"Yato?"
Hearing the unfamiliar name, a big question mark popped up over the heads of Mitarashi Anko, Shiranui Genma, and Morino Ibiki.
The Hidden Leaf had a fair number of Jonin—hundreds, including Special Jonin—but the person chosen to oversee this high-stakes Chunin Exam had to be more than just a regular Jonin. They were likely an Elite Jonin at the very least!
Elite Jonin were usually battle-hardened veterans who'd clawed their way through mountains of corpses. There was no way they'd never heard of someone like that. Plus, the name "Yato" didn't sound like a proper name—it felt more like a codename.
Could it be a hidden master from the Anbu?
The three turned to Hiruzen Sarutobi, only to see the old man nod calmly, confirming Hikari's words were true.
"Never heard of this person. Where are we supposed to find them?" Anko asked, looking down at Hikari with curiosity flickering in her eyes.
She'd heard plenty about this legendary genius girl.
Elite Jonin was a dream Anko might never achieve in her lifetime, yet Hikari had reached that level as a first-year at the Ninja Academy.
That was five years ago. It was hard to imagine how strong Hikari was now.
And it wasn't just her record that was inhuman—her appearance was equally unreal.
It wasn't about her features being particularly striking, but rather an indescribable radiance.
With rosy lips, pearly teeth, and luminous skin, Hikari seemed to glow even in the shadows! It was hard to pinpoint what that glow was, but just seeing it brought an instinctive sense of comfort.
Facing Anko's slightly intense gaze, Hikari replied calmly, "You can find her at the Anbu Training Department."
She was used to those looks.
Ever since she began practicing the Reverse Eight Gates, the overflowing life force she couldn't fully absorb manifested outwardly. Though bound by her curse seal, it caused her entire body to emit a faint glow.
The light was dim, like a nearly dead flashlight, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.
Her Yang Release clone called it the "Light of Life," or rather, life radiation.
This light wasn't just visual. The plants in her home, the trees in the Forest of Death—all flourished under this radiation. Animals and birds were drawn to her, seemingly gaining some benefit from it.
Of course, most ended up drained of their life force, reduced to dust in the Forest of Death.
The Anbu Training Department?
That's Root!
The three were stunned, their minds flashing to those lifeless Root ninjas.
Anko's face darkened with a mix of disdain and anger. Genma's eyes showed wariness, as if recalling something unsettling. Ibiki, though shocked, maintained his usual stoic expression, seemingly unbothered by Root.
Their backgrounds weren't ordinary, so they'd all had some dealings with Root, a group most villagers hadn't even heard of.
As Orochimaru's direct disciple, Anko had faced plenty of "invitations" from Root after his defection.
Root's "invitations" were well-known to those in the know.
Threats, bribes, coercion, imprisonment, capture—they stopped at nothing. If not for Hiruzen's protection, Anko would've been dragged under Danzo's thumb long ago. Though she called the Third "old man" with a hint of disrespect, she deeply respected her grandmaster.
The nickname itself carried affection.
Genma, who seemed unremarkable, was no ordinary ninja either. As a former guard to the Fourth Hokage, he'd even inherited the Flying Thunder God technique, so he'd naturally heard of Root's notorious reputation.
Ibiki, the calmest, specialized in interrogation and torture, often working with Root ninjas. Their ruthless efficiency left him with a favorable impression of them.
Noticing their varied reactions, Hikari quietly noted their behaviors.
For the upcoming Chunin Exam, she'd be working with them as "Yato." Getting a read on their personalities now would make things smoother later.
Thinking of this, she glanced at the old man beside her.
Announcing her as the exam's overseer on behalf of the Hokage, with the proctors, instructors, and judges technically under her, all while participating in the exam herself?
She was practically unstoppable!
"Why Root of all places—" Anko started to question Hiruzen, but noticed he flinched, shaking his head quickly while glancing at the impassive girl beside him.
What's that about?
Anko blinked, wondering if the Third didn't want Hikari to know about Root.
Looking at the dazzling Hikari Tsukihi, she understood.
Root ninjas and Danzo were ruthless, unscrupulous villains who didn't belong in the sunlight. A genius girl like Hikari shouldn't be exposed to the village's darkness so soon.
"Got it—Lord Hokage, I'll take my leave!"
Fuming but unable to vent, Anko gave a curt nod, formed hand signs, and vanished in a puff of smoke. Genma, caught off-guard by her temper, looked awkward.
Unfazed by his grand-disciple's rudeness, Hiruzen, who knew everything, was at a loss for words. Glancing at the expressionless Hikari, he just hoped Anko wouldn't dig her own grave.
"You two—"
Trying to dismiss Genma and Ibiki, he faltered again, only managing a wave.
"Yes, sir!" 2
Catching his meaning, Ibiki and Genma bowed and left the office.
In an instant, the lively office fell silent.
"Anko… Orochimaru… she has a grudge with Root!" Patting Hikari's shoulder, Hiruzen stammered anxiously, his words disjointed.
"Whatever mess is between them has nothing to do with me!"
Hikari knew what Hiruzen was getting at and could guess Anko had been through hell with Root.
Honestly, it wasn't surprising.
When Root "invited" her, they'd used Chihaya as bait, sent twelve Jonin to ambush her, and Danzo had even hit her with Bietenshin right off the bat. That kind of "invitation" would piss anyone off!
Anko's attitude was already pretty restrained!
But Root was hers now, no longer the Root of old. She wasn't about to take the blame for Danzo's messes.
Debts should be settled with the one who caused them.
Anko, or anyone else, could take their grievances to Danzo. They'd better not come after her, Yato. If they tried pinning Danzo's filth on her, she'd just send them to the afterlife first and let them sort it out with Danzo later!
Hiruzen knew his disciple well—she wasn't one to take a loss. He silently worried for Anko.
"The Black Lightning Secret Technique is fully recorded in the Scroll of Seals. Teacher, I'm heading out!" Hikari didn't want to stay and play messenger. With Flying Thunder God in hand, she was eager to go.
"Alright—don't forget the mission."
Worried Hikari might get lost in her jutsu research, Hiruzen raised his voice.
The four Kage would soon arrive in the Leaf. If things went south and a fight broke out, he, as a single Kage-level ninja, couldn't possibly take on four. Even thirty years younger, he'd only manage to take down one or two at best.
With Danzo's defection leaving the Leaf shorthanded, he'd entrusted the Scroll of Seals to Hikari, hoping her growth would bolster the village's defenses.
"Got it~"
Stepping on the reinforced floor, Hikari left Hiruzen with a casual wave.
Watching her go, Hiruzen sighed, unsure if handing her the Scroll of Seals was right or wrong. He just hoped she wouldn't turn into another Orochimaru!
As he fretted, a faint conversation drifted from outside.
"Take care!"
"Thanks. Teacher's experimenting with jutsu, so his speech is a bit off. Go help him out."
Hearing Hikari's concerned words, Hiruzen smiled. Though she was obsessive about jutsu, she hadn't forgotten to respect her master—unlike his three other disciples.
His worries eased, and he shuffled toward the desk, where the Scroll of Seals now had an extra line.
But the conversation outside continued.
"Some things aren't my place to say. You should talk to Teacher. He's not young anymore—some habits need moderation. Medical ninjutsu isn't a cure-all—"
"What habits?"
"It's hard to say. Just tell him that. He'll get it—"
Hearing Hikari and Suzaku's exchange, Hiruzen's steps faltered, her hesitant tone freezing the smile on his face.
It hit him like a bolt:
Hikari, who usually posed as a blind girl, was a Hyuga. To navigate her surroundings without issue, her Byakugan's x-ray vision was always active!
Crack!
A sound like something shattering echoed in the void. Hiruzen clutched his chest, standing like a statue.
---
"Hmph, hmph, hmph—"
A magnetic, raspy male voice reverberated in a dark cave.
The tunnel, like a snake's belly, reeked of damp earth and mildew. Danzo, long accustomed to luxury, wrinkled his nose at the cold, wet air. But what he disliked more was the man's unrestrained mockery.
"Orochimaru!"
His angry voice echoed, shaking water droplets from the slick stone walls, sending them sliding down the steep grooves.
"Sorry, sorry!"
Orochimaru waved dismissively, barely containing his smirk as he faced Danzo's murderous glare.
It was just too ridiculous!
Danzo and Hiruzen had ruled the Leaf for nearly thirty years, with Root's elite under his command. Yet in his old age, his own disciple had usurped him, stripped him of everything, and forced him to flee through a tunnel like a stray dog. He was on the verge of becoming a Leaf rogue ninja, just like Orochimaru!
The thought nearly made Orochimaru lose it, but to avoid Danzo's wrath, he held back his laughter.
"So, you've lost everything in the Leaf?"
Orochimaru's words reopened the wound. Danzo's left hand clenched as if to grasp something, only to realize, with a pang, that he'd ditched his cumbersome cane during his escape.
"Everything's gone, including the ten pairs of Three-Tomoe Sharingan I promised you. I couldn't bring a single one." Danzo's voice was venomous.
Orochimaru, who'd been smirking at the drama, stopped cold. His golden snake eyes reflected Danzo's sturdy figure. "That's not what you said when you contacted me to team up against Hikari Tsukihi!"
"Hmph, hmph—"
It should've been Danzo's turn to laugh, but the loss of Root choked his mirth. "The deal still stands! If you kill Hikari Tsukihi and help me reclaim Root, you'll get every Sharingan I promised!"
"You're trying to make a deal with nothing?"
Orochimaru licked his cheek, not falling for Danzo's bluff.
Danzo had nothing left. Root was fully under Hikari's control. If Orochimaru killed her, everything in Root would be his. Danzo's words were empty promises.
Besides, the deal involved two tasks: killing Hikari and helping Danzo reclaim Root. If Hikari was truly branded a rogue ninja, the latter might be even harder.
Danzo wasn't just making a deal with nothing—he was raising the price!
Seeing Orochimaru's indifference, Danzo hid his urgency behind a stoic face.
That day in Root's basement, seeing Hikari in the lightning pool—her monstrous chakra, her body bathing in plasma, that inexplicable fear—everything told him he was likely no match for her.
Afterward, he noticed:
Root's ninjas watched his bandaged eye with suspicion, never leaving him alone with anyone.
Realizing something was wrong, he quickly used a summoned snake to contact Orochimaru, offering Sharingan in exchange for help eliminating Hikari, his greatest threat.
Orochimaru took three days to agree.
With that promise, after confirming even Ryoma had betrayed him, Danzo fled the Leaf for the Land of Rice Fields to meet Orochimaru.
"I'll double the Sharingan—"
"I don't have time for empty promises. Show some real sincerity, or get ready to live as a rogue ninja forever!"
Orochimaru had no patience for Danzo's nonsense. What good were empty checks?
The word "rogue ninja" made Danzo's veins bulge. Unable to contain his rage, his chakra surged into the four-pointed pinwheel in his left eye.
Genjutsu: Bietenshin!
An invisible Yin Release light pierced his bandages. Orochimaru, arms crossed with impatience, froze. His golden slit pupils turned black and red.
In his pupils, a four-pointed pinwheel spun slowly!
"I'll say it one last time: double the Sharingan, and you kill Hikari Tsukihi!" Danzo commanded, his Mangekyo spinning wildly.