Konoha – Root Headquarters
At Root's base, Danzo picked up a scroll from his desk—it was part of his daily routine: monitor the Uchiha clan's every move.
"What is Tsunade up to this time?"
He put the scroll down, face darkening.
Ever since Tsunade came back to the village, the Uchiha had calmed down noticeably. That was a problem for Root—less conflict meant fewer opportunities to act against them.
And Tsunade had been in the village for too long. That made Danzo uneasy.
"She couldn't actually be aiming for the Hokage seat… could she?"
His fist clenched.
Back when the Fourth Hokage, Minato, died during the Nine-Tails incident, Hiruzen stepped back in just to keep the village from falling apart. Everyone knew he was a temporary solution—too old to keep going much longer.
Now, there were only three serious contenders for Fifth Hokage: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and himself.
Danzo had always figured the position was his. Tsunade and Jiraiya had been gone for years—neither seemed to care about politics.
But Hiruzen refused him every time.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen…"
Just saying it made him feel a bit better.
If Hiruzen wouldn't give him the seat, he'd just outlive him.
But Tsunade's return was messing everything up.
He had to admit, if she really wanted the title, she had him beat in every way. He couldn't win against her in a popularity contest.
Thankfully, since returning, she hadn't done anything. She looked totally uninterested in power.
Danzo allowed himself a little relief—until a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
A Root ninja entered and kneeled.
"Danzō-sama, Anbu recently accessed Yakushi Kabuto's file."
Danzo frowned. "Any idea why Hiruzen wanted it?"
Only the Hokage could order Anbu around. He naturally assumed it was Hiruzen's doing.
"It wasn't the Hokage. It was Tsunade-sama."
The Root ninja continued, "Anbu followed her orders."
"What did you just say?"
Danzo shot to his feet. That sinking feeling in his gut was back.
He'd just been relieved that Tsunade wasn't doing anything—and now she was commanding Anbu?
Was she about to be named Hokage?
"Hiruzen granted her temporary authority over the Anbu," the ninja added.
"Temporary?" Danzo echoed, trying to stay calm.
Even so, this was bad.
He knew Hiruzen. Giving Tsunade temporary control over Anbu was a big, flashing sign.
Even if Tsunade wasn't aiming for the seat, everyone else would think she was.
"So much for loyalty, Hiruzen…"
Danzo slammed his fist into his desk. CRACK—the thing split clean in half.
"Damn it…"
If only he'd beaten Hiruzen to the seat all those years ago.
He waited through Minato's sudden death, thinking the path was finally open again—now Tsunade was back, throwing it all off.
"What's she digging into Kabuto for anyway?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes.
"Could it be… Yakushi Nono?"
That would make sense. Kabuto was Nonō's foster son, and lately Nonō had been seen with Tsunade more and more.
Plus, just last week, Root had given Nonō a mission to the Land of Earth. By now, she should've been on the road.
"Get Yakushi Nono in here. And keep tabs on Anbu—see if anyone leaves the village."
"Yes, sir."
Once the ninja left, Danzo gritted his teeth, stroking his right eye.
"Tsunade… don't push your luck. That Hokage seat belongs to me."
Everyone thought his right eye was blind. Truth was, he'd implanted Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan.
His dojutsu—Kotoamatsukami—could rewrite a person's will without them ever noticing.
But he'd never used it.
Not because he was merciful—but because if the Uchiha figured it out, they could blow everything up. And even if the other clans didn't trust the Uchiha, they didn't exactly trust him either.
Danzo didn't care. He never wanted to be a hero.
He was the root in the shadows.
The ninja returned.
"Nonō has already been taken by Tsunade. We couldn't intercept her."
"Damn it, Tsunade!" Danzo's face twisted in rage. "You really are trying to go against me!"
His killing intent flooded the room.
"Kill Yakushi Kabuto. If she wants him, she's not getting him."
"Yes, sir."
There wasn't a second of hesitation. Root had been brainwashed to put Danzo above even the village.
"Wait," Danzo added. "Root can't do it directly. Leak Kabuto's location to Iwagakure."
Tsunade would surely send someone to extract Kabuto.
Root vs. Anbu? Too risky. Even if Root won, casualties could mean memory probes by the Yamanaka clan.
And Hiruzen wasn't his ally anymore—not with Tsunade in his ear.
There was no time to contact Orochimaru like in the original timeline. That ship had sailed.
"Understood."
The ninja left.
And as the door closed behind him—
"Hiruzen! Tsunade!"
Danzo's fury exploded inside the empty office.
…
Nightfall – On the Road
Kitazawa and Kakashi had been traveling non-stop. They finally took a break.
Even though time was tight—they were racing Root—rest was necessary.
Kakashi looked pale. Keeping the Sharingan active all day had drained him badly.
"No fires," he reminded. "We're close to the Land of Earth. Iwa shinobi could be anywhere."
"I know." Kitazawa was already setting up camp. "Did you bring any food?"
"Rice balls and sushi."
"Want some snacks? I got chips, lollipops, cookies."
"…Why are you carrying snacks?"
"For my students," Kitazawa laughed. "I teach at the Academy, remember?"
"…?" Kakashi stared at him, then said flatly, "I don't eat junk food."
"Suit yourself. Tent's ready."
Kitazawa walked inside.
"You're a teacher. Why are you even on this kind of mission?"
"Because of the guy we're meeting—Yakushi Kabuto. He's Root. Also, the adopted son of Yakushi Nono."
Kitazawa gave him the full backstory.
"I see," Kakashi nodded. "Still—medical ninja like you shouldn't be on the field."
Kitazawa had a reason. Nonō had once saved his life—and taught him medical ninjutsu.
"You know who taught me medical ninjutsu? Tsunade," Kitazawa grinned. "Think I'm just some average medic?"
That gave Kakashi pause, but he still wasn't totally convinced.
"You really not gonna eat?" Kitazawa offered him a bag of chips.
"…Thanks."
Kakashi hesitated, then took it.
"No problem. We're teammates now."
After dinner, they agreed to alternate shifts on night watch.
…
Day Three – Near Iwagakure
They reached the last town near the village.
"You stay," Kakashi said. "I'll go in alone."
"You think Kabuto will just listen to you?" Kitazawa challenged.
"Fewer people, less chance we're caught. Once I explain, he'll understand."
"He's Root. You're Anbu. This is about Nonō. He's not gonna buy it that easily."
Kitazawa smirked. "If you won't trust me, trust Tsunade-sama. I'm not weak."
Kakashi hesitated.
"The war's been over for years. Iwa won't be hyper-vigilant."
Kitazawa laid out his plan. "We sneak in with a merchant caravan."
The great villages all had detection barriers, but not at their gates.
"…Fine," Kakashi nodded. "I trust Tsunade."
They found a caravan, knocked out two travelers, transformed, and joined the line.
At the gate, they were only registered—no deep checks. Peacetime security was lax.
Kitazawa recalled a character from the original timeline: Karin, also called Ailí. She infiltrated Konoha as a singer and had a thing for Kakashi.
She could even perform hand signs with her eyes.
Once inside, the two quietly slipped away from the caravan.
"We have to move fast," Kakashi said. "Before they realize two people are missing."
"This way."
Kitazawa led the way.
Kabuto had entered Iwagakure as a spy. Root had planted him as an official Iwa ninja.
The scroll from Tsunade even included a map of where he was living.
"That's the one—two-story wooden house."
"Hold up," Kakashi said, forming hand seals. "No jonin in the area."
"Good. Let's knock."
A pale-skinned boy with white hair opened the door. It was Kabuto.
He hadn't even bothered with a disguise.
Root had raised him as a spy since childhood—hardly anyone in Konoha even knew what he looked like.
"Who are you?"
"We're from Konoha. Tsunade-sama and Nonō sent us to bring you back," Kitazawa said quickly.
Kabuto froze.
"We don't have much time. Root might already be moving."
"…Why should I believe you?"
Kabuto was skeptical. If this was a test from Danzo, and he failed, he'd be dead.
"Your name and glasses—gifts from Nonō," Kitazawa added. "Still don't trust us? Leave a shadow clone behind. If we're lying, someone will try to kill you within half an hour."
Kabuto's expression changed.
Only a handful of people knew the truth behind those glasses.
"…Fine."
He formed a shadow clone.
"Let's move," Kakashi urged. "Before Iwa locks down."
They hadn't gone far when Kabuto stumbled.
"Your clone got taken out?" Kitazawa asked.
"Yeah," Kabuto replied. "But it wasn't Root. It was Iwa shinobi."
"Danzo sold you out," Kitazawa said flatly. "He leaked your location."
"How many are coming?" Kakashi asked.
"Three jonin, three chunin," Kabuto frowned.
"…Not ideal," Kakashi muttered. Neither Kitazawa nor Kabuto could go 1v2 against jonin.
"We got a head start. If we're lucky, they won't catch up."
Kitazawa didn't seem too concerned.
"It's not that easy," Kakashi shook his head. "All major villages have elite trackers."
He bit his thumb, slammed his hand down—poof!
A ninja dog appeared.
"Pakkun, lead the way. Let us know if enemies are close."
"Got it."
Pakkun sprinted ahead.
Kitazawa watched him curiously. Pakkun had been in all sorts of missions in the original timeline: tracking Gaara, Zabuza, Sasori, Sasuke…
He even once told Sakura that her shampoo smelled the same as his fur—but his was still softer.
They moved quickly toward the Fire–Earth border.
Thanks to Pakkun's sharp nose, they avoided battle the entire way—until the last stretch.
Suddenly, the ground split open.
A forest of mud spears shot up toward them.
"Earth-style ninja," Pakkun barked. "He's underground—I didn't catch his scent!"
Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!
Kakashi slammed his hands together. A thick wall shot up, decorated with three stone dog heads.
The spears crashed into it—some embedded deep, others cracked the surface.
Fire Style: Great Fireball!
Kitazawa leapt onto the wall and unleashed a massive fireball.
The heat twisted the air. BOOM! The ground erupted in flames, blackened.
But the enemy dodged in time.
Then—whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—kunai filled the air.
Five more Iwa ninja dropped in, surrounding them.
Kakashi's face darkened.
"This just got complicated."
~~~
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