"Furthermore, the commission is a practical necessity."
Shisui Abura continued, his voice calm and thodical. "For the village to grow, the taxes from a single comrcial street won't suffice.
By taking outside missions, you earn funds, gain combat experience, and witness the true darkness of this world firsthand."
"It's a multi-purpose endeavor."
Naoto thought for a mont, then nodded. "Fine. I'll go."
He turned to leave but paused at the threshold. Looking back, he asked, "Are you hiding another motive?"
Shisui remained silent. Naoto stared at him for a few seconds, didn't press further, and vanished into the darkness of the corridor.
As the footsteps faded, silence reclaid the stone chamber. Shisui's gaze deepened. He did have another motive. While Naoto's foundations were solid, his real-world application was lacking. But more importantly, Naoto's movents were bait—bait to attract the attention of Kakuzu.
Kakuzu: the man who once betrayed Takigakure, assassinated his superiors, stole the Earth Grudge Fear (Jigenbu), and fled. His na had topped the village's bingo book for decades, yet no one had ever co close to collecting.
The Akatsuki had not yet been fully realized in its modern form. At this stage, bringing Kakuzu back into the fold was still a possibility.
Takigakure lacked high-level powerhouses, and Kakuzu's reason for deserting was frankly absurd—the village elders had sent him to assassinate Hashirama Senju.
That wasn't a mission; it was a death sentence.
He was too honest back then, Shisui thought. It was clearly a trap set by elders who feared his rising influence. Shisui would have reacted the sa way—though he wouldn't have been foolish enough to actually try the assassination first.
He turned back to the petri dish. The aquatic insect that survived the Seven-Tails' chakra was swimming slowly. Its body was semi-transparent, with pulsating purple light swirling within its core.
"It still needs ti," Shisui murmured. He looked toward the north. "And I wonder how many of those 'Idiot Trio's' insects survived the freeze?"
Konoha: The Hokage's Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the docunt on his desk, his brow deeply furrowed. It was a joint request from the Daimyo of the Land of Waterfalls and several high-ranking nobles.
They wanted to hire Konoha to "cleanse" a group known as the Daodao-Zhong (The Blade-Bearers). The stated reason: the group was kidnapping youths and spreading "subversive knowledge," causing dostic instability.
It was the first major contract since the war ended, but Hiruzen hesitated. He summoned his three old teammates to the office. Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado arrived first, and Hiruzen handed them the file without waiting for Danzo.
"One hundred million ryo?" Koharu's eyes widened as she read the reward. "That is a staggering sum."
"The timing is perfect," Homura noted. "The dical pilot programs, the academy expansion, the pensions... we are bleeding funds. This would solve our imdiate crises."
Hiruzen puffed his pipe. "The problem is geography. The Land of Waterfalls is a buffer zone between the Land of Earth and us. If we send troops in, what will Onoki think?"
"Furthermore, the Daodao-Zhong clearly has internal political backing. This looks less like a bandit cleanup and more like a civil power struggle. If we interfere, we risk being accused of ddling in another nation's internal affairs."
Suddenly, the door swung open. Danzo Shimura walked in, his presence cold and imposing.
"Hiruzen, you are too soft." He didn't sit. "We take the money. We do the mission. What Onoki thinks is his business. As for 'ddling'—as long as the job is done cleanly, who will know it was us?"
He leaned over the desk, his one visible eye locked on Hiruzen. "If the Hokage doesn't want the blood on his hands, my Root will take the mission."
Hiruzen's frown deepened. "Danzo..."
"Don't worry," Danzo interrupted. "I will send elites. Fast and decisive. When it's over, the glory belongs to Konoha; the responsibility belongs to Root. It has nothing to do with you."
Hiruzen sighed, defeated by the logic of the village's empty coffers. "Proceed... but act with caution."
As Danzo turned to leave, he dropped a final bombshell. "By the way, Hiruzen. Orochimaru has applied to join Root."
Hiruzen's face paled. "Danzo... a true Hokage candidate should not be imrsed in the darkness."
"And how long do you expect your student to wait?" Danzo sneered. "I know your thoughts. You want to keep him close, yet you refuse to give him real power. You deny him authority and you deny him freedom. There is no such bargain in this world."
"I am doing what is best for Konoha," Hiruzen snapped. "Orochimaru still has much to learn."
"Then let him learn with ," Danzo chuckled coldly. "You are the one pushing him away, Hiruzen. I am rely opening my arms to catch him."
Danzo slamd the door behind him. The other two elders remained silent, eventually sighing and leaving the Hokage to his smoke.
The Land of Waterfalls: A Hidden Valley
In a secluded valley, the Daodao-Zhong camp was buzzing with life. Over two hundred teenagers lived and trained here, learning the sword styles taught by Nanshi.
Nanshi stood in the center of the training ground. It had been six months since Shisui had last appeared. His letters were rarely answered, usually with a single instruction: Solve it yourself.
Nanshi felt a growing sense of isolation, but seeing the earnest faces of the children made him feel the struggle was worth it.
"Teacher!" A boy and a girl ran up to him, beaming. "I finally mastered that move today!" the boy shouted, waving a wooden sword.
Nanshi allowed a rare smile to touch his lips. "Well done. At this rate, you'll be able to stand on your own very soon."
He didn't know that far to the south, the "Root" of the Leaf was already beginning to move.
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