Is Your Heart Still at the Root?
Chi Yu arrived at Orochimaru's hidden base and sought out his teacher.
"Orochimaru-sensei, I plan to go to Ryūchi Cave to cultivate Sage Mode."
Orochimaru's golden pupils narrowed slightly, genuine surprise flickering across his face. "You plan to cultivate Sage Mode? Chi Yu… your current strength already stands at the summit of the shinobi world. Sage arts are dangerous—even I nearly perished when I attempted them."
Chi Yu shook his head firmly. "Sensei, my power may be considerable, but it's not enough. The future enemies we'll face… they are not ordinary shinobi. They're beings beyond our standard. Against such foes, what I have now is inadequate. I must grow stronger."
Orochimaru's tone turned sharp. "Future enemies beyond ordinary shinobi? What makes you so certain?"
Chi Yu hesitated. He could not reveal everything, so he spoke half-truths. "When I awakened my Mangekyō Sharingan, I saw… visions. Destruction. The end of all things. I can't describe it well, but I fear those sights may one day become real. To prepare for that possibility, I must push my limits."
Silence lingered before Orochimaru finally spoke again, his voice low and deliberate. "Ryūchi Cave is not so easily conquered. Before you can even attempt Sage Mode, you must pass the White Snake Sage's three trials. They will test your resolve and survival instinct. You should manage them without much difficulty.
"But the true danger lies in drawing in natural energy. Fail to control it, and your body will petrify. That fate nearly claimed me once—I survived only by casting off my body with Oral Rebirth. Even then, it was a narrow escape."
Chi Yu listened intently. The Oral Rebirth technique was one of Orochimaru's greatest secrets, a forbidden ability that allowed him to shed his body and slither free of fatal harm.
"I understand the risks, sensei," Chi Yu replied with conviction. "But I've made my preparations. Even if I fail, I won't allow myself to turn to stone."
Orochimaru studied him for a moment, then gave a thin smile. "Heh… how reassuring. In that case, I won't stop you. Just be certain you return alive, Chi Yu. Few shinobi in Konoha are as… useful as you."
Chi Yu bowed slightly. "Before I go, I'll entrust something to you. Kakashi will serve as acting captain of the Konoha Defense Force. While I am gone, please look after Kushina and Kakashi for me."
Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Very well. I'll see to it. Good luck, my student."
---
Leaving Orochimaru's lair behind, Chi Yu's next destination was the Root headquarters. If he left without informing Danzō, it would stir needless trouble.
Inside the dimly lit base, he faced the elder.
"Danzō-sama, I will be away for a time to undergo training in Ryūchi Cave. During my absence, Hatake Kakashi will act as captain of the Konoha Defense Force."
Danzō's single visible eye narrowed. "The Defense Force has only just stabilized under your command, and you hand its reins to a child? Do you take Root for a game, Chi Yu?"
Chi Yu had expected this resistance. In his eyes, Danzō was only a tool, and tools could not be allowed to obstruct progress.
"On the contrary, Danzō-sama, my absence will serve our purpose."
Danzō frowned but said nothing, waiting.
Chi Yu explained smoothly, "Our aggressive policing of the Uchiha has forced them into passivity. They've stopped resisting, but only because they're smothered under pressure. If we keep pressing now, the Hokage and even Minato will intervene to shield them.
"But if I leave temporarily, the Uchiha will believe the pressure is easing. With Kakashi acting in my stead, they will lower their guard, step into the open. Then, when I return, we can strike twice as hard."
Danzō considered the argument. He knew Fugaku's recent strategy: quietly allowing Chi Yu's men to arrest a few Uchiha, then paying their bail, maintaining an illusion of compliance while shielding the clan from harsher retaliation. The Uchiha were frustrated, but subdued. Chi Yu leaving could indeed loosen their vigilance.
Still, unease stirred within him. Each time he clashed with Chi Yu, the boy always twisted the argument to his favor. Danzō realized, uncomfortably, that their positions had reversed—Chi Yu was manipulating him, not the other way around.
He fixed his hawk-like gaze on Chi Yu. "And what if I refuse? What if I forbid you from leaving?"
Chi Yu met the challenge without flinching. "Then I will obey. I seek strength only to serve you and ensure Root's will endures. If Danzō-sama orders me to stay, I will abandon Ryūchi Cave."
Danzō's eye narrowed to a slit. Once, he would have believed those words without hesitation. But now… now he was no longer certain. Chi Yu was growing too independent. Too dangerous.
At last, he asked the question that had been festering in his chest:
"Chi Yu… is your heart still with Root?"
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