Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 126 Swift and Decisive Action

Naruto listened quietly to the entire conversation, without stopping Shin from bowing deeply at a 90-degree angle. He did have a negative impression of Root, but it was simply a prejudice against Danzo; he didn't hold any prejudice against the others. Besides, he had already realized that this was less a request and more a cry for help. Just how serious were Root's problems that an older brother would plead for his younger brother's help?

It's not that Naruto is ignorant; after he took over, a lot of Root's data was lost, and he had no idea how Root selected its personnel. Now, he has some idea, but he's not entirely sure.

"Can I grant your request? Would you mind explaining why?"

Xin opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He said bitterly, "I'm sorry, I can't say it."

"Just nod or shake your head." Naruto didn't press him, but stared intently into his eyes and asked, "Is your final selection method to fight each other until only one person remains alive?"

Matsuri's eyes widened even more, looking at her older brother with fear and panic. Under her younger brother's gaze, Shin nodded with difficulty.

Naruto's already pale face darkened further, while Sakura covered her mouth in shock. Ninjas living in the sunlight could never imagine how cruel the dark underground world was; they were far too well protected.

Naruto took several deep breaths to suppress his surging chakra. He wondered why Konoha hadn't seen Shin at all later on; it turned out he died during the "Selection"! No wonder all the data was lost; they were afraid someone would see it and settle scores, right? Can these people do anything right?

"How many kids like you still have Root?" Naruto's speech quickened unconsciously.

"There are about five or six pairs. There hasn't been any fighting recently, so there aren't many orphans."

Naruto gasped for breath again, barely managing to avoid unleashing a massive amount of chakra. He couldn't hold back any longer; he had to tell Tsunade about this and have her keep an eye on Danzo. The Sixth Hokage plan had to be accelerated. Even if he couldn't become the Sixth Hokage, it didn't matter; Tsunade was one of their own. They had to build Dongfeng into an organization with global influence as soon as possible, so they could legitimately squeeze into Konoha's decision-making ranks and put direct pressure on Root!

"I understand, I promise you." Naruto appeared calm, but in reality, he had already mentally calculated all 108 ways Danzo could die. "If Danzo forces you to fight, don't hesitate, inject chakra into the mark, and I'll be there."

"That would be bad for you..."

“I will not stand idly by and watch useless sacrifices be made.” Naruto turned around, his gaze resolute and unwavering. “Remember, when an order causes you pain and makes you want to escape, then it is unreasonable, and you have the right to refuse. If you cannot refuse, come to me, and I will help you refuse.”

Such a heavy truth weighed on everyone's hearts to varying degrees. Naruto ordered them to rest on the spot, giving them time to calm down. He then quickly reported the situation to his main body, rubbed his face, and put on his usual signature smile.

The team leader only needed to go to report. The four parted ways at the entrance. Naruto went to the Hokage Building alone, while Shin and Matsuri were taken to the hospital by Sakura. She hadn't forgotten Shin's suspected tuberculosis, which is contagious. Who knew if Matsuri had it too? Checking one was one thing, but checking two wasn't a quick and easy task, so she arrested both of them.

"You encountered fifteen wandering ninjas? You managed to persuade them to retreat without engaging in battle?!" Tsunade, who had been reviewing documents for most of the day and was feeling quite drowsy, immediately perked up when she saw Naruto's report. Of course, Naruto didn't write about the hidden details or Sasuke's part; he simply stated the fact that fifteen ninjas had infiltrated the village.

"Sakura's anesthetic worked wonders, it's amazing!" Naruto felt no guilt about using tricks to get through the situation, because if they were to fight head-on, it would be quite impressive if those fifteen people could withstand three moves.

Naruto didn't kill them; instead, he released them all into the Land of Rivers. At that time, rescue efforts were underway, and the fifteen were immediately conscripted and assigned to the front lines. Even ninjas skilled in wading might not survive in the flood, let alone ordinary people. The devastation of the disaster area dispelled their thoughts of fleeing, and they quickly joined the rescue mission. The sense of accomplishment from saving lives was unprecedented for them. Those who could empathize with life and death weren't beyond saving; whether they stayed or left depended on their subsequent actions.

Tsunade was indeed very satisfied with her new disciple. Naruto's praise made her, as his master, quite proud, though she didn't show it openly.

"Alright, it's good that you're not injured. Now that you've finished reporting, go and get some rest."

Naruto remained standing still, but glanced at the corner where the Anbu were staying, and said, "Speaking of which, I haven't properly thanked Granny Tsunade for saving my life yet. How about I invite you to our house for a meal? I'll also ask the Perverted Sage about it later."

Tsunade's eyes lit up. She had long heard Jiraiya boast about Naruto's cooking skills, and she wanted to try it but was too embarrassed to do so. This kid finally thought of his mother-in-law, although it was obvious that he had something to say.

"Hmph, you're kind enough to come, but I won't go without wine."

The absence of the Perverted Sage from Konoha was no problem for a user of the Flying Thunder God Technique; Naruto simply vanished at the entrance of the Hokage Building, only to return a while later with Jiraiya. That blatant disappearance and reappearance was like dancing on the nerves of the old folks, yet they dared not actually cause any trouble.

The meal began in a somber atmosphere, but ended quite pleasantly. Naruto somehow managed to get his hands on two jars of strong liquor, which tasted incredibly potent, just like the Senju clan's secret brew from his younger days. He managed to knock out two of the Legendary Sannin with just two jars, and in the end, Shizune had to carry Tsunade back home.

Shortly after, Naruto submitted a request for a permanent teammate, stating that Shin and Matsuri were two very reliable partners and he hoped to team up for missions long-term. Tsunade approved the request and instructed the Anbu to submit the materials to Root. However, for some unknown reason, they stumbled upon a pair of Root members fighting fiercely on the way. They were severely injured and were immediately stopped by the Anbu, who then rushed them to the hospital. The Fifth Hokage took this matter very seriously and immediately ordered Root to submit the complete list of trainees and suspend all training courses, stating that rectification was necessary to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

Danzo suffered a great loss but couldn't say anything. After all, those clandestine "selections" were shady dealings, and many children weren't registered on the Root's roster beforehand. The fact that the Anbu discovered it by accident was incredibly bizarre; what Anbu member would send information to such a remote corner? However, just as Tsunade couldn't find any evidence against him, he had no concrete proof to retaliate and could only suffer in silence.

This is just the beginning; his troubles won't end anytime soon.