Root and ANBU—two similar yet fundamentally different organizations.
ANBU served as the ninja village's first and last line of defense, while Root's duties leaned more toward internal purges.
In Hideki's understanding, it was an organization that specialized in dealing with its own people, like a class representative.
Looking at the lifeless Root mask before him and the cold eyes behind it, Hideki fell into self-reflection.
Why did Danzo take an interest in me?
Was I not innocent enough? Damn it!
Hideki was miserable inside.
Just look at Guy. A man whose kick had nearly kicked the story into its finale, who had begged Danzo desperately to let him join Root—only to be ruthlessly rejected.
What exactly had he done to catch Danzo's eye?
He was only six this year... He was still a child!
Hideki had troubles he could not speak of, yet an innocent expression appeared on his face.
No matter what, he would not join Root.
There was no other reason. The Senju Clan's glory would not allow him to degrade himself!
"Elder Danzo? Root? I-I-I-I... I've never heard of it!" Hideki looked suspicious. "What... do you do?"
Hokage's Office.
"Good child!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi slammed a hand onto the desk, then let out a long breath.
That damned Danzo—how was this any different from directly abducting someone's child into Root!?
Luckily, the child had remained vigilant...
Knock, knock, knock.
A series of rhythmic knocks rang out as Shimura Danzō strode powerfully into the Hokage's Office.
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi staring intently at his precious crystal ball, Shimura Danzō's eyes flashed with helplessness.
At his age, he still could not break his habit of peeping.
And whenever he peeked at someone else, he completely lost even a ninja's most basic vigilance. Was this really the Hokage?
Shimura Danzō slammed his cane heavily against the floor with a bang and said displeasedly, "Hiruzen!"
"Hm? Oh, Danzo... Come, come, come! Watch with me!" Hiruzen Sarutobi beckoned.
"..." Shimura Danzō's single eye was filled with disdain. "I will not."
"Hm?" Hiruzen Sarutobi froze, about to say something when Hideki's voice came from the crystal ball.
Infiltration? Assassination? Gathering intelligence? Protecting Konoha? Isn't that what they teach at the Ninja Academy? No, no... I just graduated with great difficulty. I want to go to the battlefield and kill enemies. I want to face the enemy head-on!
Besides, shouldn't protecting Konoha be what every Konoha ninja does? Grandpa Hokage praised me this morning and even gave me a B-rank Water Release as a reward. No, no!
The office fell silent for a second.
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to take a satisfying puff of his pipe, Shimura Danzō's furious voice suddenly rang out!
"Monkey! What exactly have you been hiding from me!?"
"I didn't say anything bad about you, Danzo." Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a cloud of smoke, looking utterly composed.
Good child. Grandpa Hokage had not praised you for nothing!
Shimura Danzō trembled with anger again. This rotten old man in front of him was truly wicked!
But at that very moment, Hideki's voice rang out again.
Root's battlefield... is more advanced? How is it advanced?
Really? I can fight the elite of enemy villages head-on? And I might even get the chance to assassinate an enemy village's Kage!?
I-I-I... Can I really do that!?
Hideki sounded excited, just like an elementary school student hearing he had been selected as an exemplary student.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's composed expression gradually stiffened.
The corners of Shimura Danzō's mouth curled upward slightly.
Didn't expect that, did you? My Root has stood in the Shinobi World for decades. What storms had it not weathered? A mere child would be easy to capture!
"Danzo! Tell me honestly—how many children has your Root fooled!"
Now it was Hiruzen Sarutobi who trembled with anger. What a Danzo! Like master, like servants. His subordinates were truly experts at deceiving children!
Fight elites head-on? Assassinate enemy village Kage?
What kind of outrageous nonsense was that to tell a child!?
"Hmph!" Shimura Danzō sneered disdainfully. He could not even be bothered to explain.
Then... what benefits does Root offer?
Hideki's voice sounded once more.
If I join Root, I can learn lots of Lightning Release and Water Release ninjutsu? And as long as I kill enemies, I get rewards? Really, Masked Uncle!?
Can I really do it!?
It was over.
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart suddenly went cold.
The curve of Shimura Danzō's lips became even more pronounced. His single eye narrowed slightly, the unmistakable expression of someone certain of victory.
Planning within the tent, peering into the enemy's secrets to seize control of the overall situation, disrupting the enemy's deployments before calmly crushing them—Danzo had long grown accustomed to victory.
"Sigh!" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and waved his hand. "Fine, fine. I'll inform Minato afterward... But Danzo, are you certain you want to bring him into Root for training at such a young age? He may have graduated, but after all..."
"That is none of your concern, Sarutobi," Shimura Danzō said flatly. "A spy's training differs from a ninja's. Bonds are best severed from an early age."
If he had been the child of a major clan, it would have been impossible for him to join Root at such a young age.
What joining Root meant was something the upper ranks of Konoha all understood without saying: sever the past, sever the future, feed on darkness, and walk in Konoha's shadows.
That was Root.
But Hideki's records showed that he was an orphan, so that was another matter entirely.
Shimura Danzō was in an excellent mood. Already able to foresee the outcome, he did not even wish to linger any longer. He took out a scroll and tossed it to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"This is a list of suspicious individuals who recently entered Konoha. Root personnel still need to monitor the Uchiha, so we cannot spare anyone. Have someone keep an eye on them."
Hiruzen Sarutobi accepted the scroll without even opening it. Distracted and irritated, he waved his hand, effectively dismissing his guest.
He had even begun considering how to explain this to Minato.
That little fellow might be a civilian ninja, but his role in Team 7 was far from minor. Anyone with eyes could see that he was faintly becoming the core of the three.
And he was also a medical ninja... Losing such a versatile civilian ninja would truly be a pity.
But then...
Um, Masked Uncle, can I make a request?
The conversation in the crystal ball continued.
I really want to join Root. The benefits are good, and I can kill enemies and serve Konoha... But since it's such a good opportunity, I want to bring my companions with me.
One is called Uchiha Obito. His Fire Release is insanely good. The other is Hatake Kakashi, Lord White Fang's son. He was even the top student in our class before!
The three of us swore that we'd go to the battlefield together, serve Konoha together, and even get married and have children together, so...
Clang! Clang! Rattle, rattle, rattle—
Hiruzen Sarutobi's smoking pipe fell to the floor and rolled several times, scattering ash and tobacco everywhere.
Yet he paid it no mind. His disappointed expression gradually turned blank, then slowly transformed into wild delight!
There was hope!
What? Neither of them is within Root's selection criteria? You've got to be kidding me!
"Masked Uncle, Obito is the Uchiha's number one genius, and Kakashi is Uncle White Fang's son! I can't even beat him!"
Your Root... doesn't seem all that impressive, does it? You don't even know this much intelligence?
Forget it, forget it. I'm not going... Unless they come with me, there's nothing to discuss.
After saying that, the little fellow turned and walked back into the room, slamming the door shut with a bang.
The change came so quickly that the Root elite did not react in time, standing dumbfounded outside the door for quite a while!
Hiruzen Sarutobi swiftly shut off the crystal ball. Looking at his old friend, whose body faced the office door while his head remained turned toward the crystal ball, his expression utterly stiff, he laughed without the slightest restraint.
Even if Shimura Danzō racked his brains, he could never have imagined it. Just a moment ago, he had happily been preparing to leave, while his old friend had been ready to notify Minato.
How had it, in the very next moment...
Gone cold?
"Don't worry, Danzo. Root is short on manpower, so I'll have ANBU cooperate fully! Ah, with the relationship between us... Hm? Danzo, don't leave?"
Accompanied by Shimura Danzō slamming the door shut with a bang.
Laughter immediately erupted throughout the Hokage's Office!
Shimura Danzō, who had not gone far, wore a dark expression.
He cast a cold glance toward the Hokage's Office, and a strange light gradually rose in his single eye.
"Since that is the case, then do not blame me for resorting to other methods, Sarutobi..."
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