"Join Root?"
"Heh."
Naraku couldn't have cared less about Danzo's nonsense. He knew exactly what Danzo was after: the unique constitution of the Uzumaki Clan.
Danzo had wanted it ever since Naraku was very young, but Minato had kept him from getting his hands on it. After Minato died, Jiraiya stayed in the village for another two years, leaving Danzo no chance to make a move.
But Jiraiya had only just been gone for a short while, and Danzo was already starting all kinds of schemes.
"Join Root? Sure!" Naraku said, though he didn't mean a word of it.
"But I'm still in the Anbu, so Lord Hokage has to approve it."
Danzo had been pleased by Naraku's first words, but now he couldn't keep smiling.
"Uzumaki Naraku, as long as you agree to join Root, I'll speak to Hiruzen myself," Danzo said coldly.
"Oh, Lord Danzo, you sound like you're threatening me. I can't refuse, is that it?" Naraku gave him a chilly smile, wondering how he should handle the situation.
It was obvious that this wasn't the time to fall out with Danzo. If Naraku were on his own, he might have become a rogue ninja of Konoha long ago.
But Naruto and Kushina were still in the village. Naruto was firmly under the Third Hokage's control, supposedly for his own upbringing, while Kushina remained unconscious.
For now, Naraku had to stay in Konoha.
"Threatening you? What a joke. I merely value your talent and don't want you to be wasted in the Anbu."
"Is that so? Then I suppose I should thank you for looking out for me, Lord Danzo."
The two of them went on trading words.
Behind Naraku, Shisui seemed to sense something. His brows twitched twice, almost imperceptibly.
The Uchiha Clan's district
The Uchiha had always been ostracized in the village, but as clan head, Uchiha Fugaku lived with his family in a grand home.
After a family meeting, Fugaku returned home. Suddenly, he turned to look to one side. A few hazy streaks of moonlight were all that broke the darkness of the night sky.
Fugaku gave a slight shake of his head, then stepped inside.
"Itachi, Shisui, Uzumaki Naraku!"
"Minato, can the Uchiha really be saved?"
The Sarutobi Clan's district
As the clan head was the most powerful person in Konoha, the Sarutobi Clan's district occupied the best location in the village. It looked every bit as impressive as the Uchiha Clan's.
After a full day of work, the Third Hokage had just washed up and was lying in bed, lost in thought.
The Third Hokage had been troubled lately. First, Orochimaru had defected, costing the village a top-tier combatant. Then Kakashi had taken an unexplained extended leave, leaving the Anbu's missions to pile up again.
And Danzo had been making more and more moves. Though the Third Hokage had sent Shisui to infiltrate Root, he still couldn't put his mind at ease.
After all, he's an Uchiha.
Knock! Knock!
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
"Lord Clan Head." The voice of his housekeeper, Sarutobi Kiyomi, followed.
The Third Hokage immediately rose from his bed and opened the door, still wearing his robe.
The visitor wore a white mask and carried a short sword on his back. He was about the same height as Naraku was now.
The Third Hokage motioned for his housekeeper to leave, then asked, "Itachi, what is it at this hour? Did Shisui send word?"
Uchiha Itachi was the only member of the entire Anbu close to Naraku in age.
"Yes, Lord Hokage." Itachi knelt on one knee and handed him a scroll.
After reading it, the Third Hokage's expression changed. He headed straight out of the room. "Call every member of the Second, Third, and Fourth Squads. You're coming with me!"
"Yes, sir."
It was destined to be a restless night. Many Anbu members who had been off duty and gone to bed were roused again to take part in an urgent mission led by the Third Hokage himself.
"Uzumaki Naraku, stop testing my patience, or you'll pay for it," Danzo said, his voice brimming with murderous intent.
He could see that Naraku was just stringing him along.
"Oh? Pay how? Lord Danzo, have you forgotten who I am? I'm the Fourth Hokage's brother. Do you dare touch me?"
Naraku looked at him with an almost amused smile.
Danzo froze for a moment, and the area fell silent.
Unlike the Third Hokage, the Fourth Hokage's reputation in Konoha had reached its peak. Only the First Hokage, who had founded the village, could compare.
Root members obeyed Danzo's orders without question, but they would still hesitate if told to attack the Fourth Hokage's brother.
This was one way to see where the Third Hokage had failed as a Hokage.
The Fourth Hokage's brother, huh? Danzo sneered inwardly.
"Precisely because you're the Fourth Hokage's brother, I want you in Root. You know how battered Konoha is. We no longer have the strength to deter the other villages."
"So join Root. If you're willing to help me, we can lead the village to greater heights."
"Help you? You must be joking, Lord Danzo. I, Uzumaki Naraku, only take orders from the Hokage," Naraku said coldly.
So they're here. With the Mind's Eye of the Kagura active, Naraku faintly sensed several familiar presences approaching at speed.
They were too far away for him to tell exactly who they were, but he already had a good idea.
"The Hokage's orders? That fool Hiruzen isn't fit to be Hokage. If it weren't for him, the village wouldn't have ended up like this."
Danzo spoke furiously.
Just then, a man in black wearing a mask appeared beside Danzo. He leaned close and whispered something in his ear.
Danzo's expression changed.
Naraku guessed the Third Hokage was nearly there. Someone among them must have gotten word.
He was right. Danzo lifted his right hand and gave a slight backward wave, signaling Root to retreat at once.
Everyone from Root who had been hiding nearby withdrew in an instant, except Shisui.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Just then, the Third Hokage arrived with more than ten Anbu.
Only after seeing Naraku still standing there did the Third Hokage breathe a sigh of relief.
Naraku sneered inwardly. He didn't believe the Third Hokage had come out of concern for him.
He knew the Third Hokage was only putting on a show. The only reason he'd rushed over to rescue Naraku was to stop Danzo from increasing his own power.