Deep in the forest behind Konoha, at the Root base, in Danzō's office.
Danzō sat straight-backed in the chair behind his desk—identical in style to the Hokage's seat. In the dim room, only a small orange lamp burned; half his face lay in light, half in shadow.
Before the desk, a Root operative in mask and uniform knelt on one knee.
"Nono, you did well on your mission. Remove your mask and rise," Danzō said lightly.
"Yes, Lord Danzō."
Nono stood and took off her mask, revealing a face gentle yet pure, with short, wheat-colored hair.
"I have another assignment for you."
Nono's expression changed. "Haven't I been a spy for enough years?"
"Have someone else do it."
Danzō's tone was mild but brooked no refusal. "This task can only be done by you. No one else can complete it."
Nono said nothing, but her face showed clear displeasure.
"This is the last one. Finish it and you're free. The orphanage stipends will arrive every month on time."
Knowing Danzō's ways, Nono understood that if she kept pushing back now, it would end badly.
"Are you certain this is the last?" Nono asked, solemn.
"Mn. Certain." Danzō nodded, face severe.
"Please instruct me, Lord Danzō." Nono dropped to one knee.
"Rest easy. No running all over, and it carries very little danger. You can do it right here in the village."
The more you say that, the less at ease I feel.
"I want you to get close to Kageyama Kogetsu. Find a way to become his woman. Use every means to influence him and, in the end, make him serve me."
A thunderclap seemed to go off in Nono's skull, leaving her scorched inside and out.
The final assignment was this?
Gathering intelligence was one thing—now she had to sell herself?
As one of the top kunoichi spies in Konoha—and the whole shinobi world—she had, at times, faced missions where a honey trap was required.
But with the right lines, a carefully crafted background, and a meticulous exit plan, she had, to this day, at worst let someone cop a small feel.
Most of the time, those targets couldn't even touch her hand. And now she had to give herself?
Though the man in question was one of Konoha's premier young talents, a rising star, she still balked.
And if she was exposed as a spy, she didn't dare imagine the consequences.
From what she knew, the famed Nightfiend, the Shadow Huntsman, was no easy man—ruthless to the core.
If someone like that discovered she was a spy, he'd kill her, and that would be that.
Spy or not, if she died, who would speak for her?
Likely no one. Their importance to Konoha was worlds apart.
Seeing Nono silent for too long, Danzō's face darkened. "What, you refuse?"
"Forgive me, Lord Danzō. I can't fulfill this assignment. Please choose someone else." Nono looked up, pleading.
"No kunoichi in Root is more suitable than you."
"If you refuse, I can't guarantee the orphanage funds going forward."
"And that boy Yakushi Kabuto is still out on assignment, isn't he? Don't you care about his safety?"
Danzō smiled coldly, every word a knife, his vicious features the very picture of a villain.
Nono's face changed. She held it in and held it in, but her anger finally burst.
"Don't you think your methods are too base and dark?"
"For shame, a member of Root—have you forgotten Root's code?"
"Everything I do is for Konoha. You simply don't know my follow-up plan."
"I'll make it plain: you will go."
"Otherwise, beyond what I've said already, your own life won't be safe. The orphanage might even catch fire by accident."
"Saves money, and spares us raising useless trash."
Nono stumbled and sat down hard. After a long moment, she rasped, "I… will go."
However terrifying that man might be, he was not as terrifying as the Danzō before her.
If exposed, at worst she alone would die. At least Kabuto and the orphanage would remain unharmed.
Danzō's face shifted in an instant; the viciousness gave way to a thin smile. "That's better."
In truth, sending Nono straight to Kageyama Kogetsu would be the most direct way to curry favor. But he couldn't do that.
He wanted to recruit Kageyama and bend him to his use; sending a woman outright would look like fawning.
He was the Hokage's advisor—did he not need his dignity?
He didn't fawn even on the Hokage. There was no one in this world worthy of his fawning.
"How am I to approach the target? Without the right opening, it's too easy to arouse suspicion." Having accepted the assignment, Nono shifted quickly into problem-solving.
"Don't worry about that. The Third Squad under him lost people in the war and hasn't been refilled."
"I'll have you transferred into ANBU's Third Squad. I've already greased all the wheels." Danzō waved, full of confidence.
To persuade Sarutobi Kyōko, the ANBU deputy commander, he'd paid out no small benefits to her and her family.
With the Hokage's daughter-in-law pulling the strings, it wouldn't alert ANBU Commander Sarutobi Shinnosuke or the Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Then I'll rely on your arrangements, Lord Danzō."
"To complete this mission, I have one request. Please remove my worries." Nono stood, face resolute.
Danzō frowned. "Speak."
"Please transfer Kabuto out of the Intelligence Division. Let him become an ordinary shinobi."
"Fine." Danzō considered, then agreed.
Whether he was "ordinary" or not didn't matter. As long as Kabuto lived, Danzō could use him to keep Nono in hand.
And there were other levers besides Kabuto. No need to be overly harsh—mission first.
"Thank you, Lord Danzō. I'll take my leave."
"Go, and think hard on how to finish this quickly."
"Yes."
Nono donned her Root mask, turned, and pulled open the door to leave.
...
Two mornings later, Kageyama Kogetsu reported in at the ANBU base.
As a squad captain, he had a small office there, mainly to assign and verify missions.
Routine assignments rarely fell to captains themselves; as Konoha's ANBU ace, Kageyama Kogetsu took on the highest-difficulty S-rank jobs.
Those were scarce, so compared to before, he now spent less time away and more time in Konoha.
Knock knock.
"Captain, the newcomer's here." Eagle of the Nara clan—now promoted to team leader—knocked and announced.
Alongside Eagle, Wolf of the Aburame clan had been promoted as well.
Only Snake of the Inuzuka hadn't yet—not for lack of merit, but because there was no opening, so he had to wait.
ANBU squads generally promote internally; barring special cases, transfers are rare.
Konoha's ANBU were now formidable and renowned. Besides Kageyama Kogetsu, Kakashi and Uchiha Shisui were also outstanding.
"Come in."
Click—the door opened. Without an ANBU mask, clad in a black fitted suit with a white harness vest, Nono bowed.
"Yakushi Nono, codename White Fox, paying respects to the captain."
Kageyama Kogetsu looked up, raised a brow, and felt a stir.
Why is she in ANBU?
Does Danzō intend to plant a spy in ANBU—and at my side?
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