Root Headquarters:
In the vast underground chamber, upon the central stone dais, Danzō sat with his eyes closed, listening to the hushed reports. "That is all, Lord Danzō. If my subordinates have failed in their duty, please administer the appropriate punishment." Beads of sweat slicked the brows of the three figures kneeling below. Failure in a Root mission often carried a penalty far exceeding even Konoha's interrogation methods.
"Rise. I do not hold you accountable for this mission's failure. The punishment is waived." Contrary to their grim expectations, Danzō did not reprimand them. A wave of relief washed over the three, tinged with confusion. Had the notoriously ruthless Lord Danzō truly softened?
"Very well, you may step back."
"Yes, sir." The three stood, turned, and silently retreated, leaving Danzō alone in the echoing underground space. After a moment, Danzō opened his eyes, a flicker of dark intent within them. "You were fortunate this time. I did not anticipate encountering Kosuke. But your luck will not last, Uchiha Renzou."
"Wind."
"Yes, Lord Danzō." A figure materialized from the shadows behind him, kneeling before Danzō, awaiting his command.
"Furthermore, regarding the Uchiha Clan… Reallocate personnel from other sectors to intensify our surveillance. That treacherous clan should not have been permitted to exist in the first place!"
"Yes, Lord Danzō." The Root ninja codenamed "Wind" melted back into the darkness to execute Danzō's orders. In the eyes of Root operatives, Lord Danzō's directives were absolute, superseding even the Hokage's authority. The very names – "Dark" and "Root" – spoke of clandestine operations, Root signifying that which lies hidden beneath. Anbu was the overt assassination and covert operations force; Root served to cultivate and supply talent to Anbu, a shadowy subordinate department with its own network of undercover agents. While Anbu reported directly to the Hokage, Root answered solely to Danzō, operating in the murky depths while Anbu moved in the visible shadows.
…
"I will report this matter to the Hokage, so you needn't worry too much." The two walked along the Konoha streets. Kosuke, observing Renzou Uchiha's somewhat preoccupied air, assumed he was troubled by the encounter with Root.
"No, Kosuke-senpai, it's not that I'm worried. I'm just… impatient to become stronger." Renzou Uchiha shook his head, a wry smile directed towards the distant Hokage Rock. Had Kosuke not intervened earlier, he would likely be in dire straits. While he could probably handle the two Chūnin with effort, a Jōnin was a different caliber entirely. Jōnin formed the backbone of any ninja village, standing on the second tier of the ninja hierarchy, just below the Kage-level powerhouses. They possessed mastery over powerful taijutsu, genjutsu, and advanced ninjutsu, exhibiting not only leadership qualities but also exceptional analytical skills and ninjutsu prowess. Those who attained the rank of Jōnin were typically well-rounded ninjas, except for specialists like Might Guy. Jōnin were also tasked with training students to inherit their skills and will. Given their responsibility for A-rank and higher-level missions, often fraught with peril, the demands placed upon them far exceeded those of Chūnin. Renzou Uchiha was certain that had all three Root ninjas had focused on him, he would have been captured within ten minutes.
"Don't dwell on it so much. You're still young. The future belongs to you young ones." Kosuke clapped Renzou Uchiha on the shoulder. "Come on, I'll treat you to a particularly delicious ramen shop."
"Huh? Really delicious ramen?" Renzou Uchiha followed Kosuke, a curious expression on his face. Could it be…?
…
Ichiraku Ramen:
Gazing at the steaming bowl of chashu ramen before him, Renzou Uchiha's lips twitched slightly. Sure enough, when the topic was ramen, Ichiraku was the universal answer.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" Kosuke, already heartily enjoying his meal, looked at Renzou Uchiha with a hint of concern.
"No, I like it very much. It's just… I didn't expect you were referring to Ichiraku Ramen. I'm quite a regular here myself." Renzou Uchiha picked up his chopsticks and took a satisfying slurp of the noodles. Indeed, it was as delicious as ever.
"Really? Hahaha." Kosuke chuckled, and the only sound in the small shop became the rhythmic slurping of their ramen.
"Boss, a large bowl of chashu ramen, with all the extra toppings!"
"I'll take a large miso ramen. After eating dry rations for so many days, I've been craving Ichiraku." The two newcomers gestured as they spoke, then turned, their eyes meeting those of the man who had entered first.
"Are you… Minato?" Kosuke asked.
"Ah, long time no see, Kosuke-senpai." The visitor was none other than Namikaze Minato. After bowing respectfully to Kosuke, his bright blue eyes shifted to Renzou Uchiha beside him. "You're Renzou, right? We met at the ramen shop last time." Namikaze Minato offered his signature sunny smile and nodded to Renzou Uchiha.
"Hello, Minato-Jōnin. I didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
"Minato, who are you talking to?" A voice called from behind the curtain, and then someone pushed it aside and stepped inside. The newcomer had long, vibrant red hair and wore a Konoha Jōnin vest, looking at the group with a puzzled expression. "You are… Kosuke-senpai? Long time no see."
"Indeed, it has been a while, Kushina." The red-haired beauty also bowed respectfully to Kosuke before turning her attention to Renzou Uchiha. "Who is this child?"
"He's Renzou, the boy who won Jiraiya-sensei's bet," Namikaze Minato offered helpfully.
"Huh? You're the one who defeated Kakashi? Are all the kids these days this strong?"
"…Ahem, Kushina, that's him. Please, don't mind her," Namikaze Minato apologized to Renzou Uchiha while gently pulling Kushina towards a seat and nudging her down.
"It's alright, I don't mind," Renzou Uchiha replied. Uzumaki Kushina?…
Uzumaki Kushina was not only a rare survivor of the Uzumaki clan and the Second Nine-Tails Jinchūriki but also the wife of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and the mother of the Seventh Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. Having endured the destruction of her homeland and family as a child, her personality was understandably spirited and fiercely competitive. During her time at the ninja academy, Kushina famously stood up to and defeated the boys who teased her, earning her the nickname "Blood Red Pepper." As an adult, her anger would often manifest as a powerful surge of chakra, causing even her hair to float and separate into strands, a force even Namikaze Minato found difficult to contain.
"Minato, have you just returned from a mission?" Kosuke asked, observing their travel-worn appearance. It was clear they had just come back from outside the village.
"Yes, Kosuke-senpai," Namikaze Minato nodded, offering no further details. Kosuke didn't press the issue. Ninja missions were generally not discussed openly, even with fellow villagers.
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End of Chapter 45