The paths Orochimaru chose were rarely traveled, with even Konoha's patrols scarcely present. This peculiarity intrigued Itachi.
Orochimaru's skill in finding such routes made Itachi question his own familiarity with Konoha.
As the two ventured further into the wilderness, Orochimaru's pace began to slow.
Occasionally, rustling sounds of branches and leaves echoed from a distance.
These were the subtle movements of Root operatives.
However, the two masked their presence so well that the operatives didn't notice them.
"What are they planning? Why are they coming and going so frequently?"
Underneath a large tree, Itachi asked curiously.
"Root operates in even greater secrecy than the Anbu. Their actions are far more ruthless. The old man tolerated it. Danzo and Root became Konoha's sharpest sword, eliminating any threats inside and outside the village with a 'better safe than sorry' philosophy," Orochimaru replied, not directly answering Itachi's question but instead providing insight into Root's nature.
"After the Uchiha massacre, the old man ordered Danzo's dismissal as Hokage's advisor and disbanded Root. But even after its dissolution, many former Root members remained active in the Anbu, still loyal to Danzo…"
Itachi was about to ask more when Orochimaru continued sharing information.
His words left Itachi momentarily stunned, though they also sparked realization. Itachi recalled how, after his defection, Root hadn't made any moves against him. He now vaguely understood why Danzo hadn't acted.
"If Root was disbanded, why are they still operating here? Aren't they afraid of provoking Hiruzen Sarutobi's suspicion?"
After a moment of silence, Itachi voiced his confusion.
Since leaving Konoha, he had known very little about what had happened afterward.
His memories of that time were fragmented, with only vague recollections of major events.
"That, I don't know. I despise such scheming. Who knows what sinister plans they're brewing?" Orochimaru replied, sounding slightly annoyed by Itachi's question.
---
"We're here. It's your turn now, Itachi."
Orochimaru stopped behind a tree, pointing to a cave in the distance.
"Understood. Thank you, Orochimaru."
Hearing Orochimaru's words, Itachi revealed himself and walked boldly toward the cave.
He was wearing a Root uniform, complete with a mask that was even more ornate than the animal masks of the Anbu.
As Itachi entered the cave, he noted its dryness and lack of unpleasant odors—a stark contrast to typical caves.
As he delved deeper, he noticed torches lining the walls, illuminating the passage.
The setup exuded a faint air of desolation.
"Password?"
As Itachi walked further, a figure appeared before him.
Approaching closer, Itachi saw that this individual's mask was even more garish than his own—outright ugly.
The Root operative placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword behind his back, while his left hand extended in a stop signal.
"Your father?"
Itachi spoke suddenly as he approached, catching the operative off guard just as the man was about to draw his sword.
The unexpected comment made the operative pause, reflexively trying to recall the password.
In that split second, Itachi closed the gap, his right hand forming a knife-hand strike that landed on the operative's neck. He avoided using chakra to prevent alerting others nearby.
The unfortunate Root operative hadn't even activated his chakra before Itachi's powerful strike rendered him unconscious.
Itachi drew his sword, momentarily tempted to eliminate the operative, but reconsidered. The blood's scent would spread quickly in the cave, and Root operatives were highly sensitive to such traces.
After a brief moment, Itachi removed the unconscious operative's mask, tied him up securely, stuffed a dirty sock into his mouth, and hid him behind some rubble.
---
"Password!"
Imitating the operative's tone and stance, Itachi stood in the same spot as the unfortunate man.
"Danzo-sama, mighty and invincible…"
The next operative dutifully recited the so-called password. Itachi listened intently.
"Ugh, shameless," Itachi muttered under his breath, forgetting momentarily that he was now pretending to be one of them.
Before the useless man in front of him could resist, he was knocked unconscious by Itachi once again.
Before long, a new unlucky victim, tied up tightly like a bundle, was added to his side—a good friend.
Itachi's smelly sock was missing yet another one.
...
After obtaining the password, Itachi quickly moved forward, guided by the map Orochimaru had described in his mind.
He originally intended to create a shadow clone to continue gathering information. However, considering that using shadow clones would cause chakra fluctuations, Itachi thought for a moment and decided against it.
Instead, he simply quickened his pace.
As Itachi continued on his way, he noticed there were no additional checkpoints ahead.
On second thought, this was the headquarters of Root, right in the heart of Konoha. Who would dare to cause trouble in such a place?
That unlucky man earlier was probably just there for symbolic patrol purposes.
Still, his attitude toward his work seemed pretty serious, even though his skills left much to be desired.
"It's you? Why are you here again?"
When Itachi reached the front of a conference room and was wondering how to sneak in, one of the Root members guarding the door spoke up before Itachi could say a word.
Itachi froze in place. It seemed this mask of his had been seen quite often...
"I need to speak with Lord Danzo," Itachi said in a low voice, suppressing the thoughts swirling in his mind.
"Go ahead. Lord Danzo is about to rest, so don't take too long," the guard said as he stepped aside, signaling that Itachi could enter.
...
The whole process was ridiculously easy.
Itachi recalled Orochimaru's cunning demeanor, and a wave of mixed feelings surged in his mind.
Finally, he muttered silently to himself, *"Orochimaru, you're incredible."*
"That kid's voice has changed again. What's he up to this time...?"
As Itachi stepped into the room, he caught the guard's remark and couldn't help but think, *"What the hell..."*
"How has Orochimaru been lately? Did he send you to see me, or are you here to report back? Anything interesting happen?"
Just as Itachi closed the door and was filled with conflicting emotions, Danzo's calm yet condescending voice rang out.
Itachi: "???"
*"Why does it feel like everyone here knows me? What's the identity of the person who usually uses this mask?"*
Itachi silently cursed in his heart but didn't hesitate in his actions.
In an instant, his chakra and Mangekyo Sharingan powers surged forth.
Without any delay, he activated Kotoamatsukami.
When Danzo saw the masked man's sudden chakra outburst, he initially didn't react much. However, his expression quickly shifted.
"Who are you?"
Danzo roared as his chakra spiked, and the Mangekyo Sharingan beneath his bandages began to spin.
The eye responded instinctively to the intrusion of Itachi's ocular jutsu, acting to protect its host.
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