Hokage Office
Kuro and his team had just returned to the Hidden Leaf Village after traveling without rest.
While Kuro remained composed, the rest of his squad showed clear signs of exhaustion—eyes heavy, movements sluggish, worn down by fatigue and tension.
Minato stood before the Hokage, delivering a mission report that explained their early return and detailed the recent attack by Hidden Sand shinobi.
Kuro wasn't particularly interested in the briefing; he was there more to gauge Hiruzen's reaction—and to quietly observe Danzo, suspecting the old schemer might be up to his usual tricks.
He could feel the watchful eyes of the ANBU on him, wary as ever, as if expecting him to make a move against the Hokage.
"So, the Hidden Sand Village has decided to get aggressive," Hiruzen mused after hearing Minato's report.
"You've done well. Your mission is complete—you brought back valuable intel. Go home and rest," he said, signaling for the team to leave.
Mikoto and Nawaki nodded and exited the office without a word. Kuro, however, ignored the dismissal. Instead, he walked over and clapped a hand on Minato's shoulder.
"Want to grab something to eat?" Kuro asked casually.
"Where to?" Minato replied.
"Ichiraku Ramen."
Minato's eyes lit up. "I'm in—but you're paying. You invited me."
Kuro simply shrugged and headed out, Minato falling into step behind him.
Just as they stepped outside the Hokage's office, Mikoto and Nawaki blocked their path.
Kuro blinked in confusion. "What are you two doing?"
Mikoto crossed her arms, glaring. "What do you mean, 'what are you doing?' You invite Minato but not us?!"
Kuro raised an eyebrow, caught between amusement and mild exasperation. "I didn't think you two would be in the mood for ramen after a mission like that."
Nawaki crossed his arms, mirroring Mikoto. "We're always in the mood for ramen. Especially if you're paying."
Minato chuckled. "Looks like you're outnumbered, Kuro."
Kuro sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fine. But if I'm covering all three of you, don't even think about ordering extra."
Mikoto smirked. "No promises."
The group made their way through the village streets, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows between buildings. Despite the recent tension of their mission, the familiar bustle of the Hidden Leaf was oddly comforting. Vendors called out from stalls, children ran through alleyways, and shinobi passed by with nods of acknowledgment.
***
Back in the Hokage Office
Hiruzen let out a long sigh as the team exited. He rubbed his temples, fatigue creeping in from the sheer force of Kuro's presence.
"That kid will be the death of me," he muttered under his breath, a reluctant hint of fondness in his voice as memories of Kuro's past antics surfaced. He returned to his desk, sorting through Minato's intel, quill in hand.
Before he could finish, the office doors slammed open with a loud bang.
As usual, Danzo stepped in, angry as ever.
"Hiruzen!" Danzo barked, his tone already accusatory. "Why did you let that boy walk all over you? He openly ignored a direct order! He's insubordinate—dangerously so!"
Hiruzen didn't even flinch. He calmly set his quill down, folding his hands as he looked up at his old comrade.
"Danzo, you of all people should know that Kuro does nothing wrong, as it wasn't an official order," he replied evenly. "He might test boundaries, but he hasn't crossed any lines—yet."
Danzo's eye narrowed. "Yet? That's what you're holding on to now? Yet? You saw how he dismissed you in front of the others. That kind of defiance spreads. You can't allow him to keep undermining your authority."
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, his gaze cool. "He brings results. He is a Nara and is loyal to the village, even if not always to its leadership. And we need people like him right now. Especially when the Hidden Sand Village and the Hidden Rain Village are getting restless."
A long silence stretched between them.
Danzo then took a sharp step forward. "You're letting sentiment cloud your judgment. Kuro is dangerous. Unpredictable. If we don't rein him in now, there may come a day when we can't."
Then Hiruzen spoke quietly, "And what would you propose, Danzo?" (A/N: Of course, Hiruzen would be a hypocrite.)
Danzo's lips pressed into a thin line. "Assign ANBU detail around the clock. And if he steps out of line—eliminate him."
Hiruzen's eyes darkened, a chill entering his voice. "He's not your tool, Danzo. And this is not your call to make."
Danzo turned away, cloak billowing as he moved toward the door. "No, but when the time comes… and he turns against you… You'll wish you'd listened."
The door shut behind him, softer than before, but no less final.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly and turned back to the papers on his desk. Outside, the sky was beginning to darken.
"Danzo, I hope you will not go through with this. Kuro is way stronger than you think."
Unknown to both Hiruzen and Danzo, a shadowy figure was observing their confrontation with amusement.
'It seems I will finally start my vacation.' Niji thought before disappearing from the Hokage Office.
***
Kuro arrived back home after eating out with Minato, Nawaki, and Mikoto.
His chest tightened slightly at the memory of Mikoto ordering bowl after bowl of ramen, laughing like nothing else in the world mattered.
"I'm home!" Kuro called out as he took off his shoes.
"Welcome back!" Kokomi shouted from the kitchen.
Kisara gave him a nod from the living room, where she was curled up with a book.
"You're back early. Did something happen on the mission?" Kigan asked as Kuro sank into the couch beside him.
"Something did happen. It seems the Hidden Sand Village is getting restless. Their scouts attacked my team while we were patrolling the border." Kuro stated.
Kokomi froze mid-stir. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" she asked, voice rising in concern.
"Nah. The ones hurting are them." Kuro shook his head. "They wouldn't be seeing the next sunrise."
Kisara arched a brow, a smirk playing on her lips. "Knowing you, I'm surprised you didn't head straight to the Sand Village and blow it off the map."
Kigan let out a chuckle. "A man's got to be brave and do the impossible, right?"
"Stop joking around, you two," Kokomi said, emerging from the kitchen with a tray of warm cookies. "I just tried this recipe Kisara showed me. Eat while it's hot."
Kuro smiled faintly as he took one.
'Ah. This is life at its finest.' Kuro leaned back as he enjoyed the warmth of his family.
***
For the next few days, Kuro enjoys his life.
Meanwhile, Danzo was having the worst time of his life.
Niji and a few of his brothers had set their sights on the Root organization, and their relentless strikes were leaving a trail of frustration and confusion. The normally meticulous and calculated Danzo found himself scrambling to track the shadowy figures that had been picking off his operatives one by one.
He had no idea who these people were, only that they called themselves "The Dark Brotherhood."
They were surgical in their approach—disappearing without a trace, leaving the Root in disarray. The attacks seemed almost personal, as though they knew exactly where to hit to cause the most damage.
Danzo sat at his desk, furiously scanning through reports. His fingers drummed on the surface, but there was no clarity, no answers. The Root's usual methods of tracking and controlling were useless against this new enemy. Whoever the Dark Brotherhood was, they were proving to be far more dangerous than he had anticipated.
The reports after reports came in as another Root operative missing, another safehouse compromised, another strike in the night from shadows that never revealed their faces.
His fist slammed down onto the wooden surface of his desk, cracking the veneer. His steely resolve had begun to crack as well.
"Who are they?" Danzo muttered, glancing at the latest report. A missing operant, a string of failed assassination attempts, and a new, more terrifying development: someone had leaked classified information from within the Root itself.
A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. His eyes narrowed. "Enter."
A masked subordinate stepped in, bowing slightly. "Lord Danzo, we've discovered something... strange."
Danzo motioned for him to continue, his gaze piercing.
"A pattern, sir," the agent explained, laying out a series of images on the desk. "We've traced several of their movements, and it appears that the Dark Brotherhood is targeting specific individuals within the Root. High-ranking operatives, especially those from the Shimura Clan. We suspect there may be someone inside the Root working with them."
Danzo's fingers clenched, his breath steady but strained. The very idea of betrayal within his own ranks filled him with a cold fury. He'd built the Root as a web of absolute control, yet now it seemed to be crumbling from within. Could one of his own be aiding the enemy? The thought was unbearable.
"There must be someone," Danzo said, his voice low and controlled, yet thick with anger. "Find them. And bring me their head."
***
While Danzo was sinking deeper into the storm, Kuro was blissfully unaware of the war brewing due to Niji.
***
Back in the shadows, the Dark Brotherhood made their next move.
In a nondescript, dimly lit room, Niji looked over a map of the Land of Fire, tracing lines with a steady finger.
"Withdraw every shadow," he said, voice a whisper like wind through the trees. "Let Danzo be on edge before we strike again. Our Lord wishes to see him suffer for as long as possible."
"Yes!" One shadow disappears from the room to relay Niji's order.
"Hehehe. I wonder how long Danzo would last?' Niji's chilling laughter echoed in the room. 'At least I should thank him for allowing me to meet My Lord.'