Root Roots

Itsuki mechanically moved towards the Kurama clan grounds. After leaving Hinata at the academy, along with a Shadow Clone standing Guard; he decided it was finally time to visit the Kurama Clan.

Kurama clan was once his home. He was born there, lived his first years there. Years where he was carefree, playing in the shadow of his mother. Years when he was not worried about being found by the Danzo, about suddenly ending up dead in a ditch somewhere for some inane reason.

And he lived believing a decade of his life they were his enemy. He might not admit it but it had hurt.

Entering the familiar clan grounds, he made his way towards the house of Clan's head. Throughout the way, no one stopped him, but he got some curious glances. it did not take long to reach the street belonging to the main branch of the Kurama clan. Like the Hyuga clan, the Kurama clan is also divided into main and branch families but the segregation was no way near extreme.

No one stopped him from entering the Clan Head's house, not even the guard posted outside the door. The chunin stationed just asked his name and went inside to inform the clan head.

Soon he was sitting in the guest room, waiting for Clan's head to arrive. Before long, the main branch clan head Murakumo Kurama, a tall man with long black hair and a black mustache entered.

"Genin Itsuki"

Itsuki bowed a little, showing respect but no difference.

"Ohayo Gozaimasu Murakumo-san." Itsuki greeted with a shallow bow.

Despite Murakumo's poker face, his fluctuating emotions made clear he knew who Itsuki was.

"I am here because of your request for treatment of your daughter"

"I thought Medic Corps were to handle the request." A not too subtle jab on his expulsion from medic corps. Although Itsuki was pretty sure Murakumo was among few against his expulsion.

"Yes, but Medic Corps are too busy preparing for the war. And the treatment could not be delayed any further."

He looked thoughtful for a moment, contemplating the offer.

In all honesty, Itsuki came here without putting much thought into the plan. Tsunade had informed of Yakumo Kurama's case him and Kurama Clan head's request for help, thinking that the case might interest him because of the involvement of Kurama Clan's bloodline limit.

Yakumo Kurama, the clan head's daughter manifested the full bloodline limit of the Kurama Clan manifested, but not without side effects. Her body is severely weakened because of the excess Yin chakra, and her chakra pathways are weekend. This had made her sickly and weak, not a good thing for prospective ninja.

'And not to mention Ido, Yukamo's mind monster.'

And the excess Yin could not be treated by medics, because almost every healing technique is a Yin-release. Except for him, the only user of Yang-based healing, no one can really cure Yukumo's condition. Itsuki is pretty sure Murakumo knows that.

Not it all boils down to whether he trusts Itsuki enough to entrust his only daughter to him, someone who was banished from this very clan.

It all comes down to that.

Both continued to sit in silence, neither of them spoke.

It was pretty clear that Murakumo loved her daughter, and Itsuki's offer was tempting, too tempting. Not just because it would fulfill the dream of his daughter, but also because a healed Yukamo represents a clan asset, the first user of Kurama Bloodline limit in generations. And daughter or not, that was just too attractive of a prospect for deciding Kurama Clan.

The silence went on for what felt like an hour before Murakumo spoke.

"What do you want?"

"That would be difficult to calculate now, but a payment equivalent to a long-term chunin mission..."

"I am Not asking the price. I am asking what do you want?"

Itsuki looked at the Kurama clan head sitting in front of him and knew he had him where he wanted. Now the real negotiation could begin.

"Tell me about my father."

Murakumo leaned back, "I have no idea who is your father."

Itsuki did not even blink, "Then tell me about my mother."

Murakumo got up and walked into a connected office room.

Itsuki heard several clicks and sensed a few emissions of chakra, presumably from a sealing formation. A moment later, Murakumo walked back, holding something in his hands.

"Perhaps this will help you understand", and placed the object on the table.

Itsuki paled in shock, recognizing what it was.

A plain white Anbu mask, with words NE written on the underside.

'Root, mother was in Root.'

For the first time, Itsuki's facade broke.

Murakumo pretended not to notice Itsuki's shock, and continued to speak, "You may not know but a special division of Anbu recruits children at a young age and trains them. Your mother was selected from the Kurama clan when she was six."

"We did not hear from her for fifteen years, until one day, she came out of nowhere, carrying you. She gave us her mask and said she had retired from Anbu. She struck a bargain with elders, both your safety in exchange for dozens of ninja techniques."

"But that did not last long?", Itsuki asked.

"No, it did not. Days before nine tails attack, there was an assassination attempt on her life. She survived but knew her days were numbered. So she planned to make you disappear."

Itsuki remained quiet, looking blankly at the mask.

A lot of things started to make sense. His mother's obsession with freedom, the Kurama Clan's strange behavior towards him, Danzo's obsession with him.

A lot of things started to make sense, but one did not.

"Why did you help her, you had no obligation to?"

Murakumo sighed, "Your mother, we did not have the best of relations. I could count the number of times we met on my hands. But despite that all, she was my sister and the least I could do was honor her last wish."

"Oh"

Itsuki kept staring at the mask.