"Torune Aburame! Why are you here?" Kakashi demanded, narrowing his eyes.
"Orders from Danzo-sama, obviously. Would you mind leaving for a moment? I need to speak with the Genin, Allen, in private," Torune replied in a toneless voice.
"Danzo's orders?" Kakashi's face darkened. He realized his worst fear had likely come true.
"Yes. And it's better if you don't know the details. Now, can you leave?" Torune urged impatiently.
It was clear from his attitude that he disliked Kakashi, perhaps even harbored a grudge. It wasn't surprising; after the Fourth Hokage's death, Danzo had tried to assassinate the Third on his way to the Daimyo's estate, and Kakashi had been the one to stop the assassins. To the ninja of Root, that was a humiliation that kept their boss off the Hokage throne.
Seeing the friction between them, one might think they were from rival villages despite wearing the same Konoha headbands. Eventually, Kakashi stood up and left. He knew that without the Third Hokage's permission, Root wouldn't appear so openly.
Once Kakashi was gone, Torune tossed an intelligence scroll onto the ground. "Read it. It will help you recognize the darkness in this village and the true face of Hiruzen Sarutobi."
"So, I've been sold out, right?"
After skimming the scroll, Allen wasn't angry; he wore a playful smile. He could see through the play. The Third Hokage hadn't entirely abandoned him as a pawn; he was using the Iwa ambush as a trial to test Allen's current limits.
Root, meanwhile, was just the tool for intelligence and surveillance. But Danzo wasn't content being a tool. He was twisting the narrative to paint Hiruzen as a selfish, weak old man clinging to power, no longer fit to lead.
"Exactly. You must be furious, right? You did so much for the village, only to be betrayed by the higher-ups. Allen! The upper echelons of Konoha are rotten. Only Root, led by Danzo-sama, is the true future. Join us, and we will help you through this crisis."
Torune extended the invitation to the boy who looked barely twelve or thirteen. As a member of Konoha, he understood the potential of a genius, and he knew that if Danzo wanted to be Hokage, he needed powerful subordinates to secure the seat.
Allen stroked his chin, thought for a few seconds, then looked up with a smile. "If I join Root, what's in it for me?"
"Benefits?" Torune frowned. He disliked this transactional attitude. It reminded him of another person who had cooperated closely with Root: the defector Orochimaru.
"Yes. I am very interested in jutsu development, especially Forbidden Jutsus. If Danzo-sama is willing to provide reference materials, I'd be happy to work for him," Allen stated casually.
Why wouldn't he set terms now? Danzo sat on a mountain of resources, including First Hokage cells, a hoard of Sharingans, and countless Forbidden Jutsus. He had been meddling in the shadows for years and kept close ties with Orochimaru; who knew what treasures he had.
As for whether the Third would be angry, Allen didn't care. He only planned to stay in Konoha until the Chunin Exams. Whatever happened to the village's power structure was none of his business.
"I will convey your request to Danzo-sama. I cannot guarantee he will agree," Torune said vaguely. Danzo was not a kind leader; he was cold and ruthless. Ordinary Root members were purged for even a hint of disobedience.
"No problem, just pass it along. I trust Danzo-sama's stature is enough to grant my small wish. After all, a person with desires is much easier for a superior to control than one without, isn't it?" Allen dropped his "polite kid" persona and showed his true face.
The next second, he activated his Hatsu, God's Accomplice, and vanished from Torune's sight.
Before Torune could react, a kunai was pressed against his jaw. A little more force would have pierced his brain.
Body Flicker? No! It's some kind of unseen concealment jutsu! If used for assassination...
In those seconds, the Root high-ranker realized Allen was demonstrating his value.
"So this is the true use of your strange Kekkei Genkai?" Torune probed.
"No, just a fraction of it. Believe me, if Danzo-sama grants my request, I'd even assassinate the Hokage without hesitation. To me, being a ninja means taking a commission, finishing the job, and getting paid. I don't care who the Hokage is; I only care about the research materials I want."
Allen withdrew the kunai and reverted to his usual sunny, friendly appearance. He believed that with Danzo's obsession with the Hokage seat, the old man would accept him, perhaps even offer better terms. If there were scores to settle, they could wait until after Danzo became Hokage. By then, it wasn't certain who would be killing whom.
"Very well. Remember your words. I will return with Danzo-sama's orders later."
Torune turned and left. From this brief talk, he realized Allen wasn't easy to control. He was a dangerous individual who excelled at hiding his thoughts and power. He had zero reverence for authority, possessing an obsession with jutsus that rivaled Orochimaru's.
How to handle this was a decision for Danzo alone.
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