That afternoon, Stillness Garden lay in tranquil silence. A gentle breeze rustled through the bamboo grove, while fine ripples spread across the pond, where several koi drifted leisurely. Neji sat cross-legged beneath the covered walkway, a scroll of Ninja Talisman diagrams spread before him. His slender fingers occasionally traced patterns across the paper, his brows slightly furrowed as though pondering a complex seal structure.
Sunlight filtered through the cherry tree's branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows over him. The twelve-year-old Jonin wore a dark blue house robe, his silver-white hair loosely tied with a black ribbon. His entire bearing carried a steadiness far beyond his years.
Suddenly, the tip of his brush paused. Without even activating his eyes, he had already sensed the cold, sinister chakra beyond the garden. That presence was like a slick serpent, silently slipping past Stillness Garden's outer barrier before stopping at the gate.
"So, you've finally come..." A nearly imperceptible cold smile tugged at Neji's lips as his brush continued moving across the paper, as though he had noticed nothing unusual.
"Jonin Neji." A cold voice sounded outside the gate, its tone flat and utterly devoid of inflection. "Lord Danzo requests your presence."
Neji unhurriedly set down his brush and rolled up the diagram scroll before finally looking toward the source of the voice. Outside the garden gate stood a ninja in a beaked mask, wearing a gray vest over a black bodysuit. The distinctive insignia of Root was displayed on his right arm. His posture was perfectly straight, yet it gave off a warped impression, as though he might leap out from the shadows at any moment.
"Elder Danzo?" Neji's voice was mild, but a sharp glint flashed through his eyes. "What urgent matter requires a Root operative to come in person?"
The corner