Heroes? Nothing But Pawns!

Danzo slammed the heavy wooden door shut.

Boom!

The entire Hokage's office trembled with it.

The office fell silent again.

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

The battle reports still lay spread across the desk.

Pakura had been captured.

The battle at Kikyo Pass had turned around.

The heirs of the major clans had returned safely.

Every single one was good news.

Yet as Hiruzen looked at those words, deep weariness weighed heavily in his eyes.

How could he not know who had sent the interception force?

He knew that stench of Root, lurking in the gutters, far too well.

But he could not expose it.

Once the matter was brought into the open, ANBU and Root would completely tear into each other.

Hidden Leaf could not endure that kind of internal strife right now.

"Qian Ye..."

Hiruzen murmured the name under his breath.

A twelve-year-old civilian Genin.

He had first earned merit at Kikyo Pass, then led a group of clan heirs in smashing Danzo's carefully arranged death trap to pieces.

The boy was not merely good at fighting.

His mind was even more dangerous.

Orochimaru had truly found a treasure this time.

Elsewhere.

On the streets of Hidden Leaf.

Two ANBU shinobi, one in front and one behind, escorted Pakura toward the prison for major criminals.

As the mission handover officer, Qian Ye followed the group as well.

He tossed an ANBU clearance token in his hand, in an exceptionally good mood.

The Yin Seal would soon be his.

It was the key to making up for his chakra weakness.

With that technique, the chakra provided by Sea King flesh would no longer need to be used up on the spot. He could gradually store it away.

If he ever faced