The Root compound twisted beneath the village, like the arteries of a shadowy empire. These tunnels, usually silent and concealed from the public eye, were about to echo with the sounds of battle.
With Yamato and Kakashi
Yamato halted the group, his sharp eyes picking up on the chakra signatures ahead. "We’ve got company," he muttered, his voice low but urgent. A wave of masked Root operatives stepped forward, emerging from the dark like predators hunting their prey.
Without hesitation, Kakashi lunged forward, his tantō gleaming in the dim light. "I’ll handle this," he called back, his voice edged with a confidence that only came from countless battles. He met the first Root operative head-on, their blades clashing in a shower of sparks. His Sharingan whirled, predicting every movement, allowing him to parry effortlessly before delivering a brutal roundhouse kick that sent the operative crashing into the wall.
Yamato moved in tandem with Kakashi, his hands already weaving through a set of seals. "Mokuton: Wood Bind Technique!" he called out, and the earth trembled in response. From the ground sprouted thick wooden tendrils, curling around the legs of their enemies like serpents constricting their prey. The Root soldiers struggled, their masks betraying no emotion, but it was clear they were trapped. The more they fought, the tighter Yamato’s wood constricted.
"We’re not out of the woods yet," Yamato muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows. Sure enough, more Root operatives began swarming them from every side.
"Seems like are friends aren't the welcoming type, Tenzo," Kakashi said with a smirk, easily dispatching another opponent with a well-timed strike.
"Root doesn’t exactly hold reunions," Yamato replied dryly, raising his hand to summon more wooden branches. "But it’s hard to call this place home." He couldn’t help the flood of memories that returned, his time as a child in Root, molded by Danzo’s hand. Returning here, fighting his former comrades, felt surreal, like a nightmare he had hoped to leave behind.
As Kakashi cut through another wave of attackers, he called back, "We don’t have time for them. Let’s wrap this up."
Yamato nodded, focusing his chakra. With a final push, he expanded his Wood Release, capturing the rest of the Root soldiers in one swift motion. "This should hold them." He glanced at Kakashi, his face hardened with resolve. "Let’s keep moving."
With Yugao
Further down the corridor, Yugao moved like a shadow, her senses alert to every shift in the air. She could feel the presence of another ninja.
A figure emerged from the darkness-pale skin, short black hair, and expressionless eyes. Sai. His blank face gave away nothing as he drew his short blade, the moonlight gleaming off its edge.
Yugao’s hand rested on the hilt of her katana, her eyes narrowing as she regarded him. "You don’t have to follow Danzo’s orders anymore. You’re not a tool."
Sai said nothing, but his blank eyes locked on her. His silence was telling, and Yugao pressed her point. "He turned you into a weapon, just like he did with so many others. You’re more than that."
Sai’s expression remained impassive, but the slightest tremor in his grip gave him away. There was something different about this mission, he wasn’t attacking with the same ruthlessness. His heart wasn’t in it. The weight of the past haunted him, the memory of his brother’s death echoing in the corridors of his mind. Danzo had pitted them against each other, forcing a death match in the name of loyalty. Sai had won, but the victory had hollowed him out.
Without a word, Sai drew his brush and ink. A lion materialized, roaring as it charged toward Yugao. She met it head-on, her katana flashing as it cut through the ink beast with practiced precision.
