Inside the jōnin exam chamber.
Yako stood behind Nara Shikakaku, silently observing White Ram as he faced the promotion test.
"We'll now proceed with the interview phase," Shikakaku said. "You will be asked three questions. No hesitation allowed—answer immediately with the first thought that comes to mind. Hesitation will be considered a failure."
"First question: If the village assigns you to go undercover in the Land of Bears for thirty years, what do you do?"
White Ram answered without pause.
"The Land of Bears holds no key figures worth a thirty-year ANBU infiltration—unless the objective is total control of the nation."
Shikakaku blinked, turning to glance at Fox. That… was the same line of reasoning Fox had once given.
White Ram continued,
"I'd stage a Cocoon Puppet Theater inside the daimyo's castle.
Every important person in the castle would be turned into a parasitic cocoon—on the surface, they'd look like normal humans. But beneath the skin, their flesh would've already been devoured and replaced by my insects.
So from the outside, it would seem the castle was full of people, but in truth, it'd be crawling with living cocoons.
Then, when Konoha gives the order—"
"Stop." Shikakaku rubbed his temple. These ANBU were getting way too extreme.
That answer was only a step behind the time Fox had said he'd make the Queen Dowager of the Land of Bears his lover.
The other nine jōnin in the room stared. Is this really how ANBU think?
Fox, however, nodded in approval. White Ram's logic mirrored his own—clear, ruthless, and elegantly horrifying.
The remaining two questions were cut off midway. It wasn't just that White Ram's answers were extreme—he solved everything with bugs, and the imagery was enough to make anyone queasy.
He passed the combat trial with ease.
At just 19 years old, he was entering the phase of rapid power growth. He was ready.
Once the exam concluded, Yako and Yellow Dog brought White Ram to the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage personally conferred the Will of Fire.
White Ram pledged that he would give even his last Parasitic Devourer Insect to complete his ANBU mission.
—
With the promotion finished, Yako led the Blossom Deer Squad to Root HQ.
The central chamber was circular, open to the sky. At its base was a pool of frigid underground water. A cross-shaped walkway divided the surface, each path leading to a different sector.
One walkway led straight to Danzo's office.
Yako stood at the center, waiting.
From the dark, Danzo slowly emerged, stepping into the lone beam of light.
Yako spoke first.
"Lord Danzo. The Hokage has assigned me to the Rain border, to take over Lord Orochimaru's mission.
Do you have any additional instructions for the Uzumaki investigation?"
Danzo studied Fox. Why hadn't I recognized this one's potential earlier? If I had brought him into Root back then…
"You're no stranger to the matter," Danzo said.
"You were with Yellow Dog during the destruction of Uzushio Village.
You should understand clearly: if the Uzumaki remnants are allowed to grow, the damage to Konoha would be immense.
This time, in the Land of Rain—you must find them. Preserve their brains. Bring them back—dead or alive.
No survivors."
"I understand. Not a single one will be left alive."
Whether it's them or someone else, Yako thought, there'll be no survivors either way.
Danzo added,
"K handles intelligence. Once you arrive, show him this scroll—he'll assist you."
K is in Rain? Yako smiled internally. Perfect.
From the shadows, C emerged and tossed Yako the scroll.
After bowing, Yako turned and left Root.
As he vanished, C asked,
"Lord Danzo, is it really worth it—recalling Orochimaru just for the experiments?"
Danzo recalled the awe-inspiring power of Wood Release.
"It's worth it. We'll now fully support Orochimaru and accelerate the experiment."
C reported,
"The first batch of 50 child test subjects have been prepared—all from outside the village, each with both Earth and Water affinity.
A says the survival rate will be low. Should we begin gathering the next batch in advance?"
Danzo replied,
"Wait and see. If they all die, we'll shift to Senju bloodline targets.
Start with women married out of the Senju clan. Their children still carry the bloodline, but since their surnames change, their disappearances won't raise suspicion.
Begin screening. When the time comes, we'll abduct them quietly."
"I'll arrange it immediately."
Danzo then asked,
"How is the effectiveness of the Seal of Tongue Eradication? Are the suppressions stable?"
C swallowed hard. He had that seal himself. Until now, he hadn't realized Danzo didn't fully trust him.
He'd thought he was Danzo's closest confidant. Clearly, he was wrong.
But he understood Danzo wasn't referring to his seal.
"The four new Root recruits are fully controlled by the seal.
And the five infiltrators we placed in ANBU—all seals are stable."
Danzo's eyes darkened.
"I suspect there's a traitor inside ANBU."
C grew tense.
"A traitor?"
Danzo nodded.
"The attacks against the Shimura clan and Root… too precise. Too effective.
Root's existence is a classified secret—most in Konoha don't even know we exist.
Someone must've leaked our intel to the Uzumaki remnants. That's how they're striking so accurately."
He paused.
"Yellow Dog—he's proficient in Fire Release… and Wind Release..."
He left the sentence hanging.
"But… Lord Sarutobi's nephew Sarutobi Yuu was killed as well. That couldn't have been Yellow Dog?"
Danzo said nothing. You don't survive in Root's shadows by being soft. Maybe Sarutobi Yuu's death was part of the cover.
—
The full moon hung like a silver plate.
It was another full moon night.
In the late hours, Yako slipped out of ANBU HQ. Masked, silent, he prowled through the village shadows.
Once he confirmed no one was tailing him, he entered the orphanage.
Inside the cramped office, Yakushi Nono was mending torn children's clothes by lamplight. A basket of worn uniforms sat beside her.
She loved the lively, energetic orphans—they brought laughter into the home. Of course, their clothes always tore more often.
Suddenly, she froze.
Someone had stepped into her barrier seal.
A presence appeared behind her.
Yako peeked in, eyes immediately drawn to her ample chest.
"Guess I'm lucky tonight. You didn't go for the ultra-tight binding wrap."
"I'm in the orphanage. No need to disguise."
She set down the needle and thread, leaning forward, inviting him.
After enjoying the tightness of a different sort, Yako gently ran his fingers down her waist and asked:
"K—has he been marked with the Seal of Tongue Eradication?"
"Confirmed."
"Good."