Konoha Village, Root Base
Danzo Shimura picked up the scroll on the table and started to read it. This was his routine; he had to check the Uchiha Clan's movements every day.
"What exactly does Tsunade want to do?" Danzo put down the scroll, his face gloomy.
Ever since Tsunade returned to the village, the Uchiha Clan had become much more docile. On one hand, without conflict, Root had fewer opportunities to target the Uchiha Clan.
On the other hand, he was worried about Tsunade because she had stayed in Konoha Village for too long.
"Could it be that she really wants to be Hokage?" Danzo subconsciously clenched his fists.
When Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze died during the Nine-Tailed Fox's rampage, Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi reassumed his position to stabilize the panicked situation.
But everyone knew that he was entrusted with the task in a time of crisis, and given his advanced age, he wouldn't be able to serve for too long.
In the current Konoha Village, only three people were most qualified to be the Fifth Hokage: Tsunade, Jiraiya, and him.
Danzo originally thought his chances were the greatest. Because Tsunade and Jiraiya had been outside for many years and seemed not very interested in the Hokage position.
But unfortunately, Hiruzen didn't want to give him the Hokage position and repeatedly refused.
"Hiruzen, you will regret this!" A flicker of displeasure flashed in Danzo's eyes.
After saying this, he felt much better. If Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't give it to him, Danzo Shimura could wait; he could outlive him.
But Tsunade's return to the village disrupted his plans. He had to admit that Tsunade had a greater advantage than him in competing for the Fifth Hokage position; he basically couldn't win against her.
Fortunately, Tsunade did nothing after returning to the village, appearing to have no desires.
Danzo was temporarily relieved.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
Danzo looked up at the door.
"Danzo-sama." A Root Ninja walked in, knelt on one knee, and said, "Just now, Anbu reviewed Yakushi Kabuto's information."
"Did you find out why Hiruzen wanted Yakushi Kabuto's information?" Danzo frowned slightly and asked.
Anbu belonged only to the Hokage, and only the Hokage could mobilize them. He subconsciously assumed that Anbu's investigation of Yakushi Kabuto was Hiruzen Sarutobi's doing.
"It wasn't Hokage-sama; it was Lady Tsunade." The Root Ninja explained, "Anbu was acting on Lady Tsunade's orders."
"What did you say?" Danzo suddenly stood up, with a bad premonition in his heart.
He had just been relieved that Tsunade was slacking off after returning to the village, and in the blink of an eye, she was already commanding Anbu. Would she become the Fifth Hokage tomorrow?
"Hokage-sama granted Lady Tsunade temporary authority to mobilize Anbu." The Root Ninja continued.
"Temporary?" Danzo felt a slight relief, but remained very wary.
He understood Hiruzen Sarutobi very well. Temporarily giving Anbu, which belonged only to the Hokage, to Tsunade was undoubtedly a signal.
Even if Tsunade had no intentions, other Ninja Clans and Ninja would have ideas. The situation suddenly became very unfavorable.
"Hiruzen, do you have no regard for our old friendship?" Danzo clenched his fist and slammed it down.
With a bang, the desk in front of him broke in half, splitting into two pieces.
Damn it! If he had been one step ahead of Hiruzen back then, he would have already been the Third Hokage.
It was hard enough to wait for Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze to die, and now another Tsunade had appeared. If this continued, could he still become Hokage?
"What is Tsunade investigating Kabuto for?" Danzo took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "Is it because of Nono Yakushi?"
Once he stopped thinking about the Hokage position, his intelligence regained its dominance.
Yakushi Kabuto was Nono Yakushi's adopted son. And Nono Yakushi had been very close to Tsunade recently.
In addition, Root had just issued a mission last week for her to go to the Land of Earth next week.
Konoha Village was two or three days away from the Land of Earth, and according to the schedule, Nono Yakushi should have departed today.
"Go and call Nono here for me." Danzo ordered, "Also, pay attention to Anbu's movements and see if any members are leaving the village."
"Yes." The Root Ninja turned and left.
"Tsunade! I hope you know what's good for you!" Danzo reached out, stroking his right eye, and said viciously, "The Hokage is mine!"
Everyone thought his right eye was blind, but in reality, he had replaced it with Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan.
Each Mangekyo Sharingan had a corresponding ocular Ninjutsu, and his Ninjutsu was Kotoamatsukami. Simply put, it could silently alter the target's will and thoughts.
But Danzo had never used it. It wasn't because he was good; it was because he was worried that people would notice something amiss.
Especially the Uchiha Clan. They might know a lot about Uchiha Shisui and the Mangekyo Sharingan.
If he were to control Hiruzen or Tsunade, and the Uchiha Clan jumped out to expose him, it would be very troublesome.
Although the major Ninja Clans and Jonin might not believe the Uchiha Clan, conversely, they might not believe him either. After all, his reputation was quite bad.
However, Danzo had never thought about improving his reputation. Because he was the Root buried in the darkness.
"Danzo-sama." The Root Ninja returned and said, "Nono Yakushi has already been taken away by Tsunade; we couldn't find her."
"Damn Tsunade!" Danzo was furious, "It seems you really want to oppose me!"
The Root Ninja's breathing hitched, feeling a murderous aura permeate the air.
"Go kill Yakushi Kabuto!" Danzo said with a twisted expression, "Tsunade wants him, but I won't let her have him!"
"Yes." The Root Ninja agreed without the slightest hesitation.
They had been brainwashed by Danzo Shimura; in their hearts, Danzo Shimura was greater than Konoha, greater than the Hokage.
"Wait." Danzo Shimura suddenly thought of something and said, "Root cannot make a move. Leak Yakushi Kabuto's information to Iwagakure."
If nothing went wrong, Tsunade would definitely send someone to pick up Kabuto. Although Root members were all very strong, Anbu was not bad either, and casualties would be inevitable.
If Root members were to have their memories read by the Yamanaka Clan, it would in turn pose a threat to him.
Hiruzen was no longer his old friend. With Tsunade causing trouble, he might even go for the kill.
In the original story, he contacted Orochimaru. But Orochimaru didn't kill Kabuto; instead, he invited him to join Otogakure.
It was just that time was urgent now, and it was too late to find Orochimaru.
"Yes." The Root Ninja stood up.
"Hiruzen! Tsunade!" Not long after the Root Ninja left, Danzo's impotent rage echoed in the office.
---
Night fell.
Kitazawa and Kakashi traveled for a day and finally stopped. Although they had to race against Root, they still needed to rest.
Besides, Kakashi, who had his Sharingan activated all day, was already quite weak. If they rushed to Iwagakure without stopping and encountered enemies while exhausted, it would be a loss.
"No fires during the mission," Kakashi reminded. "We are not far from the Land of Earth now, and we could encounter Iwagakure Ninja at any time."
"I know." Kitazawa asked while setting up the tent, "Did you bring anything to eat?"
"I have rice balls and sushi," Kakashi replied.
"Want some snacks?" Kitazawa said with a smile. "I have potato chips, lollipops, and cookies here."
"Why do you carry snacks with you?" Kakashi asked curiously.
"For the children." Kitazawa clapped his hands and said, "You know, I'm a Ninja Academy teacher."
"...?" Kakashi was silent for two seconds, then said, "I don't eat snacks."
"The tent is set up. Come in." Kitazawa walked into the tent.
"You're a Ninja Academy teacher, so why are you participating in an Anbu mission?" Kakashi took a bite of a rice ball and asked.
"This is related to the Konoha Ninja we're picking up. His name is Yakushi Kabuto, a Root member, and also Nono Yakushi's adopted son." Kitazawa told him the whole story.
"I see." Kakashi nodded slightly, then said, "You're a Medical Ninja; you shouldn't have come."
After Kitazawa's explanation, he understood the reason for his participation in the Anbu mission.
Kitazawa had received help from Nono Yakushi, which was her performing surgery on him and taught him Medical Ninjutsu.
Although repaying kindness was not wrong, Medical Ninjas were not good at combat, so coming here was purely asking for trouble.
"It was Lady Tsunade who taught me Medical Ninjutsu." Kitazawa asked with a light laugh, "Is Lady Tsunade an ordinary Medical Ninja?"
Kakashi was slightly startled, but still didn't quite believe in his strength. If he really had such good talent, why wait until now?
"Are you really not going to eat?" Kitazawa handed him a bag of chips and asked.
"Thank you." Kakashi hesitated for a moment before accepting the chips.
"You're welcome." Kitazawa smiled and said, "After all, we're teammates now."
"After dinner, we'll take turns on watch." Kakashi said calmly, "I'll take the first half of the night, and you take the second half."
"Alright." Kitazawa agreed.
The time came to the third day.
The two successfully arrived at a town closest to Iwagakure.
"You stay here; I'll infiltrate Iwagakure alone," Kakashi spoke calmly.
"Can you convince Yakushi Kabuto?" Kitazawa retorted.
"One more person means one more risk of exposure." Kakashi shook his head and said, "As long as I explain my intentions to Yakushi Kabuto, he will believe me."
"He is Root, you are Anbu, and it also involves Senior Yakushi Nono; he won't be convinced that easily." Kitazawa said with a smile, "Besides, my strength is really not bad. If you don't trust me, you should at least trust Lady Tsunade."
Kakashi couldn't help but fall into hesitation.
"The Ninja World War has long passed, and Iwagakure won't be so vigilant." Kitazawa offered his method, "We can completely blend in with a merchant caravan."
All Five Great Villages have perception barriers. Forcing entry would easily lead to discovery. But at the main gate, there isn't one.
"Alright then." Kakashi finally agreed.
Just as Kitazawa said, he trusted Tsunade.
The two discussed the plan and immediately put it into action.
The Five Great Villages are called villages, but they are actually sizable towns. Coupled with the ninjas' strong spending power, many merchants travel between the Five Great Villages for business.
Kitazawa and Kakashi quickly found a sizable merchant caravan, knocked out two people, and blended in using the Transformation Technique.
When the caravan arrived at the entrance of Iwagakure, they were stopped. But they only had to register; there was no detailed inspection.
Indeed, it wasn't as strict during peacetime.
Kitazawa suddenly thought of a Ninja from the original work named Hanare. She was a spy from Lock Village who easily infiltrated Konoha Village as a wandering singer.
The reason Kitazawa was so impressed with her was that she had a bit of a connection with Kakashi.
Kakashi had saved her, and she admired him. But due to their differing stances, there was naturally no outcome.
Besides that, Hanare also had the ability to form hand seals with her eyes.
After the two entered Iwagakure, they found an opportunity to leave the merchant caravan.
"We need to be fast," Kakashi said seriously. "If too much time passes, the caravan will surely realize two people are missing."
"Follow me." Kitazawa nodded and said.
Kabuto entered Iwagakure as a spy. To better steal intelligence, under Root's arrangement, he became a Ninja of Iwagakure.
The scroll given by Tsunade marked Kabuto's current residence. It also included a simple map. It could only be said that Anbu's work was indeed thorough, saving them a lot of time.
"That's the two-story wooden house." Kitazawa stopped and said.
"Wait." Kakashi Hatake finished speaking, formed hand seals, and spread his perception. "There are no Jonin from Iwagakure around."
"We'll just knock on the door." Kitazawa walked forward upon hearing this.
Soon, the door opened, and a young boy appeared before them. Although it was Kitazawa's first time seeing Yakushi Kabuto, he still recognized him. After all, like Kakashi, he also had white hair.
Yakushi Kabuto did not disguise himself while spying in Iwagakure; he used his original appearance. The reason was simple: disguises, such as the Transformation Technique, always had a possibility of being seen through.
Furthermore, Kabuto had been trained as a spy since childhood, and even a few ninjas in Konoha Village had seen his true face.
"Who are you?" Kabuto asked cautiously.
"We are Konoha ninjas, sent by Lady Tsunade and Senior Yakushi Nono to bring you back to Konoha Village," Kitazawa said quickly.
"What did you say?" Yakushi Kabuto was stunned by the immense information in that single sentence.
"We need to hurry, because Root ninjas could make a move at any time," Kitazawa said in a deep voice.
"Why should I believe you?" Kabuto organized his thoughts and asked.
He understood Yakushi Nono and knew she always wanted to escape from Root and Danzo Shimura. With Tsunade's help, it could indeed be achieved.
But Yakushi Kabuto was more cautious. What if Kitazawa and Kakashi were sent by Danzo Shimura to test his loyalty? Such things were not uncommon in Root.
"Your glasses and name were given to you by Senior Yakushi Nono," Kitazawa added. "If you still don't believe me, you can leave a Shadow Clone; within half an hour, someone will come to kill you."
Kabuto's expression changed slightly. Although he often wore glasses, only a few people knew that the glasses were given by Yakushi Nono.
"I'll believe you for now." Kabuto thought for a moment, formed hand seals, and created a Shadow Clone.
"Let's go." Kakashi reminded, "Let's get out of the village first, so we don't get trapped in Iwagakure."
Although he had sealed his emotions, his experience as a ninja was very rich. After all, he was a super genius who graduated at five, became a Chunin at six, and a Jonin at twelve.
Soon after the three left the village, Kabuto suddenly trembled and stopped.
"Did something happen to the Shadow Clone?" Kitazawa guessed and asked.
"Yes." Kabuto nodded and said, "But it wasn't Root who attacked, but ninjas from Iwagakure."
"It's a borrowed knife to kill." Kitazawa understood immediately. "Danzo Shimura sold your information to Iwagakure."
"How many people?" Kakashi asked in a deep voice.
"Three Jonin, three Chunin." Kabuto frowned slightly and said.
"It seems we're in quite a bit of trouble." Kakashi looked left and right, not thinking Kitazawa and Yakushi Kabuto could handle two each.
"We have the initiative. If we're lucky, they won't catch us." Kitazawa, upon hearing three Jonin and three Chunin, actually breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was a bit difficult, it was still within an acceptable range.
"It's not that easy." Kakashi shook his head and said, "Every ninja village has many ninjas who are extremely good at tracking."
After he finished speaking, he bit his thumb and slammed it onto the ground. From the smoke, a ninja dog appeared.
"Pakkun." Kakashi instructed, "Lead the way. If there are enemies nearby, tell us."
"Alright." Pakkun, seeing the urgency, didn't ask further and turned to run.
Kitazawa curiously sized it up. Pakkun had a significant role in the original work. He was one of Kakashi's summoning animals, with a keen sense of smell, strong perception, and excellent tracking abilities. In the original work, he achieved numerous accomplishments.
He tracked Gaara, Zabuza Momochi, Sasori, Uchiha Sasuke, and many other ninjas. He even told Sakura Haruno a famous line: "Your shampoo is the same as mine, but my fur is still softer."
The three followed Pakkun towards the border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire. Along the way, thanks to Pakkun's keen sense of smell, no battles occurred.
But just as the three thought they could safely reach the Land of Fire, something unexpected happened. The ground cracked, and the earth transformed into dense, long spears, piercing towards the three of them.
"It's an Earth Release ninja." Pakkun quickly said, "He's underground; I didn't smell his presence."
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!
Kakashi formed hand seals. In front of him, the ground rose, forming a thick wall. There were also three dog heads on the wall.
The dense spears struck the earth wall and immediately sank into it. But the Earth wall also developed cracks from the attack.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!
Kitazawa leaped up, stepped on the wall, and unleashed an enormous fireball at the Earth Release ninja. The temperature soared, and the distorted heatwaves within the flames looked terrifying.
Boom! The fireball struck the ground, leaving a charred area. The Earth Release ninja dodged the fireball's range at the last moment.
Just then, whooshing sounds filled the air. The other five Iwagakure ninjas appeared one by one, surrounding them.
Kakashi's expression darkened, feeling that the situation was tricky.
--
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