Chapter 141: The Hokage and the Root; The Nine-Tails' Curiosity
The first member of the Root to shake Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand felt his entire
body go rigid.
By pure conditioned reflex, he barked, "It was no trouble! Everything for the
sake of the Leaf!"
His name was Ryūma Aburame, and he had served as Danzo's second-in-command for
years.
"No. It was a great deal of trouble," Hiruzen said softly.
Hiruzen studied Ryūma's face, recalling his file from the black archives. Expert
in infiltration, tracking, and counter-surveillance. His Rinkaichū (phosphorus
beetles) are bread for sensory enhancement... a high-tier asset.
Hiruzen patted him firmly on the shoulder. From his pocket, he produced a heavy,
octagonal medal and pinned it personally to Ryūma's chest.
It was a matte black award forged from a hybrid of chakra-metal and cold iron.
The texture was grim and weighted. At the top was a miniature Hidden Leaf
insignia; in the center, a lush, sprawling tree was engraved. The recipient's
name was listed among the roots of the tree, as if their very existence held the
entire structure aloft.
At the bottom, embossed in small, sharp letters: "Root of the Leaf; Sentinel of
the Heavens."
On the reverse, a single line in dark gold: "Personally Awarded by the Third
Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Ryūma's pupils dilated.
He hadn't expected this. When they had been summoned as "Danzo's Remnants," he
had assumed the Hokage was finally moving to liquidate the "Shadow Faction."
In the Root—that dark, private kingdom—the narrative was consistent: Hiruzen
Sarutobi is a soft, weak dove. His 'Will of Fire' is a fantasy that will lead
Konoha to ruin. Only Lord Danzo has the iron to lead.
Technically, the Root was just a training division of the Anbu, meaning they
were direct subordinates of the Hokage. To have listened to Danzo's treasonous
grumbling for years without reporting it was a capital offense.
Ryūma looked at Hiruzen's focused expression as he straightened the medal. His
hands began to feel warm.
I feel like a fool, Ryūma thought. I assumed he brought us to Lady Mito so she
could use her 'Malice-Sensing' to find the traitors. I thought we were here for
an execution.
He looked at his comrades. These were "The Nameless Ones." Men without emotions,
names, or pasts. But human hearts are not machines; they could see the village
changing. They could feel the warmth of the sun.
Hiruzen moved to the next man. Again, he offered a firm handshake. "Thank you
for your service."
This operative showed a bit more spark than Ryūma. His name was Ida, a master of
the Super Beast Pseudo-Galling (ink drawings). He had been recruited by Danzo
years ago but had always struggled with the Root's "emotionless" mandate.
"Lord Hokage!" Ida said, his voice thick with emotion. "It is you who carries
the true burden!"
"It's not a burden when it's for the family," Hiruzen replied with a smile,
patting the young man's shoulder. "Good lad."
Ida's chest puffed out as the medal was pinned to his vest.
Danzo's grip on the Root wasn't as absolute as I feared, Arata mused. It's the
law of the board: the more talented the ninja, the harder they are to
lobotomize. Most of these men were just kids who were never shown another way.
Hiruzen continued down the line—shaking hands, patting shoulders, and
distributing medals. Finally, he reached the last man.
This operative wore heavy black gloves and looked visibly distressed. He avoided
Hiruzen's gaze, looking down at the dirt.
"What's wrong? Don't want to shake my hand?" Hiruzen asked playfully.
Hiruzen knew this man well from the files. His name was Shikuro Aburame, a user
of the rare and lethal Rinkaichū (nano-sized venomous insects). His bugs didn't
just bite; they destroyed a target at the cellular level. Without specialized
counters, touching him was a death sentence.
Because of his "hardware," Shikuro had grown up in total isolation. Even his own
clan avoided him. His bugs were so aggressive they would consume standard
Aburame insects. Danzo had "saved" him by bringing him into the Root—giving him
a home in the darkness where being a weapon was a virtue.
"It... it isn't that, Lord Hokage," Shikuro whispered, keeping his hands tucked
away. "I host a colony of lethal toxins. I am a hazard to all life."
"And can you control them?" Hiruzen asked, raising a single finger. "Can you
keep them from the surface of your palm for the length of a handshake?"
Shikuro froze. He looked at the Hokage in disbelief. "I can. For hours, if
necessary. But the reputation of the nano-bugs... even my comrades in the Root
won't eat at the same table as me if I'm not wearing my protective gear."
Shinobi were used to death, but the idea of being eaten from the inside out by a
microscopic swarm was a primal fear no one could shake.
But the Hokage didn't back down. Hiruzen's eyes were full of encouragement as he
extended his hand.
Shikuro took a deep breath, channeling every ounce of his chakra into a mental
"Limiter." He compressed the swarm into the marrow of his bones, drawing the
blood away from his palm until his hand looked as pale as marble.
He slowly removed his glove.
Hiruzen didn't hesitate. He gripped Shikuro's hand firmly and used his other
hand to pat the man's shoulder, holding the contact for several long seconds. He
acted as if the most dangerous bio-weapon in the world were just an old friend.
"I knew you had the discipline, Shikuro," Hiruzen said, pinning the final medal.
"Excellent control. I'm impressed."
Shikuro stared at his own bare hand, then at the Hokage.
This is the God of Shinobi, Shikuro realized, his heart hammering with a
sensation he hadn't felt since childhood. Everyone else flees from me. My own
kin fear me. But the Hokage... he trusts me.
He remembered a day years ago when Danzo had summoned him. Shikuro hadn't been
wearing his gloves during training. Danzo had barked a sharp reprimand, refusing
to even listen to Shikuro's explanation. From a safety standpoint, Danzo was
right. But compared to Hiruzen's "Warmth," the difference was a canyon.
"Gentlemen!" Hiruzen announced, addressing the group.
"The medals on your chests represent your silent sacrifices for the Leaf. This
is the 'Dark Root Merit' insignia."
"By the authority of this medal, your missions will no longer be subject to
village taxation. You will receive an annual Retirement Stipend of One Million
Ryo. Your medical care is prioritized and free, including consultation with the
elite specialists of the Research Division led by Commissioner Tsunade."
"Furthermore, your children will be designated as Village Legacy Assets. We will
conduct private capability assessments for them and assign elite Jonin to
provide one-on-one mentorship."
"If any of your children show an interest in the Five Elemental Natures, I might
even take a turn as their personal tutor," Hiruzen joked. "And if they aren't
suited for the shinobi life, I'll personally coordinate with the Daimyo to find
them a prestigious civilian career in the capital."
"I can't promise you wealth beyond your dreams, but I can promise you that your
family will never have to worry about a roof or a meal again."
The seventeen men of the Root stood in a silence so profound it felt heavy.
They weren't being purged. They weren't being "folded in" as grunts. They were
being Elevated.
In their world, they were the "Shadow Tools"—disposable meat for the Kage's
grinder. They expected to be replaced by a younger model once they grew old. But
Hiruzen was offering them a life. He was giving them a Legacy.
"You have given much to the Leaf," Hiruzen said, his voice turning
uncharacteristically stern.
"And I apologize. As Hokage, it was my failure to oversee the Root properly. I
allowed Danzo to lead you into the dark without providing you a path back to the
light. The responsibility for your 'Nameless' years... that burden belongs to
me."
Hiruzen offered a slow, respectful bow to the rank-and-file.
The Root ninjas were shattered. They had been kicked, beaten, and used by Danzo
for years. To see the God of Shinobi—the most powerful man in the world—bow and
apologize to them?
Ryūma Aburame's body gave a violent shudder. He dropped into a deep bow,
frantically tugging at the sleeve of the man next to him. Like a row of
dominoes, the legendary "Nameless" warriors of the Root all collapsed into a
prostrate bow.
Lady Mito watched from the porch, her eyes soft. That boy really did learn well
from Hashirama, she thought. He knows that a sincere apology from a leader is
worth more than a thousand threats. He's taking the 'Pus' of Danzo's failures
and turning it into 'Nourishment' for the village.
"Hokage-sama... please," Shikuro Aburame whispered, his voice cracking. "We are
only tools. We are for the darkness. We do not deserve this."
"That's Danzo talking, not the Will of Fire," Hiruzen corrected.
"The Will of Fire says: 'Everyone for the Leaf, and the Leaf for Everyone.' You
shielded us from the storms. If the Leaf doesn't shield you in return, then we
are all failures."
"This is not a gift. It is your Due. And that is an order!" Hiruzen barked.
The Root ninjas looked up at him. In their vision, bathed in the afternoon sun,
the Hokage looked as if he were wreathed in actual flames—a steady, protecting
fire.
"We understand, Lord Hokage," Ryūma whispered.
One by one, they offered their loyalty—not with a slogan, but with a gaze of
fanatical, soul-deep devotion. Hiruzen had just successfully "hijacked" Danzo's
private army and turned them into his personal "Praetorian Guard."
Deep within the Uzumaki estate's mental barriers, the Nine-Tails (Kurama)
flicked his ears.
This chakra... the Great Fox mused. It feels like that brat Asura. Warm, heavy,
and sickeningly 'Noble.'
There are still humans like this? I'll have to have Mito tell me more about this
'Hiruzen Sarutobi.'
"What's the matter, Fox?" Mito's voice echoed in the mindscape. "Jealous that
someone else is getting the attention?"
"Hmph! Don't be absurd, woman! I am the king of the beasts! I care nothing for
the petty squabbles of hairless apes!" Kurama snarled, though he curled his tail
back up.
"But tell me... if that Sarutobi brat is so great, why does he keep that
'Naturally Evil' bandage-mummy around? They seem poorly matched."
"Because even a Sun needs a shadow to show its brightness, Kurama," Mito smiled.
"But Hiruzen is smarter than us both. He's teaching the shadow how to become a
part of the fire."
Back in the Courtyard.
"Lord Hokage, I have a request," Ryūma Aburame said, raising his hand.
"Speak."
"We ask that you re-establish a New Root. Do not force us into the standard
Jonin units."
"We are built for the dark. We are comfortable in the shadows. We know the
'Dirty Work' of the world. If we are mixed with the regular squads, we will only
make them uneasy. Let us stay together—let us be the blade you use when
diplomacy fails."
Hiruzen fell into deep thought. He had expected this. Some men are simply born
for the spec-ops life.
"Fine," Hiruzen agreed. "But from this day forward, the Root reports directly to
me. No Assistant. No middle-man."
"If your darkness ever becomes too much to carry, you come to my office. I will
help you find your way back. Is that understood?"
The Root ninjas nodded, their eyes glowing with a manic intensity. They had a
"Father" now. And in the Ninja World, a Father with a crown was a god.
"Lady Mito, if you would," Hiruzen said, turning to the Matriarch.
Mito stepped forward. With a rhythmic snap of her fingers, twenty Adamantine
Sealing Chains erupted from her back, lashing out to tap the forearms of every
Root ninja.
The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal—Danzo's method of preventing leaks—simply
evaporated under the weight of Mito's superior sealing prowess. She didn't just
break the seal; she injected a pulse of medical chakra into their systems,
soothing the years of spiritual scarring.
"Go now," Mito said gently. "Be the men your Hokage believes you are."
"WE SERVE THE LEAF! WE SERVE THE HOKAGE!"
As they vanished in a blur of Body Flickers, Hiruzen turned to Mito. "Thank you,
my Lady. You've given them their souls back."
"You're the one who provided the reason to use them, Hiruzen," Mito replied with
a smile. "But be careful. You're building a village of zealots. That level of
loyalty is a heavy burden to carry."
Hiruzen adjusted his hat, looking out over the village. "I'm getting used to the
weight."
Suddenly, Yamato came running out of the house. "Grandma! When I grow up, I want
to be a Root ninja!"
Mito laughed, picking up the boy. "Then you better eat your vegetables, little
one! The Hokage only recruits the strongest!"
☆☆☆
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