Born To Rise In Konoha
Chapter 63

Chapter 63 - 63

Sitting on a bench, Saitama chatted with the village guards for a while, then pulled Shisui along and rushed toward the innermost training grounds.

"Hokage-sama, this is the latest battle report from the Sunagakure front!"

In the Hokage's Office, inside the Hokage Tower, an Anbu operative wearing an animal mask handed a scroll to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Hmm," Hiruzen muttered as he took the report, puffing on his pipe. He narrowed his eyes as he opened the scroll.

This intelligence had been sent directly by Orochimaru. Of course, Hiruzen had other channels to confirm it as well.

As he read on, the lines between his brows deepened.

"You're dismissed," Hiruzen said to the Anbu standing at attention. The operative bowed and disappeared in a flicker.

"Several jōnin taken down in succession... Enemy casualties minimal... Uchiha... Sharingan—two tomoe... Only seven years old?" Hiruzen repeated aloud, focusing on what he found most significant.

"Uchiha Saitama... Isn't that the boy who applied for early graduation earlier this year? There was another Uchiha with him... What was his name again?" Hiruzen tapped the pipe against the desk, deep in thought, his wrinkled face tense.

In a recent report, Orochimaru had stated that the conflict with Sunagakure was reaching a critical point, with both he and Rasa sustaining injuries.

But the report in Hiruzen's hand was focused solely on one thing: Uchiha Saitama. Orochimaru had even expressed admiration between the lines.

"Why is it always the Uchiha...?" Hiruzen muttered, setting down his pipe and rubbing his temples.

He picked up another file from his desk—one recently submitted by Uchiha Fugaku. It listed the shinobi being sent to the Kirigakure front.

Due to pressure from the Uchiha elders, nearly 150 Uchiha shinobi were being deployed—almost two-thirds of the clan's active ninja forces.

Hiruzen's eyes drooped as he reviewed the names. He wasn't sure what the clan was planning, but it left him uneasy.

---

SLAM.

The door burst open. An old man wrapped in bandages, leaning heavily on a cane, entered without ceremony.

Hiruzen looked up, annoyance flashing in his eyes.

"Hiruzen!" Danzo's voice was sharp as he approached the desk.

Putting down the file, Hiruzen leaned back, pipe in hand.

"What is it, Danzo?" he asked in a neutral tone, though irritation was evident.

"Has the Uchiha submitted their deployment list?"

"This is the Hokage's office," Hiruzen said coolly, his patience wearing thin. Danzo's tone, as usual, grated on him.

"...I just want to review the list," Danzo added, lowering his head slightly, sensing he had overstepped.

"Hmph." Hiruzen tossed the list onto the table. Smoke curled from his pipe, shrouding his expression.

Danzo grabbed the file and skimmed through it until his eyes stopped on a particular name.

Uchiha Saitama.

"I want this boy—Uchiha Saitama—to join Root."

Hiruzen exhaled sharply. "Absolutely not. You know who he is."

"So what if he's an Uchiha? The Root exists for Konoha's future. Besides, Root already has Uchiha operatives." Danzo's voice was firm. He had already investigated Saitama's battlefield performance in detail—he likely understood the boy's potential better than Hiruzen himself.

"I said no. The Uchiha Clan would never approve," Hiruzen said flatly, though his thoughts churned beneath the surface.

"You may consider others. That's final." Hiruzen waved him off and turned to another document.

Danzo's eyes gleamed with frustration as he turned to leave. Still, he wouldn't give up so easily. He never did.

If the Hokage refused to grant him Saitama, Danzo had other ways. He didn't like the Uchiha—but he could still use one.

"Soon..." he muttered as the sound of his cane echoed down the hallway. The pain from his old injuries throbbed, but Danzo pushed it aside. His covert dealings with a certain individual would begin soon.

---

Back at the Training Grounds

The afternoon passed swiftly. The paired training between Saitama and Shisui had been intense and fruitful. Saitama's grasp of the "Shattering Technique" was improving by the hour.

"Shisui, I'm heading back," Saitama said, casually slinging his blade back to his waist and walking off, leaving Shisui drained.

The day's training had left Shisui both physically and mentally exhausted. Saitama's overwhelming strength made him wonder if he'd ever be able to catch up.

"Alright, you go. I'll stay a bit longer," Shisui waved weakly, still trying to recover.

By now, it was around 5 PM. The winter sky had begun to darken, and a chill settled in.

Saitama wore a tight black training suit underneath a high-collared shirt typical of Uchiha attire, along with standard-issue ninja pants. He strolled home through the back streets.

Soon, he entered a dead-end alleyway—isolated and quiet.

"Come out," he called flatly. "You've been following me since I left the training grounds."

Though his stalker was well-hidden, Saitama's acute chakra perception made it impossible to evade him.

He rested his right hand on the hilt of his blade. Chakra surged within him.

Fwoosh. A masked figure appeared on the wall ahead.

"As expected of someone our leader is interested in," the man said cryptically.

"Danzo or the Hokage?" Saitama narrowed his eyes. The gear identified the man as either Anbu or Root.

"Judging by your tone... Root." Saitama kept his expression unreadable.

"Who are you?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"I am from Root, Uchiha Saitama. I come bearing the will of our leader. You've been invited to join us."

"Root?" Saitama echoed, feigning confusion.

"Yes. Under Shimura Danzo." The Root ninja nodded.

"We are an elite training division tied to Anbu—but not part of it. While Anbu answers to the Hokage, we exist in the shadows to protect the village by any means necessary."

"So... the Hokage sent you?" Saitama asked, playing dumb.

"You'll understand once you're part of us," the man said, not confirming anything directly. His eyes were fixed on Saitama.

"Well?" he asked softly. "What's your decision?"

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