Amegakure Is the Best Target

That operation not only cost Root an entire generation of elites, but also reduced their influence in the ANBU.

Because that operation was carried out by the village, but it was mainly led by members of the Root organization, and members of the ANBU were also among the participants.

In terms of actual effect, that operation dealt a heavy blow to the Akatsuki. Most of the Akatsuki members of that generation were wiped out, and their leader was also killed. It effectively maintained Hanzo's rule over Rain Village and solidified the alliance between Leaf Village and Rain Village.

The problem lies with Nagato.

The serious misjudgment of Nagato's strength led to the near annihilation of Leaf Village's ANBU entered the Land of Rain, Root bore the responsibility for this.

"I understand, we will notify everyone. When do we assemble tomorrow?"

"We'll go and come back quickly at six in the morning. It's not suitable for me to be away from the village for too long at this time. We'll go in the morning and come back in the evening."

"Good."

"Well, let's leave it like this." Uchiha Shingen stood up. "This place is quite big, but it seems like no one has taken care of it. It's really..."

"Actually...yes," Yamanaka Fū said. "When Lord Danzo was alive, he would come every year. In addition to the two Lord Hokage, he would also pay respects to his other teacher. The Third Lord Hokage and his two advisors would also accompany him."

Uchiha Shingen, who had already taken a step, stopped.

"What?"

Would you like to go and take a look?

"Take me to see it."

You little Dango, besides the rich dog, you've also secretly taken on a master in the clan? He'd better find out who that is.

Someone who can make Dango become their disciple and hold annual sacrifices to them must not be a good person.

Could it be that among that group of old bastards who drink, smoke, fight, brag, and get tattoos Tenten, there's actually someone with a talent for teaching?

Driven by this curiosity, Uchiha Shingen followed the group of former Root ninja deeper into the cemetery.

"This direction... is that the Hokage's tomb?"

"Yes, Lord Shingen, Danzo's teacher, not far from the Second Hokage."

Hmm? Not far from the dog-owning brothel?

Senju Tōka, that tiger girl?

Just then, an open space appeared ahead.

There were quite a lot of people.

The appearance of Yamanaka Fū and others caught their attention.

"Halt!" someone shouted.

Uchiha Shingen recognized that voice quite well.

Yamanaka Fū and the others stopped in their tracks, but Uchiha Shingen did not; he walked past them to the front.

"Shingen- kun?" The ninja who had stopped Yamanaka Fū and the others stared in astonishment at Uchiha Shingen.

"Hizashi?" Uchiha Shingen was also surprised.

He also saw Sarutobi Hiruzen with several other people, gathered in front of the two Hokage graves, discussing something.

"Shingen- kun, I heard you've taken command of the ANBU. So that's how it is..." Hizashi Hyuga's gaze changed when he looked at Yamanaka Fū and the others. "No wonder. I was wondering why Danzo's former subordinates were here. They're your subordinates now."

Hizashi Hyuga waved behind him, and a group of Hokage -affiliated ninjas who were about to gather in the distance stopped in their tracks.

"Hizashi, what brings the Third here? Oh, and the two advisors are here too."

"After all, this concerns the two Lord Hokage," Hizashi Hyuga sighed. "Clan Chief Fugaku also attaches great importance to this, which is why my brother sent me here to assist."

Uchiha Shingen turned his head to look at the Hokage's grave; several people there were looking in his direction.

"Lord Shingen," Yamanaka Fū suddenly said, "Danzo- sama's teacher's grave is right there."

Uchiha Shingen looked in the direction he pointed and, sure enough, saw a smaller one next to the two Hokage graves.

The Hokage Tomb is quite conspicuous among the Senju Tomb Complex. The tomb is in a traditional style, made of high-quality granite, and has Sealing Jutsu to prevent it from being damaged.

This smaller tomb is the same in shape, only not as large.

"Danzo's teacher?" Hizashi Hyuga asked curiously upon hearing Yamanaka Fū's words. "Wasn't Danzo's teacher the Second?"

What he said reflects the consensus among the people of Leaf Village.

As everyone knows, Shimura Danzō was a member of Tobirama Squad.

In Leaf Village, the Hokage team is synonymous with being of impeccable lineage.

For example, before they received this title, the Legendary Sannin were part of the Hiruzen Squad.

The current Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, also had a Team Minato, although only Hatake Kakashi remains.

"He is another teacher of Lord Danzo," Yamanaka Fū said.

Hizashi Hyuga Hizashi's secret Shimura Danzō are quite varied; he seems to have had several teachers.

"Shingen, the Third and his two advisors invite you to come over."

"Lord Hizashi, I'll head over now," said Uchiha Shingen.

"Shingen- kun, please don't use honorifics with me." Hizashi Hyuga nodded. "You're Neji Hyuga's teacher, and we're old friends too."

"It just sounds nice, Hizashi. I've organized a get-together tonight, wanna come along?"

"Oh? Certainly, definitely. We'll talk about it later." Hizashi Hyuga's eyes lit up when he heard there was a plan.

Uchiha Shingen hasn't played a game in a long time.

"You'll come with me," Uchiha Shingen said to Yamanaka Fū and the others.

"Yes."

"Shingen, the Third and the two advisors only..." The ninja who delivered the message was taken aback.

The Third did send him to invite Uchiha Shingen, but he didn't mention any Root ninjas.

"Why are you talking so much? Don't you know about the relationship between the Third and Danzo?" Hizashi Hyuga frowned, completely forgetting that he had previously told Yamanaka Fū and the others to stop.

As the two were talking, Uchiha Shingen Yamanaka Fū and the other seven towards the Hokage's Tomb.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura were standing in front of Senju Tobirama's tombstone when they saw Yamanaka Fū and the others.

"Those are Danzo's subordinates, aren't they?" Mitokado Homura said. "I've heard that in the current ANBU, former Root ninjas don't have any authority."

"Employing these people first is a good strategy," said Utatane Koharu. "They're all people who get things done."

Both she and Mitokado Homura were high-ranking members who supported the original Root's existence, and they also contributed to preserving these people as much as possible during the ANBU's reorganization.

Both of them were aware of the problems that had accumulated in the ANBU.

The original Root had many problems, but no major issues. The key problem was that they were the ones who carried out the overseas activities. If the ANBU lost them, it would be like going back to the pre-establishment state overnight.

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled and smoked, not joining the conversation.

"Lord Hokage." Uchiha Shingen walked over and greeted Sarutobi Hiruzen.

When Namikaze Minato wasn't around, Uchiha Shingen would call Sarutobi Hiruzen that.

After all, this was the Hokage personally chosen by the wealthy dog, a junior whom he recognized.

Moreover, realistically speaking, Sarutobi Hiruzen was a pretty good Hokage.

"Shingen, you're here." Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled. At his age, he didn't care much about titles and forms of address, nor did he bother to emphasize that he was no longer the Hokage.

He only emphasized this to Danzo because he liked to see Danzo's angry expression.

"The Third Lord Hokage." Behind Uchiha Shingen, Yamanaka Fū and the others had rather complex feelings towards their former leader's close friend.

Danzo and this person had been fighting for their entire lives.

He was personally taken away by the other party when he died.

The phrase that Yamanaka Fū and the others heard most often from Danzo was, "Hiruzen will regret not listening to me."

"You've come too. Well, Danzo is gone, so you should come on his behalf."

That's exactly what Sarutobi Hiruzen thought.

Danzo was a single man with no children.

The Root is his child.

Now that Danzo is gone, it makes sense for the Root ninjas to visit his grave in his place.

"I've already Danzo Lord Tobirama on Lord Tobirama." Sarutobi Hiruzen put away his pipe. "Let's go, then we'll go to Lord Wu Zu's place. You must come every year from now on; the number of people in Tobirama Squad is dwindling."

Uchiha Shingen: "???"

Chapter Thirty-One: Rain Village is the Best Target

Uchiha Shingen's mind was filled with question marks at this moment.

So, Dango burns incense for him every year?

Let him calculate how many times incense was burned when the Dango was hung up. It must have been burned at least twenty times this cycle, right?

That's awkward.

"Come on, Shingen, come on, you too." Uchiha Shingen's Sarutobi Hiruzen and figured the young man probably felt excluded, so he kindly took Uchiha Shingen's arm.

Young people are so easily embarrassed. Come on, let's get together! Do we need your incense stick?

"Eh? Lord Hokage, I don't need it."

"Yes, yes. Now that you're in charge of the ANBU, Wu Zu Muzu is your senior. The ANBU was established on his advice to Teacher Tobirama."

What does it have to do with me? I would have built it even if he hadn't said anything!

"Don't be embarrassed, we're all getting old, we just love seeing the energy and vitality of you young people."

I'm so embarrassed, let go!

"Besides, even if you don't come today, you'll still have to come after your appointment is announced."

"Why?" Uchiha Shingen thought to himself that if he wasn't afraid the old man would try to scam him, he would definitely have shaken the old man's arm off.

"This is ANBU tradition; every ANBU leader comes to pay homage to the Lord Hokage and Wu Zu."

What kind of ridiculous tradition is this? Why not just worship the wealthy dog-worshipping families?

"Lord Hokage, I'm investigating a case."

"What's the point of investigating this?" Sarutobi Hiruzen said. "It must have been done by my traitorous disciple. Only he would know to use this place."

Uchiha Shingen: "..."

There was no other way; he could only be dragged by Sarutobi Hiruzen to... Nobody my foot! It was his property here.

Well, that's great, he's burning incense for himself.

But...

Uchiha Shingen looked at the granite tomb in front of him, which was exactly Hokage same size as the Hokage tomb, only a size smaller.

How should I put it? I thought I would just live in an ordinary high-rise building, but it turns out to be a small villa, right next to the king of buildings.

The tomb before us clearly shows that it has been well maintained over the years.

Damn, this actually touched him a little!

It seems that the original plan of just doing a perfunctory job in the ANBU and getting by is no longer feasible.

The original Root is the culmination of Dango's life's work; it's imperative to preserve it.

Not only that, once they achieve something, they also need to help clear Dango's name, since his reputation after his death is really not good.

That Dango, even in death he won't have an easy time!

Shaking his head, Uchiha Shingen turned to ask for a stick of incense, when he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen pull out a small iron box from his pocket, open it, and find it full of cigarettes.

He first gave one to Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura Uchiha Shingen.

Uchiha Shingen: "... Lord Hokage, I don't smoke."

"Start learning now. You'll have to smoke once you become the head of the ANBU," Sarutobi Hiruzen said. "Lord Wu Zu loved smoking and had no other hobbies. We have to smoke one with him."

Uchiha Shingen: "..."