Under the full moon at midnight, its silver light shone especially bright over the dense forest near the Hokage Rock in Konoha.
A group of kids darted through the shadows of the trees, their figures illuminated by the moonlight.
"You guys are lying. There's no way there's a grave up there! I've played here plenty of times before."
"It's real. You can only see the Root's ritual on this specific night," Sasuke declared with certainty, his young face filled with conviction—and a hint of curiosity.
"Naruto, keep your voice down. We don't want to get caught. And Chōji, can you stop eating for just one second?" Shikamaru sighed, already regretting agreeing to this little adventure with his newfound friends.
"Woof, woof!"
Kiba grinned excitedly, hugging the small pup in his arms.
"Akamaru's onto something. This way!"
With no choice but to follow Kiba's lead, the group jogged forward through the moonlit forest...
Reaching a small clearing, the kids panted heavily, resting their hands on their knees as they watched Kiba shaking Akamaru gently.
"Is your dog even reliable? Where the heck did he lead us?" Naruto grumbled.
"Looks like it's a dead end. It's late anyway. Let's call it a night and head back," Shikamaru decided.
"Yeah, I guess we have no choice," Chōji agreed.
"What the heck?! If I had known this would be a bust, I wouldn't have come! I shouldn't have listened to smug Sasuke."
"Oh, please! You were the one who insisted on coming, and now you're blaming me?" Sasuke shot back, equally annoyed.
"Enough arguing! Let's just go back. It's getting late."
The five small figures bickered as they turned around, their voices fading into the distance.
...
Perched high on the treetops, several dark figures watched them leave.
But moments later, the five kids reappeared—this time crawling on their hands and knees, sneaking through the tall grass on the outskirts of the clearing.
"Shikamaru, are you sure this is the place?"
"There's no one around, no buildings… But look. This area has no weeds growing. That's not natural. Now stop talking and just wait."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind them.
"What are you kids doing here?"
"AHHH!"
Startled, they spun around to find a silver-haired ninja staring down at them.
"That's Jonin Leader Kakashi!" Shikamaru quickly recognized him.
"Is he strong?"
"Idiot, Naruto! He's a Jonin Leader!"
"Tch, smug Sasuke…"
Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "Are you spies?"
The sudden killing intent in the air sent a chill down their spines, immediately halting their argument.
"M-misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding! I'm Nara Shikamaru. I've met you before with my father, Nara Shikaku! We didn't mean to intrude—we were just exploring!"
Shikamaru forced himself to stay calm as he explained, deeply regretting ever agreeing to this so-called adventure.
The others were frozen in fear. Even Akamaru was trembling.
After a tense moment, Kakashi's killing intent gradually faded.
"Leave. If I catch you here again, you'll be treated as spies."
"Y-yes! Let's go, now!"
The five kids didn't hesitate, scrambling to flee as fast as they could.
Watching them disappear into the night, Kakashi's usual lazy expression returned.
"You didn't have to scare them like that," a voice said. Uchiha Shisui appeared beside him.
"You weren't going to stop them, so I had to play the bad guy."
"Well, enough of that. Lord Danzo is here."
...
In the darkness, a group of solemn figures stood in the clearing, their bodies rigid under the moonlight.
There were no eulogies, no tombstones, no flowers.
And yet, everyone here knew exactly who lay beneath the earth—comrades who had once shared the same ideals.
As they had sworn long ago:
Mourn the fallen. Fight for the living.
...
Early the next morning.
The moment Tsunade heard that Danzo had returned to Konoha, she immediately summoned him to the Hokage's office.
The office had been recently renovated, with its walls replaced by glass panels, allowing sunlight to flood in and providing a clear view of the entire village.
"As a Konoha elder, where the hell have you been these past two months?" Tsunade asked irritably, stretching lazily.
She had only just taken office, and this old man had dumped all the work on her before vanishing without a trace.
Danzo, seated across from her, noticed her bad habit—resting her chest on the desk when she relaxed.
Truly unreserved.
"I took a trip to Kumogakure and Iwagakure. Did some sightseeing. Anything wrong with that, Lady Hokage?"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Was it you who attacked Iwagakure's Jinchuriki?"
"If you're asking whether they're weaker than before—then yes, that was me." Danzo admitted without hesitation. There was no need to hide it.
His work was clean and efficient. Even the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki had no idea who had attacked them.
"Don't bring unnecessary trouble to Konoha."
"I've already spread word that the Akatsuki were responsible. I'm sure Onoki will be busy investigating."
"Is the Akatsuki really that terrifying?" Tsunade asked.
In her eyes, Danzo—having awakened the Wood Release—was already powerful enough. And yet, he still seemed wary.
"The Akatsuki itself isn't terrifying. The ones behind them… maybe. Or maybe it's the ones behind those ones. Who knows?"
Danzo wasn't sure either. If things followed the original timeline, Madara hadn't appeared yet. By all rights, he should now be the strongest in the ninja world.
But hints from the system suggested that the enemy might be far more powerful than expected.
Tsunade rubbed her temples. "Don't overthink it. If they ever attack Konoha, I'll lay down my life to protect it. That is the oath of Root."
Her calm tone made Tsunade roll her eyes. "That's my job as Hokage, not yours."
Danzo decided not to argue and dropped the subject.
"You know Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nono. If you ever need anything while I'm gone, consult them. As long as it doesn't go against Root's principles, they will support you fully."
"You're leaving again?"
"Yes. A long trip."
"Then get lost. And do me a favor—die out there."
After kicking Danzo out, Tsunade glanced down and smirked to herself.
When did I start acting like Jiraiya?
That shameless old fool.
At the thought of Jiraiya, she couldn't help but curse aloud.
"Damn idiots…"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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