Meanwhile!
On the outskirts of Konoha, inside a newly built underground base.
A ring of white bulbs cast a dazzling light, illuminating the Training Ground inside the underground base.
Shimura Danzō, dressed in a black robe, stood at the edge of a makeshift platform, looking down at the more than one hundred people carefully selected below. An involuntary smile of satisfaction appeared on his face.
Because of what had happened yesterday, none of his three old friends had interfered with his list of candidates. They had even provided support in return!
More than eighty of the people before him came from their Four Clans, while the remaining thirty had been selected from among the civilian shinobi trained over the past few years.
Although compared to the Anbu or other units, this number seemed very small.
But the unit had only just gotten started. For Danzo, having a unit of elite shinobi was already more than enough for now.
Besides, he had already made a rough plan. As long as he could carry it out, it would only be a matter of time before Root grew powerful!
"Ahem!"
After standing there daydreaming for over ten minutes and looking at the carefully selected shinobi below, Shimura Danzō gave a light cough and spoke in a completely emotionless tone. "I've summoned you here today because the Hokage has entrusted me with establishing a new department."
"It's different from the Anbu and other departments. Once you join, you won't be able to leave!"
"And by joining this new department, you'll lose your freedom, your feelings, your conscience, and everything good."
"You'll wear masks. You'll live in the shadows. You'll constantly travel throughout the Shinobi World, with no rest except in death. You'll only ever be heroes working in the shadows for Konoha. Your achievements won't even be carved on the Memorial Stone. So before we begin, I want to ask: does anyone wish to withdraw?"
Hearing the Advisory Elder's words, the more than one hundred shinobi in the room simply stood at attention, making no other movement. Their attitude made their answer clear!
Before arriving, they had already learned some of the details. The new department would take on heavier duties than the Anbu!
But for Konoha, and for the families living here, they were willing to bear it all!
After waiting about two minutes and seeing that no one had left, Shimura Danzō nodded and continued, "The new department is called 'Root'!"
"Root is the part of a tree that reaches deep into the soil. It's the most important part of a tree, an indispensable part, and the part that never enjoys sunlight, knowing only how to give!"
"You and I will become the roots of Konoha, growing in darkness, buried deep underground, eliminating anyone or anything in the world that poses a threat to Konoha!"
At this point, Danzo paused. His Adam's apple bobbed as he looked down at the more than one hundred people, as if he could see the tree he had described, with its more than one hundred roots buried underground.
Then, in a slightly grave tone, he said, "Everyone, work hard-for the families living in the sunlight, and for Konoha's strength!"
"Yes!" the more than one hundred shinobi in the room replied, dropping to one knee.
"The notice below the platform lists your assigned departments. Report to the corresponding locations on your own shortly. The names listed are the codenames you submitted earlier!"
"Yes!"
After hearing their response, Shimura Danzō nodded faintly and instructed the people behind him, "Tanuki, Owl, go apply the Seals to them!"
"Yes!" Two figures wearing white masks with blue markings and catlike faces stepped out of the shadows behind him.
After finishing his speech to the new recruits, Shimura Danzō left the application of the Seals to others.
He led his two guards along the corridor to the office at the very end.
He wasn't satisfied with today's speech.
He had never been good with words to begin with, and after such a long speech, the effect had been rather limited!
He had to admire that old friend of his. If he had been the one giving the speech today, it would have been far more effective!
Sitting in the specially made Armchair, Shimura Danzō couldn't help shaking his head.
That was the problem with adult shinobi. They already had minds of their own, so he had to use speeches to unite them.
It was still best to train his own people!
But with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, adult shinobi were enough to support Root for now!
Those three old friends probably hadn't expected him to have developed this Cursed Seal!
At the thought, Shimura Danzō let out several smug laughs.
His three old friends had insisted on providing support. Besides the names on the list he had submitted, they had also picked dozens of people from their own clans!
They wanted to help establish Root and get him out of his manpower shortage.
He couldn't be bothered to figure out how much sand they had mixed in.
As long as they were elite and talented, he would take them all.
With the Cursed Seal in his hands, anyone they sent in would end up being his people!
My three old friends, you're going to lose more than you bargained for!
After enjoying himself for a while, Shimura Danzō composed himself and started the day's work.
The organization had only just been established, and there were departments to divide up, tasks to assign, and so much else to handle!
After an hour of busy work, in the office deep underground, Shimura Danzō finished reading the files on his desk by the light of the white bulbs.
He sorted them again, then pulled the Straw Rope beside him.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The sudden sound of knocking echoed through the quiet underground. Danzo pushed the files to the edge of the desk.
"Come in!"
A middle-aged shinobi wearing Skintight Armor opened the door, walked in, and bowed to the figure behind the desk. "Lord Danzo!"
"These have all been processed. Distribute them according to the labels in a little while."
"Yes!"
"Have the Seals been applied?"
"They're done. They're familiarizing themselves with their work in their departments!"
Looks like nothing went wrong!
Having received the answer he wanted, Shimura Danzō nodded in satisfaction. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "How are things going at the Ninja Academy?"
Picking up the files from the edge of the desk, the middle-aged shinobi in a Bird-Beak Mask replied in a low voice, "Hanadanuki and Bei have taken up their posts and started teaching. There are also two newcomers working at the Ninja Academy!"
"Mm."
Lightly tapping his fingers on the desk, Shimura Danzō recalled the relevant information.
The arrangements at the Ninja Academy were related to replenishing the core members in the future. Manpower was tight right now, but Bei and the four people under him were enough.
But the search for orphans at the Orphanage and orphans in the Land of Fire also had to begin. Future recruits would still have to be trained by him.
That meant he was short on manpower again!
Missions!
Manpower...
After a long pause, Danzo spoke. "Put things in the Small Countries on hold for now. Speed up Base No. 1 Construction and have it ready by the end of next month!"
"Have Bei and the others start selecting students from this class, and draw up a list as soon as possible. Step up the search for orphans at the Orphanage and throughout the Land of Fire!"
"By the end of the year, I want a thousand people at Base No. 1!"
"Yes!"
As the pen scratched across the paper, the Bird-Beak Mask wrote down all of Danzo's instructions and placed them on the desk for him to sign.
Looking at the handwritten Order before him, Shimura Danzō hesitated for a moment, then steeled himself and changed the number from one thousand to fifteen hundred.
Then he signed his name, stamped it, and handed it to the Bird-Face Mask.
He knew that with a number like this, plenty of problems would inevitably arise!
But to escape this vicious cycle of constantly being short-handed as soon as possible, he couldn't afford to worry about that!