Slipping Out of Root

Time flew by.

Two years passed.

Uzumaki Menma, who lived in Root, had learned to walk and talk.

Yet his childish little face was full of confusion.

I'm Uzumaki Menma?

Menma only vaguely remembered a few things about this world.

If he really was Uzumaki Menma, then this should have been some kind of Limited Tsukuyomi world.

But...

Menma looked at Danzo, who sat at his desk with no expression on his face yet still seemed utterly gloomy, and his little mind was a complete mess.

And what the hell was this about the Darkness of the Shinobi World being his grandfather?!

If this was Limited Tsukuyomi, shouldn't Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki be alive?

"Grandpa Danzo?"

Thinking he might be dreaming, Menma tentatively called out to Danzo.

Danzo corrected him with a stern face, "Call me Lord Danzo!"

Menma flinched. "Yes! Grandpa Danzo!"

Danzo's face darkened, but he did not correct Menma again.

Danzo was beginning to regret agreeing to adopt Menma two years ago.

Back then, besides not wanting anything to happen to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Danzo had wanted to cultivate a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki who would obey only him.

But because of Hiruzen Sarutobi's Telescope Technique, Danzo's plan had been unable to proceed.

Once, Danzo could not hold himself back and interfered with Hiruzen Sarutobi's Telescope Technique, blocking it.

But the very next moment...

Hiruzen Sarutobi came to visit Root.

And now, Hiruzen Sarutobi came to Root almost every few days, irritating Danzo to no end.

At this rate, there was no way he could train Menma according to his own plans.

"Hahaha, Danzo! I'm here!"

Before he saw the visitor, Danzo already knew who it was from the voice alone.

The door to Danzo's office opened, and Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in.

Hiruzen immediately picked Menma up and asked, "Menma, how have you been lately? Have you been listening to Grandpa Danzo?"

Danzo rolled his eyes. "If you're so worried, take him back with you. Save me the trouble!"

"I'm busy too. I've only just settled Naruto's affairs, and there's still too much going on in Konoha for me to handle. Besides, haven't you taken excellent care of Menma? You even let him stay in your office. Looks like you really like little Menma. How about I send little Naruto over too? Then you'll have two grandsons," Hiruzen suggested.

"Forget it. One is annoying enough. Wouldn't two be the death of me?" Danzo flatly rejected Hiruzen's proposal.

Danzo believed that if Naruto Uzumaki entered Root as well, Hiruzen Sarutobi would definitely watch Root with the Telescope Technique twenty-four hours a day.

And Hiruzen Sarutobi's visits to Root would go from once every three days to once a day.

Because of Hiruzen Sarutobi's Telescope Technique, many of Danzo's projects could not proceed and had been left at a standstill.

This was Root! Not a daycare!

If Naruto Uzumaki came here, could Root even keep operating?

Menma was utterly bewildered.

Naruto Uzumaki was here too?

What exactly was wrong with this world?

Weren't Naruto Uzumaki, the protagonist, and he supposed to be the same person?

After chatting with Danzo for a few moments, Hiruzen Sarutobi left.

Menma fell into deep thought.

For now, although he was in Root, he was still fairly safe.

Perhaps because Hiruzen Sarutobi had been keeping an eye on him, Danzo could not easily make a move against him.

Suddenly, Menma felt an urge to court death.

And he immediately acted on that impulse.

Menma staggered over to Danzo and called out in a babyish voice, "Grandpa Danzo."

Danzo lowered his head to look at Menma. "What is it?"

Menma spread his arms. "Hug."

Danzo frowned deeply.

Menma's heart skipped a beat. Was I courting death too hard?

"What a troublesome brat."

Danzo muttered under his breath, but he still reached out, lifted Menma into his arms, and let him sit on his lap.

Menma sat quietly on Danzo's lap while Danzo began reading through document after document.

Not long after...

Still very young, Menma was extremely sleepy. Before he knew it, he had leaned against Danzo's chest and fallen deeply asleep.

Danzo glanced at Menma and sighed.

What a hassle!

Danzo carefully picked Menma up and placed him in the crib inside the office.

While asleep, Menma had a dream.

He dreamed of a black Nine-Tails, nine masked animals, and... a black ball?

Another year passed.

Ever since Menma had that dream, his originally golden hair had slowly turned black.

Now, his hair had become completely black, without a trace of gold remaining.

At that moment, Menma was wandering through Root.

Whenever he saw something strange, he would reach out and touch it.

Whenever he saw other shinobi working, he would stand nearby and watch for a while.

And no one in Root stopped Menma at all.

Because everyone knew that Menma was Danzo's grandson.

By now, Menma was extremely familiar with everything in Root. Even with his eyes closed, he would not get lost.

However, whenever Menma tried to leave Root, someone would stop him.

Inside the Root office.

Danzo was handling official matters.

"Ryoma, where is that brat?"

From the shadows of the office emerged a man wearing a black cloak and black sunglasses, with a purple marking tattooed on the right side of his face.

Ryoma Aburame.

Danzo's direct subordinate.

Ryoma Aburame answered respectfully, "Young Master Menma is playing inside Root."

Danzo frowned and rebuked him, "Utter nonsense! Is Root a place for playing around? Go—"

Danzo's tone suddenly changed. "Forget it. Let him do as he pleases. As long as he doesn't bother me, that's fine. Just don't let him leave Root."

Over the past year...

Danzo's mindset had changed completely.

He had gradually grown accustomed to Menma's presence.

Danzo had now completely given up on turning Menma into a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki who obeyed only him.

Instead, he wanted to train Menma into a qualified shinobi.

Danzo had already decided to find several powerful shinobi in Root to personally teach Menma.

Menma wandered around Root for a long time.

Feeling somewhat bored, Menma decided to return to his room.

But as he passed the main gate of Root, Menma was surprised to discover that there were no shinobi guarding it.

Menma's eyes darted around, and a subtle smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

Menma looked around. Once he confirmed that no one was paying attention, he quietly crept over to the Root gate and opened it a crack.

Through the gap in the door, Menma saw the world outside Root for the first time, and he could not have been more excited.

Menma cautiously looked back. After confirming that no one was there, he slipped straight out of Root.

After leaving Root, Menma spread his little arms and took a deep breath.

"Ah! The scent of freedom!"