After all, Naruto was still young, and the Academy didn't permit the use of Shadow Clones or the Rasengan. In terms of taijutsu, only Sasuke could truly challenge him. As for practical combat experience, it was limited to sparring with Sasuke.
Naruto chattered on for some time, with Kawasaki watching him the entire while with a gentle smile. Occasionally, he would pat Naruto's head and offer a few words of praise.
After discussing his training, Naruto switched to talking about his daily life—how he and Sasuke often explored the snack streets, and which of his classmates were willing to be his friends. Naruto's mouth never stopped moving; he wanted to share every little detail of his life with Kawasaki. Doing so filled his heart with warmth and happiness.
Kawasaki ruffled Naruto's hair. "There, there, it's alright. Tsunade will be here from now on, so you can come over every day."
"But remember to head home early after you've eaten, understand?"
Naruto murmured, "The place where you are, Kawasaki-senpai, is my home."
Kawasaki looked at Naruto, thought for a moment, and said, "Be good and go back for now. There will be a chance in the future."
"A chance?"
Naruto's spirits lifted, and he looked at Kawasaki with eyes full of anticipation.
Kawasaki smiled. "Not right now. We'll see in a while. You have school tomorrow, so you should get going."
Hope was always a good thing. Naruto's mood brightened considerably. "Okay, Kawasaki-senpai, I'm leaving now."
Kawasaki waved. "Kenichi, you four escort Naruto home."
"If you run into the Anbu or Jiraiya on the way, see Naruto all the way to his door before returning."
The Uchiha clansmen acknowledged the order. Naruto had matured and no longer refused such escorts.
After they left, Tsunade emerged from the shadows.
With his back still to her, Kawasaki asked, "Lady Tsunade, did you enjoy your gift?"
"Naruto is quite likable."
Tsunade could feel the boy's longing for family. She, too, yearned for that same connection, but after Nawaki's death, she had no family left. Though Kawasaki had initially prompted Naruto to call her "sister," the boy had later done so with genuine sincerity. Naruto desperately craved family, friendship, and companionship. It had been many years since her brother Nawaki had passed, and this was the first time Tsunade had met someone so similar to him.
Tsunade was pleased, but after listening to Naruto's words, a question formed in her mind.
"What is your purpose in training Naruto like this?"
Tsunade had actually arrived just as Naruto and Kawasaki had started their conversation. From Naruto's words, it wasn't hard to tell that, despite not yet graduating from the Ninja Academy, he was already undergoing consistent, daily training.
Kawasaki grinned. "The ninja world today is far more dangerous than you imagine, Lady Tsunade."
"And Naruto has far more potential than you imagine."
Tsunade waved her hand dismissively. "Don't be so formal. We know each other well enough. Just call me Tsunade."
"Alright, Tsunade. No problem."
Kawasaki couldn't help but chuckle after saying her name. Tsunade didn't understand why, finding it a bit strange.
Suppressing his laughter, Kawasaki continued, "The ninja world may undergo a massive change in a few years. I just want Naruto to have a better chance of protecting himself."
"A massive change?" Tsunade mulled over the words. "Kawasaki, what are you referring to?"
"We can talk about that in the future." Kawasaki sighed. Many things, even if he explained them, wouldn't be believed. After all, not everyone could accept that there was an alien on this planet preparing for her revival, as well as a group of aliens getting ready to invade.
"Hey! Kawasaki!" Tsunade was hot-tempered and hated it when people beat around the bush. She raised a hand to rap him on the head.
Startled, Kawasaki quickly changed the subject. "Do you know what Naruto's childhood was like?"
Though she knew he was deliberately deflecting, Tsunade's curiosity was piqued.
"Naruto's childhood..."
...
Naruto and his escorts walked out of the Uchiha compound. Naruto recognized one of them.
"Uncle Kenichi, it's been a long time."
Kenichi was usually tasked with guarding the clan grounds. When Naruto visited the Uchiha, it was typically to see Fugaku, and he would leave immediately after dropping off a shadow clone, so he rarely saw Kenichi. His last memory of the man was from several years ago when he had first met Kawasaki-senpai.
Kenichi was tall and imposing, with a stern face. Within the Uchiha territory, he rarely spoke, but he responded, "Yes, it has been a long time, Naruto. You've grown so tall."
Naruto grinned. "I've been eating and training well all these years, so of course I'd grow fast."
"Is that so? That's good." Kenichi was a man of few words and wasn't skilled at carrying a conversation.
But Naruto was a chatterbox, talking animatedly with Kenichi the entire way. Even though Kenichi's replies were brief, Naruto didn't mind at all.
As they re-entered the main village area, four masked Anbu suddenly dropped from the trees. The Uchiha clansmen instinctively formed a protective circle around Naruto, and both sides stood in tense silence.
Naruto also stopped, waving his hands frantically. "Are you the Anbu sent by Gramps Hokage? Uncle Kenichi is just taking me home."
The Anbu studied the Uchiha men for a moment before silently leaping back into the trees.
Without a word, the Uchiha members closed ranks around Naruto again, escorting him the rest of the way home.
"Goodbye, Uncle Kenichi!" Naruto said his farewells as usual.
This time, however, Kenichi, with his back to Naruto, gave a slight wave of his hand in acknowledgment.
Naruto went inside, turned on the lights, and looked around. The room, which he kept spotless, felt a little cold and empty.
"You have to keep trying, Naruto," he muttered to himself, trying to stay motivated.
He quickly washed up and climbed into bed, his mind already racing with thoughts of visiting again after school tomorrow.
...
Outside the Root headquarters.
Jiraiya, fully geared for battle, moved silently, followed by a dense formation of Anbu operatives.
"Jiraiya-boy, to think you'd summon us too. Is the opponent that tough?"
"Keep it down, Ma. Little Jiraiya is trying to launch a surprise attack. Don't let them spot us."
Jiraiya's face was painted with heavy markings, and small dots adorned the tip of his nose. His eyes, like those of Fukasaku and Shima, had horizontal pupils.
"To minimize casualties, I had no choice but to enter Sage Mode," Jiraiya said in a low voice. "Sorry to trouble you both. I owe you one, Ma."
As he spoke, Jiraiya reached the edge of the Root base. There was no cover in the surrounding area, especially with so many people following him.
He stopped talking and broke into a sprint. The Anbu behind him followed suit.
A massive Rasengan formed in Jiraiya's hand.
Sage Art: Super Great Ball Rasengan!
With a tremendous boom, a huge hole was blasted into the side of the Root headquarters.
"Who's there?!"
"Intruders!"
Jiraiya charged in first, leading the assault.
...
The Root base was thrown into chaos as many members tried to flee. This was the first time the organization had ever been attacked since its founding.
In one of the infirmary rooms, a gray-haired boy, wearing only the top half of his uniform, was lying on a bed.
"Cough, cough..."
He coughed a few times and sat up, watching the panicked crowd outside. An ominous feeling crept into his heart. There was only one power in Konoha capable of launching an attack on Root.
The answer was obvious.
For him, who held absolutely no loyalty to Danzo, the thought of rushing out to fight never crossed his mind. Besides, his days were numbered anyway.
Shin slipped out quietly. Fortunately, with the chaos outside, no one noticed the sick patient.
Long ago, Shin had discovered a secret tunnel leading out of Root. He had originally planned to tell his younger brother, Sai, before he died, but Sai wasn't here now.
The rear of the base was completely deserted. He slipped into a room, pushed aside a cabinet, and revealed a small opening. After walking a short distance inside to confirm it was the secret passage, he returned and placed two paper talismans on his head.
Hiss... hiss... A faint sound was heard.
Boom!
An explosion rocked the area, and the entrance to the secret passage collapsed.
...
Jiraiya led the Anbu on a relentless assault, breaking through all resistance. Two Anbu operatives stuck close to his side. Though they were masked, the silver, broom-like hair of one of them gave away his identity.
It was Kakashi.
Kakashi had been listless recently, and the Third Hokage had hoped that bringing him along would be beneficial. Seeing the darkness of Root firsthand might reignite Kakashi's spirit.
Beside Kakashi was a former Root member, Tenzo.
"Which way now?" Jiraiya asked when they reached a fork in the path.
Although Tenzo had been away from Root for years, the base hadn't changed much. The layout was largely the same as it was several years ago.
"Lord Jiraiya, the left path leads to the laboratories. The right leads to the medical and rest areas."
Jiraiya considered this for a moment. "We'll go left first. Half of you with me. The rest, stay here and stand guard."
"Jiraiya-boy, you're being too cautious," Shima complained. "We haven't faced any real danger so far. Did you really need the two of us?"
"Ma, it's better to be safe than sorry," Jiraiya replied. "The best outcome for this mission is zero casualties."
The mission had been so smooth thus far that Jiraiya was beginning to let his guard down.
Entering the door on the left, they saw numerous humanoid and non-humanoid figures floating in nutrient tanks. Nearby were dissection tables, upon which lay mutilated corpses. Kakashi felt his skin crawl. What in the world was Root doing?!
There was a small door at the back of the room. Filled with rage, Jiraiya kicked it open and charged in with the Anbu.
As soon as they entered, a volley of kunai flew at them. So this was where they were hiding!
Jiraiya clapped his hands together.
Ninja Art: Needle Jizo.
His Sage-Mode-enhanced white hair rapidly wrapped around him, deflecting the kunai back at their attackers.
An orange-haired, powerfully built man on the opposite side made a hand sign.
Secret Technique: Mind Body Switch Technique!
A wave of mental energy shot toward Jiraiya. At the same time, a figure clad entirely in purple lunged forward, aiming directly for him.
Unexpectedly, Jiraiya's Sage Mode was incredibly powerful. The psychic wave from the Mind Body Switch Technique felt like it had slammed into a solid wall.
"You won't succeed!" Fukasaku clapped his hands together. The wave of mental energy was instantly repelled.
Kakashi darted forward in a flash of steel, his blade plunging into Yamanaka Fū's chest. Seeing the gruesome human experiments along the way had already filled Kakashi with fury. His strike was ruthless and precise, showing no mercy.
Behind him, Jiraiya, having repelled the jutsu, leaped to the side. Aburame Torune stumbled past him, crashing to the ground.
Seeing that Fū's secret technique had failed, Torune knew the battle was lost. He rolled across the floor, his hand brushing against an Anbu who had just entered.
"Argh!"
The Anbu, having faced no harm so far, had relaxed his guard and was touched by Torune's hand. In an instant, a horrifying purple color spread across his entire body. He collapsed with a bloodcurdling scream.
"Get back! Don't let him touch you! Those are nano-sized venomous insects!" Tenzo shouted urgently.
Torune was infamous within Root. He and Fū worked in perfect sync and were Danzo's personal bodyguards.
The Anbu behind them quickly retreated. There was no antidote for the nano-insects. The operative died moments later. Fortunately, the insects could only survive by parasitizing living cells and multiplying by destroying them. Once the host died, the insects perished as well. After the Anbu's death, the insects vanished.
Witnessing the sudden loss of an operative, Jiraiya roared in anger, "Everyone, fall back!"
He took a deep breath, converting his chakra into oil, and ignited it as he spat it out.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!
Boom!
A massive torrent of flame erupted, engulfing Torune. His agonizing screams filled the air as he was burned to a crisp.
Shima, who had just been chiding Jiraiya for being overly cautious, looked extremely embarrassed now that they had lost a man.
In the corner, several remaining Root members continued to resist.
"Pa! Use that technique!"
Fukasaku understood immediately. He and Shima both puffed out their cheeks.
Sage Art: Frog Song!
A powerful croaking sound echoed through the room. Apart from Jiraiya, every Anbu operative froze in a daze. The area where the Root members were concentrated became the epicenter of the attack. They were all trapped in a powerful genjutsu.
By the time the genjutsu was released, the Anbu from outside had rushed in. They tied up all the Root shinobi and researchers securely.
Seeing that this area was clear, Jiraiya immediately withdrew and headed toward the rooms on the right. They searched room by room but found no one. Finally, they entered a room with clear signs of an explosion.
Jiraiya inspected the scene. There had been a secret passage here, but it had been destroyed.
...
Inside the Hokage's Tower.
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage was seated at his desk. It seemed he hadn't slept all night. Despite this, his expression was stern, and he appeared alert and focused.
Jiraiya vaulted through the window. He was covered in grime and splattered with blood.
"Old Man, it's done. But we lost one comrade." Jiraiya sounded apologetic. Despite all their preparations, losing someone was a blow to his pride.
Last night's assault was a top-secret mission ordered personally by the Third Hokage to prevent any leaks. The Third had recalled all Anbu members to their headquarters. He personally selected the operatives for the mission, excluding anyone with even the slightest suspicion of ties to Danzo, Mitokado Homura, or Utatane Koharu. They were confined to the base to ensure the raid's secrecy.
To minimize potential Anbu casualties, the Third had ordered them to go in with overwhelming force. That was why Jiraiya had entered Sage Mode from the start, acting as the vanguard. Root was Danzo's stronghold, filled with countless brainwashed followers who could never be persuaded to defect. With Konoha in a precarious state of apparent peace but underlying crisis, the Third had made his decision. His order was to eliminate all who resisted.
As expected, even without Root being an official organization, many of its former members were still hiding in Danzo's base. These were Danzo's die-hard loyalists. Even with Jiraiya leading the charge and thirty Anbu operatives surrounding them, they refused to surrender. Jiraiya had acted decisively, killing many. He alone had taken down over thirty enemies. Initially, with Jiraiya in Sage Mode leading the way, there had been no casualties among the attackers. However, in the final confrontation with Yamanaka Fū and Aburame Torune, an Anbu operative had fallen to the nano-insects. Sixteen others had sustained injuries of varying degrees.
The raid was a resounding success. They had captured eleven of Root's researchers. These individuals had worked with Danzo for a long time and could provide a wealth of evidence regarding his crimes.
Jiraiya gave a detailed report of the battle to the Third Hokage. "I also found a secret passage, but it was blown up. I'm afraid someone managed to escape in the confusion."
The Third nodded. "You've done well. This is an excellent result. Leave the rest to me. You should get some rest."
"Alright, Old Man. I'm going to get some sleep." Jiraiya yawned and slowly walked out.
The Third Hokage sat quietly in his office, waiting. It was difficult to keep such a large-scale Anbu mobilization completely secret. At the very least, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura could not be kept in the dark for long. That was why the Third Hokage had chosen to act at night.