Chương 57: Aftermath

Sunlight slid through the window and fell across Kakashi's face. His eyelid twitched. A faint crease formed between his brows, and then, slowly, one eye cracked open. White ceiling. The same spare, empty room. His ANBU gear lay in a heap on the floor, and a tantō hung from its hook on the opposite wall. On the bedside table sat a cat-faced mask.

"You're up?" A voice, sudden and casual. A middle-aged man was sitting on the windowsill — had been for who knew how long — watching him with a quiet smile. Kakashi glanced at the man. The sunlight pouring in behind him stung, and he let his eye drift shut again.

"Didn't you leave ANBU?" The man on the sill sounded surprised.

"... Special mission last night. Operated under ANBU designation." Kakashi's response came with his eye still closed.

"When I came through the gates this morning, the village felt... off."

"..."

"Something happen?" Kakashi stared at his ceiling.

"When did you get back?"

"This morning." The man shifted on the sill.

"My rotation was up, so I came in from the border." Silence settled over the room. Kakashi lay perfectly still, but the single visible eye had opened again, and something moved in it — slow, troubled ripples across dark water.

"It's big." His voice was flat.

"The Uchiha... are gone." The room went dead silent. The man on the windowsill stared, eyes wide, disbelief written across his face. Kakashi sat up slowly and turned to look outside. The sun was already high — well into mid-morning. He pressed a hand to his forehead, traces of fatigue still clinging to his features.

"What happened?" the man finally asked.

"... Don't know," Kakashi said. Silence again. The man's gaze drifted to the ANBU gear scattered across the floor, then to the cat mask sitting on the table.

"How long are you staying in the village this time?" Kakashi asked abruptly. The man exhaled, and just like that, the weight in the air thinned.

"Not sure. Depends." He straightened on the sill as he spoke, and only then was it visible that his left sleeve hung empty — flat and loose, nothing beneath it. His right hand was the only one he had. Kakashi swung his legs off the bed and gathered up the ANBU gear from the floor.

"What kind of mission has you operating under an ANBU designation?" the man finally asked, unable to hold it back. Kakashi gave him a flat look.

"Classified." He walked into the bathroom. A moment later, water started running.

"If you're bored, make the bed," Kakashi called out. The one-armed man let out a wry laugh. He hopped lightly from the windowsill into the room and began straightening the sheets. He moved with practiced ease despite the missing limb. Some time later, Kakashi emerged, freshly washed, carrying two bread rolls and a large carton of milk.

"This is breakfast?" The man caught the roll Kakashi tossed him and wrinkled his nose. The man's name was Buichi Yamamoto. Konoha jonin. He'd been a teammate of Kakashi's father, and had looked after Kakashi in the years since. These days he was stationed at the border more often than not.

"Come to think of it," Buichi said, taking a sip of milk, "the sixth-years are about to graduate, aren't they? You're supposed to take a team this round."

"Yeah..." Kakashi answered, voice flat, one eye drooping.

"Same as last year. I'll send them all back for another year."

"I hear there's a Hyuga kid with real talent. He should be graduating about now. You're not interested?"

"Branch family." Kakashi rolled his eye.

"Talent won't matter."

"Tsk, tsk." Buichi shook his head with a grin.

"You just don't want students." ROOT headquarters. Anko walked into the main hall in full ANBU gear. A crowd was already gathered — shinobi standing in clusters of three and four, each group a squad.

"Anko." Yugao waved her over. Hayate stood beside her, and next to him, a small boy in a mask.

"Have you seen him?" Anko asked as she approached. Yugao shook her head.

"He's probably in trouble over this. It's not small." Yugao's voice was careful, measured. Her eyes flicked to the silent, masked boy at her side.

"What was Lord Hokage's operation last night about?" Anko asked, brow furrowed. Yugao glanced at Hayate. She hesitated a moment before answering.

"Last night... a number of ROOT operatives went to the Uchiha compound. That may have crossed a line with Lord Hokage." Anko's frown deepened. She murmured, half to herself: "The Uchiha compound..." Then something clicked. Her expression darkened.

"He's going down the same road as that person," she said through clenched teeth.

"Who are you talking about, Anko?" Yugao blinked.

"... Never mind." Yugao and Hayate exchanged a glance — confusion and resignation in equal measure.

"Anko..." Yugao began again after a pause.

"What."

"Hayate and I... we're thinking of leaving ROOT." The words came slowly, as if she still wasn't sure. Hayate reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder. The masked boy beside them turned his head.

"What?!" Anko's head snapped up. She stared at Yugao.

"After everything that's happened, ROOT is going to change. We want to use this as our chance to get out." Yugao reached up and lightly took hold of Hayate's hand on her shoulder. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it"... I see." Anko's voice fell to a murmur. She lowered her head, letting her hair fall forward over her eyes. At that moment, a side door at the far end of the hall was shoved open. The bang cut through the room, and every voice died. All eyes turned.

Danzō emerged, leaning on a cane with one hand. White bandages wrapped his forehead and covered his right eye. His left eye was half-lidded, his expression perfectly calm. Every shinobi in the hall dropped to one knee and bowed their heads.

"Those of you in squad-assigned units — step out," Danzō said. His tone was even, unhurried. A beat of silence. Then a wave of shinobi rose — Anko, Yugao, Hayate among them — and filed out of the hall with their heads low. The masked boy didn't move. He remained kneeling where he was. Outside the hall, Yugao and the others showed no surprise at being separated. They understood they weren't part of Danzō's inner circle. Being openly excluded was nothing new. …… Inside, Danzō began issuing orders.

"Last night's harvest — how much?"

"Twenty-three bodies total. Could have been more, but the ANBU that arrived later stopped us." A ROOT operative near the front answered.

"Hm." Danzō grunted. He closed his eye. The hall waited.

"Keep five," he said at last.

"Send the rest to the hospital."

"... Yes, sir."

"One more thing. All ROOT operations are suspended, effective now. Anyone currently on a mission is to stand down — including surveillance. For the foreseeable future, no one moves under a ROOT designation." …… Outside the hall, Yugao and the others were finally called back in by a ROOT operative who informed them Danzō wished to address them. Yugao, Anko, and Hayate exchanged glances, then walked in together. The hall was empty now save for Danzō himself.

The dozens of ROOT shinobi from moments ago had vanished without a trace. They knelt before him. Several other operatives who'd been separated out alongside them were there as well.

"Your transfer orders will come through shortly." Danzō's opening words sent a visible ripple of shock through the room.

"You'll be contacted individually. From that point forward, you are reassigned to ANBU proper. Your new squad assignments will be provided in the documentation." His tone was flat, matter-of-fact. Yugao and the others knelt without moving — but behind every still face, thoughts churned. Especially Yugao and Hayate. They'd just been discussing how to leave ROOT, and now they were being pushed out from above. Everyone present had the same profile: ROOT-affiliated, but not among Danzō's trusted inner circle.

And now all of them were being sent back to ANBU. The implication was clear. ROOT was being restructured — purged of anyone who wasn't unconditionally loyal. But once it was filled with nothing but Danzō's people... how would the Hokage maintain oversight? None of them were fools. They turned the situation over in their minds, tracing cause and effect. Given last night's events, they'd expected Danzō to face severe punishment. But this transfer order didn't look like punishment at all.

If anything, it looked like Danzō had been given more freedom. Unless there was something they didn't know. Land of Rivers. An inn. Shin pushed open the door and found Tsume sitting cross-legged with a scroll open in front of her, brow deeply furrowed. Kuromaru lay beside her, and next to him was another dog — its coat entirely yellow, a Konoha forehead protector tied around its body. Tsume noticed Shin and rolled the scroll shut without a word. She reached over and tapped the yellow dog once.

It vanished in a puff of white smoke.

"What is it?" Tsume asked.

"Ueno-san's calling us for a meal. He says after we eat, he wants to take us to some mountain nearby."

"I see." Tsume nodded.

"He mentioned some place called Mount Kyūrei. Said we should go have a look—""No need." Tsume cut him off.

"Huh?" Shin blinked. Tsume looked at him for a long moment.

"We're going home," she said quietly. Shin stiffened. Yesterday, Tsume had been talking about touring every last corner of the Land of Rivers. And now, suddenly, they were leaving. Had something happened? He thought of how she'd looked when he walked in — the scroll she'd put away so quickly, the messenger dog she'd dismissed. She was keeping something from him. He just couldn't figure out what.

"Let's go." Tsume stood. Kuromaru rose with her.

"To eat."

"... Oh. Right." That afternoon. They said their goodbyes to Tomotoshi Ueno and his group, politely declining their repeated offers to stay, and set off for Konoha at speed. At speed meant Shin's top speed, which wasn't much. Kuromaru carried him for long stretches, but even so, they covered ground far faster than the leisurely walk on the way out. When they reached the border between the Lands of Rivers and Fire, Tsume stopped. She found an inn in the same small town they'd passed through before and booked a room.

The sky was still light. At the pace they'd been keeping, Shin calculated they could have reached Konoha before dark. But he didn't understand Tsume's reasoning, and she wasn't explaining. She left him at the inn with Kuromaru for company and went out alone. Before leaving, she told him — firmly — not to wander. Shin could feel that something major had happened. But Tsume wouldn't tell him, and he had no way to find out on his own. He could only sit with his questions. Tsume didn't come back that night.

Late at night. Konoha. The Inuzuka compound. In a lamplit room, Tsume — who had rushed back under cover of darkness — sat at the head of the table. Below her sat a circle of Inuzuka elders. The room was chaos. No one had noticed her return except the sentries at the village gate.

"Would you all shut up," Tsume said, pressing a hand to her temple.

"Tsume, do you still not understand how serious this is?!" An old man shot to his feet.

"The entire Uchiha clan — wiped out in a single night!"

"They were planning a coup. This was always a possible outcome," Tsume said, though even she sounded strained.

"But do you know who did it?!" Who did it. Itachi Uchiha. Clan heir. The eldest son of Fugaku Uchiha — the man who would have been the next head of the Uchiha. And the critical detail: the person who'd done this wasn't being hailed as some selfless hero who'd sacrificed his own blood for the village. He was a wanted criminal. A traitor who'd fled. Put like that, it was almost incomprehensible.

"What is the Hokage's intent?!" another elder barked.

"What is his attitude toward the rest of us — toward the clans?!" The outburst triggered another wave of shouting. Tsume's headache worsened. Not just because of the noise — the whole situation was beyond what she'd anticipated. Beyond what anyone had anticipated.

"The Hyuga have all but sealed their compound. Hiashi ordered every clan member to stop discussing the Uchiha entirely. Shikaku Nara was called to the Hokage's office this afternoon and spent hours there — not a word leaked out. The Nara are staying glued to Lord Hokage's side."

"We need to take a position too, and fast. But Lord Hokage's stance is completely unclear. The Hyuga's response is bizarre. What happens next is anyone's guess — we need to be prepared. We need an exit."

"I know." Tsume finally nodded.

"We're not in this alone. Right now, outside of the Hyuga, most clans' interests are intertwined. We'll be fine. If trouble comes, it'll hit the Hyuga first. With the Uchiha gone, the village is going to fracture in a dozen ways. Everything depends on Lord Hokage's attitude toward the Hyuga — and the Hyuga's attitude toward themselves." The next morning. Shin woke to find Tsume sitting cross-legged beside his futon, arms folded, watching him.

"Auntie?" He sat up, startled. He had no idea when she'd arrived or how long she'd been there. He hadn't sensed a thing.

"Up?" Tsume said evenly.

"Wash up and get your things. We're heading back today."

"Oh... okay." He nodded, then hesitated as he rose.

"Auntie..." His voice faltered.

"Last night, you—""Had something to deal with. Don't worry about it." She cut him off. Shin pressed his lips together. He didn't ask again. He turned and went to wash up. After he'd left the room, Tsume let out a long breath.

"He's just a kid, Tsume. Whatever's happening, it's not going to involve him. You're overthinking this." Kuromaru spoke from beside her.

"I just worry about the what if..." Tsume's expression was troubled.

"His situation won't get him dragged into it. Tsukasa's name is still on record."

"Let's hope so..." The room fell quiet. Faintly, through the wall, they could hear water running in the next room.

"What's the situation in the village?" Kuromaru asked.

"What came of last night's trip?"

"... Tense. A lot of clans are spooked — jumping at shadows. Our own people are no different. And Shikaku's been passing along the same general message."

"There's more to sort out once we're back. Lord Hokage's position still isn't clear." Tsume's brow was knotted.

"No one saw this coming. The Uchiha, ending like this... Itachi Uchiha..." …… When Shin returned, washed and dressed, Tsume was sitting exactly as before — calm, composed.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah." He nodded. His bag was still packed from the night before. He slung it over his shoulder.

"Let's go." …… Midday. They crossed the border after filing the paperwork. But they didn't push the pace the way they had yesterday. They traveled at ordinary shinobi speed — a leisurely half-day's journey — and arrived at Konoha around noon. The familiar gates of Konoha. But something felt different. There were more guards at the entrance than a few days ago. And the moment Shin stepped into range, he felt it — eyes. Dozens of them, invisible and intent, pressing against his back. Watching his every move.

It made his skin crawl. At the checkpoint, the guards stopped them. They clearly recognized Tsume, and the stop was routine — just standard procedure.

"Lady Tsume, we'll need you to check in at the first floor of the Hokage building as well," Izumo Kamizuki said as he accepted the documents Shin handed over.

"Understood." Tsume nodded. Shin noticed, quietly, that the papers Tsume had submitted were different from the ones they'd used when leaving. Before, it had been a single sheet. Now it was a thick stack of documents. Tsume glanced at him — saw the way he said nothing but was clearly paying attention — and reached over to ruffle his hair.

"Come on." She started walking toward the village.

"Mm..." Shin moved to follow, but his gaze caught on something. On the pillar on the far side of the gate, a notice had been posted. His eyes were sharp. Even from nearly ten meters away, he could read the text and make out the portrait clearly. S-Rank Missing-Nin of Konohagakure Itachi Uchiha Annihilated his entire clan. Fled the village. Extremely dangerous. Any information regarding... Itachi Uchiha?