Mirror Flower, Water Moon, Facing Danzo Head-On!

After dinner, night had completely enveloped Konoha.

In the dining room, Naruto rubbed his round belly and let out a satisfied burp.

Looking at the empty plates that had been thoroughly cleared, his little face flushed red. This was the first time he could remember eating until he was full.

"Auntie, Luna, I... I'm full. Thank you for having me. I should be going now."

Naruto jumped down from his chair and gave a deep bow.

"It's already so dark. It isn't safe for a child to go home alone."

Lu Ming's mother glanced at the night outside the window, then turned toward Lu Ming, who sat at the head of the table.

"Lu Ming, send Naruto home for Mom."

Lu Ming put down his teacup and stood.

"Come on. I'll walk you home."

Lu Ming walked over to Naruto, his tone gentle.

Naruto waved his hands repeatedly.

"N-No, no need to trouble yourself! I can do it myself!"

He knew all too well what standing the Uchiha held in the village. They were a lofty, prestigious clan.

Lu Ming was someone even the upperclassmen did not dare call by name.

Naruto could hardly imagine having such an important person escort him home.

"Enough. Keep up."

Lu Ming gave him no chance to refuse and strode out of the residence.

Naruto froze for a moment before hurrying after him on his short legs.

Luna stood in the doorway and waved vigorously at Naruto.

"Naruto, see you at school tomorrow!"

They walked along Konoha's quiet streets as the evening breeze drifted past.

Their two figures, one tall and one short, stretched long beneath the streetlights.

Naruto lowered his head and followed closely at Lu Ming's side, clutching the hem of his clothes with both hands, hardly daring to breathe.

After crossing two streets, Naruto finally gathered the courage to break the silence.

"Um... Big Brother Lu Ming."

Naruto spoke softly.

"What is it?"

Lu Ming slowed down.

"Thank you."

Naruto raised his head, his azure eyes glistening with tears.

"Today was the first time anyone invited me to their home, and the first time I've eaten something this delicious. Really... thank you so much!"

Lu Ming stopped and turned to look at the Nine-Tails jinchuriki, who had been rejected by the entire village and for whom even a filling meal had been a luxury.

Looking at Naruto, Lu Ming reached out and ruffled his spiky blond hair.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you."

Lu Ming's voice was low and gentle in the night wind.

Naruto froze, unable to understand why Lu Ming was thanking him.

"That girl Luna has been spoiled by Mother and me. She's willful, and she doesn't even have a single sincere friend at school."

Lu Ming withdrew his hand and looked toward the distant night sky.

"I'm grateful that you're willing to be her friend, and that you put up with her little temper at school."

Hearing those words, Naruto stood rooted to the spot.

Ever since he was little, the words he had heard most were "demon fox," "monster," and "get lost."

No one had ever spoken to him in such an equal, even grateful tone.

Not only did Lu Ming not look at him strangely like everyone else, he even thanked him for being Luna's friend!

Naruto could no longer hold back his tears. They rolled down his cheeks in large drops.

He bit his lip to keep himself from crying out loud.

Deep inside, he silently swore that he would become stronger no matter what and protect this hard-won bond.

The two continued onward. Lu Ming said nothing more, merely accompanying this lonely boy in silence.

Half an hour later, they arrived beneath a rundown apartment building on the edge of the village.

"I'm here, Big Brother Lu Ming. You should head back."

Standing at the stairwell entrance, Naruto wiped away his tears hard and gave Lu Ming a bright, beaming smile.

"Mm. Get some rest early."

Lu Ming nodded slightly and turned away.

Watching Naruto disappear into the stairwell, Lu Ming turned around, his expression blank.

Instead of returning to the Uchiha compound by the original route, he veered away from the main road and turned into a dim dead-end alley.

There were no streetlights in the alley. Only pale moonlight barely illuminated the bluestone paving beneath his feet.

Lu Ming reached the end of the alley and stopped. With his hands in his pockets, he did not turn around.

"You've followed me all the way. Aren't you tired? Get out here, you vermin hiding in the dark."

The air fell silent for two seconds.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Accompanied by three sharp whistles through the air, three ninjas wearing animal masks and black bodysuits leaped down from the walls, forming a triangle that blocked Lu Ming inside the dead-end alley.

None of them bore the insignia of the Konoha Anbu, and each held a short blade.

Root ninjas!

"Uchiha Lu Ming."

The leading Root ninja stepped forward, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Lord Danzo has ordered you to come with us."

His tone was forceful. In Root's eyes, with Shimura Danzō backing them, a mere young Uchiha was not worth mentioning.

"Danzo's dogs think they can bark before me?"

Lu Ming tilted his head and looked at the three men.

"Go tell your master that if he wants to see me, he can get his ass over here himself."

"How insolent!"

The lead Root ninja barked coldly.

"Lord Danzo's orders cannot be refused! Since you refuse to appreciate our kindness, don't blame us for taking action!"

Before his words had even faded, the three Root ninjas sprang into action at once!

All three were killing machines from Root. Their coordination was flawless, and they moved with extreme speed.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, three black shadows crossed more than ten meters and closed in on Lu Ming!

Three short blades pressed against Lu Ming's throat, heart, and lower back respectively. If he made even the slightest movement, the blades would pierce his body.

"Hmph."

The Root ninja whose blade was at Lu Ming's throat gave a cold laugh.

"They say you're a genius the Uchiha clan sees only once in a century. Looks like the rumors were nothing but nonsense."

That Root ninja spoke again.

"Against Root's assassination techniques, you don't even have a chance to form hand seals. A genius? You're a complete joke."

Facing the three blades pressed to his vital points, Lu Ming did not even blink. He lowered his gaze and spoke.

"Root's dogs talk too much."

"You're courting death!"

Killing intent flashed in the Root ninja's eyes. He suddenly exerted force with his short blade and viciously slashed at Lu Ming's throat!

Yet when the blade swept through, there was no spray of blood, nor even the sensation of cutting flesh.

Under the gaze of the three Root ninjas, ripples spread across the surface of Lu Ming's body.

Then, the "Lu Ming" they had restrained turned into countless points of light and scattered into the air!

"An afterimage?! No, it's genjutsu!"

The lead Root ninja took half a step back.

They were Root elites who had received the harshest anti-genjutsu training. How could they have attacked a patch of air for so long without noticing?!

"Too slow."

Lu Ming's voice suddenly came from directly above the two Root ninjas standing in the rear.

The two tried to look up.

Bang! Bang!

Two large hands shot down from midair and firmly seized the backs of the two Root ninjas' heads.

Using the momentum of his descent, Lu Ming drove their heads viciously into the bluestone ground beneath them!

A tremendous crash rang through the dead-end alley.

Two deep craters were smashed into the bluestone pavement, with cracks spreading in every direction.

The two Root ninjas did not even have time to scream before their heads sank into the ground. Blood and shattered stone splattered everywhere as they died on the spot!

Instant kill!

The sole remaining Root ninja stood frozen, staring at the two corpses on the ground.

He took a step back.

"Y-You actually dared to kill Root members!"

He let out a furious roar and formed hand seals, trying to channel the chakra within his body to counterattack Lu Ming.

"Kneel."

Lu Ming straightened up.

A mental intimidation—Conqueror's Haki—erupted from Lu Ming's body!

Black-red lightning ravaged the alley.

The Root ninja, who had only formed half a hand seal, felt the crushing pressure.

"Urgh..."

He let out a pained groan, his legs shaking uncontrollably. Cold sweat poured from his forehead, soaking through his bodysuit.

Before this overwhelming pressure, he struggled to breathe. The chakra in his body stagnated, and he no longer dared entertain any thought of resistance.

Thud!

The Root ninja's knees gave out, and he dropped to his knees before Lu Ming.

Lu Ming looked down at him.

"Lead the way. I was already planning to meet Shimura Danzō."

The Root ninja swallowed, then scrambled to his feet and led the way ahead.