"Bring Danzo's former confidants from Root here over the next few days. It's time to rebuild Root. Once it's rebuilt, you won't have to hide in the darkness anymore. You'll be able to live in the sunlight.
"But the new Root will no longer belong to Konoha. It will answer to me personally. You are the only one who knows my true identity.
"Never reveal my identity to anyone, and don't discuss anything about Root."
Fugaku looked at Gray Snake calmly.
Gray Snake nodded. "Yes, sir. No one else will ever learn your identity."
Fugaku waved a hand. "Be careful when you act. Don't arouse anyone's suspicion."
"Yes."
Peace returned to Konoha. The Five-Tails' attack seemed to have been nothing more than a minor incident for the village.
After all, it had been stopped almost as soon as it entered the village and had caused few casualties. The damaged City Wall and buildings were already being repaired.
The Hokage had also sent out his letter demanding an explanation.
ANBU was a department that answered exclusively to the Hokage.
Since Danzo's imprisonment, all Root Ninja had joined ANBU. They rarely went out on missions, spending most of their time adjusting to ordinary life.
After returning to Konoha, Gray Snake began contacting Danzo's former confidants. This group of Ninja, who had never attracted much attention, started moving in secret.
Even if someone noticed something amiss, they paid it little mind. Root Ninja had always kept to themselves.
Many had been thoroughly brainwashed and had lost the joys and sorrows of ordinary people. When they had first joined ANBU, their strange behavior might have drawn a few glances.
Now no one watched them at all. To the other ANBU Ninja, most Root Ninja were pitiable people who had lost all pleasure in life.