On his way to Orochimaru's laboratory, Yako passed by Root's training grounds.
Danzo stood inside, personally overseeing training.
Holding a long blade, he struck a recruit hard, sending the young shinobi flying.
The recruit had failed to meet Danzo's expectations during taijutsu training.
Though the blow used the back of the blade, there was no restraint. The recruit slammed into the wall, cracking the tiles before sliding down, blood seeping beneath his mask.
"Trash! How can trash like this meet Root's standards?!"
Yako glanced at the brutal scene and continued toward Orochimaru's laboratory.
Danzo sensed the gaze behind him. Seeing Fox heading toward Orochimaru to collect a progress report only deepened his irritation.
So many people had come and gone in Root — enough to die several times over — yet none had grown like Fox.
Had Yellow Dog even trained him? Hardly. Fox had simply been given a squad leader position once his talent began to shine.
Now Fox had become ANBU's sharpest kunai — dispatched on any dangerous mission with confidence.
And Yellow Dog never needed to worry about mission failure… or Fox dying.
Walking away from the training hall, Yako frowned slightly.
'These Root recruits' suffering… might have something to do with me.
If I hadn't wiped out Root before, would these newly recruited civilian shinobi be enduring this misery?
No… my conscience feels a little uncomfortable. I need to strike Danzo again — otherwise my thoughts won't settle.
I should meet Yuka soon. Time to resume retaliation against the Shimura clan.
Alternate between targeting the clan and Root — sustained pressure, sustained torment.'
Entering Orochimaru's laboratory, Yako noticed it had changed dramatically.
Rows of nutrient tanks lined both walls.
Inside each floated a child or infant.
Ten of them.
"Fox, you're here! Come see my progress!"
Orochimaru looked like a mad scientist — half-crazed, half-proud.
"These are special test subjects — children with unique bloodlines. All born from Senju women who married outside the clan!
Each carries half the Senju bloodline!"
Yako had expected some concealment. Orochimaru showed none.
Wasn't he worried Tsunade might find out?
Probably not. Danzo was nearly driven mad by losses — and Orochimaru was already mad.
There had been a post-war baby boom, yet obtaining ten children with Senju lineage was still difficult.
"I originally requested fifty subjects," Orochimaru continued excitedly. "But Root was wiped out by Sarutobi Kanosuke, halting almost all operations.
Who knows when they'll gather enough children?
Once I have fifty, transplantation experiments will officially begin!"
In canon, Yamato had been the sole survivor among fifty test subjects.
"Look at them," Orochimaru said eagerly. "They easily developed dual earth and water chakra natures.
Their constitutions suit both attributes perfectly — balanced. Unlike previous subjects who leaned too strongly toward one element."
"Congratulations, Orochimaru-sama," Yako replied calmly. "I hope you complete your secret technique soon."
Taking the report, he returned to ANBU headquarters and reported to Yellow Dog about the underground exchange mission and Root's experiments.
Yellow Dog praised him.
Beside him, Long-Arm Ape collected Yako's spy communication scroll.
Yako glanced at him briefly before handing it over.
Leaving the ANBU base, he climbed atop Hokage Rock.
His gaze turned toward Konoha Hospital.
Lights blazed inside — the village's only hospital constantly overwhelmed.
Should he warn Tsunade that Root and Orochimaru were systematically collecting children with Senju bloodlines?
They hadn't targeted children from the Senju compound itself — but instead offspring of Senju women who married outside the clan.
Ten missing children. The Senju must have noticed something was wrong.
Knowing Tsunade's personality, once she learned the truth she would storm Root immediately — tonight.
But the Hashirama cell transplantation technique was something he urgently needed as well.
His smaller identity, Sarutobi Kanosuke, could reach Kage-level combat power with sufficient chakra thanks to Five Release: Grand Barrage.
But Fox lacked a trump card capable of facing a Kage-level opponent directly.
Trying to exhaust a Kage-level shinobi to death was impossible.
Right now… it felt like he shared interests with Orochimaru and Danzo.
After long hesitation, Yako sighed.
Forget it.
Even if I'm not a good person… I shouldn't become too inhuman.
Delaying the experiment would also prevent Danzo from gaining Wood Release too early.
And since he had just visited Root today, warning Tsunade now might make Danzo connect him to any retaliation.
Better wait.
He jumped backward, disappearing into the forest behind Hokage Rock.
Several days later, Yako used the Mayfly Technique to seek Tsunade.
While traveling through the underground organic network, he suddenly sensed another presence nearby.
He was no longer in human form — just a small mass of organic matter, like a mayfly.
But—
Another organic mass moved nearby.
Not a normal lifeform…
White Zetsu?
Yako immediately changed direction and pursued.
White Zetsu noticed him as well.
They chased through the underground organic network for a while, but Yako couldn't close the distance.
White Zetsu quickly left Konoha's borders.
Emerging from the forest near the village wall, Yako stopped pursuing.
Their abilities were identical — neither could gain advantage.
He had believed he could go anywhere in Konoha unnoticed.
Apparently, White Zetsu thought the same.
So… Konoha held no secrets from White Zetsu and Uchiha Madara.
White Zetsu had probably sensed only an unknown organic mass — unaware of Yako's identity.
Returning to where he encountered White Zetsu, Yako saw an elderly woman and a child exiting a ninja tool shop.
Seeing the goggle-wearing boy, realization struck him.
White Zetsu had already begun watching Obito…
A kunai appeared in Yako's hand.
Should he kill Obito now?
The Uchiha understood love better than anyone. The more passionate their emotions, the greater their power after loss.
Madara had chosen Obito precisely because young Obito was genuinely kind.
To his grandmother, to friends, even to strangers — he was a true good person.
Take everything from someone like that, push him into hell… and his greatest potential would awaken.
The Mangekyō.
The kunai slid back into its pouch.
Forget it.
Obito was still a good person now. Killing him here would only make Madara choose another successor.
Then intelligence would spiral out of control — and dealing with Madara hiding in the shadows would become even harder.
Yako continued toward Tsunade.
Preventing Danzo from gaining Wood Release too early — that was the priority for now.