Konohagakure – The Root Base
"Lord Danzo…"
A middle-aged shinobi knelt on one knee in the dim, musty air of Root's underground base. The stone chamber was cast in eternal dusk, broken only by a pale shaft of moonlight piercing through a small grate above.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound of a cane echoed through the chamber. An old man emerged from the shadows, wrapped in a heavy cloak. His right arm and half of his face were swathed in bandages. Only a single, cold eye remained visible—sharp and calculating.
He looked like a relic—wounded, frail, clinging to life.
But no one in the ninja world would underestimate this man.
Shimura Danzo.
The shadow beneath the Hokage.
The former head of the now-disbanded Root organization—and a ruthless conspirator whose ambition to become Hokage had never waned.
"You've been assigned to the Medical Emergency Squad?" Danzo's voice was low and deliberate.
The shinobi, Yashiro Ao, lowered his head. "Yes, my lord. The Hokage appointed me to assist Elders Homura and Koharu."
"Hmph. Another pathetic compromise," Danzo muttered, his voice hardening. "Sarutobi's weakness never changes. Do you understand your mission, Ao?"
"I do," Ao answered without hesitation. "I will assume control of the Medical Emergency Team as quickly as possible… in your name, Lord Danzo."
Danzo's eye narrowed with satisfaction. "Good. Go."
Ao vanished into the shadows.
Danzo stood silently for a moment, tightening his grip on his cane.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen… Shihouin Naraku…"
His single eye gleamed with ruthless ambition.
"Root will rise again."
Though Root had been disbanded, its remnants still lived on—hidden within the Anbu and scattered across the village. Danzo's reach had never truly been severed. And now, by placing his loyal subordinate at the helm of Konoha's medical response force, his plan was taking shape again.
He turned slowly, retreating deeper into the gloom.
"No one will stop me this time."
[SYSTEM STATUS – SHIHOUIN NARAKU]
Name: Shihouin Naraku
Age: 26
Physical Constitution: A
Spiritual Power: S+
Chakra Capacity: A+ (Surpassing 96% of shinobi)
Chakra Attributes: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lightning, Yin, Yang
Naraku reviewed the system's stat display, analyzing his strengths with growing confidence.
His physical ability was elite-level, but it was his spiritual strength—fueled by two lifetimes' worth of willpower—that truly set him apart.
Even so, he was still distant from the top-tier shinobi of the world.
"So, to draw again... I need another promotion," he said aloud, more to himself than the system. "No, it's not just for me. It's for Konoha… for the future of the entire ninja world."
He grinned.
Vice Director of the Medical Department.Deputy Captain of the Anbu.
"Why am I always the second-in-command?" he muttered, eyes narrowing.
He began piecing it together.
Sarutobi Hiruzen.Mitokado Homura.Utatane Koharu.Danzo Shimura.Yashiro Ao.
One puzzle piece after another clicked into place. Naraku's mind sharpened.
"They're boxing me in… slowly. Reining me in with titles while stripping real authority."
His eyes lifted toward the Hokage Tower glowing in the distance.
"I thought they'd play it safe a little longer," he whispered. "So Hiruzen's already made his move."
Still, he smiled.
Konoha's commercial street was bustling, filled with the hum of vendors and townsfolk enjoying the evening air.
"Meatballs! Get your fresh, three-color meatballs!"
"New kunai in stock—best edge in the Land of Fire!"
Naraku moved through the crowd, casually scanning the street for a quick meal.
Then he caught sight of a familiar figure heading toward the memorial stone.
"That direction… he's visiting again, isn't he?"
"Kakashi!"
Hatake Kakashi turned, surprised.
"Oh. Naraku."
Despite Kakashi's usual distant tone and half-lidded eyes, Naraku walked up with a smirk.
"Come on. Let's talk. You're buying."
"Eh? I'm busy."
Kakashi reached for a small book hidden in his pocket.
Naraku raised a brow. "Busy, huh? Funny. I heard someone lined up at sunrise to buy Jiraiya-sama's newest Icha Icha volume…"
Kakashi froze.
"…Fine. My treat."
A Private Room, Izakaya
Naraku sipped his tea as Kakashi sat across from him.
"You're joining Anbu?" Kakashi asked. "You're suited for the role, sure. But what about the medical department?"
Naraku leaned back. "What, are you worried I'm aiming for your job as Anbu commander?"
"Not at all."
Kakashi's voice was flat, but his eyes sharpened.
"Then who's taking over the emergency team?"
"Yashiro Ao. I'm still involved, but only over the corpse disposal and veterinary branches."
Kakashi's eye twitched.
"…Yashiro Ao?"
He didn't even need to say it. They both knew what that meant.
Root.
Danzo.
"It's him, alright," Naraku confirmed. "Experienced, skilled… but he's one of Danzo's."
Kakashi sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Danzo's influence ran deep. Even now, years after Root's supposed disbandment, its fingers were wrapping around Konoha's throat once again.
And Kakashi knew better than anyone how dangerous that was.
He had once been one of Danzo's pawns—trained, deployed, and nearly used to assassinate the Hokage himself. In the end, Kakashi had refused. But the experience left scars.
Scars—and awareness.
"I don't trust him," Kakashi muttered. "But I'm glad you're here. Maybe things won't spiral out of control now that you're in Anbu."
Naraku shrugged. "That's part of why I came to you. I need to know everything—about how Anbu really works. Not just the surface rules."
Kakashi stared at him a moment. Then nodded.
"Fair enough. There are some things you need to know… and things better left unsaid."
"If I'm going to survive this game," Naraku replied, "I'll need to know all of it."