"Kimimaro, huh…"
Kakashi scratched his white hair. When he'd interacted with him a few days ago, he hadn't noticed this level of ruthlessness. Without hesitation, Kimimaro killed at the slightest provocation. Although the Root ninja had spoken improperly, such decisiveness…
"Go report this to Lady Hokage and gather the other ANBU squads to come here."
After giving the order to a squad member, Kakashi drew his standard ANBU short sword and followed Kimimaro inside. He could sense that Kimimaro intended to deal with Root completely today. Though reluctant, since Kimimaro was acting on Tsunade's behalf, Kakashi had no choice but to follow.
Between the Fifth Hokage and a deposed Danzo, Kakashi knew where his allegiance lay.
If things escalated today, there would be only one outcome—Lady Tsunade deploying the ANBU to suppress Root with overwhelming force.
As they entered the Root base, several people blocked their path. Seeing the mask on Kimimaro's face, they shouted:
"Who are you? Intruding into the Root base without authorization is punishable by death. Where are Raccoon and Fox?"
Kimimaro calmly pulled a scroll from his robe and said, "Lady Tsunade has appointed me as the new head of Root. The two you mentioned were traitors and have been eliminated by me. Any objections?"
"Root only obeys Lord Danzo—"
Before the man could finish, Kimimaro vanished. In the blink of an eye, someone stood between the four of them.
'So fast!'
Kakashi was shocked. If not for his Sharingan under the mask, he wouldn't have seen Kimimaro's movement at all.
He knew Kimimaro specialized in Taijutsu, but this speed… most Jonin wouldn't even be able to react.
"If you don't obey Lady Tsunade's orders, that makes you a traitor."
Shlck!
As Kimimaro finished speaking, sharp bones burst from his body. A bone sword extended from his palm, piercing the head of the ninja who had just spoken. The other protruding bones blocked the attacks of the remaining three—kunai and short swords alike.
"Captain A!"
The three were enraged after witnessing their captain's instant death and prepared to attack again.
But the next moment, a wave of terrifying killing intent surged from Kimimaro, enveloping them. They felt frozen, their blood turning cold.
Kimimaro asked calmly, "Will you also defy Lady Tsunade's orders and become Konoha's enemies?"
As he spoke, another bone sword extended from his other palm. Even with the mask, the three Root members could feel it clearly—if they said or did anything unsatisfactory, he'd kill them without hesitation.
Just how many people has he killed to emit such pure killing intent?
One of the Root ninjas, overwhelmed, swallowed hard and stammered, "N-no... but Lord Danzo…"
Thud!
Before he could finish, Kimimaro kicked him hard, sending him rolling more than ten meters. He lay groaning on the ground, clutching his stomach, unable to stand or speak.
"This is your only warning. Disobeying Lady Tsunade's orders again will be treated as treason."
That kick was punishment for questioning Tsunade's authority.
Kimimaro then turned to the remaining two. If they resisted, he wouldn't hesitate to kill them either.
"Sir!"
Before Kimimaro could speak again, the two dropped to one knee. The Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal prevented them from speaking about Danzo's secrets, but if they kept resisting, they'd just die as traitors.
"Stay here."
Kimimaro then turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi-senpai, please guard these people for now."
Kakashi replied, "I can do that. But Kimimaro… are you going in alone?"
"Yes. One person is enough."
Perhaps it was precisely because he was alone that Kimimaro could go all out. With Kakashi around, he couldn't fully unleash techniques like his Sage Cursed Seal form.
"This is too dangerous. Let's wait for Lady Tsunade's orders—" Kakashi tried to stop him, but Kimimaro didn't listen.
Without another word, Kimimaro walked deeper into the Root base.
After he entered, Kakashi turned to the two kneeling Root members and asked, "How many are left in the base?"
They didn't answer. Submitting under Kimimaro's killing intent had already shamed them. And now Kakashi was asking about Root's internal details?
Seeing their silence, Kakashi could only wait beside them with his ANBU team.
Soon after, the sounds of combat and Ninjutsu erupted from within the base—clear and sharp in the otherwise silent Root headquarters.
"Come on… keep it quiet in there…"
Boom!
As Kakashi whispered, giant bones shot up from the base like a dense forest, destroying many of Root's structures.
Even the ground seemed to tremble, as if it might collapse at any moment.
"That level of power... Has Kimimaro pushed Shikotsumyaku this far?"
Cold sweat trickled beneath Kakashi's mask. He regretted agreeing to come along. Tsunade should've been the one to stop Kimimaro. Now that the situation had exploded like this, he'd be dragged into the mess no matter what.
After the bone forest appeared, the sounds of fighting gradually subsided.
A short while later, Kimimaro emerged, shirtless and covered in blood. But Kakashi, observing with his Sharingan, could tell—the blood wasn't his.
It took less than half an hour?
Kakashi asked, "Kimimaro, inside the Root base…"
"It's been dealt with. Twenty-one Root members identified as traitors have been eliminated. The remaining twenty-eight did not resist Lady Tsunade's orders, but they'll need medical ninja—please call some in."
Kimimaro's calm tone contrasted sharply with the gravity of his words, making Kakashi's head ache.
Killing over twenty Root members in one go—even if Danzo had been dismissed, he'd surely storm the Hokage's office after this.
Whoosh whoosh!
Sarutobi Shinno arrived with four ANBU squads. Seeing the devastation and Kimimaro's state, he froze for a moment and quickly asked:
"What's the current situation?"
He had come immediately upon Tsunade's orders but was still too late?
"Captain, here's what happened—"
Kakashi explained everything that had just taken place, putting particular emphasis on the Root members' refusal to follow Tsunade's commands—clearly trying to justify Kimimaro's actions.
After hearing it all, Sarutobi Shinno exhaled deeply. His eyes grew serious as he looked at Kimimaro.
"I understand. Leave the rest to me. Kimimaro, you should go to Konoha Hospital—"
Before he could finish, Kimimaro interrupted, "No need. I'll stay here and take over Root. Please assign me some ANBU personnel—this is Lady Tsunade's order."
At those words, Kakashi instinctively stepped between Kimimaro and Sarutobi Shinno, afraid the captain would refuse and get himself killed.
Those Root members probably died under that same sentence.
But Sarutobi Shinno wasn't as stubborn. After a moment's silence, he answered, "Alright."
(End of Chapter)