The Martyr at the Root
On the way to the Root base, Shisui gained a new understanding of Naruto Uzumaki's overwhelming strength.
Each time Naruto arrived at a suspected Root stronghold, he would summon numerous shadow clones using the Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique) before swiftly advancing to the next location without pause. Each of these clones possessed the combat prowess of a chūnin-level ninja, an unimaginable feat for someone without the chakra reserves of a tailed beast.
"How can a single person wield such an army without collapsing from the feedback of dispersed clones?" Shisui wondered. The mental strain of reabsorbing so much battlefield experience at once should have been unbearable. Or perhaps, as the leader of Uzushiogakure, "Master Mianma" had long grown accustomed to this level of exertion.
After several hours, Naruto and Shisui arrived at the hidden Root base.
A massive boulder sealed the entrance, layered with fūinjutsu to prevent detection. If this base was still intact, it could very well be Danzō Shimura's primary hideout.
Focusing his chakra into his palm, Naruto smashed the boulder with a single punch, shattering it effortlessly before charging into the underground passage.
"Master Mianma… Be careful of explosive tags!" Shisui called out, but before he could finish, he saw Naruto stepping directly onto a series of detonating tags embedded in the ground.
The moment before detonation, Naruto had already dashed out of their blast radius.
Even for someone with reflexes surpassing an explosion, this was… excessive.
Shisui was left momentarily speechless. Yet, despite Naruto triggering so many traps, the tunnel remained structurally intact, something that puzzled him.
"Perhaps," he thought, "it's another unique ability of Uzumaki Mianma."
The Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques had long been known for their unorthodox nature. It was common knowledge that their leader constantly mastered new elemental jutsu at an astonishing rate. Once he grasped a technique, he wielded it at the level of a jōnin, effortlessly manipulating chakra nature transformations.
Before long, the duo was intercepted by a Root operative—an elite jōnin of the Aburame clan.
The man had already filled the entire space with microscopic nano-sized insects, designed to enter their target's body through respiration and consume them from within.
Seeing Naruto and Shisui, Aburame Ryōma sneered.
"I expected Akatsuki assassins, yet all I see are an Uchiha remnant and a foolhardy child. You're both walking corpses."
With that, Ryōma activated a mechanism, sealing all escape routes.
Then, without hesitation, he tore open his cloak, revealing dozens of explosive tags strapped to his body before lunging at them in a suicidal charge.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" (Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)
Channeling the Three-Tails' chakra, Naruto generated a massive stream of water, launching it directly at Ryōma. The sheer impact sent him hurtling backward, soaking the explosive tags and rendering them useless—for now.
"This is the extent of your power?" Naruto remarked, stepping toward the immobilized Root ninja. "If this is all you've got, stopping us is beyond your ability."
Even against an enemy, Naruto showed a warrior's respect, crouching before Ryōma with a measured gaze.
However, Ryōma still had one more move—releasing every last poisonous insect housed in his body at once.
Before they could even reach Naruto, a surge of Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku (Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame) from Shisui incinerated the insects instantly, turning them into nothing but ash.
"It seems," Naruto said calmly, "your final gamble amounted to nothing. Now, tell us where Danzō is. We are not your enemies."
A bitter chuckle escaped Ryōma's lips.
"The moment you stepped into this base," he said, "my parasites had already infiltrated your bodies. Even now, they are consuming your organs and chakra. You won't last long."
Naruto opened his palm, letting a handful of lifeless insect remains fall between his fingers.
"You mean these?" he asked, amused. "They were crushed by my chakra the moment they entered me. Shisui has his own ways of neutralizing them, too."
Ryōma's eyes widened in disbelief before a resigned sigh escaped him.
"…Danzō and the Hokage should have eliminated you traitors long ago, instead of letting you grow unchecked."
With that, he activated his final command—his own parasites devouring his brain, ensuring he would take no secrets to the grave.
Watching Ryōma's lifeless body collapse, Shisui exhaled slowly.
"That was close. If not for your warning, I might've been caught off guard. This man… Aburame Ryōma, was Danzō's right-hand. A formidable elite jōnin."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Elite jōnin? I thought he was just tokubetsu jōnin."
Shisui sighed, shaking his head. "But Mianma-sama, we've lost our lead on Danzō."
Naruto smirked, pointing toward the deep passage ahead.
Shisui blinked in confusion. A moment ago, there had been nothing but solid rock. Yet now, before his very eyes, a passage had emerged.
"How…?"
Naruto said nothing. This tunnel had been buried under several meters of rubble. Without Ryūchidō Immortal Jutsu (Dragon Cave Senjutsu), he would have never sensed it.
But with Senpō: Inorganic Reincarnation (Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation), he could manipulate the stone itself—opening the path forward.
---
Land of Wind – The Sand Sea
The cold night wind brushed against Danzō Shimura's weathered face.
After enduring an entire day of trudging through sandstorms, he had no choice but to hasten his pace—seeking temporary refuge at an oasis.
Upon cresting a dune, Danzō's expression darkened as he received a report—his Root stronghold had been attacked.
His deputy, Aburame Ryōma, had disobeyed orders. Instead of leading his men in guerrilla warfare to distract the enemy, he had perished near the base—a terrible development.
The underground passage leading to the desert had been destroyed, but there was still a small chance that the enemy could uncover his location.
If that happened, he would be cornered.
He had to accelerate his plan—reaching the ruins of Loulan before he was caught.
There, beneath the sands, lay the Dragon Vein, an ancient, powerful energy source comparable to that of a tailed beast.
If he could harness its power, he could revive the Wood Release Project, eradicating the need for external chakra sources. Furthermore, he could use its energy to create an army of artificial puppets, mirroring Sunagakure's famed puppet corps.
His chosen new base of operations—Kawa no Kuni (River Country)—was not far from the Dragon Vein.
However, with Amegakure and Uzushiogakure both hunting him, he had little time to refine its use. This would be his last gamble.
Danzō honed his Wind Release chakra, using it to glide smoothly across the shifting dunes.
Before long, the ruins of Loulan came into view—a vast, abandoned city swallowed by time.
At its heart, towering over the crumbling remnants of a once-great civilization, stood his destination.
A lone ancient tower.
With purposeful strides, Danzō pressed forward.
Subscribe to Patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters