Inside the Root base, Danzo Shimura had been uncharacteristically quiet for several days. This followed the ruthless, back-to-back rebukes he'd received from the last of the Senju elders and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Of course, this silence was merely a facade.
Over the past decade, Root had evolved from a small parasitic unit attached to the Anbu into a massive department that rivaled its parent organization in scale. With the intentional indulgence of Hiruzen Sarutobi, who allowed it for his own political ends, countless Root operatives were embedded in other villages and nations. They provided a constant stream of intelligence for Danzo and Konoha. To maintain absolute secrecy—and to serve Danzo's own clandestine agendas—there were also many operatives hiding in the sunless depths of the village itself, serving only his will.
"Is there still no word on Shikuro?!"
Despite the vastness of his intelligence network, there were some things even Danzo couldn't easily uncover. For instance, any sign of Aburame Shikuro, who seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.
"We are incompetent, my Lord! To this moment, we have found no trace of Lord Shikuro!"
Faced with Danzo's expressionless face and a voice devoid of emotion, the Root ninja knelt on the floor, their faces beneath their masks filled with dread.
However, Danzo did not erupt in rage. He simply stared forward, his gaze somewhat distant.
According to his orders, even if Shikuro had failed to capture Hatani Namikaze, he should have returned to report before the boy reached the village. Now that Hatani had been back for days and Shikuro had yet to check in, a premonition of disaster had taken root in Danzo's mind.
Specifically, once he learned that the Hidden Stone had sent multiple Jonin to ambush Nawaki's team—and had successfully killed Dan Kato, the only veteran Jonin among them—that premonition had shifted from unease to a cold, sinking certainty.
In his mind, Hatani Namikaze didn't possess the strength to kill Aburame Shikuro. Therefore, the only logical conclusion was that Shikuro had encountered the Iwa Jonin squad while tailing Nawaki and had been overwhelmed.
"What about Tori and the others? Have they not returned yet?"
Having completely abandoned hope that Shikuro would return alive, Danzo ruthlessly purged the man's name from his thoughts. He turned his attention to his other subordinates in the Land of Rain.
No matter how powerful or loyal a subordinate was, they were utterly worthless once dead.
"Reporting, my Lord! According to reports from the Land of Rain, Tori's squad was drafted by Lord Orochimaru to serve as a reconnaissance unit for the main army. They should currently be within the borders of the Land of Earth."
This time, the kneeling Root ninja didn't panic. He answered quickly and clearly.
"Hmph! He certainly knows how to help himself to my people."
At those words, Danzo's cold, stony mask cracked for the first time. He let out a snort of deep dissatisfaction.
He was profoundly displeased with Orochimaru and Jiraiya's decision to strike into the Land of Earth without authorization, especially while Hanzo's attitude remained ambiguous and the peace treaty with the Rain remained unsigned. Even to a hardliner like Danzo, the move was far too reckless.
Leaving the Rain front meant losing their deterrent. If Hanzo turned on them—perhaps forming a secret alliance with Ohnoki for revenge—he could strike Konoha's rear and cut off their retreat. The mere thought was enough to break a cold sweat on any strategist.
Even though those fears had not materialized, and the rash action had actually forced the Hidden Stone into a premature full-scale war, Danzo still felt a surge of irritation whenever he heard Orochimaru's name.
"And what of that orphan from the Land of Rain?"
Danzo didn't care about the lives of Tori and his team nearly as much as he had cared about Shikuro. He only asked about them because of Akiren—the orphan tied to both Nawaki and Hatani Namikaze.
Despite the immense pressure from the Senju and Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo had never abandoned his original goal.
As someone who had witnessed Hashirama Senju's power firsthand, Danzo understood the sheer dominance of Wood Style and its peerless ability to suppress the Tailed Beasts. Since the Senju clan currently lacked a Wood Style user and was slowly dwindling, Danzo was willing to use any means necessary to secure that power for himself.
The Tailed Beasts were the world's "nuclear weapons." If he possessed the Wood Style to control them, he would effectively have his finger on the launch button.
And who holds the launch button? The head of a nation.
The seat of Hokage was an obsession he would never let go of, even in death.
"According to our spies in the Rain, before Tori left, he handed the orphan over to a sleeper agent with orders to bring him to the village and deliver him to Root. However, that agent has not arrived yet."
"A flock of useless wastes."
This time, Danzo's face finally twisted with rage, and he barked out a curse.
The previously trembling Root ninja suddenly buried their heads like quails, looking terrified. Yet, strangely, hearing that familiar outburst made them feel a wave of relief.
"Send men to the Land of Rain immediately. Bring the boy back."
Sure enough, while Danzo's voice was still thick with anger, he began issuing orders. To the ninja familiar with his temper, this was the "closing statement" of the crisis.
They had survived another day.
"Yes, my Lord!"
Following a chorus of relief-tinged affirmations, Danzo was left alone in the shadows of the room.
Nawaki thought his friend and brother-in-arms had become quite strange lately.
Every day, Hatani would accompany him to the river at the crack of dawn for his recovery exercises. But Hatani would frequently stop his own training, sit by the riverbank, and stare blankly at the flowing water. Sometimes, his lips would move in a silent mumble.
Nawaki had tried to eavesdrop out of curiosity, but the syllables were nonsensical—almost like a different language entirely.
Even stranger was that after a few minutes of mumbling, Hatani would suddenly leap to his feet. He would weave hand seals and unleash a frenzy of Wind Style: Vacuum Spheres at the river, as if he were trying to hack the water itself to pieces.
But how could someone cut through flowing water?
Nawaki didn't know that his very question was exactly what Hatani had been obsessing over for the past several days.