The Intelligence Department was brightly lit. The Third Hokage was there in person, waiting for the results, while Yamanaka Keichi secured one of the bodies to an instrument.
Several intelligence staff members focused their minds on the instrument and entered the dead man's memories.
Scene after scene surfaced in their minds. Yamanaka Keichi examined each one carefully.
He started with the ninja's early childhood and worked forward until the team received its mission to destroy Root's Secret Bases in the Land of Rain and the Land of Earth.
Yamanaka Keichi was startled. The Hokage had moved to dismantle Danzo's forces. Their relationship was not nearly as good as he had imagined.
The memories finally reached the crucial moment. After fierce fighting, the team completed its mission. Three ANBU ninja remained behind at Root's bases in the two countries, while the others set off for Konoha.
Yamanaka Keichi sharpened his focus. The attackers could appear at any moment. The first thing he saw in the memory was a dense barrage of Wind Release attacks.
The ninja whose memories he was searching barely dodged the barrage, though he was badly hurt. At the same time, four masked figures appeared in Yamanaka Keichi's mind.
Yamanaka Keichi was shaken to his core. Four figures dressed as Root ninja had appeared and surrounded the ANBU.
The revelation shattered everything Yamanaka Keichi thought he knew. He had seen plenty of schemes and treachery, including factions within a Ninja Village fighting among themselves.
But for the first time, he understood how complicated this world truly was. The Third Hokage and Danzo had supported each other for more than a decade.
Since the Third Hokage had taken office and Danzo had become an Advisor and founded Root, most of what they had done had served to secure the