"Give me a list. This time, I'll focus on ninja who don't come from ninja clans."
Danzo bluntly demanded a list from Hiruzen.
He knew Hiruzen had spent these past years scouting gifted ninja among the commoners. That was how he had discovered his students, Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
This also made Danzo realize just how right Teacher Tobirama's original decision had been.
Hiruzen had carried on that will, vigorously supporting ninja from commoner backgrounds.
Even ninja of ordinary birth could turn out to be brilliant geniuses.
Root had recruited commoner ninja before, but far too few. Its focus had still been on fleecing the ninja clans.
This time, he intended to take a different path and give those clans time to grow in the meantime. Once they had developed enough, he would draw a little more blood from them to bolster Root's strength.
"I originally intended to recruit these people into the Anbu... I'll let you have your pick this time. You can have ten at most."
Hiruzen took out a list and told Danzo to take it back, consider it carefully, and then give him an answer.
Danzo did not complain about the small number. There were only thirty people on the list, and giving him a third of them was already very generous of his old friend.
After all, everyone Hiruzen had put on the list was a specialist with a particular talent.
Danzo left with the list, and Hiruzen made no effort to keep him.
In truth, Root's failed mission had not particularly surprised him.
This had essentially been no more than a probe. Success would have been ideal, but failure was no great loss to Konoha.
It had also further confirmed for him that the Heavenly Dao Palace harbored a great secret.
Until he found a