Golden sunlight shone through the window onto the tatami on the floor.
Feeling the gentle breeze from the courtyard, Danzo opened his eyes and placed a hand on the bandages around his right arm. The warmth beneath his fingertips brought him fully awake.
Rising from the tatami, Danzo looked out at the peaceful courtyard. This was the Shimura Clan's estate, and it had been his home when he served as clan head.
Ever since becoming the leader of Root and devoting all his attention to the village, he had rarely returned.
Root was a place even darker than the ANBU, responsible for clearing out the village's cancers and vermin.
But why was he here?
Danzo's head began to ache, as though insects were trying to burrow out of it. After gritting his teeth and enduring the pain for a while, he suddenly remembered a dream. In it, he had attacked an Uchiha, only to suffer a crushing defeat.
With his abilities, there was no way he could fail against an Uchiha. But why had he attacked one in the first place?
He stood guard in the darkness. He would never turn on his comrades. That was wrong.
He instinctively beckoned, and a Root ninja immediately appeared before him, kneeling on one knee and awaiting his orders.
Only after studying the Root ninja for a long time did Danzo recognize his deputy. He said, "Tell me about the situation in the village."
The Root ninja suspected nothing and gave Danzo a detailed account of recent events in the village.
Upon hearing that the Akatsuki posed a threat to Konohagakure, Danzo immediately frowned. He would never allow any ninja village or organization to threaten his village.
While Danzo pondered this, the Root ninja watched him discreetly out of the corner of his