"Remember, everyone in Anbu goes by their code names. No one is allowed to reveal any real names!"
The Anbu ninja leading the way wore a cold expression. Seemingly worried that Ning Feng would make a rookie mistake, he hurriedly stressed the rule again.
Ning Feng nodded calmly, committing the rule to memory.
Actually, what interested him more than any of this was who Anbu's commander was at this point in time.
Rumor had it that even while the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, governed Konoha, Anbu's commander remained one of Hiruzen Sarutobi's men, with Hiruzen maintaining a firm grip on the organization.
He really wanted to see whether that was true.
While he pondered this, the Anbu ninja leading him had already brought him to an extremely broad passage. Ahead of it were another four or five passages, each marked with a special symbol.
"This way!"
The Anbu ninja leading him briefly checked the symbols, then led Ning Feng onward.
The two passed through several more forks in succession before finally reaching an enormous, wide-open area.
Only now did Ning Feng discover just how cunning Anbu was as an intelligence agency.
The busy Anbu figures he had seen at the beginning were only part of the organization. Anbu's true headquarters was actually here before him.
No wonder he had never heard of Konoha's Anbu headquarters being discovered in the original story. Anyone who came here would surely get hopelessly lost, and would most likely be misled by the initial area right from the start.
Seemingly noticing the surprise in Ning Feng's eyes, the Anbu ninja leading him promptly said, "The ninja you saw working back there are actually only Anbu's external members."
"This open area before you is Anbu's real headquarters. Did you memorize all the symbols at those forks just now?"
"I did!"
Ning Feng answered immediately.
The more Anbu revealed itself this way, the more intensely curious Ning Feng became.
"Oh? Your powers of observation are that strong?"
The Anbu ninja leading him paused in surprise, then promptly asked Ning Feng to repeat them.
Ning Feng had deliberately taken note of them earlier, so he recited everything he had memorized. Sure enough, this surprised the Anbu ninja even more. "To think you've reached this level at only five years old..."
"The younger generation really is surpassing the old!"
After marveling for a moment, the Anbu ninja led Ning Feng to the farthest end of the open area.
Countless Anbu ninja were busy throughout the open area, continually sending the information and intelligence they had gathered back to headquarters for compilation.
Although some of the Anbu ninja wore masks, Ning Feng could sense that those stationed at headquarters were probably members of the Nara Clan and the Yamanaka Clan.
Ning Feng could tell because these clan members worked in close coordination, constantly using chakra to exchange all kinds of information. This was clearly the Yamanaka Clan's handiwork.
Although the original Naruto story had not shown it, Ning Feng could still sense how formidable and fearsome the Yamanaka Clan and Nara Clan were.
No wonder the Hokage who took office gradually grew closer to these clan members.
After all, every one of them was an exceptional expert at handling administrative affairs and intelligence!
Marveling at this, Ning Feng continued forward and saw some Anbu ninja gathered together, seemingly preparing to carry out some mission.
He could even see specialized intelligence classes where all kinds of spies were being trained.
"The students in these classes belong to the Intelligence Division. They're exceptional geniuses selected from countless ninja, specifically assigned to gather intelligence in the various hidden villages!"
"Besides those, there are dedicated classes for female spies who use their beauty to obtain all kinds of intelligence."
The Anbu ninja leading him spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as though he had long since grown accustomed to it all.
Ning Feng nodded slightly, but when he heard about the dedicated female spy classes, he still could not help feeling startled.
On second thought, however, he accepted it. With so many lustful people among the rich and powerful in this world, the existence of female ninja spies was perfectly normal. The original Naruto story simply had not depicted these darker aspects.
"Captain!"
While Ning Feng was thinking, the Anbu ninja leading him had brought him into an office.
An unmasked Anbu ninja sat quietly inside, staring at the intelligence reports delivered to him, pondering something unknown.
He was probably the only ninja in all of Anbu who did not need to wear a mask.
Hearing the voice from outside the door, the Anbu ninja slowly raised his head, his deep gaze seeming capable of seeing through everyone.
Even someone like Ning Feng, who had lived two lives, felt somewhat unnerved beneath that sharp gaze.
He could sense that the man before him, Anbu's commander, had endured at least a dozen years of life-and-death trials. His strength had probably reached Kage Level as well!
And above his head, these words were quietly displayed: Anbu commander, Sarutobi Shinnosuke!
At the sight, a sharp glint flashed in Ning Feng's eyes. Sure enough, Anbu is still firmly in the Sarutobi Clan's grip!
The previous Anbu commander had been Hatake Maoshuo of the Hatake Clan. After Hiruzen Sarutobi took office as the Third Hokage, he had been replaced by someone from the Sarutobi Clan!
Even in a village as small as Konoha, political struggles are full of undercurrents!
While Ning Feng was thinking this, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, seated in the office, gave him an indifferent glance. "This is the new Anbu recruit Minato recommended, right? Have Kakashi take him along! Kakashi happens to have a mission!"
With that, Sarutobi Shinnosuke paid them no further attention and dismissed the Anbu ninja who had led the way.
Although puzzled by Sarutobi Shinnosuke's attitude toward Ning Feng, the Anbu ninja nevertheless took Ning Feng to meet Kakashi.
Casting an indifferent glance at Sarutobi Shinnosuke, how could Ning Feng fail to see what this Anbu commander was thinking?
Now that the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had taken office, he would naturally try every possible means to remove Sarutobi Shinnosuke from his position as Anbu Captain.
Having Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, and Ning Feng himself, Uchiha Minato, join Anbu and steadily promoting them was, in fact, an attempt to undermine Sarutobi Shinnosuke's position and shake the Sarutobi Clan's foundations within Anbu.
After all, only by doing so could Minato Namikaze avoid being a puppet Hokage.
And he, Ning Feng, had already become one of the pieces Minato was using to influence Anbu's balance of power. Otherwise, Minato would not have arranged for him to come here!
Still, Minato had probably underestimated him after all.
"Commander, I came to Anbu to gain experience, but that doesn't mean I belong to anyone-or, more precisely, that I take orders from anyone!"
Suddenly, Ning Feng spoke.
Before you continue