Tsunade took Ishiki Kujo to visit a total of seventeen families.
The final stop was the Uchiha district—where they met a calm, refined man from the clan.
His name was Uchiha Shang.
The moment Ishiki laid eyes on him, he knew—the Stand DISC still inserted in his own mind… belonged to this man.
"I've been doing alright lately," Shang said, his tone gentle. "Quitting the police force left me with some regrets, but spending more time with my daughter has helped."
As he spoke, a little girl ran in from outside. Adorably pink-cheeked, bright black eyes, full of life. She laughed as she launched herself into his arms.
"Slow down, Izumi," Shang chuckled, kneeling down to catch her.
As they left the Uchiha compound and made their way down the path, Tsunade suddenly stopped and turned to Ishiki, her tone serious:
"Any thoughts?"
"…Does Lady Tsunade believe they all caught the same strange illness?" Ishiki frowned, puzzled.
Tsunade studied him closely, like she was trying to peel back his skin and read the layers underneath.
After a few seconds of quiet eye contact, she turned away.
"Tell the Third I'm done. And unless it's important, don't let him bother me again."
Without another word, she walked off with Shizune in tow.
Ishiki watched them go, then muttered to himself, "So much for a date raid. Damn shame."
He turned and headed back home.
Renge had mentioned the new house was finally finished, and their rental was almost up. Time to move.
Ishiki actually looked forward to it.
The place they currently lived in wasn't one Minato or Kushina had bought—it was a welfare residence provided by the village for the Hokage.
After the Nine-Tails' Night, housing was scarce, so the village had temporarily rented it out.
Now the village planned to reclaim the unit and give it to ninja families who had made major contributions.
As for where the Fifth Hokage would live—plans would be made when the title was officially handed down.
Ishiki understood. Their current rental was practically downtown—prime real estate. That whole block was full of important people: the Third, the Hokage's aides, high-ranking shinobi.
Before heading home, he decided to report to the Third Hokage and pass along Tsunade's message.
He still wasn't sure why she suspected him. Was it a woman's intuition? Or did she have real evidence?
From the moment she'd begun dragging him house to house, Ishiki had known one thing: Tsunade had no intention of teaching him anything.
Shame.
That was the real feeling buried in his chest.
But just that. No more.
Truth was, he didn't particularly like her. Compared to Tsunade, Shizune left a much warmer impression.
Just as he rounded a corner, a masked ANBU operative stepped out, cutting off his path.
"Kujo Ishiki. Lord Danzō wishes to see you."
Cold. Piercing. Like being stared at by a venomous snake.
"Lady Tsunade, is something wrong with Ishiki?"
Shizune had caught up, Tonton cradled in her arms.
"I don't like kids who hide too much," Tsunade said with a sigh. "He reminds me of Orochimaru. Layers upon layers of secrets."
When the Third first mentioned Kujo Ishiki, Tsunade had already begun her own investigation.
She'd reviewed the case files for the Vanishing Abilities Incident, which the Third himself had given her.
There was no direct evidence pointing to Ishiki…
But in these matters, direct evidence wasn't always necessary.
The fact that Hiruzen had shared the documents proved he'd already made a judgment. He'd decided what side to stand on.
Even if someone did eventually link Ishiki to the incident, the Third would protect him.
Still, Tsunade wanted to test him. Observe him firsthand.
After all, the Third seemed to believe they might become master and student someday.
And Tsunade wasn't going to accept that lightly.
But when she heard the Hyūga matron mention how Hinata's cousin, Koharu, had lost her Byakugan, she saw something.
A flash in Ishiki's eyes.
Faint. Quick. But unmistakable.
And that flicker told her: He knows.
At that moment, Tsunade made up her mind.
She and Kujo Ishiki… would never be teacher and student.
No matter how he answered.
"This village just isn't the place for me," Tsunade muttered. "Let's go, Shizune."
"...Okay," Shizune whispered, following with a sigh.
The Root division sat directly behind the Hokage's Office, nestled beneath the Hokage Monument.
It was no secret anymore.
It used to be shadowy, unspoken—but most jōnin in the village now knew of Root's existence.
Some even applied to join if they weren't selected for ANBU.
Danzō still commanded immense respect in the village.
He was a former disciple of the Second Hokage, an advisor to the Third, and the leader of Konoha's most secretive military division.
Ishiki figured there were only two reasons Danzō might summon him:
The Vanishing Abilities Incident
An invitation to join Root.
But the second was impossible.
Root and ANBU didn't accept anyone below jōnin unless under special circumstances. And the gap between chūnin and jōnin wasn't just about power—it was about psychological readiness, leadership, control.
Looking back, Ishiki realized his so-called "perfect setup" had been naïve.
Give these old relics enough time, and they'd sniff out some kind of trail.
So who was next? The Uchiha? The Hyūga?
Root wasn't quite the dungeon he'd imagined.
It looked like a plain underground intelligence bureau—drab, damp, and dim. Stone walls, no windows. The usual.
He was brought to an office. Moments later, Shimura Danzō stepped inside.
It was the first time Ishiki had ever seen him in person.
He stood up immediately. Danzō returned a curt nod and took his seat behind the desk.
As the ANBU operative closed the door behind them, Danzō finally spoke.
"Kujo Ishiki. I've called you here today… to ask you a few things."