Danzo's downfall was like a massive stone cast into Konoha's deep waters, its ripples lingering long afterward. The leadership underwent another round of purges and restructuring, Tsunade's authority was truly established, and the gloomy atmosphere hanging over the village cleared.
Ling's life also entered a brand-new chapter.
The uniform of the Anbu who answered directly to the Hokage was a deep navy blue, fitted and streamlined, with the Uzumaki Clan's crest on the back, symbolizing direct allegiance to the Hokage. When he first stood before Tsunade fully dressed in it, he could clearly feel the gazes of the other Anbu members around him, a mixture of curiosity, scrutiny, and a trace of awe.
A Special Jōnin at just thirteen years old-his apparent age-who had made a crucial contribution to the operation that eliminated Danzo and possessed a rare, mutated Sharingan... these distinctions were enough to make him a focus of attention even among the Anbu's ranks of elites.
"From today onward, your Anbu codename is 'Crow,'" Tsunade said sternly from behind the Hokage's desk. "The captain of your direct-service squad is 'Fox.' You will carry out missions as a member of her squad. Crow, I hope your gaze will be as keen as a crow's, piercing the darkness and clearing away hidden threats to Konoha."
"Crow, understood." Ling bowed slightly, his voice sounding somewhat low through his newly issued Anbu mask with its animal markings. He glanced at Fox, who stood beside Tsunade wearing a fox mask, and she gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Fox's squad currently had only three members, including him. The other member, codenamed Azure Phoenix, was said to be a kunoichi skilled in sensory abilities and Medical Ninjutsu. She was currently away on a long-term surveillance mission.
Once the formalities and handover were complete, and he had received his designated communication talismans, mission scroll templates, and the Anbu's internal regulations, Ling followed Fox out of the Hokage Building.
"Your quarters have been moved to the Anbu dormitory area. It's quieter, with a higher level of security," Fox explained in her distinctively cool voice as they walked. "As a new member, your missions during the first month will mainly involve learning procedures, assisting with patrols, and gathering low-level intelligence. This is your mission schedule for the week."
She handed him a scroll. Ling took it and quickly skimmed through it. The contents were indeed basic, mainly familiarizing himself with the hidden sentry positions and patrol routes throughout Konoha, as well as helping the intelligence department analyze relatively unimportant scraps of information.
"Also," Fox stopped and turned toward him, her gaze scrutinizing behind her mask, "Lord Hokage has granted you special permission to continue receiving Taijutsu instruction from Team Guy's Jōnin and his student, Rock Lee, provided it does not interfere with your missions. However, all information concerning your eyes and abilities remains top secret. You are strictly forbidden from casually displaying them before outsiders."
"Understood." Ling nodded. This arrangement suited him perfectly. He could maintain his connection with Team Guy as a cover while continuing to improve his weakness in Taijutsu.
In the days that followed, Ling began a regular and fulfilling life in the Anbu.
During the day, he wore casual clothes and trained in Taijutsu with Rock Lee, who had largely recovered, under his identity as "Genin Uchiha Ling." Occasionally, he also received personal guidance from Might Guy. Amid Guy and Lee's impassioned cries of "youth," his foundation in Taijutsu grew increasingly solid, and his coordination and explosive power steadily improved.
After training, he changed into his Anbu uniform and put on his mask, becoming Crow. He carried out dull but necessary patrols and intelligence-sorting work. Using the Jōgan's powerful perception, he often discovered faint traces or residual energy that ordinary patrols overlooked. Several times, he gave advance warnings of minor security vulnerabilities, quietly raising Fox's opinion of him.
The nights belonged to his personal training. In his new, more securely protected quarters, he continued studying the combined abilities of the Jōgan and Sharingan-what he now called the "Eye of Purification and Erosion" in his mind. As he purified the Fragment's energy more thoroughly, he felt the connection between his eyes growing ever closer. His ability to discern "trajectories" and "weak points" had almost become instinctive. He even began testing whether he could apply this insight to ninjutsu itself, such as making fine adjustments to the form of Chakra Nature Transformation to give it greater penetrating power or concealment.
Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction. Yet deep inside, Ling remained tense. He knew the peace was only temporary.
That day, Ling had just finished his afternoon patrol and was organizing his mission report in the Anbu's private lounge when his heart suddenly jolted! It did not come from the Mark, which had already fallen dormant, but from... the pitch-black Fragment that had been resting quietly against his chest. Without warning, it began giving off a faint but persistent warmth!
At the same time, the Jōgan passively detected an extremely distant fluctuation of cold, sinister energy, identical in origin and nature to the Fragment in his possession. It came faintly from the northwest-a different direction from both the Forest of Death before and the Land of Rice Fields to the southeast-rising and falling like the tide!
It wasn't any of the places I'd sensed before! Was it a new Fragment? Or another sinister object like the Scroll?
This fluctuation was subtler than the one in the Forest of Death, and farther away as well. Had his control over the Fragment not greatly improved, and had the fluctuation not seemingly been in some kind of "active phase," he probably would not have detected it at all.
Ling went still, his fingers tightening slightly around his pen.
Another one...
Danzo had fallen, but clearly, far more than one or two objects connected to this dangerous energy were scattered across the Shinobi World. The Akatsuki was gathering Tailed Beasts, Orochimaru coveted the Sharingan and forbidden techniques, and this mysterious energy system also seemed to be touching the nerves of certain powers.
Did that mysterious man who disappeared of his own accord know about these things? Was the intelligence he had passed along about Orochimaru's dealings also connected to this energy?
Ling felt as though he stood at the entrance to an enormous maze. He had only just dealt with a guard at the gate, only to discover that deeper within lay more powerful beings and more complicated paths.
He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling the faint warmth from the Fragment, and gazed through the lounge window toward the boundless northwestern sky.
It seemed that being an Anbu wasn't merely a way to gain safety and resources within Konoha. It was also camouflage, a stepping stone that gave me the chance to encounter and investigate these secrets hidden deep in the Shinobi World's shadows.
He picked up his pen and continued writing his report, his handwriting steady and neat, showing nothing unusual.
But deep in his heart, a new goal had quietly taken shape.
I needed not only to grow stronger, but also to uncover the Fragment's origins and everything entangled behind it. One day, perhaps I would seek out those distant places of resonance myself.
For now, I needed to keep lying low, build up my strength, and wait for the right moment.
Konoha's Crow had only just spread his wings.
Before you continue