Joining the Anbu

After the mission handover was complete, Asuma and Kurenai left first, while Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi kept Amada behind alone.

Amada was puzzled. He had no idea what the Hokage wanted to tell him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office chair, holding his pipe. He looked at Amada, then got straight to the point:

"Amada, would you be willing to join the Anbu?"

Amada froze for a moment, then couldn't help complaining loudly in his mind:

Are you and Danzo brothers or something? Why do you both say almost the exact same thing?!

On the outside, however, he remained calm.

Amada felt conflicted.

He had already joined the Root Division and become one of Danzo's subordinates. If he joined the Anbu now, wouldn't he be playing both sides?

Seeing that Amada didn't answer right away, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't seem surprised.

He continued:

"I've watched you grow. With your abilities as they are now, you should be somewhere that lets you make better use of your talents. The Anbu would be a very good fit for you."

Amada smiled bitterly to himself.

Though Hiruzen Sarutobi sounded as if he were asking for Amada's opinion,

Amada understood that the decision had already been made.

As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi's proposal was practically an order. Refusing would clearly be unwise.

Forget it. I'll just go along with it.

Amada sighed inwardly, then looked up at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hokage, I'm willing to join the Anbu."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, a satisfied smile flickering across his face.

"Very good. I'm sure you won't disappoint me. The Anbu's missions are dangerous, but they're also an excellent opportunity to hone your skills."

Amada replied respectfully:

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

After instructing Amada to report to the Anbu's secret base the next day, Hiruzen Sarutobi waved him off.

Amada bowed respectfully, then left the Hokage's office.

On the way home, Amada couldn't quite relax.

He thought to himself:

There's no way I can keep joining the Anbu a secret from Danzo. Now I just have to see what he says.

He frowned, another question coming to mind:

But does Hiruzen Sarutobi know I joined the Root Division? If he does, why would he have me join the Anbu too? And if he doesn't, will Danzo use this to make trouble?

Amada shook his head, setting aside the jumble of thoughts for now.

He knew that whether Hiruzen Sarutobi was aware of it or not, he had no choice at this point.

Joining the Anbu was a done deal.

The only thing he could do was focus on improving his strength so he could handle whatever dangerous missions lay ahead.

When he got home, Amada went straight to the basement.

It was where he practiced Qi.

He sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, closed his eyes, and began guiding the energy within him to resonate with the power of heaven and earth.

Once I join the Anbu, the missions will be even more dangerous. I have to get stronger as soon as possible.

Amada silently reminded himself.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window.

He held a detailed file on Amada, which included information about his joining the Root Division.

"Danzo, you've overreached."

Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered under his breath.

He had Amada join the Anbu

not only because Amada truly was a talented shinobi, but also to send Danzo a clear warning.

He wanted Danzo to understand who was really in charge of Konoha, and that the Root Division couldn't keep extending its reach unchecked.

Early the next morning, Amada went to find Asuma and Kurenai.

He knew he couldn't tell anyone that he was about to join the Anbu,

but they were his teammates, so he still needed to say a proper goodbye.

"Asuma, Kurenai, I'll be going on other missions from now on. We might not see each other for a while."

Amada spoke calmly.

Asuma and Kurenai had known this day would come, but they still felt a little sad.

Asuma patted Amada on the shoulder and put on a carefree air.

"Don't worry. I'll become a Chunin sooner or later, and then I'll catch up with you! Just don't get so far ahead that I can't catch you!"

Kurenai smiled gently.

"Amada, wherever you go, we'll always be your teammates."

After saying goodbye, Amada quietly made his way to the Anbu's secret base, as Hiruzen Sarutobi had instructed.

The base was well hidden. Its entrance was protected by complex barriers and guarded, making it impossible for ordinary people to approach.

Once inside, Amada found an Anbu Ninja wearing a mask waiting for him.

The ninja said nothing, merely gesturing for Amada to follow.

They walked down a dim corridor and eventually came to a spacious room.

A middle-aged shinobi stood in the center of the room.

He wore an Anbu uniform, but no mask, and his expression was stern.

Amada immediately realized that this must be the Anbu captain.

The captain wasted no time.

"Go get your uniform and mask, then choose a codename. Starting today, you're a member of the Anbu."

Amada nodded without asking any questions.

He knew the Anbu valued efficiency and kept things brief. There was no need for needless chatter.

Led by another Anbu Ninja, Amada collected his uniform and mask.

The uniform was black, and the mask had cat ears.

"Codename," the Anbu Ninja asked curtly.

Amada thought for a moment, then said quietly:

"Yoruichi."

The Anbu Ninja nodded and recorded the codename, then said:

"You'll be notified when there's a mission. You must remain on call 24 hours a day and be ready to carry out missions at any time."

Amada nodded to show he understood.

The Anbu Ninja said nothing more, only waving him away.

After leaving the Anbu base, Amada felt satisfied with how things worked.

At least, after joining the Anbu, he wouldn't have to waste precious time on those low-level missions anymore.

That would leave him more time to focus on training.

What puzzled him, though, was that Danzo hadn't come to see him.

Danzo couldn't possibly be unaware that Amada had joined the Anbu.

Does he not care, or did he back down to Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Amada wondered to himself.

He knew that the relationship between Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi had always been complicated.

Both worked in Konoha's interests, but their methods and ideals were entirely different.

Perhaps Hiruzen Sarutobi having me join the Anbu is a warning to Danzo in itself.

A thoughtful look passed through Amada's eyes.

The next day, a notification from the Anbu arrived without warning.

A specially trained Anbu sparrow flew past Amada's window, giving several distinctive chirps.

It was a special Anbu signal, meaning he had to carry out a mission immediately.

Amada quickly put on his Anbu uniform and cat-eared mask, then hurried to the Anbu base.

When he arrived, a ninja wearing a fox mask assigned him a mission.

This must have been one of the Anbu squad leaders, responsible for directing and assigning missions.