The First Lesson of Becoming A Ninja

Standing in front of the mirror, gazing at the single tomoe in each of his crimson eyes, Denji let out a silent curse in his mind. He could still hear his voice advising Izumi: "Opening the Sharingan too early is harmful to the body." Yet here he was, unlocking it in the dead of night.

Glancing at the system's status panel, Denji noticed his Uchiha bloodline attribute had upgraded from "Rich" to "Ultimate." He could feel the power radiating from his new eyes, steadily intensifying. At this rate, he suspected he might naturally reach the three-tomoe stage without needing any dramatic event to trigger it.

As for the Mangekyō Sharingan, that was another matter. He couldn't guarantee its awakening, but his chances were certainly far better than most.

In the world of ninjas, natural talent and relentless effort could only take someone so far. Hardworking shinobi like Might Guy had achieved great feats, but even his most powerful strike had only managed to cripple Madara's body temporarily—and it came at the cost of his own life. If Naruto hadn't been empowered by the Sage of Six Paths, Guy would have undoubtedly died.

The ninja world may be vast in scale, but it's also painfully narrow in opportunity. To stand at the very pinnacle, one needed the right lineage. Uchiha and Senju blood—those were the keys. And now Denji possessed both. For the first time, he felt a solid foundation beneath him, giving him the confidence to truly aim for the top.

Denji closed his Sharingan and returned to bed. With only a single tomoe in each eye, the Sharingan didn't offer him much tangible improvement yet, and flashing it around would only draw unwanted attention. Until he was ready to reshape Konoha on his own terms, the Sharingan would remain his hidden trump card.

…

The Anbu—short for the "Assassination Tactics Special Forces"—had its origins under the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. In truth, most of the systems and protocols that governed modern Konoha were devised by Tobirama.

The First Hokage might have been a legendary warrior, but the village's administrative structure was Tobirama's brainchild. If anything, Hashirama was Tobirama's enforcer, the muscle behind his brother's strategy.

One of Tobirama's most notable contributions was creating the Anbu. While he was known for developing forbidden techniques, his political and organizational acumen was equally remarkable. The Anbu was a brilliant innovation.

Its main purpose was twofold: protecting the Hokage and carrying out sensitive assassination missions. Members of the Anbu operated outside the usual Genin-Chūnin-Jōnin hierarchy. Their identities were strictly confidential, and they always appeared in masks.

Beyond their skill in high-stakes operations, the Anbu served another vital role: consolidating the Hokage's authority. They answered solely to the Hokage, bypassing squad leaders, Jōnin commanders, and any other village officials. In essence, they functioned like a special operations unit directly under the leader's command, with the power to act first and seek permission later.

However, while the system Tobirama envisioned was brilliant, it began to drift under the Third Hokage's administration.

Technically, Root was supposed to be just a division within Anbu—merely a branch that operated under Danzo's leadership. But Sarutobi Hiruzen's trust in Danzo, combined with Danzo's own unchecked ambition, had allowed Root to grow far beyond its original scope. It was no longer just a specialized team. Root had become a massive, shadowy organization—one with power and influence that rivaled even the Anbu itself.

In the official hierarchy, the Anbu is structured under a captain and vice-captain, with four battalions beneath them. Each battalion is led by its own captain, who in turn oversees sixteen operatives. These operatives are organized into four teams, each led by a team captain with three other members under their command.

Publicly, this is the known arrangement of the Anbu, though whispers suggest there might be more members operating in secrecy. Even so, the total number is estimated to be no more than one hundred.

Officially, the Root was intended to be a single brigade within the Anbu's ranks, comprising roughly twenty operatives. However, according to Denji's observation, Root's numbers have swelled well beyond that, now boasting over fifty members—essentially functioning as a separate Anbu division in its own right.

It's easy to see how Danzo's influence has grown under Sarutobi Hiruzen's leniency, allowing him to amass such an expansive force. Unlike the more established Anbu, Root's operations are far more ruthless, its selection process more brutal, and its overall member quality far superior.

...

Denji, wearing his forehead protector strapped loosely at his waist, stood at the entrance of the cave that led into the Root's underground base. Looking down into the shadowed corridor, he let out a dry chuckle. "This Root commander has it better than the Hokage. Why is the old man even still trying?"

With that, Denji descended into the gloom. The winding cave walls gradually gave way to a broad, dimly lit chamber. The silence was palpable, almost oppressive.

A figure wearing a red mask stood in the center of the hall, flanked by three subordinates. As Denji approached, the masked ninja greeted him coldly.

"Denji-sama," he said, his voice crisp and formal. "I am the captain of the second Root team, codename 'Owl.'"

"The commander has tasked me with handling your first lesson within the Root," Owl continued. "It's a simple one."

His voice dropped lower, heavier.

"Your task is to kill."

In the Root, killing truly was the most straightforward of their training exercises.

...

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