Deep beneath Konoha—in a cold, lightless chamber where the sun had never touched—a line of masked shinobi knelt silently, their heads bowed, breathing shallowly. This was the Root Headquarters, the most secretive division of the Leaf's ANBU network—the dark underside of the village, commanded by one man alone: Shimura Danzo.
The walls here were carved stone, covered in talismans that muffled sound and chakra. Every step echoed like thunder, every breath felt heavy. At the far end of the chamber, Danzo stood with his back to them, his one visible eye cold and sharp as a blade. The faint light of torches glimmered off the steel frame of his cane.
He spoke without turning. "So, you've seen him, haven't you? "
The masked shinobi at the front bowed even lower. "Yes, Lord Danzo. We've been observing Uzumaki Naruto per your command. "
Danzo's voice was calm, but it carried a weight that made the air feel suffocating. "Report. "
The ANBU hesitated for only a heartbeat. "The boy's growth rate is… unnatural. His chakra refinement is already beyond genin level. And his control—completely stable. "
Danzo turned slowly. His gaze was ice. "Continue. "
"He trains alone at night, without supervision or instruction. His taijutsu has improved rapidly. Even Uchiha Sasuke was defeated in a public sparring match. "
Danzo's fingers tapped the head of his cane rhythmically. The sound echoed softly—a steady, dangerous heartbeat in the silence.
"So… the jinchūriki is evolving. " His tone was thoughtful, but beneath it was unmistakable irritation.
He dismissed the ANBU with a flick of his hand. The masked figures vanished instantly into the shadows, leaving only the faint rustle of air behind.
When the chamber was empty again, Danzo muttered under his breath. "Hiruzen… you sentimental fool. "
He limped toward the massive stone table at the center of the room, where several scrolls were neatly arranged. One of them was marked with a red wax seal—the Hokage's crest.
He broke it open and read the contents carefully. It was the latest intelligence report from one of his spies—detailing Naruto's recent chakra performance in the Academy.
The more he read, the deeper the frown lines etched into his face. "So it's true. The boy's progress is accelerating exponentially. "
He rolled up the scroll slowly, his mind already racing ahead. If Hiruzen refused to hand Naruto over, then Root would simply have to act in secret. He could not—would not—allow that kind of power to grow beyond his reach.
Danzo's eye glinted coldly as he pressed a seal on the wall. With a faint click, a hidden compartment opened—revealing a row of smaller scrolls, each labeled with a name. Among them were words like "Sai, " "Shin, " "Torune. " Each one represented a Root operative personally molded by him. Emotionless, obedient, his loyal blades in the dark.
He selected three scrolls and laid them on the table. The codenames read: Crow, Ghost, and Shade.
He unrolled the first and spoke quietly. "Crow—surveillance. Keep constant eyes on the boy. I want every detail—his routine, his contacts, his chakra fluctuations. "
The second scroll. "Ghost—interception. If the Hokage's ANBU attempt to obstruct us, erase them without leaving traces. "
The third. "Shade—observe from the shadows. Should the boy's power begin to grow out of control… terminate him. "
His voice was steady, without emotion. To him, this wasn't cruelty. It was duty.
"Root will do what the Hokage cannot, " he said softly. "The village must survive—no matter the cost. "
He pressed his hand to the table, channeling chakra into a sealing array etched into the surface. Instantly, three flickering silhouettes appeared before him—Root operatives kneeling in perfect unison.
"Your orders have been given, " Danzo said. "Execute in silence. "
The shadows bowed. "Yes, Lord Danzo. "
And then, in the blink of an eye, they melted into the darkness, vanishing like ghosts into the unseen corners of Konoha.
Danzo leaned back slightly, his lone eye reflecting the faint torchlight. He murmured to himself, "The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki cannot be allowed to remain free. The village must control the beast— or it will one day destroy us. "
His gaze hardened. "If that boy truly holds Minato's talent… then he must be shaped before it's too late. "
He turned away, his footsteps echoing softly as he disappeared deeper into the chamber. Behind him, the torches flickered, casting long, twisting shadows across the stone walls—like the reaching hands of something ancient and hungry.
At that very moment, Naruto was sitting cross-legged on the floor of his apartment, eyes closed, calmly refining chakra as usual. Unaware that, in the darkness beneath the village, a web of schemes had already begun to tighten around him.
But as if sensing something, he suddenly opened his eyes. A sharp gleam flashed in his gaze. His chakra flared briefly, then vanished without a trace—completely hidden.
He smiled faintly. "Spies, huh? "
He tilted his head slightly toward the window, where faint movement rustled in the distance. "Then let's see who catches who. "
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