I didn't sleep the night I slipped into Root's nest.
Not because I couldn't—my demon body never tired easily. But because the scrolls and reports I'd taken pulsed in my mind like venom. They weren't just lists of dirty deeds; they were a map of Danzo's greed, every thread of control he had woven into Konoha. Children stripped from families, secret experiments, forbidden jutsu… if the village knew half of this, they'd burn Root to the ground themselves.
I waited. Patient, deliberate.
By the time I entered Danzo's private chamber, he already knew. He was a rat, but a clever one. His eye watched me with that same cold calculation, as though weighing whether to strike or listen.
"You walk dangerous paths, girl," he said. "The Hokage tolerates your existence. I do not."
I smiled faintly and set a single scroll on the table. Not the whole collection—just enough to prove I wasn't bluffing. A record of a child "recruited" into Root who was listed as dead in the official census.
Danzo's cane tapped once. A twitch, a giveaway.
"You see the problem, don't you?" I asked sweetly. "This child is still alive. Serving in your tunnels. What do you think Hiruzen would say if I left this on his desk?"
"You presume to threaten me?"
"No." I leaned closer, eyes gleaming in the torchlight. "I'm offering you survival. Play by my rules, and I won't gut your little empire. Push me… and you'll never crawl out of the pit I bury you in."
The silence between us could've frozen fire. For a heartbeat, I thought he'd order Root to swarm me then and there. But Danzo was too careful, too patient.
At last, he exhaled, his voice low and grudging. "You think you have power because of stolen paper. Power is in obedience, in loyalty. Not ink."
"Maybe." I picked the scroll back up, slipping it into my sleeve. "But even the strongest shadows scatter in the right light. Don't test how bright mine can shine."
I left before he could answer, cloak swaying. I didn't need to win outright. Not yet. The important part was that Danzo now knew—I could touch his throne whenever I wanted.
When I returned home, Naruto was sprawled across his futon like a starfish, snoring lightly.
He stirred when I tucked the blanket tighter around him, mumbling, "Akari… don't let the ramen run away…"
I laughed softly, brushing his messy hair back. "Sleep easy, Naruto. You've got me."
Danzo thought he could pull strings. He didn't realize he'd just been woven into mine.