Purple Cat's legs felt weak as she walked back to her own changing room.
After changing into her own clothes, she disappeared from the Anbu courtyard using the Body Flicker Technique.
On her way home, Yamanaka Ruri had a smile on her face. Fox said that if she had his child, he wanted the character 'Yō' in the child's name.
Should it be Yamanaka [Something] Yō, or Yamanaka Yō [Something]?
So hard to choose.
During dinner, her younger sister Yamanaka Ryuu secretly watched her older sister for a long time, finally unable to hold back and asking: "Sister, what are you secretly laughing about!"
Yamanaka Ruri immediately put on a stern face: "Eat! No talking while eating or lying down!"
Yamanaka Ryuu said: "No talking while eating? That's a rule for clans with many regulations like the Shimura or Hyūga clans, when have we ever had such a rule?"
Yamanaka Ryuu put down her bowl and chopsticks, leaned close to her sister and whispered: "Sister, I know what kind of mission you go on every day. Are you one of the legendary Anbu ninja?"
Yamanaka Ruri's eyes instantly became tense, then quickly relaxed.
She had never told her sister about her mission content, but her sister was too close to her and might have guessed something from her movements.
"Nonsense, how could I be an Anbu ninja? Don't talk recklessly. Spreading rumors can get you taken away for interrogation by the Anbu."
Yamanaka Ryuu immediately backed away, saying with lingering fear:
"One of my classmates was taken for interrogation because he spread rumors about Lord White Fang. They asked him if someone put him up to it."
"After he came out from the Anbu, he became much more silent. He suffered quite a blow in the Anbu."
Yamanaka Ruri was somewhat familiar with this matter. Recently, someone had been building momentum for White Fang, and his prestige was increasing steadily.
Today, Fox and Lord Orochimaru returned from the Land of Lightning. The next round should be about building momentum for Lord Orochimaru.
Just then, someone suddenly opened their door.
"Ruri! The Clan Head summons you urgently!"
Ruri couldn't finish her meal and hurried towards the Clan Head's residence.
Yamanaka Ryuu watched her sister's retreating back with envy. The last time she saw the Clan Head talking with her sister on the veranda, she didn't know what they were discussing, but the Clan Head listened carefully while her sister spoke slowly.
Her sister's status within the clan was rising higher and higher, valued by many Jōnin.
Yamanaka Ruri arrived at the Clan Head's residence and saw Clan Head Yamanaka Inson.
"Ruri, you're here." Yamanaka Inson said:
"Time is short. Has something happened recently in the Anbu and Root? Why did Advisor Danzo start visiting each clan's compound one by one this afternoon?"
Under normal circumstances, Yamanaka Inson wouldn't probe for Anbu and Root intelligence, but the situation was special now.
Danzo's actions were putting a lot of pressure on the clans.
Yamanaka Ruri thought for a moment and said, "Clan Head, do you remember the two, Shimura Gō and Sarutobi Yutaka, who were about to be promoted to Jōnin, being killed?"
"I remember."
Yamanaka Inson thought to himself that those two's strength was completely insufficient to become Jōnin.
The occasional small abuse of power by the Third Hokage and Advisor Danzo was something those below couldn't do anything about.
Yamanaka Ruri continued: "Besides those two, six Root members have been killed successively in the past few months."
"I suspect Advisor Danzo is visiting each clan compound one by one because he wants to replenish Root with capable, powerful members."
Yamanaka Inson thought, just as he suspected.
Someone hurried in from outside: "Clan Head! Advisor Danzo has entered the compound!"
"Ask him to the study... no, ask him to the main hall. I'll go there now."
Yamanaka Ruri couldn't be present. She was an Anbu ninja, and Danzo was her superior. It would be inappropriate for her to stand with either the Anbu or her family, so she remained in the Clan Head's study.
Yamanaka Inson went to the Yamanaka clan's main hall and waited for Danzo.
"Please have a seat, Advisor Danzo."
However, Danzo did not sit. Standing, he said to Yamanaka Inson:
"Clan Head Inson, although the Second Great Ninja War has ended, the village's security situation is not optimistic."
"Those hiding in the shadows are frequently provoking the village, killing the village's key ninja."
Yamanaka Inson thought to himself, it's not the village being provoked, it's probably you.
"Root and the Anbu urgently need powerful ninja to protect the village from the shadows and complete tasks ordinary ninja cannot."
"I have already notified the Aburame clan, the Hyūga clan, and others."
"Sacrificing for Konoha is the undeniable duty of every clan."
"The Yamanaka clan is no exception. Provide two ninja to Root periodically: one should be an elite Chūnin or Special Jōnin with excellent immediate combat capability, the other should be a young child, not yet entered the Ninja Academy, but with high talent."
Yamanaka Inson's eyes were full of confusion. He knew he couldn't avoid Danzo's demands. Asking for a Special Jōnin he could understand, but why a child?
Yamanaka Inson asked: "Advisor Danzo, my Yamanaka clan is willing to provide one Chūnin or Special Jōnin to the Anbu. But, asking for a child who hasn't even started school, isn't that somewhat inappropriate?"
Danzo said, "There is nothing inappropriate. Root will provide training from childhood; only then can outstanding Root ninja be cultivated."
"This child will eat and live in Root from a young age and will not return to the Yamanaka clan."
"Not only your clan, but all other clans are the same."
Yamanaka Inson's expression turned somewhat ugly.
This demand was too excessive.
He said, "Advisor Danzo, the original purpose of establishing Konoha village was to prevent 10-year-old children from going to the battlefield."
"Now you mean that 4-year-old children should enter Root for training?"
"This matter I absolutely will not..."
Before Yamanaka Inson could finish his sentence, a sudden cold gust of wind swept through.
Danzo's Four White Eyes, with their small, sinister pupils, stared at Yamanaka Inson.
The cold wind poured into Yamanaka Inson's sleeves, making him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
Even so, Yamanaka Inson said, "No, I do not agree to a 4-year-old child entering Root for training!"
"Advisor Danzo, over the past year, my Yamanaka clan has already provided many ninja to the Anbu and Root."
"As of now, there is one Yamanaka clansman each in Root and the Anbu."
"Not only do Root and the Anbu need Yamanaka clansmen, but the Interrogation Unit and the Barrier Unit also need us."
"We are still willing to provide ninja to Root and the Anbu. As you said, sacrificing for Konoha is our Yamanaka clan's undeniable duty."
"But providing a 4-year-old child... I'm sorry, I cannot agree!"
Behind Danzo, Hei lowered his head.
He was the Yamanaka clansman serving in Root that the Clan Head mentioned.
Anbu ninja can return home on nights without missions. Root ninja must stay in Root 24 hours a day, ready for Danzo's summons at any time.
Hei very much wanted to tell the Clan Head that Lord Danzo wanted 4-year-old children to cultivate absolutely loyal subordinates from a young age, subordinates uncontaminated by family influence.
"Yamanaka Inson, even Nara Rokaku didn't say anything. Are you going to be the first to oppose me?"
Hearing that Nara Rokaku didn't object, Yamanaka Inson's resolve instantly weakened. He painfully narrowed his eyes slightly.
If Rokaku agreed, it proved that Rokaku judged this matter to be unavoidable.
Hei didn't dare say anything, could only hope the Clan Head would quickly agree.
Root's losses were so great that Lord Danzo was determined to replenish and strengthen Root.
3 or 4-year-old children, cultivated from a young age, were easiest to cultivate into emotionless task machines.
If their identities weren't revealed to them, they might not even know who they were, eliminating concerns about loyalty.
Yamanaka Inson hesitated again and again, finally sighing and saying: "My apologies, Lord Danzo, I was mistaken earlier and got a bit emotional."
Danzo said: "I will name someone: Chūnin Yamanaka Ryuu."
"Send her to Root. Her older sister has decent strength, so Yamanaka Ryuu's talent should also be good."
"Yamanaka Ryuu, plus one 4-year-old child. Deliver them to Root tomorrow."
***
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(End of Chapter)