The only thing left to do now was to silently pray that he would not be discovered by Danzō.
"Now then, let me listen in on what's happening on Danzō's end," Shin muttered to himself, maintaining the hand seal required for his eavesdropping technique.
At that very moment, Danzō's office was filled with an atmosphere of oppressive solemnity.
"Ren!" Danzō called out in a low voice. In an instant, a figure materialized in the center of the room, appearing as if from thin air.
This individual, who went by the codename "Ren," was clad in the standard attire of the Root organization, which included a porcelain mask painted with a swirling pattern of vibrant colors.
He knelt before Danzō, his head bowed in deference, awaiting the next command.
"That Shin fellow has been acting rather restlessly of late. I want you to keep a close watch on him," Danzō instructed, his voice laced with suspicion.
Furthermore, I am not entirely convinced by the report that Shin submitted regarding that Uchiha brat named Kaoru.
I want you to re-evaluate him thoroughly. Investigate his ninjutsu skills and his innate talent, and leave no stone unturned. Danzō clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white.
If he possesses exceptional talent, then we shall bring him into our organization.
However, if he is nothing more than a useless piece of trash, then I care not whether he harbors any ill will toward Konoha.
We shall simply eliminate him to prevent any future complications! Danzō declared, his voice as cold and unforgiving as the grave.
Danzō's intentions were clear and unambiguous: he intended to subject Kaoru to a trial by fire, a life-or-death ordeal.
Should he survive, he would be forced to join the ranks of the Root organization.
Should he perish... well, his demise would simply be an unfortunate but necessary consequence.
"So, he doesn't entirely trust me..."
Shin thought, a shiver running down his spine as he eavesdropped on the conversation.
"Understood!" The ninja codenamed Ren nodded his head in acknowledgement. "What specific measures should I take?"
Directly engaging him within the confines of Konoha would undoubtedly arouse the suspicions of Hiruzen.
And following the incident involving Orochimaru, I suspect that the boy will be constantly on his guard whenever he ventures outside the village...
Furthermore, his teacher, Yūhi Kurenai, will undoubtedly do everything in her power to protect him," Danzō said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
In that case, we shall set our plan in motion during the Chūnin Exams!
"The Chūnin Exams!" Ren frowned, his brow furrowing in concern. Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Shin's heart skipped a beat.
Indeed. The Chūnin Exams are fast approaching, and Yūhi Kurenai will undoubtedly encourage her students to participate. That is when we shall strike.
Dispatch a number of our operatives to infiltrate the exams, and instruct them to seize any opportunity to eliminate the boy," Danzō said, his voice dripping with malice.
"Understood!" Ren nodded without hesitation. With a burst of speed, he executed the Body Flicker Technique, vanishing from sight.
"He's sending people to monitor me, and planning to attack Kaoru during the Chūnin Exams... Should I warn Kaoru?" Shin wondered, his mind racing.
"What's this?" Just as he was lost in thought, Shin heard Danzō's voice, growing louder and closer with each passing moment.
"Crap! I've been discovered!" Shin exclaimed inwardly, his heart pounding in his chest. He hastily dispelled the Ink Sealing Technique.
Almost as soon as the lizard had reverted back into a puddle of ink, Danzō had already moved the desk aside.
"Hmm?" Danzō stared at the ink on the floor, his expression as cold and unyielding as stone. He remained silent for what seemed like an eternity, his gaze piercing and intense.
After dispelling the Ink Sealing Technique, Shin glanced around nervously. Then, feigning an air of nonchalance, he quickened his pace and walked away.
He entered a large, open area that resembled a training ground.
The space was filled with various training implements and facilities, but as was the norm within the Root organization, the individuals engaged in training paid little attention to one another, their interactions minimal and their expressions devoid of emotion.
However, amidst the sea of masked faces, a young boy who was practicing with shuriken noticed Shin and ran toward him, his face lighting up with joy.
"Brother!" the boy called out to Shin, throwing his arms around him in a warm embrace. The boy was roughly the same age as Kaoru, but his features were still soft and childlike.
"Why are you so late today?" the boy asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I was busy," Shin replied, smiling. He gently grasped the boy's shoulders and said, "Sai, have you been practicing hard?"
"Of course!" Sai said, puffing out his chest with pride. He then reached behind him and produced a scroll and a brush.
"I can draw birds now!" With a few swift strokes, Sai created a black bird that sprang to life on the page, soaring through the air.
"Your ninjutsu is amazing! Thank you for teaching me!" Sai said, smiling at Shin.
Shin nodded, returning the smile. He reached out and ruffled Sai's hair affectionately.
The oppressive environment of the Root organization could drive people to the brink of madness, transforming them from sensitive, emotional beings into nothing more than killing machines who blindly obeyed Danzō's every command.
Shin could only hope that by clinging to Sai, his one source of light in the darkness, he could avoid being consumed by the darkness that surrounded him.
...
Kaoru had no intention of following Shin into the underground tunnel. For one thing, he had already surmised that Shin was a member of the Root organization. For another, recklessly rushing into the unknown would likely result in his own demise.
Since he had already professed his loyalty to Konoha in front of Shin, he assumed that Shin had reported this to Danzō. As such, he expected to be left alone for a while.
However, much to Kaoru's surprise, Danzō was still intent on pursuing him. He had thought that with the Uchiha clan now extinct, Danzō would no longer view him as a threat.
But it seemed that he had underestimated Danzō's paranoia. Danzō had been spying on him all along.
His strength was not yet sufficient to contend with Danzō's Root organization. For now, he could only take things one step at a time.
In the meeting hall of the Hokage Tower, the Third Hokage sat at the head of the table, his expression grave as he addressed a group of Konoha ninjas.
The ninjas present were all highly skilled, the weakest among them being at least a Chūnin. Among them were Sarutobi Asuma, Might Guy, and Yūhi Kurenai.
"Judging by my expression, I'm sure you all know what this is about," the Third Hokage said, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers.
"I knew it! It's that time again! A time filled with passion and youthful energy!" Might Guy exclaimed, his face beaming with excitement.
"I assume that the other nations have been notified?"
Asuma said, lighting a cigarette and adopting a nonchalant air. "I've seen outsiders in the village."
"When does it start?" Yūhi Kurenai asked.
The Third Hokage took a long drag from his pipe and said, "One week from now."
"That's fast," Yūhi Kurenai said, smiling.
"Huff..." The Third Hokage exhaled a cloud of smoke and stood. "I hereby announce that the Chūnin Selection Exams will be held on July 1st, in seven days!"
"So, it's that time again."
"The busiest time," the ninjas murmured.
"You don't have to be so serious, old man," Asuma said, smiling. "The exams are held twice a year. There's no need to be so tense."
"No, this time is different!" the Third Hokage said, his voice turning cold.
"This time, not only will our allied nations and the smaller villages participate in the Chūnin Selection Exams, but the other great nations will also be sending representatives!"
The ninjas, who had been speaking casually, fell silent.
"What did you say? Other great nations besides the Wind Country will be participating?" Yūhi Kurenai asked, her voice filled with surprise.
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