Chapter 8: The Roots of Trouble
Jiraiya woke early, his energy renewed after the previous day's success. He had surprised Orochimaru, earned a compliment from Tsunade (even if it was indirect), and leveled up his skills. But he wasn't satisfied. The Advanced Sealing Techniques skill had opened a door, and he intended to push it wide open.
"Today's the day," Jiraiya muttered to himself, tucking several freshly inscribed scrolls into his pouch. "I'm gonna master these seals."
At the training grounds, Hiruzen waited with his usual calm demeanor. Beside him stood a man Jiraiya didn't recognize—a tall, imposing figure with cold eyes and an air of authority. The man's presence sent a chill through the air.
"Good morning, team," Hiruzen began. "Today, we'll focus on strategic combat training. But first, allow me to introduce Danzo Shimura, an elder of Konoha. He'll be observing your progress."
Jiraiya exchanged a glance with Tsunade and Orochimaru. Neither of them seemed particularly thrilled about Danzo's presence, and Jiraiya couldn't blame them. Something about the man felt… off.
Danzo's gaze swept over the three genin, lingering on Jiraiya for a moment longer than felt comfortable. "A shinobi's strength lies in discipline," he said, his voice sharp. "I expect to see that today."
"Great," Jiraiya muttered under his breath. "Another lecture."
"Jiraiya," Hiruzen said, his tone carrying a warning.
"Right, Sensei. Sorry."
The exercise began. It was a tactical challenge: capture a flag hidden somewhere in the training grounds while evading traps and rival teams. Orochimaru quickly took the lead, analyzing the terrain and assigning roles. Tsunade was in charge of defense, while Jiraiya was tasked with scouting and disarming traps.
"Don't mess this up," Orochimaru said as Jiraiya darted ahead.
"Yeah, yeah," Jiraiya replied, rolling his eyes. But he knew Orochimaru was right. This was his chance to show Danzo—and everyone else—what he could do.
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Using Observation and Stealth, Jiraiya navigated the forest. He spotted a tripwire glinting in the sunlight and carefully disarmed it, earning a satisfying chime from the system.
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Quest Alert: Disarm Traps
Objective: Disarm 3 traps in the training grounds.
Reward: +50 XP, +1 Tool Mastery Skill.
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Jiraiya grinned. "Two more to go."
As he moved deeper into the forest, he came across another trap—a pressure plate hidden beneath a layer of leaves. This one was trickier, but with his improved skills, he managed to disable it without triggering the mechanism.
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Quest Progress: Disarm Traps (2/3)
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"Almost there," he muttered. But just as he turned to continue, a faint sound reached his ears. Footsteps—light and deliberate, but not enough to escape his notice. Someone was following him.
Activating Stealth, Jiraiya crouched low, blending into the shadows. He peered through the underbrush and spotted a masked shinobi moving toward him. The figure didn't look like another genin. In fact, they didn't look like they were part of the exercise at all.
"What's this about?" Jiraiya whispered to himself. He stayed hidden, using Observation to get more information.
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Observation Activated
Masked Shinobi (Lv. 15).
Affiliation: ROOT (Danzo Shimura).
Intent: Surveillance.
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"ROOT?" Jiraiya had heard rumors about Danzo's secretive organization, but seeing one of its operatives here sent a shiver down his spine. What were they doing in a genin training exercise?
Before Jiraiya could act, the masked shinobi suddenly stopped and turned toward him, their body language sharp and alert. They had sensed him.
"Great," Jiraiya muttered, readying a scroll. "Guess we're doing this."
He tossed the scroll at the ground, activating the explosive seal. The blast forced the shinobi to retreat, but they recovered quickly, drawing a kunai.
Jiraiya's heart pounded. This wasn't a game anymore.
The shinobi lunged, and Jiraiya barely managed to dodge, activating Chakra Dash to put some distance between them. He threw another scroll, releasing a cloud of smoke, and used the cover to summon two clones.
"Let's see how you handle this!" he shouted.
The clones charged, drawing the shinobi's attention, while Jiraiya circled around to flank them. He reached for another scroll, this one inscribed with a storage seal, and released a barrage of kunai from it.
The masked shinobi deflected the kunai with ease, but the distraction was enough for Jiraiya to close the gap. He threw a punch, landing a solid hit on their side.
The shinobi staggered but didn't fall. Instead, they retreated, disappearing into the forest without a word.
Jiraiya stood there, panting. "What the hell was that about?"
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Quest Complete: Disarm Traps
Reward: +50 XP, +1 Tool Mastery Skill.
Hidden Quest Complete: Survive an Encounter with ROOT
Reward: +150 XP, unique perk unlocked: "ROOT Watchlist."
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New Perk: ROOT Watchlist
You have drawn the attention of ROOT. Their operatives will monitor your progress, but you may also uncover hidden opportunities tied to their activities.
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As Jiraiya returned to his team, he couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play. Danzo's gaze followed him as he approached, his expression unreadable.
"You seem troubled, Jiraiya," Hiruzen said, noticing the boy's unease.
"It's nothing, Sensei," Jiraiya replied quickly. "Just… thinking about the traps."
Hiruzen gave him a curious look but didn't press further. Danzo, however, lingered for a moment before turning away.
That night, back in his room, Jiraiya opened his interface and reviewed the new perk. "ROOT, huh? Looks like I've got more than just Orochimaru to worry about."
He closed the interface and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The game had just gotten a lot more dangerous—and a lot more interesting.
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