Few people know that underneath Konoha lie two vast underground bases.
One is situated beneath the Hokage Building, the other near the Hokage Rock, buried under the mountain and forest.
Both bases feature multiple entrances, allowing those within to move swiftly below ground and pop up anywhere around the village.
Of course, all these entrances are protected by seals and blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings. If you're not a member of Root or the Anbu, you won't find these entrances or break the seals.
Even if someone happens to stumble on one of these entry points, surveillance in the vicinity will catch it—and Anbu will show up to escort or chase them away. In serious cases, the intruder might end up branded with a special seal or have their memories forcibly read.
Both underground bases are also shrouded by barrier jutsu, making it impossible to spy on them—even with a Byakugan or typical sensory techniques. In short, they're some of the best-hidden places in the Leaf.
Yet to Izayoi's eyes, these illusions of concealment—secret entrances, seals, and the large-scale barrier covering each base—were meaningless. He appeared just a few meters away from a certain rock face on a mountainside. Glancing at a protruding stone above him, Izayoi used a burst of attractive force to pick up a pebble, then repulsive force to shoot it like a bullet.
The pebble shot out as a blur, smashing that protruding stone like an armor-piercing round and destroying the hidden surveillance device inside it. Instantly, the surveillance feed at the Root base displayed a blank screen.
Within Root's control room, a monitor went white. The nearest operative hurriedly reported to Danzo Shimura:
"Lord Danzo, the camera at Entrance A-3 was just destroyed. An intruder may have broken in."
Danzo sat in a stone chair, calmly opening his unbandaged left eye. "Anbu, perhaps?"
"Unclear. They didn't reveal themselves, but their methods don't match Anbu," the Root member responded.
"In that case, have Fū or Torune take care of him," Danzo began, sounding his usual dismissive tone. As he spoke, something seemed to cross his mind, and he abruptly changed plans: "If it turns out to be Anbu, then…actually, don't kill him. Capture him alive. He might become one of my subordinates."
Danzo clearly didn't regard this intruder as any threat. Given the current crisis, Konoha's sensory barrier even extended to the village gates.
Except for certain high-level personnel, nobody knew the exact rotation times of the sensor squads. Right now, the most "dangerous" person was Orochimaru, who was already engaging Hiruzen Sarutobi.
But Danzo, who held a hidden trump card in the form of Kotoamatsukami, wasn't even concerned about Orochimaru. As far as Danzo was concerned, nobody in Konoha could stand up to him. Anyone sneaking into Root's base in the midst of all this must be some weakling hoping to steal secrets under cover of the chaos.
The next moment, however, a telepathic message crackled in Danzo's mind, causing him to spring to his feet with a shocked expression.
"Lord Danzo, we've located the intruder—it's a member of the Akatsuki."
Yamanaka Fū's voice echoed in Danzo's head. Danzo's face darkened. "Akatsuki? Why are they here, of all times? Damn that Orochimaru…"
His first suspicion was not Itachi Uchiha, who was supposedly Konoha's hidden ally within the Akatsuki, but Orochimaru, who had once been part of the organization. In Danzo's mind, Itachi was loyal to Konoha as long as Sasuke Uchiha lived in the village; he wouldn't be gunning for Danzo. But just to be sure, Danzo asked, "Is it Uchiha Itachi?"
"No. The intruder's Yin-style chakra doesn't carry the Sharingan's aura. It's a man with orange hair, wearing an Akatsuki cloak, and sporting purple eyes with concentric rings," Yamanaka Fū replied.
Danzo's breathing grew ragged. "You're certain he has purple ripple-pattern eyes?"
Sensing Danzo's change of tone, Yamanaka Fū paused a few seconds before continuing, "Yes, sir. He has those purple ripple eyes… such tremendous ocular power! He's already noticed me and destroyed the surveillance cameras."
"Summon all squads—everyone is to come with me and take that bastard down!" Danzo roared. He leapt from the room, eyes gleaming with a feverish light. The Rinnegan! He recalled the "kid" from back then. If that brat had come right to his doorstep, so much the better. Danzo certainly wouldn't let him leave alive.
Informed by Yamanaka Fū's Mind-Body Transmission, the Root operatives who'd stayed behind rather than join the battle or help evacuate villagers all shot off toward Izayoi's position as flickers of black shadows. Izayoi saw them coming and gave a faint smile.
"Perfect. Now I can take all of you at once."
A moment later, several figures appeared behind him: the human puppets made from Kurosuki Raiga and the rest of the Kurosuki clan.
At a gesture from Izayoi, the shadow clone controlling them from the underground Naka River hideout directed those puppets to dash off in a certain direction.
Watching it all from afar, Ranmaru—tasked with concealing hundreds of puppets—turned to face Root's base, eyes glowing red. Izayoi himself strode calmly toward Danzo's location.
The underground complex was enormous, full of dimly lit older buildings left over from the Warring States Period—a perfect place to hide. Soon Izayoi found himself on a long stone bridge, when four synchronized voices echoed from all around.
"Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"
Four shimmering violet barriers shot up from either side of the bridge—front, back, top, and bottom. Instantly, numerous shapes emerged from the dark architecture, or half-lowered themselves from the cavernous ceiling, weaving seals in a chorus of shouted incantations:
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
"Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!"
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"
"Lightning Style: Thunderstorm!"
"Composite Jutsu: Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!"
A wide variety of advanced and formidable Five-Element ninjutsu—even some combining two elemental transformations—came raining down from above the unclosed top of the Four Violet Flames barrier. Simultaneously, the ground under Izayoi's feet churned into a swamp, seeking to trap him. Root meant to finish him fast with overwhelming force.
Under these tactics and teamwork, even an S-rank Akatsuki shinobi would feel the pressure—only a few of the very strongest might slip away unscathed. Ninja fights hinge on intel; lacking that, the best choice is saturation attacks.
Even the Five Kage, if they had no knowledge of the plan, would find it tough to escape a bombardment of high-level jutsu. Apart from Ōnoki, none of them could ignore that kind of covering fire so easily.
But Izayoi was no ordinary Kage-level fighter. Like Obito Uchiha wielding Kamui, he commanded a power that worked on a different set of rules.
Smiling faintly, he levitated off the ground, slipping free of the Swamp of the Underworld. Spreading his arms, he shouted, "Shinra Tensei!"
His chakra coalesced into pure repulsive force, forming a transparent green barrier around him. Then the barrier ruptured outward, unleashing a raging storm of invisible power. It was similar to a Wind Release, but far beyond in might—like an adult's palm swatting soap bubbles. Every jutsu raining down on him shattered instantly, bursting into harmless blasts of colored energy and fading away. The shockwaves then slammed into the four violet walls of the barrier.
The barrier bulged outward as if someone was inflating a balloon from inside. Yet after swelling for a moment, it returned to shape, unbroken. The leftover repulsive force wasn't quite enough to destroy a Four Violet Flames Formation, which could hold even a Kage-level captive.
"Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!"
In that moment of Izayoi hovering midair to use his repulsive blast, a voice called from somewhere in the shadows. A wave of invisible Yin-style chakra slipped past the barrier and invaded Izayoi's body.
~~~
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