The village chief, the third hokage, Hiruzen, was carefully going over stacks of mission reports that were arranged on his desk as the afternoon sun threw long shadows of those stacks of paper across his desk.
Suddenly, a figure materialised from nowhere. The ANBU codenamed Mouse, whose speciality was surveillance, bowed low before his leader before reporting his findings. He was dressed in a dark, featureless mask that looked like a rodent.
Hiruzen commanded him, "What is the report, Mouse?"
He assigned this ANBU the task of pursuing Ryu, and now he was waiting for his report. He had talked to Yuki earlier, but she had not provided him with much information about the boy; all he had learnt was what he had inferred on his own from their conversation.
Assigned the task of silently following Ryu, Mouse stood up and muttered, "Ryu, the boy, is undeniably bright and ambitious, but he is fading, Lord Hokage."
A flicker of sadness crossed Hiruzen's wise eyes. He had gleaned the same impression from his brief interaction with Dr. Yuki, but the ANBU's confirmation made it all the more real.
"Doctors see no cure?" Hiruzen enquired, already knowing the answer.
Mouse shook his head solemnly. "No, Lord Hokage. No conventional treatment has shown any promise. Yet, the boy refuses to surrender. He's conducting some unorthodox experiments within a makeshift lab hidden in the library, away from public scrutiny."
Hiruzen's brow furrowed, a mix of concern and intrigue playing across his features. "Unorthodox experiments, you say? Elaborate on that. What exactly is this boy up to?"
Hiruzen was not surprised. He already knew this much from what Tatsuya had told him earlier. "And what kind of experiments are these?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Mouse replied, "Lord Hokage, the experiments appear to be biological in nature, Lord Hokage. This boy appears to be looking for a particular pathogen—one that might not seriously damage a human host but might be able to combat the very bacteria causing his deteriorating health."
"It makes sense to fight fire with fire. A bold strategy," Hiruzen mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "Risky, but potentially groundbreaking if successful. The boy shows remarkable ingenuity."
Understanding Ryu's pursuit to combat his affliction through unorthodox means, Hokage considered the boy's unconventional approach of leveraging benign pathogens against harmful bacteria as a strategic move akin to 'fighting fire with fire'.
"Have they made any progress?" Hiruzen enquired, genuinely interested in the outcome of these experiments.
The ANBU replied, "Not yet.They are still experimenting, Lord Hokage, but I heard them say that the experiments could be dangerous if precautions are overlooked." He stopped for a second and then continued, "The boy is cautioned. He prioritises safety the most, so I don't think he would intentionally do anything wrong."
Hiruzen nodded, a hint of approval in his eyes. "Good. It's reassuring to know he understands the gravity of his actions. Keep a close eye on those experiments, Mouse. We don't want any unforeseen consequences. Anthing else?"
The ANBU then said, "The boy saved a life yesterday."
"How so?" enquired the Hokage, intrigued.
The ANBU explained, "There was this old man who was having severe allergic reactions and was repeatedly admitted to the hospital. No doctor could find the cause of his illness. Every time he was admitted, he would be discharged the next day, as his condition improved the very next day. The boy identified the cause of his illness just by looking at his shoes."
The ANBU named Mouse explained the boy's theory about the lime dust sensitivities he deduced from the lime dust boots of the old man.
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his eyes widening slightly. "Amazing, to infer so much from such a small detail, This boy's observational skills are extraordinary, The boy is genius," Hiruzen thought after paying close attention.
Hiruzen was astounded by Ryu's depth of observation and problem-solving skills, as well as his intelligence and compassion.
"It seems we have quite the prodigy on our hands," Hiruzen said aloud, his voice a mixture of admiration and concern. "Such talent... it could be a great asset to the village, but it could also attract unwanted attention."
The old hokage then asked, "Anything strange you noticed?"
After a pause, the ANBU then said, "About Ryu, there is nothing stranger than what I already told you. But, I noticed an ANBU-Root Ninja surveiling Dr. Yuki."
He was surprised when he heard that, but at the same time not. He remembered what he said to Dr. Yuki in their last meeting. He then asked, "Does the Root know about the boy and his experiments?"
The Hokage's posture stiffened, his eyes narrowing at the mention of Root. Their involvement has never, ever positive consequences for people involved.
The Mouse replied, "No, Lord Hokage, they are surveiling only Dr. Yuki from a distance and don't know about Ryu and his experiments."
Hiruzen's shoulders relaxed slightly, but the tension didn't leave his eyes. "That's good, at least. But Root's interest in Dr. Yuki is... concerning for me."
"Maintain your surveillance," he instructed. "You need to keep Ryu and his experiments secret from ANBU-Root. If they are trying to look into Ryu and his experiments, eliminate them. Report any other significant developments, successes, or failures regarding those experiments. And most importantly," Hiruzen added, his voice firm, "ensure Ryu's safety."
"Understood, Lord Hokage," the ANBU codenamed "Mouse" bowed deeply.
With a silent nod, the ANBU agent vanished back into the swirling smoke, leaving Hiruzen alone with the weight of his decision. He sighed and remembered his talk about Ryu with Dr. Yuki.
/Flashback Start/
In Dr. Yuki's office while the Hokage, Hiruzen, took a seat in the visitor's chair. An aura of tense suspicion permeated the air, a stark contrast to the usual warmth of Dr. Yuki reserved for others.
Her sharp gaze and scrutinising stare pinned him down the moment he entered. "Lord Hokage," she began, her voice laced with a barely concealed hint of suspicion, "what brings you here today?
In a carefree, innocent voice, Hiruzen replied, "Can't I just come to see my cousin and say hello?" However, he realised from the way she addressed him based on his status that he was not well liked.
Dr. Yuki, ever perceptive, was quick to see through the facade. With contempt etching her features, she rebutted his claim, her disbelief palpable. "You came to see me, not the Hokage, but as a sibling. Do you really think I would believe that? The ever-busy Hokage sparing time to merely greet his cousin. I am not buying it. Just say it. Why have you come here?"
As the tension mounted, Hiruzen, recognising her growing agitation, mustered the courage to question, "Why are you so agitated?"
A brief silence followed, and then Dr. Yuki finally let slip a disturbing revelation, her voice heavy with the weight of recent events: "The other day, Danzo was here, sitting right where you are now."
Hiruzen was not surprised at all, as if he already knew. Dr. Yuki, observant as she was, noticed this and proceeded to say, "Now you know why I am agitated."
Closing her eyes momentarily, she continued, her voice tinged with sorrow, "I lost many children that day. Children entrusted to my care were snatched away."
In response, Hiruzen sought to provide solace, affirming, "They are not lost, Yuki," he said gently. "They have become part of something larger. Part of the village's ANBU Ninjas, protecting the village from the shadows."
Dr. Yuki's eyes flashed with anger. "Part of something larger? Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night, Hiruzen? These are children, not pawns in your political games!"
Emboldened by a mix of grief and anger, Dr. Yuki retorted scornfully, "They were my children. Why don't you send your children and grandchildren to Root to belong somewhere and say that again?"
Hiruzen looked at her without saying a word. Dr. Yuki continued, "Your dear friend came here and threatened my children and my orphanage to get what he wanted, and you have the nerve to defend him and his organisation, knowing what will happen to them. How they will be utilised and transformed into emotionless tools."
Hiruzen's face paled, the weight of her words hitting him like a physical blow. "Threatened? Yuki, I... I had no idea. Danzo overstepped his bounds. I will speak to him, I promise you."
"Speak to him?" Dr. Yuki scoffed. "And what good will that do? Will it bring back the children he's already taken?"
A tense silence hung between them until Hiruzen finally spoke, his words weighted with the burden of responsibility: "Root is the necessary evil. It keeps the village safe in the shadows, executing the missions that normal ninjas cannot handle, combating threats unbeknownst to the populace without seeking recognition."
Dr. Yuki met his gaze, her eyes blazing with a mixture of grief and defiance. "Necessary evil?" she challenged. "Is that what you call it, Hiruzen? Is there a necessary evil that preys on the innocent and steals their childhood? What happens to their dreams and their aspirations? Do they simply cease to exist because Root deems them expendable?"
Her gaze drilled into him, a silent accusation. "Were the Hamura clan also a threat?" she demanded, her question sharp and pointed.