"It's over… it's all over!"
When Nono heard Danzo's words, her heart sank like a stone dropped into the deepest part of the ocean. Having served Danzo for years, she knew better than anyone—once he set his sights on someone, there was no escape. Being targeted by Danzo was like being hunted by a lion. There would be no mercy. No survival.
And now, he was after Kabuto.
Just the thought of that innocent child going through what she had endured—being manipulated, brainwashed, and used as a mere tool—was unbearable. If Danzo got his way, Kabuto would lose every bit of happiness he had ever known.
Nono's expression darkened. Her body trembled slightly as she stood in front of Kabuto protectively.
At that moment, a mocking voice rang out from behind them.
"Well, well, it's been a while. And here we are again, Lord Danzo—still abusing your power, I see?"
Danzo's eyes narrowed. He turned slowly.
It was Kakashi.
"Kakashi," Danzo said coldly. "This matter has nothing to do with you. Leave now. Do not interfere in Root business."
Danzo's voice was icy, his tone heavy with threat. After the Uchiha Kagami incident, he'd already suffered a major setback at Kakashi's hands. Now that the Fourth Hokage had just taken office, Danzo didn't want any more trouble—at least not yet.
Kakashi gave a light chuckle, walking toward Nono and Kabuto.
"Why the rush, Lord Danzo? I'll leave once you make me a promise," Kakashi said casually, stepping between them. "Promise that you won't harass this orphanage anymore. That you'll leave them alone for good."
Danzo's expression darkened further, but before he could speak, Aburame Ryoma, one of his Root followers, stepped forward.
"How dare you speak to Lord Danzo that way! Who do you think you are?!"
Kakashi turned to him lazily, unimpressed.
"Oh? I'm questioning the former Hokage's assistant, Danzo-sama, in my official capacity as the current captain of the Anbu directly under the Hokage."
Ryoma's eyes widened. "What?! You're the Anbu captain?"
Even Danzo looked genuinely shocked. "When did this happen?"
Kakashi smirked and nonchalantly picked at his ear with his pinky.
"A few days ago. Not surprising that someone like you, a former advisor, wouldn't be up to date," Kakashi said mockingly, putting particular emphasis on the word "former."
Danzo's face twitched.
"Hmph! So what if you're Anbu captain?" he snapped. "The Root has always been under my personal management—even Hiruzen dared not interfere. Do you think you can command me now?"
His voice dropped into a sinister growl.
"You'd better be careful, Kakashi. You never know when an accident might happen…"
But Kakashi just laughed.
"Thanks for the warning, Lord Danzo. You should be careful too—being old and frail, it'd be terrible if you tripped over a tree branch and became paralyzed."
Danzo's fists clenched in fury. Ryoma, enraged by the disrespect toward Danzo, had finally had enough.
Buzz!
Thousands of parasitic insects swarmed out of Ryoma's body like a living cloud of death. They surged toward Kakashi.
Whoosh!
Kakashi didn't flinch. In a blink, he grabbed Nono and Kabuto and flash-stepped to a safe distance.
"Oooh, scary~ So these are the famous Aburame parasites, huh?"
He clapped his hands together and immediately formed hand seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A monstrous sea of flames erupted from Kakashi's mouth. The fire roared forward, engulfing the black cloud of insects mid-air.
FWOOSH!
The chakra-eating bugs were instantly incinerated. Kakashi knew better than to let them get close. The very next second, the flames surged forward again—this time directly toward Aburame Ryoma.
Buzz buzz!
More insects shot into the air. Half of them formed a defensive insect wall to block the fire, while the rest scattered as clones to escape.
Before Ryoma could counterattack—
"That's enough!" Danzo barked.
Ryoma froze. Obediently, he flew back to Danzo's side and bowed silently, the fight over.
Kakashi let out a quiet sigh.
He'd known from the start—Danzo wasn't planning to fight him directly. He was just testing his strength using Ryoma as a proxy. Kakashi had hoped to learn more about Danzo's own capabilities. After all, one day, the two of them would clash for real.
Danzo glared.
"Kakashi, since you're now Anbu captain, I won't kill you here today. But this situation is still beyond your authority."
He raised his head slightly, trying to reassert dominance.
Kakashi scoffed.
"Three of you against one of me? I doubt you'd win."
Danzo's fury reached its peak. Just as he was about to lash out—
FLASH!
A golden light flickered across the field.
In an instant, a new figure appeared between them, clad in the white Hokage cloak and carrying the presence of a storm.
Namikaze Minato—the Fourth Hokage—had arrived.
"Danzo," Minato said firmly, "Dean Nono has already reached an agreement with me. From now on, all orphanages in Konoha will be under her protection, and the necessary funding will be provided by the village."
"As for the Root... You are to submit its full personnel list to the Hokage office by tomorrow."
"There is no longer any need for the Root to exist."
Danzo's entire face twisted with fury. "Fourth Hokage, you—!"
He couldn't believe it. The Fourth Hokage's very first move in office was to strip away his power?
"Minato," Danzo hissed, "You're still young. One day you'll understand—certain things must be done in the shadows. Only the Root can protect the village in those ways!"
Just then, a slow, deep voice interrupted.
Sarutobi Hiruzen—the Third Hokage—arrived, his cane tapping softly against the stone floor.
"Minato, I know you have good intentions," Hiruzen said with a sigh. "But not everything can be changed overnight. Sometimes, you must listen to us old men."
"We've eaten more salt than you've walked miles. It's for your own good."
Minato frowned, clearly frustrated, but bowed slightly. "I understand, Third Hokage."
Though he was Hokage now, he had no illusions. The Third still held sway over many aspects of the village, especially the older departments like Root. Without Hiruzen's support, even official orders might be 'forgotten' or delayed.
Hiruzen turned to Danzo.
"Danzo, you've gone too far this time," he said plainly. "Dean Nono is a talented and trusted shinobi. She is the right person to oversee the orphanage."
"As for recruiting children… that's off the table, for now."
Danzo said nothing. He snorted, turned, and stormed away, cloak billowing.
Hiruzen stroked his beard and smiled. "Well then, I'll be heading back. I'm getting too old for all this stress."
He gave Minato a knowing nod before leaving.
With the higher-ups gone, Kakashi walked over to Minato and grinned. "Thanks, Minato-sensei. You came just in time."
"Don't flatter me," Minato replied with a tired smile. "If your clone hadn't informed me, I wouldn't have known anything was happening."
As he turned to leave via Flying Thunder God, his eyes briefly flicked toward Hiruzen's retreating form.
Kakashi saw it.
Minato's expression was tense. He realized now how tightly Hiruzen still controlled the village. Even small reforms would be an uphill battle.
After Minato disappeared, Kakashi crouched beside Kabuto and ruffled his hair gently.
"It's okay now, Kabuto. The Hokage's taken care of everything. You and your friends will be safe—and well-fed."
Kabuto's eyes lit up with relief and gratitude.
"Thank you, big brother!" he said earnestly.
Kakashi looked down at him and thought for a moment. Then he said:
"Dou, I have a question. What if… I could find you a master? Someone who could teach you real skills, someone who would help you grow strong enough to never be used by anyone again. Would you be willing to go?"
Kabuto didn't even hesitate.
"Yes, I want that!"
He'd made up his mind. Strength was the only way he could protect Dean Nono and the other orphans. He didn't want to be powerless ever again.
"Dou!" Nono gasped, surprised by his quick answer.
A master was like a second parent. How could he agree so easily without knowing who it was?
But Kabuto turned and smiled gently at her.
"Dean, I believe in big brother. He would never hurt me."
Kakashi couldn't help but smile proudly.
"Don't worry, Dean Nono," he said. "I wouldn't entrust Kabuto to just anyone."
"The master I've found for him is none other than—"
"One of the Legendary Sannin, Lord Orochimaru."
patreon (Obito_uchiha)