Root rooted by root.

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A/N: Small details and where Aki is now

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Question: Which character's stats do you want to see next?

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Name: Aki Raidan [had some changes so... here ya go]

Otsutsuki transformation: 25%

God-Tree fusion: 10%

Wishes:

----- Kaguya power (Unlocked: Byakugan, NGT)

----- Dojutsu Switching (Unlock conditions not met)

----- Anti-Theft (Passive: needs special conditions to work)

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Anti-Theft (Passive):

---- Protection: Prevents all forms of theft

---- (including body possession and information theft.)

---- Scope: Universal, no limitations. Only conditions that must be met.

---- Notable Use: Saved from Byakugan theft at six years old.

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Name: Baku

Creature: Summon

Nature: wind-release

Level: mythical

power: devourer

weakness: fire (or fire-release)

Owner: Danzo

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LET THE CHAPTER BEGIN

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The leaf ANBU only reached the scene once everything was done.

The ruins of the secret headquarters of the ROOT greeted them. The walls were splintered, and the floor shattered as though some great force tore through.

"By the gods…" one of the ANBU whispered, his voice barely audible under the mask. His sharp gaze scanned the area, taking in debris and then the bodies.

No not the bodies, there were only clothes that remained as a sign of their existence. Dust. The remains of Danzo and the ROOT were nothing but fine ash, as though they had been vaporized on the spot.

The sight was disturbing enough, but what caught his eye was a single thick root lying in the middle of all this chaos.

"What the hell is that?" another ANBU asked, his hand already gripping his kunai as he moved cautiously closer.

"It... it looks like wood," said a third ANBU, crouching down to inspect the root. His brow furrowed as a chilling thought crossed his mind. "Could this be… Wood Release?"

The team leader's eyes narrowed beneath his mask. "Tenzo?" he muttered, the name of the only known user of the legendary First Hokage's bloodline ability. "It has to be, right?"

One of the ANBU hesitated only for a moment before kneeling beside the root. His hand hovered over it briefly, wary of what might happen.

But nothing stirred. He pressed his palm against it, and a wave of raw, oppressive chakra surged through his body. He immediately pulled back, trembling slightly from the intensity of it.

"This chakra…" he stammered. "It's enormous. Way beyond Tenzo's capacity."

The other ANBU nodded, worry growing in his eyes. "This isn't him. There's no way Tenzo could create something with this much chakra. This… whatever it is, it's far more powerful."

But suspicion still lingered. "Even so," another ANBU spoke up, his tone sharp, "Wood Release is unmistakable. Who else could be behind this? If not Tenzo, then who?"

The team leader straightened, his expression hardening. "We can't rule him out yet," he said coldly. "It's too much of a coincidence."

Before anyone could respond, he made a swift hand signal. "Gather the root. We need to bring this back for analysis."

The ANBU team carefully began extracting the root from the rubble, containing it with chakra-sealed white bandage as they prepared to transport it back to the village.

The God-Tree Root was too big to be carried by a single ninja it took combined effort.

The Hokage's Office, Shortly After

The ANBU team hurried to the Hokage office, and the ANBU captain with a fox mask entered the room.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was smoking his pipe lazily behind his chair frowning as events of yesterday still weighed his mind. A 10-year-old ninja managed to outsmart the entirety of the ANBU ops and escaped.

"Hokage-sama," the team leader said, kneeling before him, "We've discovered something disturbing."

Hiruzen took on his wise sage look as he put his smoke pipe away and gestured for the ANBU operative to continue, "Proceed Kakashi."

Hiruzen listened in silence as Kakashi recounted the events—Danzo's disappearance, the destruction of the chamber, the mysterious root, and the suspicion around Yamato's involvement.

The Hokage's brow furrowed as the report went on.

"A root… with an immense chakra signature," Hiruzen repeated thoughtfully, his mind racing. "And you're certain this wasn't Tenzo?"

"Tenzo was with me the entire time as we were training and all four of us moved to the site together."

The ANBU team leader hesitated before responding. "We're not sure, Hokage-sama. It looks like Wood Release, but the chakra we felt… it's too much. Even Tenzo couldn't produce something like this."

Kakashi continued, "The ROOT was... well, rooted by a root. The chakra within it is immense—far beyond anything we've encountered. At first, we suspected Tenzo due to the nature of the attack, but this single root held more chakra than Tenzo could ever generate in his full reserves."

Hiruzen's expression turned grim. "A root destroyed The ROOT," he murmured, repeating the words. "This isn't a coincidence."

Kakashi nodded. "The destruction was complete, Hokage-sama. There were no survivors. Whatever technique caused this, it was thorough and left nothing behind except that root."

Hiruzen walked to the window, staring out at the village with a growing sense of unease. "We can't let this news spread. The village is already on edge after the boy's escape. Keep investigating—discreetly. Only ANBU is to know about this."

Kakashi bowed. "Understood."

~~ Darui a day later (total 3 days since departure) ~~

"We're here" Darui along with two Kumogakure Anbu he took along finally reached the hidden leaf village.

'Time to meet the Hokage' Darui thought to himself.

As they made their way to the Hokage's office, Darui's thoughts lingered on the message entrusted to him.

'It's already been three days... hopefully, we're not too late.'

Upon reaching the Hokage Tower, they were met by a pair of Leaf ANBU guards. One of them stepped forward, his face hidden beneath a fox-shaped mask, and spoke in a formal tone.

"State your business," the Leaf ANBU said.

Darui nodded, maintaining his calm demeanor. "I'm Darui, here on behalf of the Fourth Raikage. I have an urgent message for the Hokage."

The Leaf ANBU exchanged a glance before nodding. "Follow us."

Hiruzen was, as usual smoking his pipe in the Hokage office when an ANBU appeared in front of his table and reported that a delegation from Kumogakure had arrived.

Meanwhile, somewhere off the world map, there was an ocean.

Far from the turmoil of the shinobi world, deep within uncharted waters, a storm raged. Thunder cracked across the sky, and waves crashed violently against the hull of a ship that cut through the ocean with stubborn defiance.

Onboard, a ragtag group of pirates went about their duties with an unusual air of camaraderie, laughing and cursing amidst the chaos of the storm.

Their captain, a man with a mischievous grin and eyes that sparkled with daring, stood at the helm. He was a runaway thug, once considered a menace to his homeland, but his only crime was that he fell in love with a princess.

It had been four long years since he fled to the sea, unable to bear being separated from her. Now, after countless adventures and dreams of reuniting, the plan was set: a daring raid on the castle to reclaim his beloved.

Though he knew the risks, there wasn't an ounce of doubt in his heart. He was certain she still loved him as much as he loved her.

But if, by some chance, she had moved on, he was ready to respect her choice, painful as it might be.

"Captain!" One of his crewmates called out, pointing toward something floating in the distance. "Looks like wreckage—no, wait… it's a body!"

The captain's expression shifted from carefree to focused in an instant. "Bring us closer," he ordered.

As they neared the drifting figure, the crew quickly recognized the form of a boy, unconscious and barely clinging to life. His clothes were torn and soaked, lying inside a deformed wooden contraption still afloat.

The pirates pulled him aboard, and the captain knelt beside the boy, brushing damp hair from his face. "He's still breathing," the captain muttered. "Lucky kid, considering that storm."

One of the crew, a burly man with an eyepatch, crossed his arms and grunted. "Should we leave him somewhere? He ain't one of us."

The captain shook his head. "Nah, we take him in. He's got the sea's blessing, surviving a storm like this."

Drake the captain of the crew, looked at the unconscious boy and ordered, "Take him to Luke, he should be able to help the kid get fixed. We'll ask him his story when he wakes up."

"What pirates saved me?" Aki felt incredulous at those words after all other than One Piece world such a pirate crew was unheard of, "Are you guys looking for One Piece?"