Chapter 236: Intelligence From Root Again
Regarding Hatake Sakumo’s rumors, Hiruzen Sarutobi said:
“One slash exploding dozens of Tailed Beast Balls is very fake, but it’s very topical.
Tailed Beasts are legendary calamity-level beasts, and villagers neither understand Tailed Beasts nor Hatake Sakumo.
Linking Tailed Beasts and Hatake Sakumo will promote Hatake Sakumo’s name to Konoha villagers.
Fox, arrange your squad to secretly spread rumors that Hatake Sakumo was defeated by Two-Tails Jinchuriki Ryuuha.
Say he was driven away by Ryuuha, and don’t let Hatake Sakumo’s rumors get out of control.”
“Yes!”
Yoru thought to himself that spreading rumors of Hatake Sakumo’s failure at this time, he wondered if the villagers would believe it.
In the villagers’ hearts, comparing Hatake Sakumo with legendary creatures like Tailed Beasts was an endorsement of Hatake Sakumo.
“Leave the rumors to your subordinates, Fox, there’s another mission.” Hiruzen Sarutobi said:
“Tomorrow you follow Lord Orochimaru to the Land of Lightning to obtain intelligence on Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Buruubi.”
“Yes!”
Leaders are always like this; once you take on a job, it’s yours forever, no one else takes it.
Yoru had obtained intelligence on Hidden Cloud Village Jinchuriki at the stronghold fortress in the Land of Earth; this was bad luck, all missions related to Hidden Cloud Village Jinchuriki were his.
In the original story, Orochimaru once caused Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Buruubi to go berserk; could it be this time?
Orochimaru pursues immortality and fears death, with maxed-out survival ability; in battles he can survive, Yoru…
Coincidentally, Yoru also fears death very much, with maxed-out survival ability.
Danzo suddenly spoke: “Root will also send someone; let Prop go along.”
Yoru acted very confused: “Isn’t Lord Orochimaru a Root ninja?”
Danzo’s pupils slowly shifted, gradually looking toward Yoru.
Yoru quickly lowered his head; he had been a bit reckless.
Could Orochimaru have left Root without him knowing?
Or had Orochimaru returned to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s side, becoming distant from Danzo.
Root Prop’s identity is certainly important, but compared to the Fourth Hokage, it’s worthless.
Hiruzen Sarutobi said: “Fox, Orochimaru is still Root’s Prop, but let Prop go along too.”
Yoru left the Hokage’s Office.
After returning to Anbu, Yoru found three squad leaders and said to them:
“Recently, inexplicable rumors praising Hatake Sakumo have appeared in the village; these rumors are spreading too widely.
The three squads secretly go to various places to spread new rumors.
Say Hatake Sakumo was defeated by Hidden Cloud Village Two-Tails Jinchuriki Ryuuha, and Hatake Sakumo was the one who fled in the end.”
The three squad leaders acknowledged the order and left.
Yoru thought to himself that the seeds of prestige had been slowly planted; countering with rumors now was already too late.
He entered Kiiroinu’s office.
Seeing that Fox didn’t have a mission scroll, Kiiroinu knew Fox wasn’t there to report a mission and asked: “What’s wrong, Fox?”
“Minister, I saw in our Anbu intelligence that Root’s Ding and Wu are dead?”
“Yes, both of them are dead.” Kiiroinu put down his pen, his tone serious:
“There is a Fire Release expert who has been targeting Konoha ever since the war ended.
Shimura Tan, Hiruzen Sarutobi, two elites about to be promoted to jonin, died at the hands of that Fire Release expert.
Root’s Ding and Wu also died at that person’s hands.
Root’s other ninjas, Golden Eagle Squad, are fully searching for intelligence on that person, but unfortunately found nothing.
Ding and Wu were two of Root’s best; let Ding replace Lynx as Anbu Captain, and Ding can handle it.
Who would have thought Ding would die just like that.”
Golden Eagle Captain is a Hyuga Clan jonin; it was him following up on the subsequent investigation, which reminded Yoru to be very careful around Golden Eagle during operations in the future.
As for why Ding died, now there was one more reason: What level is Ding at, that he could be Anbu Captain?
“One more thing, Minister, I’ve been assigned to investigate Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Buruubi’s intelligence; round trip will take at least a month.”
“Mm, I saw the mission scroll from the Hokage’s Office; got it.”
Hatake residence.
Kakashi excitedly returned home.
“Dad! The neighbors are all praising you! They say you can fight Tailed Beasts. Dad, what are Tailed Beasts?”
Hatake Sakumo’s gaze was complex; he didn’t know who was building momentum for him. He explained to Kakashi:
“Tailed Beasts are aggregates of chakra, immortal calamity beasts.
If neighbors praise me again in the future, you say they’re all rumors, not to be believed; I’m not that powerful.”
“Okay.” Kakashi agreed verbally but was secretly happy inside.
He wouldn’t deny those rumors; his father was the strongest ninja in all of Konoha.
Not long after, Yamashiro Aoba and others came to Hatake Sakumo’s home.
Hatake Sakumo asked them: “The Third Hokage summoned me and asked about the rumors. You didn’t spread them, right?”
They all denied it.
They wouldn’t do such a thing; it’s easy to leave evidence, and the village is looking for excuses to deal with them.
Gekko Shizuma said: “Sakumo, I think the rumors are pretty good; though not factual and exaggerated, the villagers in the village are very interested in this topic, and your fame has instantly risen a lot.”
Yamashiro Aoba nodded repeatedly: “Indeed, even my civilian neighbors who only know the Hokage and not ninjas have heard of Konoha’s White Fang.”
Hatake Sakumo sighed: “The village is already wary of me; I’m just afraid the village doesn’t want to see these rumors.”
Gekko Shizuma said: “Once rumors spread, they can’t be taken back. The Hokage Building can control ninjas, but can it control what ordinary villagers chat about?”
Before leaving the village, Yoru came to the orphanage one last time and used a telescope to check the orphanage’s menu for the day.
“Hm? Root’s Ji and Geng are about to leave the village for the Land of Iron?”
Yakushi Nonou’s intelligence was crucial, and now there was intelligence on Root members.
Danzo’s subordinates, no matter how few, are never too few.
Aren’t you, Danzo, always hiding in the back, letting loyal subordinates probe for you?
Kill enough of your loyal subordinates, and you’ll eventually have to step forward; then there’ll be an opportunity to deal with Danzo.
That night, Yoru told Yuka via Stone Panda that Ji and Geng were heading to the Land of Iron.
In the scroll, he instructed Yuka that Root’s Ding and Wu had been assassinated, so they would certainly be on guard; thus, initial reconnaissance needed to be even more careful.
The next morning, Orochimaru, Yoru, and Root’s Prop left the village together.
Just after leaving the village, Prop said: “Lord Orochimaru, after entering the Land of Lightning, I will immediately contact spies for you; the spies will bring the latest intelligence on Buruubi.”
Orochimaru said nothing, instead turning to Yoru: “Fox, do you have any tactics for this mission?”
Yoru was very surprised; why was Orochimaru suddenly valuing him so much? Even asking for his opinion?
