"How does he not see that these kids will grow into formidable threats if given time?" Danzo muttered, his voice echoing through the dimly lit underground halls of Root's base.
Though he had backed down in front of Hiruzen, he wasn't done, not even close. Patience was key. Striking too soon would be reckless, and Danzo was nothing if not methodical. Let them return to Takimura; it wouldn't change anything. His influence in the Land of Water was vast, stronger than anywhere else. They weren't beyond his reach.
"If only those damn kids weren't there…" His hands clenched into fists, bitter over how his plan had failed the previous night.
A few days ago after witnessing Akane's fight against Toji, Danzo had reached a conclusion - Takimura's younger generation was dangerous. Hiruzen refused to acknowledge it, blinded by his so-called morals. Or maybe, deep down, Danzo simply needed an excuse. Just as Hiruzen had accused him, maybe his real goal wasn't just Konoha's security - but acquiring Kaoru's eyes for himself.
The moment he returned to Root's headquarters, he wasted no time. He dispatched two of his shinobi to spy on the Takimura delegation. He needed intelligence - patterns, vulnerabilities, anything that could make capturing Kaoru, and possibly Mizuki, easier. Normally, as an elder and councilor, he had access to Anbu reports. But Hiruzen had been keeping information from him, feeding him only what he deemed necessary.
Still, Danzo was not one to be left in the dark.
However, when his Root operatives finally reached their targets, things took an unexpected turn.
"Remember, we must remain hidden. Lord Danzo ordered us to gather information, nothing more," one of them whispered as they crouched on a rooftop.
Just as they were about to move, two masked figures appeared behind them, silent as shadows.
"You must return. Lord Hokage's orders," one of the figures said. His voice was calm, soft even, yet carried an undeniable weight of authority.
Root operatives, in theory, were under the Hokage's command—just like every other force in Konoha. But in reality, they answered only to Danzo.
The Leaf's standard training already involved indoctrination; every village did it. But Hiruzen's "Will of Fire" philosophy was designed to create shinobi fiercely loyal to Konoha itself. Danzo, however, operated differently. He didn't just instill loyalty—he rewrote minds. He manipulated facts, instilled fake memories, and if needed, used genjutsu to carve out absolute obedience.
To Root, Danzo was the Hokage. Their savior. His orders were law.
So when the Anbu shinobi in the white fox mask commanded them to return, they hesitated. This was a direct contradiction to Danzo's orders.
Disobeying was unthinkable. But fighting Anbu was suicide. Root shinobis were okay with dying for Danzo, but if they fought ANBU it would create problems for their lord - that's where they drew the line.
Reluctantly, they nodded and withdrew into the shadows.
But this was not the end.
The two Anbu operatives wasted no time. Their next stop was another rooftop nearby, where two figures were crouched, their eyes locked onto the Root operatives from the shadows. They had been tracking their every move.
"We apologize for the inconvenience, but we won't allow anyone to harm your disciples. This is Lord Hokage's order," the white fox-masked shinobi stated. His voice was eerily calm, devoid of any emotion, as if he were merely a tool executing a directive.
Maki straightened, unfazed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Don't worry, if they had tried anything, we would've handled it."
The Anbu remained rigid. "Please do not interfere. If anyone threatens your disciples, we will eliminate them. You need not take matters into your own hands." His voice was as monotone as before.
Maki tilted her head slightly, her sharp eyes moved to the second Anbu. He was young, barely older than Kaoru. [Anbu at that age?] She narrowed her gaze, trying to get a better look. The angle of the moonlight left most of his face that was already covered with a mask in shadow, but she caught one detail, his eyes were as black as an abyss.
"Alright," Maki relented, stretching her arms. "We'll let you handle them. But you can't blame us for staying on guard. We are their guardians, after all."
She chuckled lightly before turning away.
Neither she nor her companion waited for a response. In an instant, both parties flickered away, vanishing into the night.
Hiruzen's anger toward Danzo wasn't just because he had sent Root operatives to spy on the Takimura delegation - he had expected that. That was precisely why he had deployed two elite Anbu, shinobis so skilled that no one could hide from them. What truly enraged him was the fact that Danzo's attempt had been sloppy enough to be noticed by Maki and Shin. If they reported this back to Takimura, any misfortune that befell them afterward, whether Danzo was involved or not, would be blamed on Konoha.
Even if Takimura lacked the diplomatic influence to pressure Konoha or the military strength to pose a direct threat, the consequences of a single misstep could spiral out of control. A small snowball could trigger an avalanche.
Konoha was in a fragile position. The aftermath of the war had left every major village focused on recovery, yet Konoha had suffered additional blows. They had lost their strongest shinobi - the Fourth Hokage in the Nine-Tails attack. Their only jinchūriki was just a child. Internally, tensions were at a breaking point - not only because of the recent Kumo incident, where Hiruzen gave up elite jonin because of his fear of war but also due to the growing suspicion surrounding the Uchiha clan's possible involvement in the Kyubi attack.
And now, thanks to Danzo's reckless actions, there was yet another variable to account for.
Hiruzen sat in his office, his expression dark as he exhaled sharply. His fingers drummed against the desk, his frustration barely contained.
"He couldn't even send shinobis skilled in stealth," Hiruzen muttered through clenched teeth. "No, he had to send two damn jonin, shinobi so incompetent that their own targets spotted them, and worse, they didn't even realize it. Danzo… you're getting too arrogant."
<<<>>>
While Danzo, Hiruzen, and even Maki and Shin were preoccupied with Root's failed spying attempt, one person was having the time of his life—Kaoru.
He strolled through Konoha's bustling streets, his right hand casually patting the pouch full of money at his waist, while the rest of his fortune sat safely tucked away in his storage seal. Thanks to Sugeru betting all the money Kaoru had given him, his winnings had skyrocketed by another 190,000 ryo, bringing his total to a staggering 570,000.
Kaoru felt invincible. The world belonged to him.
But he wasn't about to splurge just yet. The next match was Itachi's, and Kaoru planned to go all in.
'Sorry, Akito, but there's no way I'm missing this chance.'
Itachi had 1.1 odds, Akito had 5. He wouldn't win much, but it was practically free money, and Kaoru was not about to let it slip through his fingers. He had to visit a different betting stand, though. The old man from before had outright refused to take bets on Itachi after losing so much money to him already.
'Someday, I'll be known as the guy who ruined Konoha's betting business, hehe.'
As he walked, his mind wandered to future plans.
'When I get home, I'm buying a new weapon. I'll ask our blacksmiths to make it with the best materials possible.' But before that, he wanted to buy scrolls and books. Saving money didn't make sense to him - power was a far better investment.
Kaoru was busy plotting his rise to greatness when he spotted a familiar sight.
Fugaku Uchiha, walking as he held a small boy with black hair and dark eyes.
'Sasuke and Fugaku…' He felt a weird sense of déjà vu, the same unsettling feeling he always got when seeing people he already "knew" despite never having met them before.
As much as he wanted to talk to them, there was nothing to say. Besides, Fugaku wasn't exactly the chattiest or most approachable person. Kaoru decided to walk past them without a word—until a voice sent an unnatural shiver down his spine.
"Hello, Kaoru-kun."
His body reacted instantly, every hair standing on end like a startled cat.
Kaoru turned, and there was Orochimaru, leaning in so close that they nearly bumped noses.
He stumbled back, his face twisting into a startled expression.
"Oh my god! Lord Orochimaru, you really scared me." He forced an awkward chuckle. "Sorry, I forgot to greet you properly - hello."
He played the part of the flustered, confused kid, but deep down, he had no idea if Orochimaru was buying it.
The snake-like grin widened. "You seem to walk alone quite often, Kaoru-kun. What are you up to?"
Kaoru's mind raced.
'Shit. Why does this guy keep popping up out of nowhere? Is he following me?'
Kaoru was confident in his Suijingan's ability to detect nearly anyone, even skilled stealth users, but this was Orochimaru. If he wanted to track Kaoru, there was nothing he could do to stop him. Worse yet, if Orochimaru decided to make a move, none of Kaoru's guardians were strong enough to stop him either.
But Kaoru wasn't about to crack.
Thinking quickly, he put on his most serious face.
"I was actually looking for Lord Fugaku," he said smoothly. "I have something very private and important to discuss with him."
It was a lie, but a lie with just enough truth to be believable. He did plan to talk to Itachi about his condition after the tournament, and if using Fugaku as an escape route would keep Orochimaru off his back for now - he'd gladly pay the price and tell the information to Fugaku instead of Itachi.
"Oh? You must be quite lucky then - he's right over there." Orochimaru extended a pale finger toward Fugaku. "Allow me to introduce you."
'He thinks I just made up a dumb lie and wants to corner me,' Kaoru realized. 'But what he doesn't know is that even if it were a lie, I'd rather insult every single Uchiha than be left alone with this lunatic.'
It wasn't that Kaoru hated Orochimaru - far from it. The man was an extraordinary shinobi, a genius beyond comparison. But Kaoru feared him with every fiber of his being. He knew that, to Orochimaru, he was nothing more than a fascinating specimen - a potential lab rat waiting to be dissected.
Kaoru quickly forced a bright, grateful smile. "I'd be very thankful, Lord Orochimaru. I've never had the honor of meeting Lord Fugaku, and I doubt he even knows who I am."
Orochimaru's smirk twitched, his expression darkening for just a second before he smoothed it over. He had clearly expected Kaoru to stammer or try to escape, not to lean into the situation so smoothly. But he had already made the offer - he couldn't back out now.
"Hello, Lord Fugaku." Orochimaru's voice slithered over as they approached. "Ah, and if it isn't Sasuke-kun. He looks so much like Itachi."
He leaned toward the toddler, but the moment Sasuke laid eyes on him, he stiffened and instinctively hugged Fugaku tighter, hiding his face behind his father's shoulder.
Orochimaru ignored the reaction entirely and turned back to Fugaku. "This is Kaoru Takime, Lord Fugaku. He's one of the participants in the Chunin Exams, and he wished to discuss something with you in private. He said it's a sensitive matter that requires your personal attention."
Kaoru nearly clicked his tongue. 'Yeah, you're definitely trying to mess with me.' Orochimaru was blatantly exaggerating, trying to make Kaoru look suspicious so he'd at least suffer some consequences for trying to shake him off.
But if that was his plan, it backfired spectacularly.
"Thanks," Fugaku said curtly, his tone dismissive. His gaze was cold, unreadable - but he clearly wasn't interested in whatever Orochimaru was scheming.
To Kaoru's absolute shock, Orochimaru actually bowed slightly in farewell before walking away without another word.
Fugaku then turned his full attention to Kaoru, his expression softer than Kaoru had expected. "So, Kaoru-kun," he said, voice calm and even. "What did you want to discuss?"
Kaoru had prepared himself for a strict, rigid, almost militant figure, but the man before him seemed… warm. Collected. He had an authoritative presence, yes, but not the cold and distant personality Kaoru had assumed from the show.
'Huh.' Kaoru blinked. 'This might actually be easier than I thought.'
However, there was one big problem Kaoru hadn't thought through - how was he supposed to explain where his information came from without revealing his eye's abilities?
He took a breath and decided to just go for it.
"Lord Fugaku, what I'm about to say might sound strange, and you'll probably have a hard time believing me, but… here it goes." He met the clan head's sharp gaze. "Itachi has a serious illness."
**
A/N -
I thought that Kaoru telling Fugaku about Itachi's illness couldn't possibly backfire on him. At worst, they wouldn't believe him. At best, he might gain the Uchiha's favor. And if Itachi actually gets cured because of this then Kaoru would have an S-rank powerhouse who owes him a favor.
That said, this doesn't mean he's getting involved in the whole Uchiha massacre situation.
Character Notes:
Orochimaru - Outsmarted - "This brat is even more slippery than me"
Danzo - collects eyes - "I hear Kurta clan eyes are also for sale, is that true?"
**