Chapter 101 – Killing Intent (Double Length Chapter)
The Hokage's office fell into silence.
Taichi watched the fluctuating expressions on the Hokage's face and wisely stopped speaking. The point had already been made—anything more would only be excessive.
He quietly retreated to Jiraiya's side and caught a glimpse of Jiraiya discreetly giving him a thumbs-up. Excitement surged in Taichi's chest.
Now, all that remained was the Hokage's decision.
Sure enough, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not deliberate for long. He picked up the pen and paper on his desk and began writing briskly, right in front of the two of them.
Scratch, scratch.
In less than a minute, a formal transfer order was complete.
With a casual flick of his wrist, the document flew through the air and landed squarely in Taichi's hands.
"Take this transfer order and give it to Yakushi Nonō," Hiruzen said solemnly, staring straight at Taichi.
"From this moment on, she is no longer a member of Root. Starting tomorrow, she is to report to Konoha Hospital under Biwako."
He paused, then added heavily,
"Now—are you satisfied?"
"Thank you, Grandpa Hokage."
Taichi stared at the document in his hands, joy flooding his heart. At last—it was done. All the effort, all the scheming, all the sleepless nights… it had paid off.
As for the political storm this decision would unleash afterward—that was no longer something he could or needed to be involved in.
Sensing Hiruzen's dark mood, Jiraiya promptly took the initiative to excuse himself, dragging along a still-grinning Taichi before he could linger any longer.
The moment the office door closed—
Hiruzen's expression darkened completely.
Danzō…
This is no longer mere insubordination.
You dared to reach your hand into my domain.
In that case—do not blame me for being ruthless.
---
Minato's Living Room
Laughter filled the room.
Jiraiya swung his arms wildly, his booming laughter echoing through the house.
"Hahaha! You should've seen the old man's face—looked like he'd just swallowed a bitter gourd whole!"
"And whose fault do you think that is?" Kushina snapped irritably.
"You wouldn't let us go, and now you're here gloating!"
"Yes, yes, my fault!" Jiraiya laughed shamelessly.
"But this time, Danzō really stepped on a landmine. I'd bet the old man's already calling him in as we speak."
"Sensei," Minato asked, puzzled, "you really dislike Danzō that much? And Taichi seems to hate him too."
"Minato," Jiraiya said gravely, "you've had little direct contact with Root—or with Danzō himself."
"The things Root does are darker and dirtier than even ANBU."
He sighed.
"In the past, when the old man was still in his prime, he could keep Danzō in check. But as age crept up, his control weakened—and Danzō's actions grew bolder."
"This incident?" Jiraiya continued bleakly.
"At most, Danzō will get a scolding. Real punishment? Almost none."
Jiraiya shook his head.
If only the Fourth Hokage could be chosen soon…
The Third is already stretched thin.
If not for my search for the Child of Prophecy, I would've fought for the position myself.
But who will it be? Orochimaru… or Hatake Sakumo?
Minato listened in stunned silence.
Was something as severe as planting metaphorical daggers beside the Hokage truly going to be let go so easily?
What authority would the Hokage even have left, then?
As if sensing Minato's thoughts, Jiraiya clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't dwell on it," he said.
"If you want to change things—then grow stronger. Who knows? You might be the Fourth Hokage someday."
"When that time comes, you can change whatever you want."
"Hahaha!"
His laughter shattered the heavy atmosphere.
Minato said nothing—but the resolve in his eyes quietly solidified.
Watching from the side, Taichi felt a jolt of shock.
Jiraiya probably didn't realize it himself, but that single sentence may have left a profound mark on Minato.
The ideals of the future Fourth Hokage might very well have been forged right here.
"Enough gloomy talk," Kushina said briskly.
"Today's a day worth celebrating. Let's talk about something fun!"
"Yes," Taichi agreed, standing up.
"I still haven't properly thanked everyone. I couldn't have done this on my own."
He bowed deeply.
Between Jiraiya's jokes and Taichi's heartfelt gratitude, the heavy mood finally lifted. After all, they had just caused Danzō no small amount of trouble.
Laughter resumed—but Taichi slowly grew distracted.
Minato noticed first.
After a moment's thought, he understood immediately.
Taichi wanted—no, needed—to deliver the good news to Nonō as soon as possible, but felt awkward leaving everyone so abruptly.
He really is a gentle soul, Minato thought.
"Taichi," Minato said gently, "shouldn't you go and tell Nonō the good news?"
Jiraiya and Kushina exchanged glances, then nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes—go on."
"She's the one who deserves to hear it first."
Moved by their sincerity, Taichi accepted their kindness.
"Then… I'll head out first. Thank you—everyone."
With that, Taichi took his leave. The moment he stepped outside Minato's home, he leapt onto the rooftops, sprinting full speed toward the orphanage.
---
By the time Taichi arrived at the orphanage gates, his chest heaved violently—whether from the rapid movement or sheer excitement, he couldn't tell.
He took a deep breath and gently pushed open the gate.
Inside, children were playing, their laughter ringing through the courtyard.
Nonō sat on a stone bench nearby, a book in her hands, her gentle gaze occasionally drifting toward the children.
"Sister Nonō!"
Taichi's excited voice rang out.
"Taichi?" Nonō looked up, surprised.
"Why are you here at this hour?"
Taichi strode up to her without a word. He pulled the transfer order from his ninja pouch and waved it lightly in front of her, the grin on his face completely unrestrained.
Nonō blinked, confused.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Taichi stopped teasing. He grabbed her hand and placed the transfer order firmly into her palm.
When Nonō's eyes landed on the paper, her entire body trembled. Her pupils contracted sharply as she stared at the document in disbelief—then looked up at Taichi.
"Th–this… is this real?"
Taichi nodded vigorously, joy spilling into his voice.
"It's real! The Hokage personally signed the transfer order. Jiraiya-sensei and I were both there."
"From this moment on, you're no longer a member of Root. Tomorrow, you can report to Konoha Hospital under Lady Biwako."
Nonō's lips quivered, her eyes instantly reddening. She lowered her head and reread the order again and again, as if afraid it might vanish in the next second. After a long while, a single tear slipped down silently, soaking into the paper.
"This is wonderful… truly wonderful," she whispered through a sob.
Taichi stepped forward and gently patted her back, soothing her emotions.
"Sister Nonō—from now on, you're free."
"…Yes."
Nonō looked up. Tears blurred her vision, yet she still forced out a smile.
"Thank you, Taichi. If it weren't for you—"
Her voice was barely audible, but the gratitude within it was immeasurable.
Taichi shook his head lightly, smiling.
"Don't thank me. This was everyone's effort—Tsunade-sensei, Jiraiya-sensei, Minato, and Kushina. They all helped a great deal."
"Yes… yes."
Nonō took a deep breath, struggling to steady herself. She wiped the corners of her eyes, her voice still trembling.
"I never imagined this day would come so soon. I thought I'd never be able to leave Root."
Taichi looked at her, fully aware of the immense pressure and pain she had endured over the years—running the orphanage while carrying out Root's missions. Now, at last, the burden on her shoulders could finally be set down.
Just then, Yami came hopping over, tilting her head up at Nonō curiously.
"Director, why are you crying?"
Nonō crouched down, gently patting Yami's head as she smiled.
"The director isn't crying. I'm just… very happy."
"So you can cry when you're happy too?" Yami asked innocently, tilting her head.
Nonō laughed softly and pulled her into a hug.
"Yes. Sometimes happiness makes people cry."
Taichi stood nearby, watching the scene with warmth filling his heart.
From this day forward, Nonō could truly let go—free to give her love wholly and without fear to these children.
Children's worlds were carefree, especially at this age—around five years old. They weren't prodigies like Kakashi or Itachi. Right now, all they cared about was playing.
Sure enough, Yami—who hadn't even figured out what crying really meant—wiggled out of Nonō's arms moments later, grabbed Taichi's hand, and dragged him off to play with the others.
With the weight lifted from his heart, Taichi followed along happily.
Yet when he thought about how powerless he'd been—how he'd had to rely entirely on Tsunade and Jiraiya—his desire to grow stronger surged once again.
Looking at Yami tugging him eagerly, Taichi smiled gently. With one hand, he formed seals and split into two shadow clones, using his precise chakra control to transfer most of his chakra into them.
The two clones understood their mission immediately. The moment they appeared, they leapt away from the courtyard, heading off to train on their own.
"Wow! Big Brother Taichi, that jutsu is amazing!"
Yami stared at the two Taichis in awe.
"Can I learn it too?"
"If you want to learn it," Taichi chuckled, "then you'll have to work hard. Once you become a ninja, Big Brother will teach you."
Watching the clones disappear into the distance, Taichi once again marveled at how useful the Shadow Clone Jutsu was. Now, he could stay and play with the children without worry.
---
That Night — Root Headquarters
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked through Root's underground corridors, accompanied by only a single white-haired ANBU operative holding a stack of documents.
The long passageway was dimly lit, with a lamp every ten meters casting a sickly yellow glow.
Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed endlessly through the corridor, amplifying the eerie silence and oppressive atmosphere.
Yet neither man was affected.
When Hiruzen reached the entrance to Root's main chamber, Danzō was already waiting.
"Still walking around at your age, Hiruzen?" Danzō said coolly.
"To think you'd personally come down to this underground nest of mine."
The sarcasm only fueled the anger already simmering in Hiruzen's chest.
"This is the transfer order issued today," Hiruzen said coldly.
"From this moment on, Yakushi Nonō is no longer a member of Root."
Danzō's pupil contracted—not because of the order itself, but because Hiruzen knew about Root's hidden personnel.
That was no small matter.
"She's just an orphanage director," Danzō scoffed as he accepted the order without even looking at it.
"Is she really worth breaking the understanding we've maintained for decades?"
"Root is my life's work," he continued.
"You didn't even inform me before pulling someone out. Isn't that inappropriate?"
"Yes," Hiruzen replied quietly at first.
"That would be inappropriate."
Then—
"Then was forging the Hokage's seal appropriate?!"
The sudden roar froze everyone present.
Clatter!
Hiruzen snatched the documents from the ANBU's hands and slammed them onto the ground before Danzō.
Pages scattered into the air. One voucher drifted down in front of Danzō, who caught it reflexively.
The forged seal—bright red, unmistakable—glared back at him.
In the dim light, Danzō's expression flickered violently. Panic flashed through his single eye.
So that's why… the orphanage slipped up.
But the panic vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold sneer.
"Hiruzen, you've grown old," Danzō said mockingly.
"You can't even clean the parasites out of your own office—"
"Enough, Danzō!" Hiruzen barked.
"Don't insult my intelligence. You know exactly what this is about."
"Or do you want me to send the man you bribed to the Yamanaka for interrogation?"
Hiruzen's voice turned razor-sharp.
"If it comes to that, your position as head of Root won't be yours anymore."
Danzō's heart skipped a beat.
This was the first time Hiruzen had ever threatened his authority so directly.
Suppressing his fury, Danzō remained silent.
"Tomorrow," Hiruzen continued, turning away,
"submit Root's full personnel list to ANBU. Root is still part of ANBU—it will not operate beyond its control."
With that final blow, Hiruzen departed into the darkness of the corridor.
BANG!
Danzō slammed his fist into the stone wall, cracking the rock apart.
"Damn it… without me, your Hokage seat would never have been this stable," he snarled.
"And now you dare think of stripping me of my position?"
Staring at the voucher in his hand, his eye burned with murderous fury.
"The orphanage… Yakushi Nonō—"
"Investigate," he ordered coldly.
"Find out who entered the Hokage's office today—and what they discussed."
Within half an hour, a detailed report was placed in his hands.
His gaze locked onto a name.
"…Matsushita Taichi."
Once again.
His eye narrowed with lethal intent.
"So it's you.
It seems… you can't be allowed to live."