The night dragged on, leaving Shimura Danzo restless in the underground chambers of Root.
"Lord Danzo!"
A Root ninja's knock at his office door jolted him to his feet.
Finally, my SSR!
The thought of the talent about to fall into his hands sent a thrill through Danzo, his fingers itching with anticipation.
If he could secure Haruno Sakura and train her for a few years, the next generation would be his to command. Neutralize a few threats from the previous era, and he'd claim the Hokage's seat, leading Konoha to true greatness!
'Teacher, I'll prove I'm the one meant for the Hokage's mantle!'
Loosening the bandage on his forehead, Danzo leaned on his cane and strode toward the central hall of Root's base.
The familiar wooden rope bridge connected the concrete pillars, and there, in the center, stood Sakura, taking in the infamous landmark.
"Haruno Sakura!"
Danzo's figure emerged from the shadows, stopping three or four meters before her.
"Well, if it isn't our esteemed Hokage's assistant? Not busy digging holes underground? Got time to forge fake orders from the Hokage now?"
Sakura didn't hold back, her words dripping with sarcasm. This guy's dirty deeds were enough to make anyone's skin crawl.
"Hmph, everything I do is for Konoha. Hiruzen will understand!"
Danzo slammed his cane against the ground, then raised a hand toward Sakura.
"Haruno Sakura, join Root. I'll pour every resource into making you stronger."
"If I become Hokage, you'll lead Root next!"
"And years from now, when I step down, the Sixth Hokage's seat will be yours for the taking!"
Listening to Danzo's grand promises, Sakura's mouth fell open slightly.
Did this guy actually think Root was some kind of golden ticket?
With Root's reputation in Konoha, forget the villagers—Danzo wouldn't even get past the Jonin Council. And he thought he could be Hokage?
Such a dull political nose. No wonder Hiruzen toyed with him so easily, keeping him from the Hokage's seat even after his death.
"Looks like the Hokage's assistant has been practicing genjutsu so much he's seeing illusions. I'll take my leave now."
Sakura smirked, turning to walk away.
But a Root member suddenly blocked her path. Her shoulder brushed against his, and a cherry blossom-shaped mark silently etched itself onto the inside of his armor.
"What's the meaning of this, Lord Assistant?"
"Hmph, you'll find out soon enough!"
With a wave of Danzo's hand, a swarm of Root ninjas poured out from the darkness in all directions.
---
Meanwhile, at the Yamanaka household.
Ino, having slipped away from an alley, burst through the door and collided with her father, Yamanaka Inoichi, who'd just finished work.
"Whoa, Ino, what's wrong?"
Inoichi steadied his frantic daughter, keeping her from falling.
"Father… Sakura… Sakura was taken by a bunch of creepy Anbu!"
Ino's tear-streaked face broke his heart as she sobbed out the story.
Inoichi's face darkened. As a Jonin of the village, he'd crossed paths with Root plenty of times and knew exactly what it meant when they snatched kids.
Haruno Mebuki's request to look after Sakura was still fresh in his mind, and now this happened under his watch…
"Stay here. Don't go anywhere!"
His voice cold, Inoichi stood, gave Ino a quick order, and rushed out the door.
On his way, he stopped by the Nara and Akimichi households. The previous generation's Ino-Shika-Cho trio assembled and headed straight for the Hokage Tower.
Inside his office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffing on his pipe, froze at the news the three brought. He summoned a large group of Anbu and raced toward the village outskirts.
---
Outside Konoha, at Root's base.
"Take her down!"
Danzo's command set the entire Root ablaze.
The shadow ninjas surged forward like an uncontrollable flood, rushing toward Sakura.
A dazzling array of ninjutsu erupted—flashing, roaring, and booming like thunder.
"Shimura Danzo… what kind of Hokage do you want to be?"
Sakura's voice cut through the blaze, her pink silhouette illuminated by the ninjutsu's glow.
"Isn't it obvious? One who'll make Konoha great again!"
In the cramped space, branches meant to rot silently in the earth began yearning for the light.
He craved the sun, ached for his achievements to be remembered.
He was unwilling, furious…
Most of all, the man named Shimura Danzo remained trapped in Konoha Year 37, the day Tobirama Senju ordered him to cover the rear—a day he never escaped.
"Control, order, iron discipline—that's what a ninja should be: a perfect machine!"
"You're no exception, Haruno Sakura. Become my blade!"
"A weapon as powerful as you was born to serve Konoha!"
Facing the roaring tide of ninjutsu, Sakura clasped her hands together, unleashing a domineering hum that shook the heavens.
"So that's it? You seek control?"
Then we're enemies!
In the suffocating darkness of Root, an irresistible force surged forth.
Her Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, carrying her pride and dignity, refusing to let anyone trample her resolve for freedom.
Thump, thump!
Her heartbeat rang clear, her will shaking the world.
A ferocious, tyrannical storm of dark lightning twisted, its near-tangible shockwave swallowing Root whole.
Under this near-divine onslaught, the Root ninjas—whose wills had long crumbled—trembled in terror, swaying in the storm.
Boom!
Ninjutsu crashed into Sakura, the resulting blaze filling the air.
But through the smoke, a massive silhouette emerged, radiating majesty.
A colossal ice sword tore through the haze, its immense blade slicing through the thick earth, reaching for the sky.
The ground quaked as the strike shattered the base's structure, causing the underground facility to collapse.
Under the moonlight, the girl with a bold grin stood atop the rubble, her emerald eyes looking down on the ninjas surrounding her.
"If you're going to make an enemy of me, don't embarrass yourself with these spineless losers!"
Sakura swung her giant sword, resting it on her shoulder.
Her Haki spread like a storm, caressing every pulse of the world, cheering and soaring with immortal vigor.
She unleashed her full might without reservation, proclaiming her authority to this foreign land.
"Come on, Shimura Danzo! Unleash your ninjutsu, burn your will!"
"Let's… be enemies again!"
Sakura raised a hand to cover half her face, her emerald eyes glinting with a manic craving.
Beneath the smoke and ruins, her figure became a straight line, and a sword slash capable of cleaving the sea erupted from her blade.
Clang!
A blinding torrent of light surged toward Danzo. If a Root ninja hadn't shoved him aside in time, he'd have been sliced in half like the row of massive trees behind him.
"Mon… monster!"
Danzo's lone eye widened, his pupil trembling.
"Hahaha!"
The girl with crimson glinting in her eyes laughed, shattering the smoke. Her ice sword radiated an undeniable presence.
—Elbaf's Might: Nation of Valor!
Her blade danced, her will surged, and the roaring sound of ocean waves from a distant sea echoed in everyone's ears.
The air churned, flowing freely, until it erupted into a blazing light, a giant spear connecting earth and sky.
BOOM—!!!