Root Within the Anbu
The next day, another shocking piece of news spread throughout the ninja world: following Sunagakure, Kumogakure of the Land of Lightning had also officially declared war on Konohagakure.
If there were no surprises, the "fool" that Ōnoki of Iwagakure had mentioned—someone who would recklessly offer themselves up—was likely referring to them.
The situation across the ninja world was shifting too quickly. In just over a month, three of the Five Great Shinobi Nations had been pulled into war.
Although the conflict hadn't yet expanded into an all-out world war, its contours already resembled the beginnings of a Third Great Ninja War.
Yet, none of this seemed to affect Aoba Kawaki, who had just been discharged from Konoha Hospital.
Until he completed the S-rank identification mission assigned to him, he had no intention of leaving the village.
"Big Brother Minato, the last batch for identification should be the Hokage's Anbu, right?" Kawaki Aoba asked as they walked past the hospital gate. His tone had already softened, now addressing Minato with more familiarity, and the latter did not object.
Namikaze Minato nodded in response. "That's right. Only the Anbu remain. There aren't many of them, so if we're careful, we can finish it within the day."
"Minato! Aoba! I brought you breakfast!" A cheerful voice called from across the street.
Uzumaki Kushina waved from the other side, carrying a food box in her arms. Beside her were three young ninjas, each around Kawaki Aoba's age, their forehead protectors gleaming under the morning sun.
So that's what Kushina meant when she said she had something important to do this morning, Aoba thought. She'd been preparing breakfast.
With a sweep of his Observation Haki, Aoba quickly identified the three youths. They were his old acquaintances—the other members of Team Minato: Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin.
What Aoba failed to notice, however, was the faint nervous sweat glistening on Minato's forehead.
Soon, Kushina arrived with the three kids in tow, opened the lid of the food box, and held it out proudly. "Look! I got up extra early to make this breakfast just for you two."
Minato and Aoba hadn't yet reacted, but the three younger genin behind Kushina all took a synchronized step back, as if facing down some terrible threat.
Aoba blinked. That was odd. According to his Observation Haki, the meal didn't look half bad.
Just as he was about to reach for a specially shaped rice ball, the Observation Haki flared—a silent warning flashed in his mind, showing him a vision of what would come if he took a bite.
He froze. Then, smoothly turning the motion into a polite gesture, he raised one hand to block the food box.
"Sorry, Sister Kushina. The doctor said I should stick to light porridge for a few days. Your cooking looks amazing, but it might be too heavy for now. Please, let Big Brother Minato enjoy it instead."
He took a casual step back, subtly increasing the distance between him and the breakfast.
Wiping his brow, Aoba sighed in relief. That was a close call. What kind of terrifying culinary skills could trigger his precognition like that? He had no idea how Minato was still alive.
And those three brats behind Kushina... weren't they enjoying this a bit too much? Their amusement practically leaked off them in waves.
Only Rin had a flicker of guilt in her presence.
He glanced their way, and they returned his gaze.
As they walked over, the smugness in their chakra began to fade, replaced by something softer—concern.
Aoba could tell. They'd noticed his eyes.
He sighed. Since they weren't sure how to bring it up, he decided to speak first.
"You three, if you're feeling sorry for me, don't. Even though I've lost my sight, my strength is far beyond yours."
The moment he said that, the tension vanished from Kakashi and Obito.
"Damn it, Aoba, what are you saying? You think you're better than Lord Obito?" Obito snapped, his voice filled with childish fire. He hadn't changed at all from their Academy days—still impulsive, still loud.
Aoba barely reacted before smacking Obito aside with one hand.
"That won't cut it, Obito. The war's already started. We might be deployed any time now. At your current level, you'll have trouble protecting the girl you like."
Obito leapt up, undeterred. "Don't look down on Lord Obito! I haven't even gotten serious yet!"
He launched into a second charge, this time opening with a taijutsu technique exclusive to the Uchiha.
Uchiha clan taijutsu was famous—fast, fluid, beautiful, and deadly. Uchiha Madara had once painted battlefields red with it.
But Obito's version... was less graceful. Less deadly. More... chaotic.
Watching Obito's erratic form, Aoba inwardly sighed. This guy would one day manipulate Nagato from the shadows and orchestrate war against the entire world?
Even with Kakashi's hand piercing the cursed seal in his chest left behind by Uchiha Madara—did he really have that kind of brain?
Doubtful.
With another crash, Obito hit the ground again.
"Ow ow ow... damn it... that hurt..." Obito clutched his nose as tears welled up, but he staggered upright again.
"Stupid Aoba! Stand there and take this next one if you're so tough!"
"Alright, Obito, that's enough." Minato finally stepped in, voice calm and firm, bringing the one-sided beatdown to an end under the nice label of sparring.
"Moreover, Aoba, don't forget we still have important tasks today, right?"
Kawaki Aoba used his heightened perception—something akin to Observation Haki, though the term belonged more to another world—to scan Minato Namikaze. He caught the subtle tension behind Minato's forced smile.
Ah, found it.
One of the rice balls in his bento was missing.
Aoba silently speculated: Was Minato-sensei trying to skip Kushina's cooking again?
He nodded without a word. After all, easily defeating Obito these days hardly felt like an achievement.
Nearby, Obito curled his lips in agreement, then jogged over to Kakashi and whispered:
"Hey, arrogant Kakashi, what do you think of that jerk Aoba? Think you can teach him a lesson?"
Kakashi glanced at him coldly, indifferent as ever.
"Don't know," he replied flatly.
Obito blinked, then grinned.
"Don't know? Fine, just wait. Someday you two should have a serious spar."
He chuckled to himself. To him, both Kakashi and Aoba were insufferably smug. Watching either of them get beat down would be a treat.
On the sidelines, Aoba picked up on Obito's emotions and shook his head with a faint smile. Obito was still naïve and foolish—annoying, sure, but almost endearing.
Kakashi, on the other hand, was a different story. Still cold, still aloof. It would take time for him to genuinely see Obito as a comrade.
"Aoba, it's getting late. We should head out."
Minato approached, and Aoba nodded in agreement.
Staying within Kushina's line of sight while she was holding a lunchbox? Too risky.
The two silently agreed on this unspoken truth and made their escape. Fortunately, Kushina didn't suspect a thing—though she did glance down at her lunchbox with a frown.
Then she paused, struck by a realization.
She turned sharply toward the younger trio nearby.
"Hey! Kakashi, Obito, Rin—did you guys skip breakfast again?"
The three stiffened in unison like startled deer.
Ahead of them, Minato and Aoba quickened their pace.
—
When Minato and Aoba arrived at Aoba's recently assigned hut, they found Chōza Akimichi and Shikaku Nara already waiting.
"Sorry we're late, Chōza, Shikaku."
Minato stepped forward and offered a polite bow.
"No worries. We just got here too," Shikaku replied.
The four Jonin sat down together. Minato, Shikaku, and Chōza quickly fell into conversation, their topic turning to the brewing tension with the Hidden Cloud Village.
Aoba remained quiet, listening intently.
The threat from Kumogakure was no joke. Far more aggressive than Sunagakure, the Cloud-nin weren't ones to skulk around in shadows before striking. They'd already declared open war.
The only good news? That declaration gave Konoha time.
Unlike the Sand Village's secretive maneuvering during the previous war, the Cloud-nin hadn't snuck across the border. They'd declared war first, then mobilized troops.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, the current Hokage, was no doubt racking his brain over who to send as field commander.
Tsunade would've been ideal, but her hemophobia kept her sidelined. Jiraiya, meanwhile, had gone off to the Land of Wind with Orochimaru, forming an unlikely partnership despite Hiruzen's objections.
Still, thanks to Aoba's earlier reports, Konoha wasn't completely caught off guard.
The discussion was cut short as the first wave of Anbu—hand-picked by the Hokage—arrived.
Aoba wasted no time. He beckoned one of them forward into the hut for screening.
As the masked Anbu entered, Aoba activated his sensory technique—an ability so refined, it could rival Observation Haki.
"State your allegiance. Who do you serve?"
"The Hokage. I'll give everything for Konoha," the cat-masked Anbu replied instantly.
The emotional read confirmed it: he wasn't lying.
But something didn't feel right. His emotions were too intense, too eager. Almost… artificial.
Aoba frowned.
"If Konoha were under threat, what would you do?"
"Kill. I'd eliminate the enemy no matter the cost—even if it means dying with them."
Again, the emotion matched the words.
Still… something was off.
So Aoba asked the final question.
"Do you believe the Third Hokage is the most suitable leader for the village?"
A pause.
"…Yes."
The response was fast—but not as fast. Aoba caught the flicker of doubt, the subtle emotional shift.
Got you.
This wasn't Hiruzen's loyal Anbu. This was a Root operative—Danzo's.
"Thank you. You may go. Send in the next one."
As the masked ninja turned to leave, a flicker of unease crossed his posture. That last question had rattled him.
Had the brat figured him out?
He'd better report to Danzo-sama just in case.
What he didn't see was the faint smirk on Aoba's lips.
He'd felt it—the hesitation, the hidden loyalty. It confirmed everything.
"Minato-aniki. Detain the one who just left."
Aoba's voice was calm, but decisive.
Outside, the Root agent froze mid-step, a chill running down his spine.
So he had been discovered.
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