Surrounding Root

As the sun set, its afterglow painted Konoha's stone-paved streets a warm gold.

Yukimi followed close behind Yatsuhashi,

This was her first time leaving the mountains and setting foot on such a bustling street.

Her big eyes could barely take it all in as she looked around curiously,

watching the vendors call out their wares and the children play,

Yukimi's face glowed with a long-missed, childlike brightness.

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

She exclaimed softly, her steps growing lighter.

"You must be hungry."

After walking around for a while, Yatsuhashi finally led her into the familiar okonomiyaki shop.

When a steaming plate of okonomiyaki topped with shredded meat and shrimp was brought out,

"Wow..."

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

She eagerly took a big bite.

Though it was so hot she had to keep puffing at it, she still ate in big mouthfuls, her cheeks puffed up like a little hamster.

Behind the counter, Uchiha Uruchi expertly flipped the batter on the iron griddle,

while secretly sizing up the unfamiliar girl.

Yatsuhashi walked up to the griddle and looked at Uchiha Uruchi, who was busy cooking.

"Mom, I need some money!"

Uchiha Tesho wiped her hands and asked no questions.

She simply pulled a thick envelope from her clothes and gently pressed it into her son's hands.

Yatsuhashi opened it and saw a full two million ryo inside.

He paused. "Where did all this money come from?"

"It's the compensation Lord Hokage gave us before."

Uchiha Tesho turned her back to her son, her voice choked with emotion,

but she quickly forced herself to sound calm. "Lord Hokage said that since you're back, he won't take the money back."

She turned around, her gaze warm.

"We've also saved up another eight hundred thousand ryo from the shop. Whatever you want to do, we'll support you."

Yatsuhashi looked at Uchiha Uruchi, his heart warmed.

"Okay." He nodded firmly and put the money away.

Adding 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 had a full three million six hundred thousand ryo in his hands.

Once Yukimi had eaten her fill, Yatsuhashi led her away from the noisy district

and headed northeast, toward the Forest of Death near the edge of the village.

Although this place was far from the bustle of the village center,

it was subject to less surveillance by the Anbu.

The rent was cheaper, too.

Yatsuhashi spent only three million ryo

to rent several houses and a plot of land here for three years.

The accommodations were simple, but they were enough to shelter the Iburi Clan for the time being.

"Yukimi," Yatsuhashi said, placing the remaining six hundred thousand ryo in her hands,

"Take your clan members and stay here for now. I'm sure you'll truly become part of the village within three years."

Fortunately, it was peacetime, and the village's rules were relatively lenient.

The screening of people entering from outside the village wasn't particularly strict.

The village wouldn't stop the Iburi Clan from coming to work and live here.

On the contrary, the village encouraged various kinds of trade,

in order to stimulate the local economy.

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

Her eyes reddened at once. "Big Brother Yatsuhashi..."

Yukimi raised her head, tears welling in her eyes. "You didn't just help us stabilize our bodies—

you've also given us a place where we can settle down and make a living..."

Before she could finish, Yukimi burst into tears.

Yatsuhashi looked at the crying Yukimi and gently patted her head to comfort her.

Deep in the night, clouds veiled the moonlight over Konoha.

Minato Namikaze stood in the night wind, his white Hokage cloak fluttering.

"Begin the operation."

At his command, an elite Anbu squad led by Kakashi Hatake

slipped into the heart of Danzo's Root Base like ghosts.

Outside, more Anbu had already laid a tight net,

completely surrounding the entire Root Base.

"Fugaku, I'll leave it to you."

Minato glanced to the side at Uchiha Clan Head Uchiha Fugaku.

To be safe, Minato Namikaze had even contacted the Military Police Force under Uchiha Fugaku.

Uchiha Fugaku folded his arms, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan glowing crimson in the darkness.

Though tensions ran high between the sides they represented,

the two had an uncommon understanding.

Setting aside their special positions,

Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Fugaku had always been on good terms in private.

Kushina and Uchiha Mikoto were close friends, too.

And though the Uchiha Clan's Military Police Force wasn't required to participate in external wars or missions outside the village,

it still had a duty to help the Anbu handle internal security matters.

Behind Uchiha Fugaku stood dozens of Uchiha elites,

each with a stern expression, their Uchiwa Crests gleaming in the moonlight.

"Don't worry." Fugaku's voice was low.

"If Danzo dares to resist, I'll make sure not a single one of them gets away."

After receiving the Anbu's notice, the entire Military Police Force had been eager to join in.

After all, they hadn't participated in a village operation in a long time.

And when they heard the target was Danzo,

Uchiha Fugaku barely needed to rally them.

Everyone was eager for battle.

Unfortunately, their role in this operation was only to cover the perimeter.

Uchiha Fugaku had repeatedly volunteered to Minato Namikaze,

hoping to lead the assault in Kakashi's place.

But Minato Namikaze had firmly refused.

At that moment, the ninjas guarding Root's perimeter didn't even have time to raise the alarm

before they were subdued by the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan Genjutsu.

Caught unprepared, with no warning,

the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan showed its full power.

Deep inside the Root Base, Kakashi and the others had already infiltrated Root's secure archive.

They stared at row upon row of enormous bookshelves filled with scrolls.

At first, Kakashi had no idea how to quickly gather evidence of Danzo's crimes.

But when they picked up a random scroll,

it turned out to contain either human experiments explicitly forbidden by the village

or secret targeted eliminations of other village ninjas.

What shocked Kakashi most was that some of the targeted ninjas were members of the Anbu directly under the Hokage!

He even found evidence of Danzo's ties to forces outside the village.

During the Third Shinobi World War,

Danzo had worked with Hanzo of the Salamander, leader of the hostile village of Amegakure.

Root had even leaked a great deal of sensitive information about the Sannin to Hanzo of the Salamander.

"Gasp!"

Kakashi couldn't help drawing in a sharp breath. "This evidence is more than enough!"

"We can notify Lord Hokage!"

But just then, a figure suddenly launched a surprise attack on them.

"Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!"

Several thick wooden walls burst from the ground, separating Kakashi and the others.

"A Wood Release user!" an Anbu Captain cried out.

Kakashi's pupils narrowed as he looked at the young man emerging from the shadows.

Yamato's voice was cold. "How dare you trespass in Root's forbidden grounds!"

The light of Kakashi's Chidori blazed through the darkness.

He wasted no words. The fight between them erupted in an instant.

Yamato's Wood Release displayed terrifying control.

Vines and wooden spikes moved like living things, inflicting considerable injuries on the Anbu.

Even though Yamato was outnumbered, Kakashi and the others could only just manage to hold him off.

Kakashi and the others fought as they retreated, eventually reaching Root's main hall.

"So this is... the power of Wood Release?"

Kakashi panted, watching the terrifyingly composed young Yamato before him.

Yamato thrust his arms out, and countless massive Wood Release branches burst from the ground,

pinning Kakashi and the others down.

His control over Wood Release was so precise that it even surpassed Tenzō's.

Yamato's voice remained utterly calm. "You shouldn't have come here!"

The battle alerted Danzo, who was in a meditation room deeper inside.

"Who gave you permission to set foot in here?"

Danzo slowly emerged from the shadows.

His eyes swept over Kakashi and the others before fixing on the exposed Sharingan.

"Heh... Kakashi Hatake."

Danzo's voice dripped with undisguised greed.

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

Kakashi's pupils narrowed. All four of them had the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai.

"Danzo," Kakashi snarled, lightning dancing in his palm,

"you secretly transplanted Hashirama Cells and kidnapped children from the Land of Fire. Do you know what you're guilty of?!"

"Guilty?" Danzo sneered. "I did this for Konoha's future!

You fools have no idea how high the heavens are.

You dared to trespass in Root's forbidden grounds. You've sealed your own fate.

Kakashi, I'll take that eye of yours!"