Purple Cat's legs went weak as she made her way back to her changing room.
She changed into her own clothes, then vanished with a Body Flicker through the skylight of ANBU headquarters.
On the way home, Yamanaka Riko couldn't stop smiling.
Fox had said that if she ever had his child, the child's name should include the character "Night."
Should it be Yamanaka ___-Night, or Yamanaka Night-___?
So hard to choose.
At dinner that evening, her younger sister, Yamanaka Ruri, had been sneaking glances at her for a long time. Finally, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Big sis, what are you smiling to yourself about?!"
Riko immediately straightened her face. "Eat. No talking while you eat, no talking while you sleep."
Ruri said, "No talking while you eat? That's the kind of rule only clans like the Shimura or Hyūga would have. Since when did we ever do that?"
Ruri set her bowl down, leaned close, and whispered, "Sis… I know you go out on missions every day. Are you… an ANBU ninja like in the rumors?"
Riko's eyes tensed—then she relaxed at once.
She'd never told her sister what her missions were, but Ruri was close enough to her to guess from her movements.
"Don't be ridiculous," Riko said. "How could I be ANBU? Don't say that kind of thing. Spreading rumors can get you hauled off and interrogated by ANBU."
Ruri instantly leaned back, a lingering fear on her face.
"One of my classmates spread rumors about Lord White Fang, and he got taken in for questioning. They kept asking if someone put him up to it.
After he came back from ANBU… he got way quieter. It really messed him up."
Riko had heard bits and pieces. Lately, someone had been building momentum for White Fang—his prestige was climbing higher and higher.
Today, Fox and Lord Orochimaru had returned from the Land of Lightning.
That meant the next wave of "momentum" would be for Lord Orochimaru.
Just then, someone suddenly pushed open the door to their home.
"Riko! The clan head is summoning you—urgent!"
Riko didn't even finish eating. She headed straight for the clan head's estate.
Ruri watched her sister's back with envy.
Last time, she'd seen the clan head speaking with her sister under the corridor eaves—listening carefully while Riko spoke slowly.
Her sister's standing in the clan was getting higher and higher. More and more jōnin were paying attention to her.
Riko arrived at the clan head's estate and saw their leader.
"Riko, you're here," the head clan said. "Time is tight. Has something been happening in ANBU or Root lately? Why did Counselor Danzo start visiting clan compounds one by one this afternoon?"
Normally, the head clan wouldn't pry into ANBU or Root affairs—but this situation was different.
Danzo's movements were putting heavy pressure on the clans.
Riko thought for a moment. "Clan Head… do you remember Shimura Tan and Sarutobi Yūu—those two who were about to be promoted to jōnin—being killed?"
"I remember."
The head clan thought: neither of them had truly been strong enough to be jōnin though.
But when the Hokage and Danzo indulged their authority from time to time… the people below couldn't do much about it.
Riko continued, "Besides those two, Root has lost six people over the past few months—killed one after another.
My guess is Counselor Danzo is visiting every clan compound to replenish Root with powerful fighters."
the head clan's eyes narrowed. So that's what this is.
A man hurried in from outside. "Clan Head! Counselor Danzo has entered the compound!"
"Invite him to the study—no." He changed his mind mid-sentence. "Invite him to the main hall. I'll be there at once."
Riko couldn't appear.
She was ANBU. Danzo was her superior. No matter whether she stood with ANBU or the clan, it would be wrong.
So she stayed in the clan head's study.
The head clan entered the Yamanaka clan's main hall and awaited Danzo.
"Please, have a seat, Counselor Danzo."
Danzo didn't sit. He stood and spoke down to him.
"Clan Head. The Second Great Ninja War may be over, but the village's security is far from stable.
Someone lurking in the shadows keeps provoking Konoha—slaughtering the village's key ninja."
The head clan thought coldly: They're not provoking the village. They're provoking you.
"Root and ANBU urgently need strong shinobi to protect the village in the dark—shinobi who can complete missions ordinary ninja cannot.
I've already notified the Aburame, the Hyūga, and other clans.
Every clan bears responsibility for sacrificing for Konoha.
The Yamanaka are no exception. You will regularly supply Root with two shinobi: one will be an elite chūnin or tokubetsu jōnin with immediate combat value; the other will be a young but highly talented child who has not yet entered the academy."
The head clan's expression tightened in disbelief.
He'd expected Danzo to demand a tokubetsu jōnin.
But why a child?
"In that case," He said carefully, "the Yamanaka are willing to provide a chūnin or tokubetsu jōnin. But taking a child who hasn't even entered the academy… isn't that inappropriate?"
Danzo said, "There's nothing inappropriate about it. Root will cultivate them from childhood. That's how exceptional Root shinobi are made.
This child will eat, sleep, and live in Root from a young age, and will never return to the Yamanaka.
And it isn't just you. Every clan will do the same."
The head clan's face darkened.
This demand was excessive.
He said, "Counselor Danzo, the village was founded so that ten-year-old children wouldn't be sent to the battlefield.
And now you're saying… a four-year-old child should enter Root training?
I absolutely—"
Before he could finish, a cold wind surged through the hall.
Danzo's visible eye narrowed—small, vicious, and unwavering as it locked onto him.
The chill slipped into the head clan's sleeves, making him feel like he'd dropped into an ice cavern.
Even so, he forced the words out.
"No. I will not agree to letting a four-year-old child enter Root training!
Counselor Danzo, over the last year, the Yamanaka have already supplied many ninja to ANBU and Root.
As of now, there is one Yamanaka in Root and one in ANBU.
And it's not only Root and ANBU that need Yamanaka—Interrogation and Barrier Teams need us too.
We are still willing to supply ninja to Root and ANBU. As you said, sacrificing for Konoha is our duty.
But handing over a four-year-old child—please forgive me. I cannot agree!"
Behind Danzo, K lowered his head.
He was the "Yamanaka in Root" the clan head had just mentioned.
ANBU could go home on nights without missions.
Root members had to remain in Root twenty-four hours a day—always waiting for Danzo's summons.
K desperately wanted to tell his clan head the truth: Danzo wanted a four-year-old so he could cultivate absolute loyalty from the start—loyalty untainted by clan influence.
Danzo's voice cut in, sharp as a blade.
"Nara Shikakaku didn't say a word. Are you going to be the first one to stand up and oppose me?"
The moment he heard Shikakaku hadn't opposed it, his resolve visibly weakened. He shut his eyes for a brief, pained moment.
If Shikakaku agreed… then Shikakaku had judged this was something that could not be resisted.
K didn't dare say anything. He could only pray the clan head would agree quickly.
Root had taken catastrophic losses. Danzo would reinforce it no matter what.
A three- or four-year-old trained from childhood was the easiest to turn into a mission machine—emotions sanded down, loyalty shaped into reflex.
If they were never told who they were, they might not even know what "betrayal" meant.
He hesitated again and again, then finally let out a long sigh.
"…Forgive me, Danzo-sama. I spoke rashly just now. I got emotional."
Danzo said, "I'll name one person: chūnin Yamanaka Ruri.
Send her into Root. Her older sister is quite capable—so Yamanaka Ruri's talent should be good as well.
Yamanaka Ruri, plus one four-year-old child. Deliver them to Root tomorrow."