It started small.
Naruto came home from the Academy one afternoon with a pout big enough to eclipse the sun. He slammed the door, kicked off his sandals, and stomped into the kitchen.
"Akari-nee! Some weird guys in masks tried talking to me on the way back!"
The blood in my veins went ice cold. "What kind of masks?"
He tilted his head, trying to remember. "Like… ANBU masks! But they didn't feel like ANBU. They asked if I wanted to 'see my parents again.'"
My nails dug into the wood of the table, leaving long grooves.
Root.
So Danzo finally moved from lurking to baiting.
"Listen to me carefully, Naruto." My voice came out sharper than I intended. He flinched, and I immediately softened, crouching down to meet his wide blue eyes. "If anyone—anyone—tries to lure you with Mama or Papa again, you run straight to me. Understand?"
He nodded, though his lips trembled. "B-but I wanted to say yes… I thought maybe—"
I pulled him into my arms, hugging tight. "I'll take you to them when the time is right. Not strangers. Only me. Promise?"
"…Promise."
That night, I didn't wait.
When Naruto finally drifted off, I slipped outside. The scent of damp wood and steel filled the air, and my Sharingan cut through the darkness. They were close—I could feel them slithering through the rooftops, watching for a chance.
I didn't give them one.
"Come out," I hissed into the night.
Two Root operatives materialized, masks blank, posture perfect. Their silence was heavier than words.
"You touched him." My tone dripped with venom. "That was your first mistake."
They didn't respond. One moved like a shadow, kunai flashing, while the other weaved signs. A simple test. They weren't here to kill me. They wanted to measure.
I let them.
For a moment.
Then I blurred forward, claws slicing through the kunai with a metallic shriek. My free hand snapped around the second operative's throat before his jutsu could finish. I leaned close, letting my eyes burn crimson.
"Tell Danzo…" My voice was low, almost a growl. "…the next time he touches Naruto, I'll eat his little army one by one. Slowly."
I dropped the operative, watching him vanish into the shadows with his partner. Neither attacked again.
Good. They'd gotten the message.
When I returned, Naruto stirred in his sleep, clutching my sleeve with tiny fingers. "Don't… take Mama and Papa away…" he mumbled, voice breaking in a dream.
I brushed his hair gently, whispering, "No one's taking them from you. Not while I breathe."
But even as I said it, my stomach twisted.
Because I knew Danzo wasn't done.
He'd only just started.