why won't you let him join Root?"

"Those of 'Root' have no names and no emotions. No past, no future. Their hearts contain only missions. Tell me, then—which part of Toru meets your Root's requirements? Are you saying that, as a medical ninja, he would not even be allowed to show his face when saving people?"

Danzo's face turned bright red. That was just something I said to sound impressive while recruiting people! You actually took it seriously!

Seeing his old friend grow embarrassed and angry, Sarutobi Hiruzen changed the subject. "Still, he is your disciple. How about this? Let him hold a nominal position in Root. Any research results he produces can be used by Root first. What do you think?"

Only then did Danzo's expression improve somewhat. Even if Toru could not become his successor, he could at least be an excellent tool. Besides, Sarutobi Toru truly was not the low-profile sort. Fine, he would give Hiruzen some face!

When he heard that Root would receive priority access to research results, a smile immediately appeared on Danzo's face. "Hiruzen, since Root can use the research results first, then that Perfect Potion..."

The Third Hokage pointed at the door. "Get out!"

Damn it! A potion worth six million per dose, and he actually dared to ask for it!

After that mission, Danzo finally stopped worrying about the safety of Sarutobi Toru, who possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, and began having him follow the normal ninja mission routine.

However, unlike ordinary ninja, Sarutobi Toru had the right to refuse missions in order to protect his research schedule. To maintain his practical combat ability, he usually took on a mission about once a month, and all the missions he chose were B-rank or above.

Fortunately, after Sarutobi Hiruzen officially became the Third Hokage, Shimura Danzō had also established Root. Thus, Sarutobi Toru could pick high-difficulty missions as he pleased.

Moreover, Root valued only strength, not ninja rank. Therefore, even a Genin like him could carry out B-rank and higher missions.

Later, while carrying out a mission to hunt down a rogue ninja, they unexpectedly came across the target meeting with two Cloud Shinobi Jōnin.

With Danzo watching the entire time, the trio easily took down the two Cloud Shinobi and their target. Even Hiruko, the weakest among them, displayed Chunin-level combat strength.

After that, Danzo stopped leading the team, leaving every mission to the trio themselves.

While carrying out missions, Sarutobi Toru never stopped developing ninjutsu and medicines. The Delicate Illness Extraction Technique, Art of Healing and Regeneration, Mystical Palm Technique, and other high-level Medical Ninjutsu began to appear one after another. Through the combined efforts of Sarutobi Toru and Tsunade, the foundations of medical ninja were taking shape.

In addition, all kinds of new medicines—Blood Restorative, Chakra Recovery Pill, and Healing Salve—began replacing the simple Soldier Pill.

Time flew by, and six years passed in the blink of an eye.

Twelve-year-old Sarutobi Toru already had the build of a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth. His originally handsome features had been continuously refined by the Hormone Fruit until they had reached a nearly perfect level.

As he grew older, his body—having consumed a Devil Fruit—began displaying more and more differences.

As the secret treasure of the One Piece world, Devil Fruits might also contain some of that world's rules. Sarutobi Toru's constitution was now vastly different from that of people in the Shinobi World. He was becoming more and more like the absurdly durable monsters of the One Piece world. His endurance, physique, and strength had all reached inhuman levels.

If no one used Chakra, Sarutobi Toru could have shouted across the Shinobi World: "None of you can fight!"

Root, underground Training Ground.

Hatake Sakumo held a short blade that flashed like lightning. Wind and lightning intertwined around it, and its sharpness was terrifying.

Hiruko formed hand seals with both hands. "Wind Style—True Mouth Slash!" Streams of wind blades whirled toward him like flying knives.

Across the Training Ground, Sarutobi Toru's face was utterly calm, neither pleased nor sorrowful. Even when facing the two working together, he showed no sign of nervousness.

Faced with the wind blades that arrived in an instant, Sarutobi Toru merely raised his hands slightly. A layer of lightning immediately covered them. The wind blades sliced into the lightning, held fast for a moment, then shattered completely.

His other hand shot out like lightning, so fast that it actually caught Hatake Sakumo's short blade in its grip.

A series of sizzling sounds rang out. A moment later, the blade's momentum finally faded. Sarutobi Toru released it, and a cut appeared on his hand, three-tenths of an inch deep. Blood slowly welled from the wound.