The sprawling mansion sat empty and quiet, save for one voice cutting through the silence.
"Damn it! Why are you so disobedient?"
Mitarashi Anko stood before a writhing mass of serpents, pointing and gesturing in frustration. Ever since becoming Orochimaru's student, her days had blurred into an endless cycle of snake handling. The ninjutsu she'd learned was inseparable from these creatures—a fact she was beginning to resent.
"Little girl."
A gloomy voice emerged from the shadows. "Where is Orochimaru?"
Anko jumped, spinning toward the doorway. "Who are you? You scared me!"
"I am Danzo Shimura, leader of the Root."
The old man's introduction hung in the air. For a moment, something flickered across his scarred face—a flash of bitterness quickly suppressed.
Leader of the Root. Past tense. He'd held that position for over a decade before being forced to resign over what he considered a trivial matter. The wound still festered.
Danzo couldn't afford to sit idle. Slow death was still death. And while he dared not openly challenge Sarutobi Hiruzen, there were other paths to power.
Tsunade was formidable, yes. But she wasn't the only force in Konoha.
Orochimaru remained—one of the legendary Sannin, her equal in strength and reputation. More importantly, Danzo and Orochimaru shared secrets. Dangerous secrets. The kind that would destroy them both if Hiruzen ever learned the truth about their experiments with Hashirama's cells.
That mutual vulnerability was an asset.
If Orochimaru became the Fourth Hokage, Danzo could reclaim his Root.
"Who is Shimura Danzo?" Anko tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.
Danzo's expression darkened. How could Orochimaru's student not know his name?
But he needed something from this household. He swallowed his pride.
"Anko, let him in," a white serpent hissed in human speech.
"Sure thing!" Anko waved dismissively.
Danzo followed the snake deeper into the mansion, descending into the basement where Orochimaru worked among rows of experimental equipment.
"Orochimaru."
The Sannin didn't look up from his work, his voice hoarse. "What do you want?"
"Cooperation," Danzo said bluntly. "I can help you become the Fourth Hokage."
Orochimaru's hands stilled. A faint smile crossed his lips. "How? By helping me reclaim your precious Root?"
The mockery stung, but Danzo pressed on. "Yes."
"I have no interest in the Hokage position." Orochimaru finally turned to face him, his expression cold. "Competing with Tsunade would consume resources I cannot spare. My work is too important."
Immortality didn't wait for political games.
"Consider this," Danzo said carefully. "If Tsunade becomes Hokage and discovers what you've done here, will she tolerate it?"
Silence flooded the room.
"Are you threatening me?" Orochimaru's eyes glinted dangerously.
"A warning," Danzo corrected. "A likely future."
"I could simply leave Konoha."
"And abandon all this?" Danzo gestured to the laboratory. "The funding, the materials, the resources? You won't find that elsewhere."
Orochimaru's jaw tightened. It was true.
"As Hokage, you could have anything you want," Danzo continued. "And during wartime, victory is the fastest path to the position. A few decisive battles, and Tsunade's support crumbles."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he considered. His reputation had been built on his performance in the Second Ninja World War. War was indeed opportunity.
"The Root may be disbanded, but its members and influence remain," Danzo pressed. "Together, we can challenge her. And think of what you could gain—Uchiha Sharingan, forbidden techniques, experimental subjects. War provides all of it."
"You've convinced me," Orochimaru said quietly.
Danzo exhaled with relief. He'd been prepared to mention Yamato as leverage if necessary. Fortunately, it hadn't come to that.
"Excellent. It's a pleasure to work with you."
"Call if you need me," Orochimaru dismissed him with a wave.
---
Two months later, outside Tsunade's residence.
Hanekawa stood motionless, eyes closed. Chakra flowed through his body like water finding its level, gathering, concentrating, building toward a critical threshold.
Then it broke through.
A blue-purple mark bloomed across his forehead—a perfect vertical diamond, spreading like ink in water.
The Ability System chimed:
[S-Rank Ninjutsu Entry: Yin Seal]
[Trigger Condition: Successfully perform this ninjutsu]
[Effect: This ninjutsu automatically reaches proficient level]
Hanekawa exhaled slowly. Nearly eighteen months of work, and he'd finally done it.
His first S-Rank entry.
He touched his forehead. Smooth. Unremarkable to the eye. But beneath the surface, he could sense it—a vast reservoir of chakra, waiting. A bank account with no limit, deposits and withdrawals at will.
Perfect.
He regulated his body's functions, and exhaustion evaporated. He felt as refreshed as if he'd just woken from deep sleep.
But the Yin Seal was only half the equation. It needed a partner—another S-Rank technique called the Hundred Healings Jutsu. Together, they'd amplify each other: the Seal storing power, the Jutsu releasing it in devastating bursts while simultaneously healing any damage taken.
The trade-off was chakra consumption. Massive chakra consumption.
But with the Yin Seal? That was manageable.
Hanekawa stretched, squinting at the bright June sun. The temperature had climbed steadily since the month began, turning Konoha into an oven.
Across the training ground, Kurenai and Rin practiced their newly acquired techniques. Kurenai had taken to the Darkness Technique naturally—Hanekawa estimated another month before she'd master it. Rin, meanwhile, was still struggling with the Spirit Transformation Technique. Two months in, and she hadn't even managed to separate her spirit from her body once.
"I'm heading out to find Teacher," Hanekawa called, already moving.
He didn't wait for a response.
Instead of heading to the casino first, he made for the Hokage Building. It had become routine since Haru delivered that message two months ago. Sarutobi seemed to have quietly accepted Tsunade as his successor. But ANBU schedules were unpredictable, so Hanekawa had started gathering intelligence himself.
The past two months had been brutal for the Hidden Sand. The Hidden Cloud pressed relentlessly, and while the Sand fought back with cunning, the Cloud's raw power advantage was undeniable. It was only a matter of time.
The ANBU office was its usual controlled chaos.
"Long time no see, Hanekawa," an elephant-masked ninja greeted him warmly.
Hanekawa had become a familiar face here. Being Tsunade's student opened doors. Unlike Root—which crushed individuality—ANBU retained their humanity. They were stronger, yes, but still fundamentally ninja, not machines.
"Uncle Zō," Hanekawa replied with a smile. He had no idea what the man actually looked like or what his real name was. Just the codename.
"Perfect timing. Something major just happened in the Land of Snow."
The scroll Hanekawa received detailed Rasa's latest victory: the destruction of the Hidden Cloud's primary supply depot. A two-to-three-month supply line, gone. More than that, Rasa had briefly suppressed one of the Cloud's jinchuriki—a feat that would ripple through the ninja world.
Hanekawa understood the implications immediately. Rasa had been recovering from injuries inflicted by the Third Raikage. Two months of rest, and he'd already caught up to Pakura in terms of reputation and influence.
The Hidden Sand's acting Kazekage is in trouble.
But that wasn't his concern. What mattered was how much time remained before the war shifted again.
"Thanks, Uncle Zō," Hanekawa said, returning the scroll. "I'm heading to the casino."
---
The casino never slept. Hanekawa spotted Tsunade immediately—sitting at a gambling table, her expression thunderous.
Another losing streak, he thought with resignation.
"Hanekawa!" Her face lit up instantly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him close. "You're just in time!"
He stumbled into her side, suddenly very aware of her warmth. Right. She doesn't care about personal space.
"Teacher, it's time to eat," he said calmly.
"Don't be a killjoy—" She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening. "Is that...?"
The diamond mark on his forehead gleamed in the casino's light.
"Yes," Hanekawa confirmed, already gathering the remaining money from the table. "Let's go."
"Wait!" Tsunade grabbed his hand. "Just another half hour!"
"No."
She tried to pry his fingers open. When that failed, she did the unthinkable—she bit the back of his hand.
Hanekawa yelped and released her immediately.
"Humph!" Tsunade snatched the money and returned to the table with renewed determination.
Did she just...? Hanekawa stared at the shallow teeth marks on his hand. Are you born in the year of the dog, Teacher?
"What are you muttering about?" Tsunade didn't even look up.
Thirty minutes later, Tsunade stood victorious, pockets heavy with winnings. The lucky charm effect had worked perfectly—she'd recovered most of her morning losses.
"How's your hand?" she asked suddenly, grabbing it to inspect.
"Fine." Hanekawa showed her. The marks had already faded, courtesy of his B-Rank Unmatched Healing entry. Tsunade hadn't bitten hard anyway.
"I'll teach you the Hundred Healings Jutsu tomorrow," Tsunade said, releasing him. There was something almost proud in her voice. "You learned the Yin Seal much faster than I did."
She sounded almost... surpassed. But not annoyed. If anything, she seemed pleased.
Good, Hanekawa thought. That's exactly how a teacher should feel.
"I'm ready whenever you are," he replied.