Perfection and Flaws

Konoha had deployed numerous infiltration teams into the Land of Grass, each with their own mission.

Some were meant to stay behind and confuse enemy intelligence. Others were tasked with sowing chaos. A few were even assigned to brave the risk of entering the Land of Earth itself.

Ishiki Kujo's team hadn't drawn the most dangerous mission, but it was far from easy.

Their target was a border watchtower inside the Land of Earth.

According to their intel, one of the patrolling shinobi stationed there was actually a Konoha spy.

Their mission: establish contact, acquire the intel, and bring it back. If the spy's cover was still intact, he would stay embedded. If compromised, they'd extract him.

Given their team's composition, this wasn't a mission beyond their abilities.

As they moved through the forest of the Land of Grass, Aburame Mutada finally broke a long silence.

"Ishiki, has there been any word from Orochimaru-sama?"

The trio had been privately investigating what had happened after the handover of the Root captives.

Danzo was still very much alive, still publicly leading Root in Konoha, as if nothing had ever happened. The lack of visible consequences made them question whether Orochimaru had even handled the Root members at all.

"Hokage-sama has begun a covert investigation into Danzo," Ishiki said, not hiding anything. "But digging up everything will take time."

The three exchanged troubled glances.

Not because they doubted Danzo was involved—but because, the deeper they dug, the cleaner Danzo appeared.

Leader of Root. Advisor to the Hokage. Disciple of the Second. Comrade of the Third.

On top of that were his many war achievements. He'd even supposedly lost an eye for Konoha on the battlefield. Many of those feats were vague or classified, but the narrative was clear: Danzo had sacrificed much for the village.

How could a man so devoted to Konoha possibly act out of personal vengeance?

It was classic cannon-fodder doubt. Investigate too deeply, and the propaganda starts to sink in.

Ishiki didn't try to persuade them. He simply stated facts.

"The captured operatives we handed over to Orochimaru were taken by Root shinobi. According to them, someone is imitating Root's methods to frame them—an internal sabotage attempt meant to weaken Konoha from within."

"What?!" the three exclaimed, stunned.

"It's standard," Ishiki said grimly. "Unless you get evidence straight to the Hokage himself, Danzo always finds a way to clean it up. This isn't the first time."

"But that won't last forever. Hiruzen-sama has begun an investigation. Even if it turns up nothing, I'm not letting this go."

He still remembered the persona he'd crafted for himself—and he genuinely had no intention of letting Danzo off the hook.

Recruiting Inuzuka, Hyūga, and Aburame allies was part of the plan. While they didn't officially represent their clans, earning their trust would give Ishiki loyal teammates—true comrades.

Comrades who would fight with him. Die with him. That bond meant more than any underling.

That was the true ideal of the Will of Fire.

The trio looked at each other and, as if reaching unspoken consensus, nodded. There was resolve in their eyes again. If even the Hokage was investigating Danzo, then maybe he wasn't as flawless as he appeared.

Besides, not all the rumors they'd uncovered could be brushed aside.

There were whispers: Danzo's covered eye was actually a stolen Sharingan. That he conducted human experiments to recreate Wood Release. That he had even once sent Root assassins after the Third.

Unconfirmed. All rumors. But disturbing.

And there really had been a mysterious decrease in Senju-blooded shinobi over the years. While it was partially explained by the Senju choosing to integrate into the village after its founding, something still didn't sit right.

"We'll keep investigating too," they swore.

Ishiki, meanwhile, was thinking of something else entirely.

If he wanted to make an Uchiha Hokage… how would he even pull that off?

The clan's public image was still tainted. Perhaps Shisui could be the key.

…

As Ishiki's squad made their way toward the border, deep within Iwagakure, two units were assembling.

The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, stood among them.

"You still haven't found Roshi?" he asked, his voice heavy with disapproval.

A village's Jinchūriki deserting due to ideological differences was, in his eyes, completely irresponsible.

Training a Jinchūriki consumed enormous resources. Especially in wartime, losing one meant others would die to cover the gap. If he had a replacement ready, Ōnoki would've ordered Roshi executed already.

"Forget it," said a towering man beside him, adjusting a straw hat atop his head. "Even if we find him, he won't return."

That man was Han, Iwagakure's Five-Tails Jinchūriki—armored, prepared, and grim.

Ōnoki sighed, then turned, irritation returning to his face.

"Deidara! What the hell are you doing here?! This isn't a field trip! Stay in the village!"

A blond teenager with a small ponytail had snuck into the assembly, arms casually slung behind his head.

"I just wanted to see that big ol' turtle. I heard Scorch-senpai's down there experimenting with Explosion Release—I figured I'd watch."

"Explosion Release, my ass! Didn't you say you found your own method? Stick with that!"

"Che, stingy old man," Deidara grumbled, pouting before scampering back into the village.

Ōnoki climbed onto Akatsuchi's back. The two assembled units were ready.

"Kyōtō, you're in charge of guarding against Konoha and Suna infiltration."

"Leave it to me. I'll keep an eye on that brat Deidara, too—make sure he doesn't corrupt my daughter."

"…Forget it," Ōnoki muttered, waving a hand dismissively.

With that, the squads moved out, vanishing beyond the village gates.