Extermination of Root

The setting sun dipped low, its afterglow painting the stone paths of Konoha in shades of warm gold.

Yukimi followed closely behind Yatsuhashi, step for step.

This was her first time leaving the deep mountains to set foot on such a bustling street.

Her large eyes could barely take it all in, darting around in constant curiosity.

Watching the hawking vendors and the playing children, Yukimi's face beamed with a long-lost radiance that belonged to a child.

"Brother Yatsuhashi, it's so lively here!"

She exclaimed in a soft voice, her steps becoming much lighter.

"You must be hungry."

After wandering for a while, Yatsuhashi finally led her into that familiar pancake shop.

When the piping hot Okonomiyaki, sprinkled with meat floss and shrimp, was served, "Wow..."

Yukimi sat happily on the chair, her feet dangling in the air as she swung her legs.

She couldn't wait to take a big bite.

Although it was hot enough to make her gasp, she still ate mouthful after mouthful, her cheeks bulging like a little hamster.

Behind the counter, Uchiha Uruchi skillfully flipped the batter on the iron griddle, while secretly sizing up the unfamiliar girl.

Yatsuhashi walked up to the griddle, watching Uchiha Uruchi as she worked.

"Mom, I need money!"

Uchiha Tesho wiped his hands without asking any questions, simply pulling a thick envelope from his pocket and gently patting it into his son's hand.

Yatsuhashi opened it to find a full two million ryo inside.

He was slightly stunned: "Where did all this money come from?"

"It's the pension issued by the Hokage earlier."

Uchiha Tesho turned around, his back to his son, his voice choking up slightly, but he quickly forced himself to remain calm. "The Hokage said that since the person has returned, the money won't be taken back."

She turned her head back, her gaze gentle.

"There are another eight hundred thousand ryo in savings in the shop; no matter what you want to do, we support you."

Yatsuhashi looked at Uchiha Uruchi, a warmth spreading through his heart.

"Yeah." He nodded heavily and tucked the money away.

Counting the six hundred thousand ryo from the previous S-rank mission in the Land of Water, and the two hundred thousand ryo from this A-rank mission, he now held a total of three million six hundred thousand ryo in his hands.

After Yukimi had her fill, Yatsuhashi took her away from the noisy district, heading northeast toward the Forest of Death near the edge of the village.

Although this area was far from the bustle of the village center, it was relatively less monitored by the Anbu.

Furthermore, the rent was cheap.

Yatsuhashi spent three million ryo to rent several houses and a plot of open land here for a term of three years.

Though simple, it was enough to temporarily house the Iburi Clan.

"Yukimi," Yatsuhashi pressed the remaining six hundred thousand ryo into Yukimi's hands.

"You and your clansmen stay here for now. I believe that within three years, you will truly be able to integrate into the village."

Fortunately, it was a time of peace, and the village's administration was relatively relaxed.

The entry and exit checks for outsiders were not particularly strict.

The village would not stop the Iburi Clan from entering to work and live.

On the contrary, the village even encouraged various trade activities in a roundabout way, using them to stimulate the village's economic development.

Yukimi stared blankly at the money in her hands, then looked at the land before her.

Her eyes turned red in an instant. "Brother Yatsuhashi..."

Yukimi looked up, tears swirling in her eyes. "Not only did you help us stabilize our bodies, but now you have also given us a place to settle down and live..."

Before she could finish, Yukimi burst into loud sobs. Yatsuhashi watched the weeping Yukimi, gently patting her head to comfort her.

Deep in the night in Konoha, the moonlight was obscured by dark clouds. Minato Namikaze stood in the night wind, his white Hokage cloak snapping loudly.

"Operation start."

Following his command, an elite Anbu squad led by Kakashi slipped into the core territory of Danzo's Root like ghosts.

On the perimeter, more Anbu members had already cast a net, surrounding the entire Root base so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.

"Fugaku, I leave it to you."

Minato turned his head to look at the Uchiha Clan head, Uchiha Fugaku, standing beside him.

To be safe, Minato Namikaze had even contacted Uchiha Fugaku's Military Police Force.

Uchiha Fugaku crossed his arms, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan emitting a scarlet glow in the dark night.

Although the atmosphere between the positions they represented was tense, there was a rare tacit understanding between the two men.

Setting aside their special statuses, Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Fugaku had always been on friendly terms in private.

Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto were even close friends.

Furthermore, although the Military Police Force managed by the Uchiha Clan was not required to participate in foreign wars or missions outside the village, they still held the responsibility of assisting the Anbu in handling internal village security matters.

Behind Uchiha Fugaku stood dozens of Uchiha elites, each with a cold expression, the fan crest shining brilliantly under the moonlight.

"Rest assured," Fugaku said in a low voice. "If Danzo dares to resist, I guarantee not a single one of them will escape."

Upon receiving the notice from the Anbu, the entire Military Police Force was eager to act; after all, it had been a long time since they had participated in the village's operations.

Coupled with the fact that they heard they were dealing with Danzo, Uchiha Fugaku hardly needed to mobilize them; everyone was filled with fighting spirit.

It was just a pity that for this operation, they were only responsible for guarding the perimeter.

Although Uchiha Fugaku repeatedly volunteered to Minato Namikaze, hoping to replace Kakashi and lead the team in the assault, he was decisively refused by Minato Namikaze.

At this moment, the ninjas guarding the perimeter of Root did not even have time to sound the alarm before they were subdued by the genjutsu of the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan.

In a battle lacking warning and relying on surprise, the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan exerted its greatest power.

Deep within the Root base, Kakashi and the others had already infiltrated Root's independent classified archives.

Looking at the rows of massive bookshelves storing scrolls, Kakashi was initially troubled by how to quickly collect evidence of Danzo's crimes.

As it turned out, every scroll they picked up contained either forbidden human experiments strictly prohibited by the village or records of targeted secret eliminations of other ninjas within the village.

What shocked Kakashi the most was that among those ninjas, there were even Anbu members directly under the Hokage!

Kakashi even found evidence of Danzo's connections with forces outside the village.

It was ironclad proof of the collaboration between Danzo and the leader of the hostile Amegakure, Hanzo of the Salamander, during the Third Shinobi World War.

Danzo of the Root had actually leaked a vast amount of classified intelligence regarding the Sannin to Hanzo of the Salamander.

"Hiss!"

Kakashi Hatake couldn't help but gasp, "This evidence is more than enough!"

"We can notify the Hokage now!"

However, just at that moment, a figure suddenly launched a sneak attack on them.

"Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"

Several thick wooden walls rose from the ground, splitting Kakashi Hatake and his team apart.

"It's a Wood Release ninja!" an Anbu captain exclaimed.

Kakashi Hatake's pupils constricted as he looked at the youth emerging from the shadows.

Yamato's voice was icy, "How dare you trespass into the forbidden grounds of the Root!"

The light of Kakashi Hatake's Chidori exploded in the darkness.

He didn't waste any more words; the battle erupted between the two instantly.

Yamato's Wood Release displayed terrifying control.

Vines and wooden spikes moved like living things, inflicting significant damage on the Anbu members.

Even though Yamato was outnumbered, Kakashi Hatake and his team could only barely hold their own against him.

Fighting and retreating, Kakashi Hatake and his team made their way to the main hall of the Root.

"Is this... the power of Wood Release?"

Kakashi Hatake panted heavily, staring at the terrifyingly calm youth, Yamato.

Yamato shook his arms, and countless massive Wood Release branches burst from the ground.

They pinned Kakashi Hatake and his team down firmly.

His precision in controlling Wood Release even surpassed that of Tenzō before him.

Yamato's voice remained devoid of emotion, "You shouldn't have come here!"

The battle alerted Danzo, who was in the meditation room deep within.

"Who gave you permission to set foot here?"

Danzo walked slowly out from the shadows.

His eyes swept over Kakashi Hatake and his team, his gaze instantly locking onto that exposed Sharingan.

"Heh... Kakashi Hatake."

Danzo's voice was laced with obvious greed.

He stepped forward, and from the shadows behind him, four more Root elites emerged.

Kakashi Hatake's pupils constricted; those four individuals also possessed the Kekkei Genkai of Wood Release.

"Danzo," Kakashi Hatake gritted his teeth, lightning dancing in his palm, "you have been conducting unauthorized Hashirama Cells transplants and kidnapping children from the Land of Fire. Do you know your crimes?!"

"Know my crimes?" Danzo sneered, "I do this for the future of Konoha! You ignorant fools, daring to trespass into the forbidden grounds of the Root—you are simply seeking your own deaths. Kakashi Hatake, I shall take your eye!"