A New Mission

When the thirty-fifth test subject turned into a block of wood, Kato Osamu roughly understood that this experiment would not continue much longer.

Though nothing unusual had happened for the time being, he could clearly sense the atmosphere within Root growing grim. From the emotions of these Root shinobi, he could faintly detect a certain excitement tinged with heaviness.

It seemed they had already vaguely sensed that something major was about to happen.

Kato Osamu had long since finished learning the basics of Sealing Jutsu.

It had taken about five months.

"Creak..."

The laboratory door quietly opened. Kato Osamu sat silently before the analyzer, reviewing the data from all the remaining test subjects without turning around.

The person who had entered was not Orochimaru...

"Mi, the experiment is terminated! Leave this place immediately. Lord Danzo summons you!"

Kato Osamu did not recognize the Root shinobi wearing a demon mask, but the several presences behind him felt somewhat familiar.

He thought of the girl he had met during the Genin examination years ago.

"D-Five... It really has been a long time..."

"Yes!"

Kato Osamu answered in a muffled voice, his gaze sweeping across the laboratory. He seemed to understand something of what awaited these test subjects.

"My lord! How will these test subjects be dealt with..."

"Hm?"

Only the masked Root shinobi's eyes were exposed. As Kato Osamu looked into them, killing intent shot forth from those eyes.

"Just because you became Orochimaru's disciple, you think you can disregard the rules?"

The masked shinobi was incredibly fast. The moment he moved, one hand shot straight for Kato Osamu's throat.

Bang!

Kato Osamu swiftly raised both hands before his throat, and his entire body turned into a puff of smoke and vanished.

"Oh? You have some skill after all..."

The masked shinobi's gaze shifted slightly. He suddenly rushed in one direction, unleashing a powerful whipping kick that tore through the air with a howl.

"Go..."

Kato Osamu lightly covered his mouth with one hand, his lips moving slightly as a specially made senbon, as fine as a hair, pierced the Root shinobi's leg nerve.

The masked shinobi vaguely sensed something strange in his leg, but his kick had already struck Kato Osamu in the chest.

"Hmph, brat. If you haven't learned Root's rules, then let me teach you properly..."

Kato Osamu's body slammed into the laboratory wall. He let out a muffled groan and silently lowered his head.

"Mi... spoke out of turn..."

"Did you not understand what I said? Leave immediately. Lord Danzo summons you!"

Having regained some face, the masked shinobi made no further move. He merely looked down at Kato Osamu with a cold sweep of his eyes.

"Yes!"

Kato Osamu raised his head. He could sense that D-Five was watching him as well. Their eyes met briefly, then he clutched his chest and walked out of the laboratory.

As he slowly walked through the corridor, he heard the sound of glass shattering and screams behind him. Kato Osamu straightened his wrinkled clothes, with no trace of injury remaining on him.

"Eight... nine... ten..."

The sounds behind him continued without end. Only then did Kato Osamu, silently counting the time, pull a faint smile from the corner of his mouth.

"The solidified fusion fluid wrapped around the Hashirama Cells will merge with the blood ten seconds after entering the body..."

"Once the fusion fluid is depleted, the Hashirama Cells will activate..."

"Using precious Hashirama Cells for something like this really is extravagant..."

"But you should have a taste of their pain too..."

Without the suppression of Senjutsu Chakra, Hashirama Cells were like incurable poison to ordinary people, unless a miracle occurred.

Root, huh? Then become roots...

The dim firelight flickered in the damp underground space, as though it were about to be smothered by the darkness.

Kato Osamu gently pushed open the door. The space seemed filled with icy cold air, and this gloomy old man was as sullen as he had been years ago.

"Root Genin Mi greets the leader!"

Kato Osamu knelt on one knee, his head lowered.

"I hear you have taken Orochimaru as your master?" There was no expression on Danzo's deeply lined face. His voice, like iron scraping against paper, drifted from the endless darkness.

"Yes!"

"Very good..."

Danzo's voice gave Kato Osamu no clue as to his emotions.

"The first rule of Root..."

"In all matters, the leader's orders come first. Swear to serve the leader unto death!"

"The second..."

"Those of Root have no name, no surname, no emotions, no future, and no past. For all their lives, they take deep root in the earth, swearing to support the flourishing of Konoha's great tree!"

"The third..."

"To spare future generations from suffering the horrors of war, follow the leader's instructions.

"To bring about great peace in the Shinobi World, steadfastly regard the leader's orders as the core guiding Konoha."

"Very good, Mi. It seems that after following Orochimaru for several years, you have not forgotten Root, nor forgotten that this old man is your leader..."

"Mi has never dared forget!"

Only then did Danzo slowly turn around, his gaze fixing on Kato Osamu like two ice picks piercing his body.

"Why did the Wood Release fusion experiment fail?"

"This subordinate is incompetent. The test subjects' bodies and willpower were unable to withstand the integration of the Wood Release cells..."

"Hmph. Did Orochimaru conceal anything? As Orochimaru's disciple, you should not be unaware, should you..."

Kato Osamu knew Danzo could not be fooled so easily. Such a price had been paid, yet there were no results. Someone would surely have to take responsibility.

But in Danzo's eyes, he was merely a minor pawn and could not possibly be the target. This was only a test.

"This subordinate... does not know..."

Danzo's chilling presence bore down on Kato Osamu. With his head lowered, he considered his response.

"This subordinate... believes that Orochimaru did not take this subordinate as his disciple willingly. Since he knew this subordinate belonged to Root yet still insisted on accepting this subordinate as his disciple, that in itself is unreasonable..."

Kato Osamu said nothing more. Sometimes, all one needed was to give someone else a reason for reasonable suspicion. With Danzo's arbitrary nature, he would not simply trust Kato Osamu's words. Only what he deduced himself would be what he believed to be the truth.

"Hm..."

Danzo indeed fell into thought. Kato Osamu felt his entire body relax. It seemed he had passed this trial.

Kato Osamu did not know what Danzo was thinking, but Danzo remained silent for a long while. Kato Osamu stayed kneeling on one knee without making the slightest movement.

In the entire underground space, only the faint sound of air could be heard, slipping through in thin threads.

"We shall set this matter aside for now. If Orochimaru makes any unusual moves, report to me at once..."

"Mi, you are Root's Mi. You must remember that forever..."

Though Danzo's voice was gloomy, it completely put Kato Osamu at ease.

His opinion of Danzo changed somewhat as well. It seemed Danzo was not quite so all-powerful in Konoha.

"Since Orochimaru has already accepted you as his disciple, your identity is just right..."

"Your identity in Konoha will be restored. Next, there is an important matter for you to handle. Mi, you will not disappoint this old man, will you..."

Kato Osamu raised his head, burying his surprise deep within. His eyes were as still as an ancient well as he answered in a muffled voice.

"This subordinate will certainly not disappoint Lord Danzo!"