15 15. Root
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The scene returns to the present moment with Sousuke.
He gently wipes the sweat off his forehead and glances discreetly at the shadows in the nearby trees.
Straightening his posture, he places his hand on the handle of Kyōka Suigetsu, and his eyes turn cold beneath the black frame of his glasses.
He has no intention of showing mercy to these secretive onlookers.
Sousuke slowly draws out Kyōka Suigetsu and holds it upright in front of him, softly murmuring to himself.
"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."
The Root members, hidden in several shadowy spots, silently observe Sousuke on the field.
They are members of Root, each with their face concealed behind various masks. As Root members, they operate in darkness, silently protecting the village.
Light and darkness always coexist, just like the presence of Konoha and Root. Konoha basks in the light, carrying hope, while Root is deeply buried in darkness, absorbing nutrients to sustain the towering tree that is Konoha.
Therefore, every member of Root holds a lofty belief. They firmly believe that their actions are all for the sake of the village.
Under Danzo's orders, they have come here to find this young man, who is highly likely to be designated as Danzo's disciple.
One of the orders is to assess the young man's aptitude and determine his classification.
The other order is to bring him back to meet Danzo, the leader of Root.
Before coming here, they were already aware of Sousuke's victory over Morino. However, Root members are not the same as those mediocre chuunin instructors in the village.
Among these four individuals, each possesses the strength of elite chuunin, making them exceptional ninjas.
They observe as Sousuke pulls out his sword and holds it lightly in front of him. It might be an illusion, but it seems that a faint blue light flashes on the blade.
Behind their masks, they furrow their brows and carefully observe Sousuke, wondering about the intentions behind his actions.
"Come out."
With a strange smile on his face, Sousuke suddenly calls out in a soft voice. His voice is calm, but it reverberates through the ears of the Root members like thunder!
The pupils of the four Root members involuntarily contract!
Discovered?! How is that possible? To think they were found by this little brat?
They are members of Root, experts in concealment. Whether it's assassinating enemy ninjas or gathering intelligence, perfect concealment is their utmost priority. Otherwise, being discovered would mean death!
Yet today, they were discovered by this recently graduated ninja brat!
Even though Sousuke has impressive records of defeating chuunin, it is not enough to qualify him as a competent chuunin.
Regardless of how Sousuke discovered them, it surprises them greatly.
Since their presence has been revealed, the four Root members no longer hide their presence. They swiftly appear on the field, all looking at Sousuke with their expressions hidden behind their masks.
Seeing the masked figures in front of him, Sousuke squints his eyes slightly. He slowly reinserts Kyōka Suigetsu into his waist.
The initial release of Kyōka Suigetsu has already been activated, so there's no need to keep the sword drawn. Besides, Sousuke noticed the attire of these onlookers. They are Konoha ninjas.
"Who are you people?"
Sousuke asks in a cold voice. He is polite to his friends, but he won't treat these spies with kindness, even if they belong to Konoha.
One of the individuals, wearing a monkey-faced mask, steps forward and speaks directly with annunwavering tone.
"You are Sousuke, right? By Danzo-sama's orders, we are here to take you to Root for a visit."
"If there are no problems, then come with us," one of the Root members said. Regardless, being able to discover them, Sousuke's ninja talent is without a doubt, and they have given him high praise.
At this point, all they need to do is bring him back to Root. The rest will be decided by Lord Danzo.
They never considered the possibility that Sousuke would refuse. After all, he's just a child.
However, Sousuke's next words shocked them.
"I refuse," he said quietly, a faint smirk appearing on his face.
Having lived in Konoha for several years, he had never heard of an organization like Root. The only intelligence organization directly under the Hokage's command is the Anbu. And who is this Tsunade they're talking about?
He didn't want to take the risk of going alone to an unknown place in his current weakened state.
Having made up his mind, Sousuke's refusal was resolute.
The members of Root on the other side were clearly dissatisfied with this response. Under their masks, their brows furrowed. They hadn't encountered such a defiant brat in a long time.
Another Root member with a rabbit-faced mask stepped forward, speaking in a cold voice.
"Sousuke!! Do you even know who wants to see you? How dare you refuse like this."
To this, Sousuke responded with his usual gentle smile, but his words were infuriating.
"Hmm? It's precisely because I don't know who wants to see me that I refused. Sorry, but who is Danzo?"
His words visibly agitated the Root members in front of him. Some angrily said, "You little brat, how dare you address Lord Danzo by name!"
The monkey-faced leader of the group also looked coldly at Sousuke, but he stopped his comrades from taking action. He turned to face Sousuke and spoke in a cold voice.
"Sousuke, due to the secrecy order, I cannot reveal everything about Root to you. However, you should know that Lord Danzo is a great ninja who made significant contributions to the village during the Great Ninja War. He wants to see you. It is our mission and your opportunity. You better think carefully before making a decision."
"I've thought about it, and I still refuse this request," Sousuke answered without hesitation.
With the presence of Kyōka Suigetsu, he didn't need to take risks by joining this mysterious organization. Even the Anbu would be a better choice than joining such a secretive group. Besides, his goal is to stand at the top of the world.
"Good! Very well! Then don't blame us for using force. Lord Danzo's orders must not be defied!"
The monkey-faced Root member gritted his teeth and spoke coldly, intending to personally capture Sousuke and bring him back to Root.
Upon hearing his words, a coldness flashed in Sousuke's eyes beneath his glasses.
So, if being soft doesn't work, they'll resort to force! This organization is truly relentless! From this, he can roughly gauge what kind of person this Lord Danzo is.
But if you want a fight, then bring it on!
Facing the members of Root, Sousuke showed no fear.
It's not a bad opportunity to test his own strength. With this thought, a smile curled up on his lips.
The leader with the monkey-faced mask on the other side became even more furious upon seeing this.
