A few days later, Naruto and Shisui arrived in the Land of Rivers by ship.
As a buffer zone between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers was filled with mountains and waterways. Its rainfall couldn't compare to the lush Land of Fire, but compared to the barren Land of Wind, it was practically paradise.
Because of this, Sunagakure had repeatedly tried to seize this territory during past ninja wars—and failed every single time.
After all, for Konoha, the Land of Rivers was useful but not essential. But letting the Sand Village take it? Not a chance. Suppressing Sunagakure's expansion was always the priority.
With its weak local forces and status as a buffer zone, the area had naturally turned into a chaotic no-man's land.
Naruto had zero interest in claiming it—for now. A land where the cost of governance outweighed the benefits was just dead weight for the Uzushio Village. Unless he reached the level of the Land of Fire, expansion wasn't even on the table.
This trip had only one purpose:
Take Shimura Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan—and complete the pair.
Originally, Naruto planned to let Uchiha Shisui lead a squad to hunt Danzo. But considering Shisui's past—especially the possibility that he had indirectly enabled Danzo's Sharingan experiments—Naruto decided to handle it personally.
The moment they stepped out of the port, Naruto sensed several malicious chakras.
He shot Shisui a glance.
Shisui vanished instantly with the Body Flicker Technique.
Moments later, he reappeared—dragging several "locals" who were very obviously not locals.
"Menma-sama," Shisui reported, "I've interrogated them. Peripheral members of Root. Less than a month of training. Their base is nearby—around ten people."
Naruto nodded and headed straight for the nearest Root stronghold.
Before the guards could even react, Naruto subdued them with pinpoint strikes, sealed them to the ground, and left Shisui to handle the interrogation.
Meanwhile, Naruto casually flipped through a roster he found.
Dozens of names.
He clicked his tongue.
"Root really is like cockroaches… see one, and there are dozens hiding in the walls."
If Danzo had more time, he might've actually built himself a full-blown ninja village.
"…Hidden Cockroach Village," Naruto muttered under his breath.
The interrogation of the outer members went smoothly.
The real problem came with the core members.
Shisui frowned. "The Tongue-Sealing Curse is still active. Even under genjutsu, they can't reveal anything. If we force it, they'll just die."
Naruto walked over, cracked his fingers, and casually broke the seal with a precise technique.
Before the Root ninja could kill himself, Naruto extracted the information he needed.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Menma-sama?" Shisui asked. "Did you get what you needed?"
Naruto nodded.
"I did."
What surprised him wasn't the information—but the source.
Orochimaru hadn't lied.
He had actually sold Danzo out.
"…Looks like I'm more valuable to him than Danzo is," Naruto murmured.
...
Deep within a dark cave, Danzo sat with his eyes closed.
After transplanting Hashirama Senju's cells and multiple Sharingan, his body had grown younger than Hiruzen Sarutobi's.
But maintaining the balance between Yin and Yang Release drained him constantly. His right arm remained sealed under a limiter—because if that balance broke…
He'd turn into a tree. Just like the failed experiments.
To fully control both Senju and Uchiha power, he needed more research.
More funds.
More test subjects.
Without money, he couldn't retain researchers. His plan to create a Wood Release army had been delayed again and again.
But if he could control the nobles of the Land of Rivers…
Funding wouldn't be a problem.
Manpower, though—that was another story.
Root was understaffed.
He needed more recruits. More experimental subjects.
If he could find another success like Yamato…
That would be a jackpot.
At that moment, Danzo finally understood something:
Why Orochimaru had targeted civilians for experiments.
It wasn't that criminals were unavailable.
It was that villages had too many restrictions. Too many people whining about morality.
Those idiots would never understand the logic of sacrificing a few to save the many.
"The Will of Fire…" Danzo sneered internally.
"When it's time to sacrifice, they all run."
Especially Jiraiya and Tsunade.
No experience in governance—yet they dared stage a coup against Hiruzen.
Could they even run the village properly?
More likely, they'd drag it straight into ruin.
But once his Wood Release plan succeeded…
He would return to Konoha.
And become the Sixth Hokage.
Knock knock.
The sound at the door snapped him out of his thoughts.
Danzo frowned.
"Ryōma. You're back. How did the infiltration into the Land of Rivers go?"
Aburame Ryoma knelt and spoke gravely:
"Danzo-sama… we've lost contact with all our strongholds in the north and south."
"…All of them?" Danzo's expression darkened as he began pacing.
After a moment, he asked, "Can you identify the enemy? ANBU?"
Only ANBU had the capability to track Root so efficiently.
Ryōma shook his head.
"Unlikely. The attacks came from the direction of the sea and the Land of Rain. Most likely… ninjas from Amegakure and Uzushio."
Danzo's face shifted.
Uzumaki…
That traitorous Jinchūriki had taken the Uchiha with him. Revenge was inevitable.
And the Rain Village—now under the Akatsuki—was clearly retaliating for the past.
Both sides wanted him dead.
There would be no mercy.
After a brief silence, Danzo spoke coldly:
"Ryōma. Take your men and go into hiding in nearby towns. Wait until the Uzushio and Rain ninjas leave before resurfacing."
Ryōma hesitated. "Danzo-sama… what about you?"
Danzo straightened, putting on a righteous expression.
"I will lead a small elite force and draw their attention."
"If we don't… we all die."
Ryōma's eyes reddened.
"Danzo-sama… please take care."
As Danzo gathered his elite guards, he spoke solemnly:
"Where there is light, there is darkness. Even in the darkness, we must protect the flame… and Konoha."
"If I die… you must carry on this will."
With that, Danzo disappeared into a hidden passage with his men.
Ryōma wiped his tears.
He knew the truth.
Danzo-sama had escaped alone.
But as long as Danzo lived…
Root would never truly die.
And one day—
They would rise again.
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