Zhou Cheng went on maximum alert.
All four of these old foxes were actually here.
What were they planning?
Or had they discovered something?
He simply stood there quietly and waited, neither speaking nor asking questions.
After a long while, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally set his pipe on the desk and cleared his throat. The boy certainly had patience.
"Child, we called you here today to discuss taking you as an apprentice again!"
"Now, it's not just Danzo and me. Both Advisors also think very highly of you!"
"We all want to take you as our apprentice. You can choose one of our three sides!"
Zhou Cheng was dumbfounded.
What did that mean?
Now even the Advisors wanted me as their apprentice?
Damn it. If I'd known, I wouldn't have shown off so much talent.
Now I was in trouble. Kakashi alone couldn't hold these four back.
Zhou Cheng saw that all four were simply watching him, waiting for his choice.
But he could no longer think of any reason to refuse.
Time ticked away, and Zhou Cheng still said nothing. Fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other three exchanged glances. As expected, Zhou Cheng did not want any of them as his master, but they dared not force him for fear of leaving a bad impression.
Nor would they yield to one another. If any one of them forced Zhou Cheng to become his apprentice, the other two sides would join forces against him. They had reached a deadlock!
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. He could only resort to that method.
"Since you don't want any of us as your master, we won't force you!"
"You're a Genin now, a true Shinobi!"
"You need some experience. You can join my ANBU and become one of its members. After three years, you can choose whether to leave or stay!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was confident he could finish brainwashing Zhou Cheng within three years. Then he would have a genius loyal to both Konoha and himself.
Danzo spoke next. This child would surely belong to Root.
"You can also choose to join my Root. Root is just like the ANBU. Both serve Konoha!"
"The term is also three years. After that, you can decide for yourself whether to stay or leave!"
Danzo was already fantasizing about how, with Root's brainwashing methods, Zhou Cheng would become a sharp blade loyal only to him after three years, sweeping away every obstacle to his becoming Hokage.
Seeing the other two begin promoting their own organizations, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu refused to fall behind.
They hurried to speak.
"You can also choose to join our Advisory Department. Its authority is second only to the Hokage's!"
"You'll enjoy plenty of privileges and conveniences!"
"We only need three years from you, too!"
After hearing them out, Zhou Cheng fell silent once again.
It seemed he had to choose a department to join today.
Since these old foxes could not make him their apprentice, they intended to have him join the departments under their control.
That would make them master and apprentice in all but name.
Then, through a series of maneuvers, they would turn that nominal relationship into a real one.
Zhou Cheng glanced at the four old foxes, his mind racing.
First of all, he would not go to the Advisory Department.
As the name suggests, the Advisors' work leans toward administration.
He probably would not learn any advanced Ninjutsu there. Besides, he would surely have to travel between the major shinobi villages frequently to handle political affairs!
Zhou Cheng hated that sort of life most of all. Given a second chance at life, he had to follow his heart.
Most importantly, he feared that over time, he too would become someone who cared only about personal interests and nothing for feelings!
Zhou Cheng glanced at Danzo again. He disliked this schemer, whose machinations ran through half the original story, from the bottom of his heart.
And then there was his Root, a place of pure darkness.
Root required every member to undergo training to "erase the self." To ensure secrecy, they were also branded with a Cursed Seal.
Danzo molded them into pawns that did nothing but carry out missions.
They had neither names nor feelings.
No past, no future. Only the mission existed in their hearts.
After the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, died sealing the Nine-Tails, Danzo sought to secure the position of Hokage for himself.
He sent Root's Assassination Squad to kill Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was preparing to resume his role as Hokage.
It was madness taken to the extreme.
In Danzo's eyes, anyone but himself could be sacrificed if it meant becoming Hokage.
Joining Root would only reduce Zhou Cheng to Danzo's pawn, losing himself in an endless succession of missions.
Then Zhou Cheng glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was still smoking his pipe.
The ANBU was essentially an assassination organization, the first Intelligence Agency in the Naruto World.
Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, Uzuki Yugao, Yamato, and others had all served in the ANBU.
Zhou Cheng had no choice. The ANBU was his only real option.
Most importantly, ANBU membership would offer certain conveniences. No one would suspect him if he secretly followed Naruto to steal the Scroll of Seals.
Besides, if he chose none of them, he would never get through that door!
He took a deep breath and looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with mixed feelings. He could only work under this old fox for now and find another way out later.
"I choose to join Lord Hokage's ANBU!"
His declaration brought joy to some and disappointment to others.
The delight in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes was almost overflowing. He firmly believed that after three years of experience in the ANBU, Zhou Cheng would become a Shinobi capable of handling matters on his own.
After three years of his brainwashing, Zhou Cheng would be completely loyal to him.
Surprisingly, Danzo and the two Advisors showed little surprise, because they had already agreed that each side would get three years.
Seeing Tuan Zhan's and the two Advisors' reactions, Zhou Cheng became certain he had fallen into their trap. He had no idea what awaited him.
But it was too late now. He could only deal with whatever came his way.
Then Danzo and the two Advisors left.
Only Zhou Cheng and Hiruzen Sarutobi remained in the Hokage Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff from his pipe and tapped the desk lightly with his other hand. First, he would let the boy get acquainted with the ANBU.
Uzuki Yugao appeared beside Zhou Cheng and dropped to one knee, her purple hair framing her mask and a Ninja Blade strapped to her back.
"He'll be in your squad from now on. Teach him well!"
"Show him around the ANBU!"
Uzuki Yugao nodded. He had actually joined the ANBU, breaking yet another record for a Genin entering its ranks.
Then Zhou Cheng followed Uzuki Yugao out of the Hokage Office.
Zhou Cheng watched Uzuki Yugao leading the way. My ANBU squad captain was actually a gorgeous woman. Hehe, not a bad deal!
If I built a good relationship with her, it would surely pay off someday.
Zhou Cheng had always firmly believed that having more friends made life easier!
Uzuki Yugao took him into a building not far from the Hokage Building.
Zhou Cheng extended his senses and discovered more than a dozen Shinobi concealed nearby, all masked ANBU members.
It seemed this was ANBU headquarters!