Root

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Root (根部)
Alias(es)	Konoha Root
Affiliation	Konohagakure
Occupation/Role	Covert force conducting assassinations, intelligence operations, internal surveillance, abductions, and other clandestine work
Status	Active during its leader Danzō Shimura's imprisonment; its subsequent fate is not specified 133
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Root operates as Konoha's hidden, secretive force. Its members are trained for silent assassination, avoiding spoken technique names and relying on concealed, coordinated attacks. Its underground base is separate from the ANBU facility and protected by barriers intended to conceal its location and keep out intruders. 3 72

Danzō Shimura leads Root and uses the organization to pursue his personal hostility toward the Uchiha Clan. Root members bear the Tongue Eradication Seal, a curse seal that prevents them from disclosing Danzō's secrets; Yunyan concludes that it also gives Danzō control over their lives. 6 12 21

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi publicly treats Root as a necessary shadow force for Konoha, he relies on Danzō and Root for work he cannot openly handle. Hiruzen later acknowledges that organizations operating in darkness can rot and endanger the village. 21 36 156

Operations and Practices

Assassination and Abduction

Root deploys small, coordinated teams against targets within Konoha and the Fire Country.

• Two Root shinobi—one jōnin and one elite jōnin—ambush Uchiha Yunyan during his return to Konoha, using kunai, Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere, Earth Release, explosive tags, and Leaf Style Swordsmanship. 3 4 7
• The team is deceived by Yunyan's genjutsu and killed by his Eight-Part Wind Wheel. 5 6
• A later Root team infiltrates Yunyan's home disguised as ANBU and attempts to poison both Yunyan and Izumi. The entire scenario is a genjutsu that leaves the assassins under Yunyan's control. 30 31
• Root later sends two jōnin to abduct Izumi from her home, intending to use her to restrain Yunyan while he is outside Konoha. 68

Secrecy and Internal Control

• Root members are branded with the Tongue Eradication Seal at the root of the tongue. The seal prevents disclosure of Danzō's secrets and remains active after death. 6 12
• Root maintains agents within the ANBU, though its intelligence from them is vague compared with Hiruzen's intelligence network within Root. 117
• Danzō uses a planted Root agent in ANBU to learn that Hyūga Hiashi killed the Kumogakure shinobi Morui, then orders Root to leak the information to Kumogakure. 117

Research and Illicit Resources

Root maintains laboratories containing Hashirama Cells, which Danzō uses in pursuit of greater power and to support his implanted Sharingan and Izanagi. 74 78 81

• Root's laboratories contain test tubes filled with green liquid identified as Hashirama Cells. 74
• Yunyan infiltrates the base, seizes part of the stored cells, and later uses Flying Thunder God marks left in the base to destroy or remove all remaining reserves. 74 81
• At Danzō's public trial, Root is implicated in human experimentation, the forced acquisition of clan techniques, corruption, and the collection of Uchiha Sharingan. 159 161

Facilities

• Root Base — A remote underground headquarters in Konoha, concealed behind barriers and defended by Root shinobi. 72
• Root Laboratories — Secure underground research areas housing Hashirama Cells and other classified projects. 74 81

Story Role / Major Arcs

Assassination of Uchiha Yunyan

After learning that Yunyan has been recalled from the Twelve Guardian Ninja and is favored by the Fire Country daimyō, Danzō dispatches Root to eliminate him while he is isolated on the road to Konoha. The attempt fails when Yunyan traps the team in genjutsu and decapitates both operatives. 7 8

Yunyan presents the bodies and the Tongue Eradication Seal evidence to Hiruzen Sarutobi, forcing the Hokage to acknowledge Root's involvement. Hiruzen removes Danzō from command temporarily and takes control of Root himself, though Yunyan considers the punishment performative. 10 13

Attacks on Yunyan and Izumi

Root launches another operation against Yunyan at his home, using poison and targeting Izumi's Sharingan. Yunyan exposes the operation as his own genjutsu, kills the attackers, and confronts Hiruzen with one assassin's severed head. 30 36

When Root later moves to capture Izumi while Yunyan is away, Yunyan's preparations allow him to return and stop the kidnappers. 68 70 71

Assault on Root Headquarters

Disguised as a faceless intruder, Yunyan infiltrates Root's base in retaliation. He uses Purple Lightning to kill numerous Root shinobi, breaks through defenses using techniques associated with several clans, and loots a laboratory containing Hashirama Cells. 72 74

Yunyan escapes after inflicting extensive casualties and damaging Danzō's right arm. He then silently returns through Flying Thunder God markers and eliminates Root's remaining Hashirama Cell reserves. 74 78 81

Exposure of Danzō and Root

Yunyan uses Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu to force Danzō to confess that Root agents in ANBU provided intelligence and that he ordered information leaked to Kumogakure to weaken the Hyūga Clan. 116 117

Danzō is subsequently sealed and imprisoned. During his public trial, Root's human experimentation, internal corruption, attacks on fellow Konoha ninja, acquisition of clan techniques, and collection of Sharingan are exposed to Konoha's population. 133 159 161

Relationships

• Danzō Shimura — Leader and principal controller; directs Root operations and controls personnel through the Tongue Eradication Seal. 6 21
• Hiruzen Sarutobi — Hokage who temporarily takes command of Root after its first attack on Yunyan; privately relies on Root and Danzō as Konoha's “black gloves.” 12 13 36
• Uchiha Yunyan — Repeated target and eventual destroyer of much of Root's personnel, laboratories, and Hashirama Cell stockpile. 3 6 72 74 81
• ANBU — Parallel covert force; Root has planted agents within ANBU, while Hiruzen also maintains ANBU agents inside Root. 105 117

Notable Quotes

“Once you are on Root's list, once Lord Danzō has taken an interest in you, there is only one outcome for you: death.” 30