NOVEL WEB Chapter 18: Beneath Shadows .(EDITED)
I knew it was risky.
But I had to see it for myself.
Danzo Shimura — the so-called "darkness of the leaf." The man who thought sacrificing the few for the village's safety gave him the right to play god. I couldn't let someone like him fester in the shadows without knowing what he was planning.
So I created a Wood Clone and sent him underground.
With the Mayfly Technique now mastered, my clone submerged into the roots beneath the Hokage Monument. I followed the underground network of trees and veins until I found a system of hidden caves — interlinked, massive, and completely invisible to the surface world.
It was exactly where the Root Organization hid.
And thanks to the chakra link between me and my clone, I could see and hear everything through his senses.
The tunnel led into a darkened chamber filled with silent figures.
Masked, still, unfeeling.
They wore ANBU-style outfits with white blank masks. But there was something different. The normal ANBU had a certain energy to them. These Root operatives? They were hollow — like puppets waiting for orders.
No conversation. No emotion. No individuality.
It felt cold, lifeless.
Then, finally, movement.
One of the operatives was called forward by a superior. I trailed them quietly, merging with the tree root closest to the chamber wall. The path led into a more secluded room — lit by a dull glow.
At the center sat Danzo Shimura.
He wore a long black robe, his right arm hidden under bandages, and a cane resting beside him. But what caught my attention wasn't his appearance — it was his chakra.
I could sense it clearly now.
Kage-level. Easily.
Among the people I'd met so far, only two others were stronger. First was Hiruzen Sarutobi. Second… Tsunade.
Danzo began giving out orders.
"There's a target from the Hidden Stone. Assassinate and dispose."
The Root ninja bowed with a quiet hai and left immediately. Danzo gave no further instructions. These men didn't need them.
They followed blindly.
As I was about to pull back, another operative entered the room — but this time, I recognized him.
One of the men Tsunade had kicked out of the Senju compound weeks ago.
Danzo leaned forward.
"So… why were you cast out by Tsunade?"
"I don't know, Lord Danzo," the man said, nervous. "She came out of nowhere and threatened to kill me. I had no choice but to leave."
Danzo laughed darkly.
"Then there's no more use for you."
Before the man could react, Danzo vanished.
Body Flicker.
He reappeared behind the operative and whispered:
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade."
—Thud.
The man's head fell from his shoulders. Blood pooled onto the stone floor. Cold. Efficient.
Danzo turned to the others.
"Clean this mess. And summon the senior operatives."
Minutes passed. Then three masked elite Root members entered. Danzo gave a single order:
"Spy on the Senju compound. I want to know everything. Especially about the boy."
They bowed.
I gritted my teeth. So now I was on his radar.
Not surprising… but still troubling.
After a few more orders, Danzo left through a different tunnel — one that didn't connect with the ANBU headquarters beneath the mountain. It led somewhere deeper, likely a personal escape route.
I dispelled the clone.
A flood of experience and chakra returned to me — the sensation both familiar and overwhelming.
Back in my room, I sat in silence for a moment, processing everything.
Danzo's ambitions… his control over Root… and most importantly, his eventual use of Hashirama's cells and Sharingan arms to use techniques like Izanagi. That future hadn't happened yet — but I now had the power to change it.
If I could prevent Danzo from getting his hands on Hashirama's DNA, I could change the tide of the entire village's future.
This time… I'll act before it's too late.
There was some comfort in knowing the Senju compound was protected. The barrier seals around it were created by Mito Uzumaki, the first Hokage's wife — my grandmother.
A seal master with few equals.
No Root spy would break through them. That much, at least, was safe.
Night had fallen by the time I emerged from my thoughts. I took a quick hot shower to calm my mind, then made my way toward the kitchen.
Tsunade was already there, casually eating.
I hesitated, then sat beside her and spoke.
"There was a spy from Root inside the compound. You kicked him out, but… Danzo noticed."
Tsunade stopped chewing.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You followed Root operations?"
I nodded.
She set her chopsticks down, clearly holding back anger.
"You shouldn't have done that alone."
"I had to know. If Danzo's after us, we can't be passive."
She sighed.
Then she softened — a mix of frustration and concern crossing her face.
"Tomorrow, I'll speak to Sensei. You… go to bed."
As usual, I transferred some nature energy into Tsunade to continue helping her recovery. Then into myself.
"Goodnight," I said quietly.
"Goodnight, Ren," she murmured back, her tone gentler than her words.
I smiled to myself as I walked back to my room.
I wasn't afraid of Root.
I wasn't afraid of Danzo.
I had the strength of the Senju, the mind of a reincarnated shinobi, and the will to shape my own future.
Author's Note:
Ren has now entered the world of political shadows. Root is watching, but he's already three steps ahead. With Mayfly, Wood Clone, and his growing arsenal, Ren is not just a child anymore — he's becoming a silent threat in the world of shinobi.