Deep beneath Konoha, inside Root's underground headquarters, Danzō stood atop a raised platform with a cold expression.
Three Root shinobi knelt before him.
Between them and Danzō lay another Root operative. Most of his body was wrapped in bandages, while his right arm had been completely shattered.
"Ryōma is dead?"
Danzō looked down at the wounded shinobi, suppressed anger seeping into his voice.
"Ryōma stayed behind to cover our retreat. He fought alone so the rest of us could escape."
The wounded man was the only survivor of the intelligence mission.
After traveling to Sunagakure as Konoha's envoy, Danzō had reached an agreement with Chiyo and captured several high-ranking Sunagakure officials. Their interrogations had revealed information concerning the alliance being formed to encircle Konoha.
Following that discovery, Danzō had immediately dispatched numerous Root shinobi across the shinobi world to gather further intelligence.
At the same time, he had activated several long-term Root agents planted inside the other hidden villages.
The mission that had cost Aburame Ryōma his life was one of them.
Danzō had ordered Ryōma to lead a squad into the Land of Grass, where they were to rendezvous with a Root operative who had infiltrated Iwagakure. Their objective was to receive classified intelligence from him and escort both the information and the spy safely back to Konoha.
"Did Aardvark betray us?"
Aardvark was the codename of the Root operative stationed inside Iwagakure.
"No. Aardvark remained loyal. We confirmed each other's identities without issue. But just as we were preparing to leave, we encountered a joint reconnaissance force from Iwagakure and Kumogakure."
Danzō's gaze darkened.
"Iwagakure and Kumogakure have already stationed forces in the Land of Grass?"
"Yes. We were pursued by a large number of Iwa and Kumo shinobi. To make sure the intelligence reached Konoha, everyone else sacrificed themselves."
"Give me the intelligence."
Before Danzō had even finished speaking, one of the kneeling Root shinobi rose and presented him with a sealed scroll.
Danzō released the seal and opened it.
His eyes moved steadily across the contents.
For a moment, anger and murderous intent flashed across his face.
Then both disappeared.
By the time Danzō closed the scroll and slipped it inside his robes, his expression had returned to its usual cold stillness.
"This intelligence is extremely important."
He looked down at the wounded shinobi.
"You have rendered a great service to the village."
Tears slipped from the wounded man's uncovered left eye.
They were not tears of relief for himself.
They were for the comrades who had died ensuring that he could return.
At least their deaths had not been meaningless.
"You will remain inside Root headquarters while you recover."
Danzō's gaze settled on him.
"Do not go to Konoha Hospital. Do not return home. And under no circumstances are you to let Kizaru learn what happened to you, Yoshihiko."
For just an instant, regret appeared in Danzō's eyes.
Then it vanished.
After leading Root for so many years, Danzō had witnessed too many members of his clan die in the course of their missions.
He had long since learned to accept such sacrifices.
The Shimura Clan's present standing had not been obtained by sitting comfortably in Konoha and enjoying the achievements of others.
They had paid for it.
Again and again.
Even Danzō himself had once carried out countless dangerous missions on the front lines, and his body still bore hidden wounds from those years.
Seeing a talented young clansman like Yoshihiko lose an arm naturally angered him.
Yoshihiko represented part of the Shimura Clan's future.
But Danzō could not allow that emotion to show.
Nor could he afford to let emotion dictate his decisions.
Most importantly, Kizaru could not be allowed to discover Yoshihiko's condition.
Given the relationship between the two of them, there was every possibility that Kizaru would head straight for the Land of Grass to avenge him.
Kizaru was extraordinarily powerful.
But overwhelming strength did not make someone invincible.
An enemy that prepared enough traps, schemes, and hidden techniques could still create an accident.
And after reading the intelligence Yoshihiko had brought back, Danzō had even more reason to be cautious.
Kizaru was not merely his nephew.
He was the future of the Shimura Clan—and one of Konoha's greatest hopes.
Nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
According to the intelligence, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure were preparing to gather their strongest combat forces for one purpose.
To surround and kill Kizaru.
Their jinchūriki would all be mobilized.
Kumogakure was even preparing to deploy one of the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths, an artifact normally kept sealed away inside the village and historically used to suppress Tailed Beasts.
The three Great Shinobi Villages were clearly willing to commit everything they had.
Every resource.
Every elite shinobi.
Every trump card.
All to kill one man.
"A."
One of the masked Root shinobi immediately bowed.
"Go find Kizaru. Tell him to report to the Hokage's office immediately. Say that we have obtained urgent intelligence."
"Yes."
Danzō left Root headquarters without another word.
His expression remained completely unreadable as he headed directly toward the Hokage Building.
He needed to report everything they had discovered to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen—who would soon be stepping down from his position—was sitting behind his desk with a crystal ball in front of him.
The Telescope Technique was active.
Bang!
The office door suddenly opened with considerably more force than necessary.
Hiruzen did not have enough time to dispel the technique.
For the briefest instant, an image flashed across the crystal ball.
Jiraiya.
Gathering "research material."
"Ahem!"
Hiruzen coughed several times, hurriedly dismissing the Telescope Technique before turning toward Danzō with an appropriately serious expression.
Danzō ignored what he had just seen.
"The Root intelligence network has confirmed that a combined force from Kumogakure and Iwagakure has entered the Land of Grass."
He walked calmly toward the desk.
"We do not have exact numbers yet, but the force is substantial."
The situation was too urgent for Danzō to waste time commenting on his old friend's questionable hobbies.
He pulled the scroll from inside his robes and placed it on the desk.
"There is more."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened.
"Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure are planning to join forces and ambush Kizaru."
Hiruzen's expression changed immediately.
A cold killing intent appeared in his eyes.
Kizaru was the successor both Hiruzen and Danzō had acknowledged.
He represented Konoha's future.
The two old men might argue with one another over almost everything else, but on this matter, they were completely united.
Whoever tried to take Kizaru's life would become Konoha's enemy.
Hiruzen said nothing.
He simply picked up the scroll and began reading.
While Hiruzen studied the intelligence, a streak of golden light suddenly shot through the open window.
The light gathered beside the Hokage's desk.
Kizaru returned to human form and casually lowered himself into a chair.
He looked toward his uncle and his teacher with his usual relaxed smile.
Then he noticed their expressions.
Both men looked unusually grim.
Worse, neither was bothering to conceal the murderous intent surrounding them.
Kizaru raised his brows slightly.
"Ooh... how scary."
His smile widened.
"Which poor fellow managed to anger both of you at the same time?"
"Kizaru."
Hiruzen finished reading and tossed the scroll toward him.
"Read it."
Kizaru caught it easily.
Hiruzen picked up his pipe again and looked toward Danzō.
Neither man needed to say anything.
They had fought side by side for decades.
A single glance was enough.
Three Great Shinobi Villages were attempting to strike at Konoha's foundation.
They wanted to eliminate the man who would soon become Hokage.
This was no longer something Konoha could ignore.
If the enemy wanted war, then Konoha would answer.
And they would answer decisively.
Kizaru leaned back in his chair and slowly read through the intelligence report.
When he reached the section explaining that the three villages intended to assemble their strongest forces specifically to surround and kill him, his smile did not change.
Nor did he feel the slightest pressure.
One ant or an entire swarm of ants...
To Kizaru, the difference was not particularly important.
Edo Tensei Madara alone had once overwhelmed the combined forces of the Five Great Shinobi Villages and fought the Five Kage as though they were children.
And Kizaru was confident that his current strength had already surpassed even that Madara.
However, when he reached the final portion of the report, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Kumogakure intended to use one of the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths.
That was something he had nearly forgotten about.
If Kizaru remembered correctly, the Six Paths treasure currently possessed by Kumogakure that mattered most in this situation was the Kohaku no Jōhei—the Amber Purifying Pot.
What exactly did it do again?
It had been used to seal Tailed Beasts.
Kizaru silently searched through his memories of the anime.
The details were a little hazy.
He vaguely remembered that the artifact could seal someone once a particular verbal condition had been fulfilled.
Ah...
That was it.
The wielder called the target's name.
If the target responded, the sealing would activate.
Kizaru's lips twitched.
So that was the plan?
The Third Raikage intended to exploit his ignorance of the treasure's ability, trick him into answering once, and seal him inside the pot?
"Ooh..."
Kizaru rubbed his chin.
"How underhanded."
His smile returned.
"How terrifying."
While Kizaru was silently mocking the plan, Danzō spoke.
"Hiruzen, we need detailed intelligence concerning Kumogakure's Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths."
His tone was calm, but the reason was obvious.
His nephew was the target.
"I'll personally search through the records," Hiruzen answered immediately.
"Then I'll leave that to you. Root will continue gathering information on the enemy's movements."
Danzō understood exactly where his own efforts would be most useful.
Kizaru lowered the scroll.
"About that Six Paths treasure... I picked up a little information when I visited Kumogakure before."
Both Hiruzen and Danzō turned toward him.
"The one they currently possess that could be used against me is called the Kohaku no Jōhei—the Amber Purifying Pot."
Kizaru rested one arm against the chair.
"It's a sealing treasure. Kumogakure has used it to seal the Eight-Tails before."
Hiruzen fell into thought.
"The Amber Purifying Pot..."
Then recognition appeared in his eyes.
"I remember records mentioning it. I'll investigate everything we have concerning its abilities."
Danzō said nothing, merely giving a small nod.
Kizaru looked between the two old men.
Both remained far more serious than he thought necessary.
He laughed.
"Ahahaha... you two really don't need to look so worried."
His relaxed voice filled the office.
"No matter how large an ant grows, it's still only an ant."
His smile remained easy.
"And now that we already know what they're planning..."
Kizaru leaned back comfortably.
"Their little ambush is doomed before it even begins."
"Do not underestimate them."
Hiruzen frowned.
He knew how powerful Kizaru was, but that only made him more concerned that the young man might become careless.
Danzō immediately added,
"Kizaru, focus on preparing for the transfer of the Hokage position. Until this matter is settled, do not leave the village unnecessarily."
Kizaru paused.
He could hear the concern beneath both men's words.
This time, he did not joke.
"Got it."
Then another thought suddenly occurred to him.
There was someone else who might know far more about the Treasured Tools than any records stored in Konoha.
"As for the Six Paths treasure..."
Kizaru smiled.
"I could always make a trip to Mount Myōboku and ask the Great Toad Sage."
Hiruzen and Danzō both looked at him.
Their eyes immediately brightened.
According to what Kizaru and Jiraiya had previously reported, the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku was an ancient being who had lived for more than a thousand years.
If anyone still alive possessed detailed knowledge concerning artifacts left behind from the era of the Sage of Six Paths, the Great Toad Sage was certainly one of the most likely candidates.
Especially when it came to the Amber Purifying Pot.
Hiruzen nodded.
"Then I'll leave that to you, Kizaru."
•••
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