"Namikaze Minato?"
Deep within the Root base, Danzo Shimura narrowed his single visible eye as he looked down at the subordinate kneeling before him. "The same Namikaze Minato who rescued the Jinchuriki?"
"Yes," the operative, whose mask was traced with abstract blue lines, replied immediately with a low bow. "Furthermore, he is the elder brother of Namikaze Hatani."
"Namikaze Hatani?" Danzo felt like he had seen that name somewhere recently.
"Lord Danzo, Namikaze Hatani is the Genin who escaped the Suna ambush alongside Nawaki," another Root member standing beside him whispered.
Unusually, this man did not wear the standard abstract mask of the Root. He had a plain, square face and a pair of round, dark sunglasses that seemed almost part of his features, giving him the distinct look of a street performer or a blind musician.
"Him?" Danzo's eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light as he finally made the connection. "Shikuro, what do you make of this?"
He turned to the man in sunglasses, Aburame Shikuro.
"Namikaze Minato visited the Hokage's office not long ago," Shikuro replied after a moment's thought. "As Hatani's brother, I believe he likely volunteered for the diplomatic mission with the intent of searching for his brother once they reach the Land of Rain."
"Hmph." Danzo nodded, finding the reasoning sound. Reports from the Land of Rain front were still sparse, and the exact status of Nawaki and Tsunade remained unconfirmed by his own sources. Shikuro's deduction was logical.
Swish.
Just then, another figure flickered into the room. This one wore the dog mask of the Anbu—or rather, the Dog Mask of the Root squad currently in the field. It was Inu, who had been sent back by Tori to deliver their report.
"Lord Danzo!"
Inu held a scroll aloft with both hands. He knew their recent performance wouldn't satisfy Danzo, so he figured the less said, the better.
Snap!
Before the words had even left Inu's mouth, Aburame Shikuro was in front of him. He snatched the scroll, and in another blur of movement, he was back at Danzo's side.
"What is this?!"
Danzo took the scroll and unrolled it. His brow furrowed the moment his eyes swept over the first few lines.
"Hmph!"
By the time he finished, he slammed the scroll onto the table with a furious snort. He glared at the kneeling Inu, his voice dripping with venom. "A pack of useless fools!"
Confused, Shikuro carefully picked up the scroll and skimmed its contents. His eyebrows rose as well.
"Please calm yourself, Lord Danzo," Shikuro said, bowing slightly to intercede for Inu. "Their failure this time was largely due to the incompetence of the Suna. Please, overlook their shortcomings in light of their diligence. Besides, the information they gathered is quite significant. Namikaze Hatani may be much more than he appears."
Being a clever man, Shikuro immediately identified the source of Danzo's ire and sought to smooth things over. Inu remained as still as a statue, his head bowed in silent gratitude, not daring to make a sound.
"I am well aware that the blame doesn't lie entirely with them, and the intel is indeed worth something," Danzo muttered, his rage cooling slightly, though his voice remained low and dangerous. "But for my 'Root' elites to be slower than Hiruzen's pathetic lackeys... such vital information arrived a full half-day late!"
It wasn't the failure of the mission that galled Danzo most; it was the fact that the Anbu had beaten the Root to the punch in delivering the intel to the Hokage.
"I accept full responsibility. I await your punishment, Lord Danzo," Inu said, his voice low.
Internally, however, he let out a massive sigh of relief. Tori had been right—Danzo wouldn't execute them over a failed mission if the circumstances were beyond their control.
"Does the Lord Hokage mean for Minato to secretly bring Nawaki and the others back to the village?" Shikuro asked.
"Hiruzen has always been indecisive, prone to overthinking and hesitation. For once, he has actually shown some backbone," Danzo replied. He didn't answer directly, but the cold sneer on his face made his thoughts clear.
"But why?" Shikuro pressed, puzzled. "Wouldn't Nawaki be safer at the main camp under the protection of Orochimaru and Tsunade? Minato is only a Chunin. Surely the Sannin offer better security?"
Danzo didn't answer this time. The mocking twist of his lips was proof enough that he understood exactly what Hiruzen was playing at. Shikuro, seeing the expression, didn't dare ask further. A heavy, eerie silence settled over the room.
"Shikuro, you will join the delegation as the Root's special envoy," Danzo finally commanded, breaking the silence. "You are going to the Land of Rain."
"Understood," Shikuro replied without a second's hesitation.
"Go and prepare. See me tomorrow before you depart for your final instructions."
"Yes, my Lord." With a final bow, Shikuro vanished from the room.
"Inu," Danzo said, picking up the scroll once more and glancing at it casually. "Did Orochimaru really say those things to Tori?"
"I would never dare deceive you, my Lord!" Inu replied, his voice taking on a sharp, indignant edge. "We expected Orochimaru, as a member of Root, to offer his full support. Instead, he not only refused us but spoke with such arrogance... it was as if he didn't even hold you in regard, Lord Danzo."
Danzo remained silent, but his eyes narrowed into thin slits.
Has that man discovered something?!
Lately, Namikaze Hatani's progress in Wind Style had been nothing short of explosive.
Already intimately familiar with the element due to his Windranger traits, Hatani found that Jiraiya's systematic and comprehensive teaching was the final piece of the puzzle. With his major weaknesses being patched up, his mastery grew by leaps and bounds every single day.
He wasn't the only one. Nawaki's progress was also staggering. Having tasted his own helplessness during their brush with death, the boy was working harder than ever. Under Jiraiya's "the more the merrier" style of tutoring, Nawaki's Water Style had improved visibly.
However, neither Hatani nor Nawaki could keep up with the red-haired monster of the group.
Whether it was sheer natural talent or the cheat-code known as the Rinnegan, Nagato absorbed ninjutsu like a sponge. Every concept Jiraiya introduced was understood instantly; it was as if the boy simply didn't have a learning curve or bottlenecks.
Moreover, while Hatani was limited to Wind and Nawaki focused on Water (with a sub-focus on Earth), Nagato was a freak of nature who possessed all five elemental affinities from birth.
When Jiraiya taught Hatani Wind Style, Nagato listened in and learned. When Jiraiya taught Nawaki and Yahiko Water Style, Nagato listened in and learned that, too.
The most frustrating part was that the "auditor" was learning faster than the primary students.
But while Nagato was a source of frustration, Yahiko was a source of pure annoyance. Almost every time they had a spare moment, Yahiko would corner Hatani to debate the social ethics of the "two villages and the river" story. Hatani was beginning to deeply regret ever opening his mouth.
Still, he had to admit that compared to most kids his age, he and Yahiko actually had the most to talk about.
Nawaki, watching the two of them huddle together in deep conversation, often felt a pang of petty jealousy.
Hey! What gives? I was his best friend first!