Looking at Shimura Danzō kneeling before him on one knee, his face full of fervor, Shin Uchiha merely nodded calmly. He then walked unhurriedly over to the stone chair he had used before and sat down.
Shimura Danzō showed no displeasure at Shin Uchiha's attitude. Once Shin Uchiha had settled into his seat, he asked respectfully:
"What brings you here, my lord? Is there anything your subordinate can do for you?"
Only after hearing Shimura Danzō's words did Shin Uchiha stop surveying his surroundings. Looking at the deferential man before him, he asked:
"Danzo, how many people in the Root you lead are still available for use?"
Shimura Danzō's expression shifted slightly at Shin Uchiha's question. After a moment's consideration, he replied:
"My lord, ever since you ordered me to disband Root, I have handed its intelligence branches in the various countries, along with most of its combat personnel, over to the Fifth. All that remains now are a dozen or so orphans who cannot be exposed to the public and have no ties to the outside world."
At this point, Shimura Danzō lowered his head further and continued:
"Please do not misunderstand, my lord. I did not keep them in Root because I wanted to. Their emotional development is incomplete, and they have virtually no personalities or wills of their own. They obey only me, and there is simply no way to have them leave Root for any length of time. That is why I kept them here. Otherwise, they would either die outright or end up stranded in the outside world and slowly waste away."
Shin Uchiha nodded in understanding. He knew at least something of the methods Shimura Danzō used to train Root.
Those whom he had demanded from the various clans had fared somewhat better. After