The Root ninja didn't hesitate. He knew the man was telling the truth—and that was enough. In a single motion, he slit the restaurant manager's throat. Quick. Clean. Silent.
That's how Root operatives work. No second guesses. No mercy. A regular ninja on a standard mission might have paused, weighed the cost of killing a civilian. But Root? They don't bother with that kind of thinking.
It was just past midnight. The restaurant was empty. No witnesses. No consequences. Just another quiet kill in the dark.
He left the restaurant without a glance back, vanishing into the shadows. Minutes later, he entered the hotel.
Like before, he moved fast. He pressed the cold edge of his sword against the receptionist's neck and asked, calm but deadly, "A week ago, when the whole town blacked out, a boy came here. Do you know anything about him?"
The receptionist trembled. "I—I don't know," she stammered. "I just started three days ago. The previous receptionist quit and left town. That's all I've heard."
That was enough.
Without a word, the Root ninja drew his blade across her throat, the same way he had with the manager. No emotion. No delay.
He stepped over her body, left the hotel, and disappeared into the night—heading for the rendezvous point his unit had agreed on.
The leader stood in the centre of the darkened clearing, his voice low but firm. "Did any of you uncover anything of importance?"
Number 3, the operative who had just returned from a double execution, stepped forward without hesitation. "Yes. In the sector I was assigned to, I found traces related to the movements of the Uzumaki Clan members."
The leader turned to face him fully. "Number 3. Give your full report."
He nodded. "They were seen dining at a local restaurant and used the bathhouse—clean, organized. According to witnesses, they left the port town that same night, using three separate carriages. The night they departed was also when the entire town fainted. That was nearly a week ago."
The leader narrowed his eyes, thinking aloud. "So… the entire town lost consciousness the day the Uzumaki Clan arrived. That can't be a coincidence. It must have been the work of Uzumaki Shanks."
He folded his arms, his voice colder now. "Shanks possesses a rare mental jutsu—one that generates intense mental pressure. Strong enough to knock a Chūnin unconscious. For ordinary civilians, it would've been overwhelming. This was no random incident. He did it deliberately, to cover their tracks. With the entire town unconscious, there would be no witnesses. No records. Their presence in the port town remains hidden to almost everyone."
The group stayed silent, the weight of that tactic sinking in.
Then the leader turned toward one of the operatives. "Bring me a map of this region. Now."
Without a word, the Root ninja nodded, reached into his pack, and unrolled a scroll. He handed it to the leader, who took it with practiced hands and spread it out under the moonlight.
The leader studied the map in silence, eyes tracing the roads under the moonlight. After a moment, he spoke.
"If they're traveling by carriage, they'll have to stick to the main roads. There are four key routes out of this area."
He pointed to each in turn. "One road head directly to the Land of Hot water. A branch off that route veers toward Tonika Village and a few smaller settlements. Other leads south, toward the coast of the Fire Country. From there, if they took a boat, they could cross to the Land of Waves."
He paused, tapping a finger near the northern edge of the map. "But based on their movements, timing, and the need to stay hidden, the most likely destination is the Land of Hot Water. It's remote, neutral, and full of places to lie low. That's where I believe they're headed."
He looked up at the group.
"We'll split into smaller units. I'll lead two teams north toward the Land of Hot Water. The remaining three teams will take the other roads—east and south. Your mission is simple: track them. Do not engage. If you spot the Uzumaki clan, report immediately and maintain a tail. Stay out of sight. Stay sharp."
His voice hardened. "Each team will be led by a Special Jōnin. If Shanks detects you, you should still be able to retreat without being compromised. But above all—do not lose them. This mission is critical. The village depends on us to act in silence, from the shadows. We are Root. We are the unseen shield."
"Yes, sir," the Root operatives replied in unison, nodding sharply in acknowledgment.
The leader quickly assigned the teams to their respective routes. He chose the road leading directly into the Land of Hot Water for himself, taking a unit of eight—including him. He was the only Jōnin among them, and his presence on that route confirmed his belief that it was the most likely path the Uzumaki had taken.
In total, twenty Root operatives had assembled for this mission. Among them were three Special Jōnin; the rest were highly skilled Chūnin. An elite squad by any standard. But even with this strength, none of them could confidently say they were capable of killing Shanks Uzumaki in a direct fight.
That was why the leader had forbidden any engagement. "If you encounter them," he had said, "do not fight. Report immediately. We regroup and strike together. No one escapes—not Shanks, not any member of the Uzumaki clan."
With the plan set, the squads dispersed without a word, each melting into the shadows of the night. The hunt had begun, and in the silence of the dark, the 'protectors' of the village moved like ghosts—unseen, relentless, and deadly.
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