6 Chapter 6

On the way back to Konoha.

Danzō Shimura had always believed that Kagura Akihara was an obedient child. Most children who were used as experimental subjects would be terrified and submissive due to the horrifying human experiments.

However.

This little guy was an exception.

Throughout the journey, Kagura Akihara had shown great curiosity about the outside world. Even when resting by the river, he would ask if they could go fishing.

Fishing?

Only lazy people would go fishing!

As the root that supported the darkness of Konoha, how could they waste time on such trivial things? Even in desperate situations, they would only spearfish to supplement their food!

Danzō Shimura realized that this child might have great curiosity about the world, and perhaps he had never seen real darkness. When they got back, they would need to cultivate him properly.

As long as the little guy got to experience the cruelty of this world, he would definitely become obedient and sensible. Danzō Shimura considered himself very good at raising children, especially skilled at turning a slightly normal child into a cold-blooded killing machine.

However...

Kagura Akihara quickly changed his mind.

"Mokuton: Tree Spikes!"

Kagura Akihara used Wood Release to demonstrate spearfishing on the riverbank!

A wooden spike sprang from the palm of the young boy, quickly stabbing into the river, piercing through a large fish over a meter long. The large fish immediately started to struggle violently!

The next moment!

The boy's fingers came together!

The wooden spike began to grow and branch again!

A dense group of wooden spikes grew inside the body of the fish, completely piercing the body of the large fish. Blood instantly dyed the surface of the river red!

This Wood Release...

It seemed extremely cruel.

"Danzō-sama, I've caught a fish!"

Kagura Akihara looked at Danzō Shimura with a face full of joy.

The boy's smile was incredibly innocent and pure, but it looked particularly cold and ruthless under such a bloody fishing method, as if killing life was a pleasure for him.

He was a born killing machine.

"This is..."

The old man stared at the bloody scene before him, slowly uttering a rare compliment, "Exquisite Wood Release, a good child..."

Whether it was the Wood Release bloodline in the young man or the young man's attitude towards life, Danzō Shimura felt that he had truly found a promising prospect this time!

Konoha Village.

The richest ninja village in the ninja world.

Danzō Shimura was worried that his movements would be detected and also wanted to see how perfect Kagura Akihara's Wood Release talent was, so he hurriedly brought the boy back to Konoha.

Danzō Shimura never liked to enter the village through the main gate when returning, but preferred to secretly open the sealing barrier from the back mountain of Konoha and return to the base of the Root organization.

As Kagura Akihara followed Danzō Shimura into a well and entered the base of the Root organization, he was immediately met with a gloomy and dark atmosphere.

His superior...

His approach was too dark!

The entire base of the Root organization was hidden underground.

Even though the interior of the Root organization's base had many classic pavilions, towers, and even some luxurious ones attached to the mountain wall, they couldn't change the gloomy feel under the darkness.

Bang bang bang...

The dull sound of knocking on wood echoed underground.

A group of people couldn't help but turn their heads to look at the boy who had suddenly started knocking on the railing.

"A."

Danzō Shimura's expression was somewhat displeased, showing dissatisfaction with the boy's actions, and he coldly said, "What are you doing? Be quiet."

"Yes, Danzō-sama."

After responding, Kagura Akihara began to explain, "I originally thought it would be a stone railing, I didn't expect it to be wooden. Orochimaru-sama once mentioned..."

"Shut up!"

A touch of anger appeared on Danzō Shimura's face, as he stared at the young man and coldly said, "A, from today onwards, completely forget the name Orochimaru!"

"Yes, Danzō-sama."

Kagura Akihara agreed again, and continued, "That person mentioned that the air underground is damp and wooden buildings can easily rot."

"..."

All the people present fell silent.

Danzō Shimura thought that he might have been too subtle just now, and wanted to tell the boy again to forget Orochimaru, not just the name, but it made him seem too petty.

"I will attend to some business."

Danzō Shimura helplessly waved his hand, instructing his subordinate, "Tatsuma, arrange a place for him to stay, make him understand the will of the Root, then bring him to me."

"Yes."

Tatsuma Aburame respectfully nodded his head and looked at the boy indifferently, "Follow me, don't run around, there are many restricted areas in this base."

"I understand."

Kagura Akihara obediently followed Tatsuma Aburame.

The Root organization's base was huge.

The entire base was like a giant well, with a group of tall, classical buildings clinging to the stone walls, connected together by a series of corridors.

"A, this is your place."

Tatsuma Aburame led Kagura Akihara to a dormitory.

The whole room only had one cabinet, a bedspread laid on the floor, and a lamp placed in the corner, it looked somewhat empty.

"Hmm..."

Kagura Akihara took a look at his place and made a request, "Arrange a bed for me, I don't like sleeping on the floor..."

"No."

Tatsuma Aburame shook his head and said coldly, "Members of the Root don't need useless emotions and external feelings, all you have to do is accept the arrangements."

"..."

Kagura Akihara raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you... my superior? Or will you be my superior in the future?"

"Neither now, nor in the future."

Tatsuma Aburame shook his head again and answered, "Only Danzō-sama is the sole superior, everyone acts based on his orders."

Theoretically, this was the case.

In practice, the Root had some unspoken rules. As Danzō Shimura's personal guard, Tatsuma Aburame's status was obviously higher than other members.

However, the members of the Root had no distractions in their minds, only tasks assigned by Danzō-sama. When did they care about notions of hierarchical status?

"Now I will convey to you the will of the Root..."

Tatsuma Aburame didn't notice the young man's emotions and continued on his own, "Members of the Root have no name, no emotions, no past, and no future. Only the mission is in their hearts. Supporting the Great Tree of Konoha from behind is the will deeply rooted in us, 'the Roots'..."

"What's your name?"

Kagura Akihara asked his first question.

"Tatsuma Aburame."

"But isn't that a name? Aren't you a member of the Root?"

"This is not a name."

Tatsuma Aburame's response was very quick, it seemed he had long been indoctrinated in this manner, "Tatsuma Aburame is my code name in the Root. Danzō-sama knew my past, so he used my previous name as my code name in the Root."

"But you remember your past..."

Kagura Akihara seemed to have found a loophole, speaking slowly, "This doesn't quite match the will of the Root..."