Tatsuma and the rest of Root's ANBU team arrived at the hidden underground bunker after his failed mission. Tatsuma despised reporting failed missions. He stood before Danzo, who, with an almost imperceptible narrowing of his visible eye, immediately sensed something was amiss.
"We failed," Tatsuma stated, his voice devoid of inflection, a flat declaration that hung heavy in the air.
Danzo's eye narrowed further, a flicker of cold displeasure radiating from him. "Failed? You had your squad and the Jisatsu squad, both trying to eliminate him, and you still failed… Explain yourself, Tatsuma."
Tatsuma proceeded to detail the harrowing accounts of Ryu's battle against the Jisatsu Squad, "The boy displayed mastery over high-level lightning ninjutsu, far beyond his age. He used Earth Ninjutsu with surprising proficiency, creating defensive barriers and manipulating terrain. His fuinjutsu, particularly on those strange cards, was of an exceptionally high level, allowing for rapid deployment and unexpected effects. He even demonstrated a high-level healing ninjutsu, seemingly fuelled by his fuinjutsu, capable of regenerating grievous wounds in moments."
Tatsuma continued, "His taijutsu was far superior to what any academy student should possess, allowing him to contend with multiple opponents simultaneously. I doubt he was using Senju Taijutsu. And his kenjutsu was also unique."
Tatsuma then delivered the most unsettling part of his report, the part that defied logic. "He also spoke to Fuu through the bird Fuu was possessing. Tell him... that he survived."
Danzo listened, his expression unchanging, a mask of impassivity, but a cold, analytical gleam entered his eye.
"Reports from the Academy show no mention of him using earth ninjutsu, fuinjutsu, or kenjutsu. They indicate he achieved first position in the academy rankings for 1st year while holding back considerably," Danzo stated, recalling the conflicting information.
"It appears so, Danzo-sensei," Tatsuma confirmed, a hint of grudging admiration in his tone. "His true capabilities are far beyond what he has publicly revealed."
Tatsuma, despite the mission's failure, felt a strange, almost reluctant respect for the boy. "Such raw talent… "
"Sensei," Tatsuma began, his voice taking on a rare, persuasive tone, a calculated risk, "this boy… He possesses potential unlike any I have ever witnessed. I suggest we recruit him. His abilities would be an invaluable asset to Root."
Danzo remained emotionless, his single visible eye closing slowly, then reopening. "That is not possible, Tatsuma, not as long as his grandfather is alive." The unspoken history between Danzo and the Hamura clan hung in the air, a long-standing political and ideological chasm that would not easily be bridged.
"For now," Danzo continued, his voice dropping to a low, strategic hum, "keep a low profile. Let the dust settle. He will have tight security for the coming year. We will try again after some time; I have the perfect person for this job. The Cloud village is also wary of this boy now; they will undoubtedly attempt to eliminate him again. Let them try. If they succeed, it's fine with us; if not, let them expend their resources."
After some hours, the news reached the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, through Pakkun, Kakashi's swift ninken. Hiruzen sat in his office, the scroll clutched in his hand, his usual calm demeanour replaced by a deep frown. "An attack on a child like this is unacceptable."
Hiruzen slammed a fist lightly on his desk, the sound barely audible in the quiet room. "He's just a kid, not even a real ninja yet," he muttered to himself, his frustration evident, a grim line forming on his lips. "Without concrete evidence, I can't even directly accuse the Cloud. Perhaps Ikkyu and Azuma can do something about this by filing a formal complaint with Lightning Daimyo. Ryu was there for a certain sort of diplomatic mission anyway."
With a heavy sigh, Hiruzen deployed more ANBU units, their orders clear: protect Ryu Hamura at all costs. Meanwhile, a cold certainty settled in his gut. The letter from Kakashi mentioned a third party, an Aburame ninja. Hiruzen had a very strong guess as to who this might be. Danzo… it has to be him.
Later that day, Hiruzen entered the conference room at the Leaf Council's Headquarters. The other elders, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, sat with Danzo. They had all been called in advance.
Hiruzen wasted no time and began, his voice deceptively calm, a quiet storm brewing beneath the surface. "Ryu Hamura was attacked by the Jisatsu Squad."
The tension in the room was palpable after Hiruzen briefed them on the recent events in the Land of Rivers. Everyone's gaze settled on Danzo, whose face remained neutral, as always, on matters he deemed unimportant to him. It would have been far stranger, and indeed alarming, if Danzo had appeared concerned for Ryu.
The other elders exchanged subtle glances. "It must be him," they thought, a shared understanding passing between them. "He's somehow involved; otherwise, Hiruzen wouldn't be here, confronting us directly."
Danzo, without hesitation, immediately deflected responsibility onto the Jisatsu Squad, trying to distance himself from the failed mission. "This is bad news that they attacked our ninjas, but the Jisatsu Squad is an independent rogue group. We cannot do much more than to put bounties." His tone was dismissive, as if the matter held no personal consequence for him.
Hiruzen's eyes hardened as Danzo tried to avoid responsibility, a dangerous glint betraying his manipulation. He said to Danzo, his voice a low, dangerous rumble, "The Jisatsu Squad failed miserably. Only one ninja from their side survived, and he was able to escape. But my reports indicate a third party intervened. Some unknown ninja attacked Ryu and almost killed him when Ryu was in a bad spot, taking advantage of the chaos."
Hiruzen leaned forward, his voice dropping, though it carried clearly through the room, each word carefully chosen. "My ANBU tells me his chakra was similar to an Aburame. Tell me, Danzo, how is Tatsuma doing these days? Now that Orochimaru is gone, he must be your go-to ninja for… risky operations."
Danzo remained stoic, his single visible eye unblinking, his face a perfect mask. "Say what you want to say, Hiruzen."
"Very well. If you want to speak clearly, I will," Hiruzen continued, his voice laced with an icy edge, his patience clearly at an end. "Those ninjas you sent to sabotage the Yuki's experiments in the Leaf central hospital… you never found what happened to them, did you?"
Hiruzen paused, letting the implication hang in the air like a heavy shroud of suspicion, silently challenging Danzo to respond. "Let me tell you what happened to them."
Hiruzen asked, "Have you heard of Skin Beetles?"
Hiruzen paused for a moment, allowing the name to sink in, then continued, his voice growing colder, a chilling calm. "Tatsuma must have told you about them; he is an Aburame, after all; insects are their weapon of choice. There is a special, more dangerous breed of them called Kidaichu. They are specifically bred to multiply faster after getting a taste of enemy chakra and eat everything, including bone."
"Only a handful, just two or three of the Aburame clan, know how to breed and control these special insects," Hiruzen went on, his voice dropping to an almost conversational tone, yet far more menacing. "The Skin Beetles eat flesh, bones, and everything; these bugs are their secret ninjutsu. If you have enough of them, they could clean a corpse in minutes. Any other method of disposal will leave a trail, and burning will attract attention, but this method of corpse disposal is silent and efficient, and bones are harder to trace and easier to clean than flesh. Your Root needs lessons on body disposal, Danzo. I can arrange that. And if Tatsuma needs Skin Beetles, I can hook him up very closely."
That was a clear, undeniable threat, and everyone in the room understood it. Koharu and Homura were visibly surprised; such direct threats were not Hiruzen's usual style. This just tells them Hiruzen is angry this time. They reevaluated his relationship with Ryu, realising the depth of his concern.
Just then, an ANBU messenger arrived, appearing silently in the room. He whispered quickly in Hiruzen's ear, then vanished.
A flicker of relief crossed Hiruzen's face as he explained, "I just received word that Ryu is safe and out of danger. He is in a coma but stable."
Hiruzen looked directly at Danzo, his gaze piercing, a silent challenge. "Think about what I said, Danzo."
Hiruzen left them, the silence in the office heavy with unspoken tension, the air thick with unresolved conflict. As he walked, a new thought formed, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders. "How do I tell Dan about this?"
The news spread through the Leaf Village, eventually reaching others. Hiruzen, knowing he had to, shared the details with Dan and Yuki. Yuki, in turn, used her slug summon, Katsuyu, to relay the message to Tsunade, who was far away.
Katsuyu, calm as ever, relayed the rest of the message, "Ryu was attacked, Lady Tsunade. Doctors said he is in a coma, and they don't know when he will wake up."
Tsunade, receiving the report from Katsuyu, was beyond pissed. Her fists clenched.
"I knew he would be targeted one day, Lady Tsunade," Shizune said, her voice laced with concern. "But it was too soon. He's just a child!"
"Who was it?!" Tsunade demanded, her anger barely contained, her golden eyes blazing with an inferno.
"They were rogue Cloud ninjas, Lady Tsunade," Katsuyu replied.
"That bastard Raikage!" Tsunade snarled, her eyes blazing with an almost sinister light. "Shizune, pack our bags. We're leaving. Now."
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