Chapter 84: Mokuton (4)
Yuki stood frozen for a moment, her face still a bright shade of red. She shifted her weight, clearly trying to find the right words to regain her dignity.
"You're a very strange person, Naruto Uzumaki," she said finally. Her voice was quiet, stripped of its earlier arrogance. "Grandfather says everything has a purpose. I wonder what he thinks yours is."
Naruto adjusted the sleeves of his new black kimono. "His thoughts are his own. I'm just here to ensure the Shimura name remains as heavy as it is today."
Yuki turned toward him. Her eyes were still closed, but she seemed to be tracing the outline of his face with her senses. "I think you're lying. Not with your words, but with your heart. Your energy doesn't match your face."
"Most people in this village wear a face that doesn't belong to them," Naruto replied. Before she could respond, the sound of footsteps on the gravel path announced the arrival of the maids. It was time to leave.
He gave her a polite, distant nod. "It was an interesting afternoon, Lady Yuki. I suspect we will see each other again."
He followed the maids back toward the tea room, leaving her standing among the unnaturally vibrant flowers. He didn't look back. He had already gathered enough data on her. She was a valuable sensor, a living radar that could be groomed into a perfect internal spy. More importantly, she was the only person who made Danzō look vulnerable
*
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*
The transition back to the Foundation headquarters was like being swallowed by a cold, stone throat. The sun and the scent of pine were replaced by the smell of damp concrete and recycled air. Naruto followed Danzō into the deeper levels, their footsteps echoing in the sterile hallways.
Once they were back in the private office, Danzō sat behind his desk. The doting grandfather was gone. The man in front of Naruto was once again the architect of Konoha's shadows.
"I have a mission for you," Danzō said, his voice flat. "It is an S-rank escort mission. A high-ranking official from the Land of Hot Water is traveling back to the Fire Country border. He is carrying sensitive documents regarding a cult uprising in the north that threatens our trade routes. It is a high-risk operation. There are rumors of mercenaries already on his trail."
Naruto waited, his expression calm.
"I was only going to send a full squad of six operatives to ensure the asset's safety," Danzō continued. "However, the Third Hokage has finally agreed to a condition I set for another prodigy. Itachi Uchiha is to take the next Chūnin exam alone...Hiruzen is hesitant; he believes Itachi is too young, that the boy is being rushed into the meat grinder. He is wasting a talent that could be used to secure our future. This mission is the final test. If Itachi succeeds, the Hokage will no longer block his promotion."
Naruto's mind went to his canon memories. Itachi had indeed passed the exam alone, a feat that had solidified his status as a legend. But here, Danzō was weaving Naruto into the narrative earlier than expected.
"I want you to join this mission," Danzō said. "I want you to be there to witness the Uchiha's capabilities, but more importantly, I want leverage. If my personal student completes an S rank mission alongside the Uchiha's crown jewel, Hiruzen will find it impossible to limit your own progress later on. I will not have my successor held back by the Hokage's sentimentality."
Naruto looked at the map on the desk. "I have a request, Master. I do not want a full party. It will only slow us down and increase our visibility. If this is a test of genius, then let it be one. I will go with only one other operative from Root."
Danzō's eye narrowed. "Only one? The mission profile calls for at least eight shinobi to guarantee success against the mercenaries we expect."
"Kinoe," Naruto said. "He is the most capable for this terrain. His style is perfect for containment and stealth. With Itachi Uchiha and the two of us, we will have more than enough power. A larger group is just more targets."
Danzō stayed silent for a long time. In his mind, he was weighing the risk. Naruto and Itachi were the two greatest geniuses Konoha had ever produced. Putting them both on a high risk mission with only one protector was a gamble that could cost him everything. But the reward was immense. If these three could handle a task meant for a dozen men, it would prove that the new generation of Root was superior to anything the regular shinobi forces could offer. It would be the ultimate slap in the face to Hiruzen's philosophy.
"Very well," Danzō said. "I will handle the Hokage. He will likely object, but I will frame it as a necessary challenge for Itachi's solo promotion. You have seventy-two hours to prepare. You are dismissed."
"I would like permission to spend those seventy-two hours training with Kinoe in the forest outside the base," Naruto added. "I need to ensure our teamwork is seamless before we meet the Uchiha. My new physical growth has changed my center of gravity, and I need to recalibrate."
Danzō waved a hand. "Go. Do not waste the time."
-
Naruto left the office and moved quickly through the tunnels until he reached the lower barracks. He found Kinoe in his usual spot, though the boy was already standing before Naruto even reached the door.
When Kinoe saw him, he froze. His eyes traveled from Naruto's taller, leaner frame up to the long, braided hair. But it wasn't the physical change that shocked him. It was the energy. Through the silver link that bound them, Kinoe could feel a resonance he had never felt from another human being. It was the same earthy, powerful vibration that existed within his own cells, but it was purer, more ancient.
Kinoe opened his mouth to speak, his face pale. Naruto immediately put a finger to his lips, signaling for silence. He didn't want any curious ears in the barracks hearing what Kinoe was about to ask.
"Pack your gear," Naruto said quietly. "We have a mission. And we have three days to prepare."
***
An hour later, they were deep in the dense forest that bordered the village hidden in the leaves. The air was fresh, smelling of pine and damp earth. Naruto stopped in a clearing where the trees were so thick they blocked out most of the afternoon sun. He turned to face Kinoe, who was still staring at him with a mix of awe and confusion.
"You feel it, don't you?" Naruto asked.
Kinoe nodded slowly. "It's like... I'm standing next to the forest itself. How is this possible? Those cells, that power... it was meant to be a curse. For me, it was a graft. But in you, it feels like it always belonged there."
Naruto didn't answer immediately. He then said with a calm voice. "There will be time for explanations later. Right now, I need to know everything you were taught."
Naruto looked at Kinoe, his blue eyes sharp and demanding in the forest light. "The scroll Danzō gave you when you were first assigned to the Wood Style project. The one containing the original notes on the First Hokage's techniques. I want to know exactly what it says."
Kinoe hesitated, his loyalty to the Foundation flickering against the overwhelming pull of the silver link. He looked at Naruto, and for a moment, he didn't see a four year old boy. He saw something that felt older than the village itself.
"The scroll of the First," Kinoe whispered. "You want to learn the secret techniques?"
__________(A/N)_______________
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