"Senpai… what's going on?"
Ren looked genuinely confused, but the Third Hokage's orders weren't something he could ignore. The moment he finished assembling, he leaned closer and asked Yugao in a low voice.
Truthfully, he already had a suspicion. If he counted the timing, this was most likely that incident—
Kinoe becoming Tenzo.
Still, knowing the details never hurt.
"According to Kakashi-senpai's report," Yugao said without any guard up at all, "Root has a shinobi who's suspected of using Wood Release. He tried to assassinate Kakashi-senpai."
Yugao didn't know much about Root or Danzō. After the earlier debrief, she'd planned to go home and prepare for tonight's celebration—only to run into Kakashi by chance.
She noticed he was injured and tried to drag him to get treated.
Instead, the two of them ended up going straight to the Third Hokage… and got assigned a mission on the spot.
"Hokage-sama wants Lord Danzō to meet him," Yugao continued. "And he sent someone to find you, since you trained there before and you know the layout better."
She hesitated, then added,
"But Kakashi-senpai didn't want to wait. He went ahead alone."
Yep. Exactly.
Ren nodded slightly.
Before they left for the Land of Wind, Hiruzen had mentioned Kakashi handling something related to Orochimaru. Ren had already suspected this chain of events.
Even after all his chaos, the incident still arrived right on schedule.
Then a thought clicked—
Ren's interest spiked.
"Wait… I remember Kakashi's negotiations with Root didn't go well last time."
That made this a rare opportunity.
A very rare opportunity.
"We need to move," Ren said immediately. "Hokage-sama is gathering others—we should reinforce Kakashi-senpai first!"
Yugao didn't know what lit Ren up so suddenly, but she grabbed his hand and sprinted forward—still unable to hold back her curiosity.
"And Root… what kind of place is it really?"
"Root…"
Ren subconsciously tightened his grip on her hand, his mind flashing an entirely unhelpful thought—smooth—before he shook it off and answered.
"It's the training base for ANBU's elite."
Then his tone darkened.
"But it's also a terrible place."
"The strictest control. The cruelest training. The bloodiest missions."
"If Kakashi-senpai went alone… he'll have trouble. Even if he has Hokage-sama's written order."
Yugao's eyes widened.
"Konoha has a place that isn't under Hokage-sama's authority?"
Ren shrugged.
"Who knows."
He didn't say the rest out loud.
Danzō literally tried to assassinate Hiruzen once and still got away with it.
And lately, Danzō had been quieter only because Nagato's rampage had gutted Root once—he'd been forced into "good behavior."
If it were the old days, Danzō might not have even pretended to respect Hiruzen at all.
Ren's interface flashed.
[New Mission Acquired: Reinforce Kakashi]
Ren's mood improved instantly.
He tightened his hold on Yugao's hand even more.
"Let's speed up. Kakashi-senpai might clash with them. Be ready for combat at any moment."
"…Mm!"
Yugao nodded seriously.
But her eyes flicked down at their joined hands.
Is he… holding too tight?
—
Root Headquarters.
Danzō stared at Kakashi—who was standing in front of him with "Kinoe" at his side, having already rescued him—and Danzō's eyes were burning with hatred.
"Kakashi. I didn't expect you'd dare come here on your own."
After Ren left earlier, Danzō had gone to handle Kinoe's situation.
Wood Release.
A boy with that power developing a sense of self—
Danzō couldn't tolerate it.
And yet, he never imagined Kakashi would show up with Hiruzen's written order.
Not only that—
He was clearly here to take Kinoe away.
Danzō already loathed Kakashi. Back when he tried to assassinate Hiruzen, this man had ruined him at the worst possible moment.
And now this same Kakashi dared to walk into Root alone—
To "kidnap" his most valuable subordinate?
Old grudges and new rage piled together until Danzō's restraint snapped.
"You trespass into Root territory and attempt to take Root's shinobi," Danzō snarled. "Don't think I'll let you walk out."
Kakashi's visible eye narrowed.
He scanned the surroundings—and his expression grew heavier.
Root operatives had surrounded them completely.
Weapons drawn.
The moment Danzō gave the word, they would strike.
"Lord Danzō, Kakashi—he—"
Kinoe started to speak, alarmed, but Danzō cut him off harshly.
"Shut up. You won't get off lightly either."
Then Danzō lifted his hand—
and flicked it down.
The command was clear.
He didn't want to drag this out. He knew Kakashi's document was real.
And he didn't know when Hiruzen would arrive.
Better to end it now.
If he moved fast enough, maybe he could even keep Kakashi's Sharingan.
"Be careful," Kakashi warned Kinoe immediately, shifting into a combat stance.
But then—
he froze.
And looked up.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!"
A violent burst of Wind Release detonated from the upper level of the Root complex.
In the blink of an eye, several Root operatives were smashed to the ground.
"What?! Who is it?!"
Danzō's heart jumped.
He was worried it might be his old friend arriving—though he'd rather die than call him "Hokage-sama."
But the instant he looked up—
Danzō nearly exploded.
Even behind a mask—
That was unmistakably Ren.
Danzō's brain went white.
So you've flipped the world upside down now?
You're attacking Root?!
Ren didn't bother explaining anything.
He moved like lightning, dragging Yugao with him as he cut down Root operatives along the way—closing in on Kakashi's position in a straight line.
LV7 physical attributes and chakra gave him a combat sensation he'd never experienced before.
And the timing was perfect.
Most Root operatives had their attention locked on Kakashi and Kinoe.
Nobody expected an assault from behind.
So Ren looked like a war god ripping through their formation.
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
A punch. A kick. A smooth dodge. A counter.
Flowing, effortless—
and it made Danzō's fury boil over.
"Kill them!"
Danzō roared.
Only then did Root split off part of their forces and rush toward Ren.
Ren's hands flashed through seals—quick enough to look almost lazy.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
The ground turned into a sucking mire.
Several Root operatives didn't even have time to react before they were swallowed into the mud.
But many reacted fast—leaping away.
A storm of ninjutsu and ninja tools erupted toward Ren and Yugao all at once.
Ren blurred aside, avoiding a technique by a hair—
then reached for Yugao.
"Senpai—lend me your blade."
He snatched her ninjatō mid-motion, and as he swung, he muttered under his breath—
Cling—
Cling—
Cling—
The sword drew dazzling arcs through the air.
Metal shrieked as kunai and senbon were knocked aside—most of the barrage intercepted cleanly.
And in that opening—
Ren and Yugao arrived beside Kakashi and Kinoe.
"…Damn it."
Danzō's fist clenched so hard his knuckles cracked.
He couldn't understand what Ren was doing.
But rage had already drowned logic.
"Fine. Fine!"
His voice dropped into something ugly.
Then he barked the order like a death sentence:
"In that case… you'll all stay here."
"Who are you planning to 'keep' here, Danzō?"
A new voice cut through the chaos.
Danzō's body stiffened.
Slowly, he looked up.
The entire upper level of the Root complex—
was surrounded.
ANBU.
And in their center stood Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The sight hit Danzō like ice water dumped over his head.
His blood went cold.
…This is real.
They're actually… attacking Root?
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