Almost simultaneously, all members of the Root dropped to one knee, bowing deeply toward Naruto and Sai.
Naruto had anticipated this situation after his previous meeting with the Root members, but he noticed that this time wasn't just about filling the training ground—it was even more packed than before. The hallways of the base were filled with ninja darting through the maze of people to get closer to the training grounds. Truly, every last one of them had come.
Someone needed to step forward and speak—either Naruto or Sai.
If Naruto was the future Hokage, then Sai was his most trusted aide. They stood before their followers like a king and his bishop.
Maki gave both of them a gentle push on the back, silently urging them to speak.
Naruto looked at Sai and knew that since Danzo's death, Sai should have been the rightful successor to lead the Root. He didn't want to interfere because he had a greater goal—becoming Hokage.
But that didn't mean he couldn't express his support for the Root. His support hadn't changed.
"Sai, go ahead," Naruto said firmly.
Sai nodded and replied, "Yes."
Then, he pulled out a scroll from his pocket.
"This is an order left behind by Danzo-sama in case something went wrong. It directly names his successor to take control of the Root. As Naruto-senpai said, that person is me."
He tossed the scroll to a Root member for them to confirm its authenticity.
"…But remember, our next Hokage is standing among us."
Naruto and Sai exchanged another glance. Naruto turned his gaze toward the gathered ninja, giving Sai the signal to issue orders.
Understanding immediately, Sai spoke:
"There are currently no active orders. This place will once again serve as our main operational base until operations return to normal. I need to learn what missions are currently underway so I can fully assume command. Until then, I expect all of you to take some time to rest in the village—as though it were a vacation. You're all dismissed."
"Yes, Sai-sama! Naruto-sama! Maki-sama!"
They responded in unison, then the Root members dispersed, exiting through various points inside and outside Konoha's walls.
Once only the three of them remained in the hall, Maki couldn't help but ask:
"…Since when did I become 'sama'?" She actually felt flustered—not used to being addressed like this or viewed as a leader.
Sai stared down the empty corridor and asked:
"Naruto-senpai, do you think we can really manage this?"
"Of course," Naruto answered confidently. "You've got me and Maki helping you, and once I become Hokage, even more people will assist you. Everything will work out fine."
Sai nodded, murmuring softly,
"I'll do what it takes."
At that moment, Naruto suddenly rapped him on the back of the head.
"Huh?"
Naruto locked eyes with Sai, his tone serious: "'Doing your best' isn't enough, Sai. Either do it or don't—but go all in. That's an order."
He paused, his voice firm as he continued, "I never said I would 'try my best' to become Hokage. When I accepted Lord Danzo's mission, I said I would do it, and that means I *will* succeed. The same goes for you—we don't do 'our best,' we give everything we have, because we *know* what needs to be done. We either do it or die trying! That's the spirit of the Root!"
Sai fell silent for a moment, realizing Naruto was right. This wasn't really different from any of the other missions he'd carried out before—except this one was far more important.
"I'll check Danzo-sama's office for any clues," he said, then turned and headed toward Danzo's office.
"He'll be fine," Maki reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder.
She could see the worry on his face. He hoped Sai could find his footing again soon. "Rebuilding Root will take time."
"I know," Naruto sighed. He really wanted to stay and help, but staying out of sight for too long wouldn't be wise. Of course, that didn't mean he'd ignore them completely.
"If you need me, come find me anytime. You know where my new place is, don't you?"
Maki smiled gently.
"Of course. You're something of a celebrity now."
Naruto nodded.
"Then you two had better get started. Sai needs time to adjust to being a leader, and I've got a lot to handle right now."
Even though they had undergone strict training designed to suppress emotional fluctuations, they were still human.
For many of them, adjusting to new identities and roles would take time.
Naruto believed Sai would eventually find his footing—he just needed time. And with all operations currently on hold, he had the time to adapt.
Maybe once he heard reports from everyone, he'd find his direction.
## Elite Jonin Waiting Area ##
Before finding his friends and telling them about the mission to track down Sasuke, Naruto first needed to file a report detailing everything he and Jiraiya had experienced in Amegakure.
It wasn't until he sat down to write that he realized just how long he'd been away.
Adding up the time since he escaped Akatsuki, the mission to find Sasuke, the battles with Sasuke and Itachi, the time spent recovering from injuries, and his Sage Mode training—he hadn't been back to the village in two full months.
"Naruto."
He looked up to see Neji standing beside him.
"Hey, Neji. Good to see you again."
Neji gave a curt nod and sat down beside him.
"We almost tracked you down a month ago, but your so-called teammates stopped us."
He clearly still held a grudge over Sai and Maki using ink clones and Transformation Jutsu to deceive them.
If only he'd been more cautious around those two unfamiliar Konoha ninjas at the time… But back then, they were desperate to escape an S-ranked rogue ninja, and Sai and Maki had been helping them.
"You wouldn't have wanted to know where I really was back then," Naruto assured him.
Even now, thinking about that battle still gave him chills.
If he had kids, this battle tale would surely become the best choice for a bedtime story.
"By the way, how's Tayuya doing?"
Neji clearly remembered how severely Tayuya had been wounded during that mission. Although she could survive a while longer, the nerve damage left from Sasuke's attack couldn't be fully healed by Sakura's treatment.
"She..."
"...Had one month to recover and think carefully about how you played us like fools, making us run around chasing ghosts in the forest like idiots."
Tayuya interrupted Neji, her voice cutting in as she appeared upside down on the sofa behind Naruto.
Tayuya then walked over and sat down in front of Naruto and Neji, purposely picking the spot right next to Naruto.
"Alright, enough messing around. Now tell me, who exactly is that guy who looks exactly like you? And that girl too—who claimed to be your teammate before slipping through our fingers?"
Naruto shrugged casually.
"They really are my teammates. Both Sai and Maki are registered ninja operatives—you can check the records if you want."
He did his best to feign indifference, hoping they wouldn't press further. At least Sai and Maki's existence could be verified, unlike other Root members who were kept secret.
Tayuya raised her clenched fist threateningly,
"I really feel like pounding you for vanishing without a word, but on the other hand, you saved my life, so we're even. By the way... thanks."
"Forget it, Tayuya." Naruto smiled and said, "I'm glad both of you made it out okay. Anyway, I have something important I need to tell you both."
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