The Shadow of Root, the Salamander's Lethal Fragrance

Naruto: Starting with the Rinne Sharingan

Chapter 10: The Shadow of Root, the Salamander's Lethal Fragrance

Using the information Gen had provided, Su Ye pinpointed a secret Root base in Konoha's eastern outskirts. He transformed into a sparrow and perched on a tree branch outside the base, scanning the buildings below with the Rinne Sharingan's penetrating vision. The base consisted of three underground levels. Its outer perimeter was surrounded by a "specially designed Anbu barrier" that interfered with perception. The ninja patrolling inside wore the same black trench coats as Danzo, with Kunai marked with the character for "Root" hanging from their waists.

"A barrier that interferes with perception..." Su Ye furrowed his brow. The pale purple Tomoe of his Rinne Sharingan turned as he began analyzing the barrier's chakra flow. He discovered that its core was in a hidden room on the second underground level. Destroying it would render the barrier useless.

Just as he was preparing to use Heavenly Hand Power to infiltrate the base, a faint fragrance suddenly crept into his nostrils. It carried the fishy stench of a salamander, mingled with a cloying sweetness that could numb the nerves. Su Ye's pupils contracted. He immediately retreated from the area—this was a variation of Hanzo the Salamander's signature poison technique, the "Salamander's Poison"!

"Has someone spotted me?" Su Ye thought warily, quickly scanning his surroundings with the Rinne Sharingan. A woman in a Root trench coat slowly emerged from the flowers on the eastern side of the base. She had Ino's golden hair, but wore half a salamander mask over her face. Black salamander tattoos covered her exposed arms.

"Little Konoha Anbu mouse, skulking around is no fun." The woman's voice was languid. She raised a hand, and countless tiny salamanders emerged from her tattoos, turning into a poisonous mist that spread toward Su Ye.

"Salamander Ino!" Su Ye recognized her instantly. She was an artificial weapon created by Danzo, who had combined Hanzo the Salamander's cells with Ino's Mind Transfer Jutsu. He didn't dare take the poisonous mist head-on. He immediately used "Substitution Technique + Kamui." His body vanished in a puff of smoke as his consciousness entered the Kamui Dimension; the next moment, he reappeared in the woods on the western side of the base.

But the poisonous mist seemed alive. It flowed around the trees and continued after him. Salamander Ino giggled. "My 'fragrance' can get into anywhere~" She formed Hand Seals. "Mind Transfer Jutsu: Salamander Specialized Version!"

A strange chakra invaded Su Ye's consciousness, trying to take control of his body. Su Ye gritted his teeth as the Rinne Sharingan's resistance to mental attacks flared. Its pale purple Tomoe spun like a windmill, repelling every trace of the invading chakra. He formed Hand Seals in return. "Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

A massive wall of flame surged toward Salamander Ino, but she didn't even try to dodge. The salamander tattoos on her body suddenly opened their mouths and swallowed the flames whole. "It's useless. My salamanders can devour any ninjutsu~"

Su Ye's gaze sharpened. He knew ordinary ninjutsu wouldn't work on her. He suddenly used Heavenly Hand Power to switch places with the ground beneath Salamander Ino's feet! Caught off guard, Ino sank into the earth, leaving herself open. Su Ye seized the chance and used "Shadow Clone + Heavenly Hand Power." Three clones appeared around Ino at once, each thrusting a Kunai toward one of her limbs.

"Not bad." Ino chuckled. Her body suddenly turned into countless tiny salamanders. She dodged every attack, then re-formed in the same spot. The tattoos on her arms writhed again, and this time the salamanders that emerged lunged straight at Su Ye's clones. The moment they were bitten, the clones melted into pus, leaving not even a trace of chakra behind.

"An immortal salamander..." Su Ye was shaken. The Rinne Sharingan quickly analyzed her weakness: the core of her salamander tattoos was in her heart. If he destroyed it, she would lose her ability to use poison techniques.

But Ino clearly knew her weakness, too. Throughout the fight, she kept her heart hidden behind the salamander mask. Su Ye took a deep breath and suddenly created five clones, who unleashed "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu," "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu," "Lightning Style: Lightning Kirin," "Earth Style: Earth Flow River," and "Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets" all at once!

The five elemental techniques erupted together, completely engulfing Salamander Ino. She cried out in pain as the salamander tattoos on her body writhed wildly, trying to devour every technique. Seizing the opening, Su Ye used Heavenly Hand Power with his real body to switch places with the salamander mask covering Ino's heart!

"Thud!" The Kunai pierced Ino's heart with pinpoint accuracy. The salamander tattoos on her body instantly lost their luster, and the poisonous mist dissipated. Ino stared at Su Ye in disbelief. "How... how could you find my core...?"

Su Ye didn't answer. He rushed toward the barrier's core on the base's second underground level. He knew that defeating Ino was only the beginning. There had to be evidence in the Root base of Danzo's collusion with the Akatsuki.

After destroying the barrier's core, he infiltrated the third underground level. The sight before him made his pupils contract. Countless corpses resembling Pain Deva Path floated inside cultivation tanks, each with the mark of "Root" carved into its forehead. At the center of the tanks, Danzo stood before a massive Rinnegan device, facing a figure in an Akatsuki red-cloud cloak.

"Mr. Madara, I've prepared the bodies you asked for," Danzo said smugly. "Once you fuse with these Pain corpses, you'll possess the true power of the Rinnegan."

The figure beneath the red-cloud cloak let out a low laugh. "Danzo, you haven't disappointed me. But first, let's deal with this uninvited guest."

Su Ye looked at the familiar red-cloud cloak and Rinnegan, and his heart sank. The person standing opposite Danzo was none other than Uchiha Obito!