ITN’s Naruto Museigen Ch. 39: Checkmate!

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-ˏˋNaruto Museigen Ch. 39´ˎ-

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ˑ༄ؘ ۪۪۫۫ ▹Checkmate!◃ ۪۪۫۫ ༄ؘ ˑ

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Danzo stood before his Root in the dimly lit room, his cold, unblinking eyes scanning each of them as they stood in a rigid line. His grip tightened on his cane, his voice carrying the weight of the decision that would follow. “Remove your masks,” Danzo commanded, his tone flat and emotionless. One by one, his subordinates obeyed, each member pulling off their mask to reveal their identity. Tenka Uchiha, Fuso Uzumaki, Takuma Fuma, Fuu Yamanaka, Iroha Hyuga, Gaku Inuzuka, Torune Aburame, Maen Nara, and Maruten Akimichi—all loyal and obedient to him. Once the last mask was removed, Danzo’s voice broke the silence once more. “Do you know why I’ve gathered you all here today?” he asked, his eyes hardening.

There was no response, only the unsettling sound of breaths and the rustle of fabric as his subordinates shifted uneasily, knowing something was wrong but unable to fathom what. Danzo stared at them for a moment longer, letting the tension in the air grow. Fuu Yamanaka already knew what was up.

” The old man is going to kill us.”

“ It’s time for you to fulfill your final purpose,” Danzo said coldly. “You’ve served me well, but now… your usefulness has come to an end.” The exchanged confused glances, but before they could react, a subtle change occurred in the air. A faint sense of discomfort spread across their bodies as the weight of Danzo’s words sank in.

Fuso Uzumaki was the first to feel the change. Her hand shot to her throat as if something was choking her from the inside. “What… what is this?” she gasped, her eyes widening with panic.

“ Poison. Nagato might know of it,” Danzo answered, his voice chillingly calm. “You’ve all been marked since the day you swore your loyalty to me. Those tattoos of yours? They weren’t just for show. They were laced with a slow-acting poison, one I can activate with a simple command.”

As the realization dawned on the , they staggered, clutching at their throats and chests in a desperate attempt to fight the poison spreading through their veins. Tenka Uchiha, gasping for breath, her eyes wide with horror, managed to spit out—

“ You—You treacherous bastard!” She choked on the words, her body trembling as the poison continued to take its toll.

Danzo remained silent, watching them writhe in agony, his expression unchanged. “You served your purpose, Tenka,” he said quietly, his eyes narrowing with a flicker of cruel satisfaction. “Your daughter, Tenten, will be ing you soon. She’ll die as useless just like you.”

Tenka’s eyes filled with disbelief, and she gasped for breath one final time, her vision fading as her body succumbed to the poison. Her last thoughts were of her daughter, Tenten, the girl who had no idea of the dark path her mother had walked. With each member of Root succumbing to the poison, Danzo observed the scene with cold detachment. He had used them, molded them into his tools for the greater good—or so he called it. They had all been expendable, and now, one by one, they would die.

The last to fall was Maen Nara, his eyes filled with desperation and disbelief as he crumpled to the floor, clutching his chest. The room fell into silence as the bodies of his once loyal subordinates lay still, lifeless at his feet.

Danzo exhaled slowly, watching the room fill with the scent of death. He turned on his heel and walked toward the exit, leaving the carnage behind. His mind was already focused on the next steps in his long-term plans, unaware of the lingering shadows of resentment and hatred that would eventually rise from the very ashes he had created.

“ Let their deaths be a reminder,” he muttered to himself, “of what happens when one becomes a tool.”

Meanwhile

Tsunade sat at her desk when a loud explosion rocked the building. She immediately stood up, her instincts kicking in. Shizune rushed in, concern etched on her face. “We need to go,” Tsunade said, already moving toward the door. They quickly made their way outside the Hokage Tower, heading toward the source of the explosion.

When they arrived at the scene, the sight was horrific. The Root facility had been decimated, smoke and debris filling the air. The ground was scorched, and several bodies lay scattered, burnt, and lifeless. The ANBU masks were still attached to some of them, but the bodies were unmistakably those of Root . Shizune rushed forward, her medical expertise taking over. She began checking for signs of life, but Tsunade stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“ It’s no use,” Tsunade said quietly. “They’re gone.”

Shizune hesitated, glancing around the destruction. “Who would do this?”

Tsunade’s mind raced, trying to piece together the events. The fire, the explosion—it was too precise. Whoever was behind this had known exactly what they were doing. They had known Tsunade’s healing abilities would be useless here, that the damage was too extensive for any medical ninja to fix. Her gaze darkened as she realized the implication.

“ Whoever did this wanted to send a message,” Tsunade muttered, her eyes scanning the wreckage. “And it’s a message we’re meant to hear loud and clear.” Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the scene. The dead bodies, the explosion—it all pointed to someone sending a warning, or maybe something even more sinister.

“ Do you think it’s Danzo?” Shizune asked, her voice tense.

Tsunade shook her head slowly, her face hardened. “No, it’s not him. This was too clean, too calculated. This wasn’t an act of retaliation; it’s a statement. Someone’s trying to make a point.” She crouched down near one of the bodies, her gaze lingering on the mask still partially attached to a lifeless face. Her fingers brushed against the remnants of the uniform, and her thoughts began to form a clearer picture. “Root are usually… disposable. Danzo sees them as tools. This is different. Whoever did this wanted the message to be loud and clear. It’s a threat, one that could undermine everything.”

Shizune’s concern deepened. “Who would have the power to take down Root like this? And why now?”

Tsunade stood, her gaze scanning the rubble once more. “The only group with the resources to do something this big would be someone with intimate knowledge of Konoha’s inner workings. They knew exactly what to target. The explosion was meant to destroy evidence, to send a clear message. And whoever did this isn’t done yet.” Her fists clenched. “But why now? What have they been planning all this time?”

Shizune looked at her, unsure how to answer. “What should we do?”

Tsunade’s expression softened, but her determination never wavered. “We need to find out who’s behind this. They’re not just after Konoha; they’re after everything we’ve built.” She took a breath. “I’ll call a council meeting. The higher-ups need to know what happened here.”

Shizune nodded. As they made their way back toward the Hokage Tower, Tsunade’s mind was already on high alert. Whoever was behind the attack had made their move, and now it was up to her to uncover who and why—before it was too late.

Later That Night

Tsunade sat in the dimly lit room of the medical facility, her hands resting on the cold, lifeless bodies of the Root . Her medical-nin team worked meticulously beside her, each focused on their task. She studied the results of the autopsies, her eyes scanning the report as her mind raced. It was a blow to her. Root , especially those from such respected clans—each from a powerful and respected lineage—were supposed to be anonymous, mere tools in Danzo’s ruthless operations. But these were not just random bodies. She froze when her gaze landed on two names.

“ Tenka Uchiha… Takuma Fuma…” Tsunade whispered under her breath, her heart sinking. Both names had blood that was linked to Tenten, one of her current apprentices, and someone who had been serving as one of her most promising students. The realization hit Tsunade with a jolt as if the ground beneath her had been pulled away. Tenten’s parents were among the dead. They had been Root , living double lives—hidden within one of the most secretive organizations in Konoha. She lifted her eyes to the rest of the team. “Do you have confirmation of this?” Tsunade asked, her voice thick with disbelief.

One of her medical-nin nodded. “Yes, Lady Hokage. Their chakra signatures match those of known clan , but we had to with family records.”

Tsunade took a moment to collect herself.

” Tenten had no idea. That must be why they hid their identities. I couldn’t imagine how the young woman would react upon learning that both of her parents were part of the very organization that had caused so much destruction and death in Konoha.”

She thought in her head. “This is… beyond what I expected,” Tsunade muttered. Her mind raced, trying to piece the puzzle together. “How could Danzo have kept this secret for so long? Tenten… she must never have known.”

Tsunade’s hands clenched into fists. There were too many questions and too many unknowns. She looked down at the bodies once more, searching for answers, but they were already gone. She needed to speak to Tenten, to warn her, and to protect her from the truth—though she knew it might already be too late. Her face hardened as she stood up. “I need to speak with Tenten immediately. This… this changes everything. We can’t let her walk into this blind.”

The team nodded solemnly, sensing the urgency in her tone. As Tsunade turned to leave, her thoughts were already on Tenten’s future. The young woman would have to face a harsh reality about her parents, but Tsunade would make sure she had a way to process it—without weighting the truth completely crush her. Tsunade eventually made her way to Tenten’s home, her heart heavy with the burden of the news she had to deliver. The moment she knocked on the door, the weight of her duty became all the more real. She was about to break a truth that would shatter Tenten’s world. Tenten answered the door, her face bright but quickly turned to concern as she saw Tsunade’s serious expression. Without a word, Tsunade stepped inside.

“ Tenten, I need to speak with you about something important,” Tsunade began, her voice firm but kind, trying to gauge Tenten’s emotional state. She led her to the living room, and Tsunade took a seat. “Tenten… I’m sorry, but I’ve just learned something disturbing. I have reason to believe that your parents were… they were of Root.”

Tenten froze, her body stiffening as Tsunade’s words sank in. The world around her seemed to tilt as her thoughts rushed back to that horrifying moment in the hospital when Danzo had nearly killed her in front of her parents. “No… that can’t be true,” she murmured, almost in disbelief. “I—I thought that was just a bad dream, Tsunade-sama.”

“ It wasn’t a dream, Tenten. It wasn’t a hallucination or a nightmare. Danzo is behind this—he’s the one who killed them. And now, I’m certain he’s the one responsible for the death of the other Root . I’m sorry you had to learn this way, but your parents were deeply involved in Root.”

“ They… they were hiding it from me all this time?” She whispered, her voice trembling. “Why… why would they do that?” Tenten’s face paled as the reality of it all sank in. She stumbled back, her mind struggling to process the weight of Tsunade’s words.

Tsunade, seeing the pain in Tenten’s eyes, sighed softly. “They were trying to protect you, Tenten. From a life, you never should have known about. Root is a dark, twisted place, and they wanted to shield you from it. But that also meant lying to you.”

Tenten clenched her fists, frustration, and sorrow rising in her chest. “I—I don’t care!” she cried out, her eyes flashing with a mixture of anger and grief. “They hid this from me my entire life. They’re gone, and now I don’t even get to know the truth until now?!”

“ I understand your anger, Tenten.” Tsunade’s expression softened, but her tone was firm. “Believe me, I do. But revenge isn’t the answer. I won’t let you go down the same dark path that Danzo has. You’ve lost enough already. I’m here to help you through this, but I can’t allow you to throw away your future.”

Tenten’s eyes filled with rage. “They’re dead, Tsunade! How can you say that to me after everything I’ve been through? How can I just let Danzo get away with this?!” Her voice broke as she stepped back toward the door, tears brimming in her eyes.

Tsunade rose quickly and reached out to grab her arm, stopping her before she could leave. “Tenten, you have to listen to me. You can’t go after him.”

Tenten yanked her arm away, her face a mixture of tears and defiance. “I don’t care, Tsunade! I need to do this!” Her voice was raw with emotion as she headed for the door. Tsunade’s heart twisted, seeing the raw pain and grief on her student’s face. Without thinking, she moved quickly, placing herself between Tenten and the door, blocking her path.

“ No! Tenten, please. Danzo will only use your pain against you.”

Tenten’s resolve faltered for a moment, but her anger and hurt were too strong. She pushed against Tsunade’s chest, trying to break free. “I don’t care! I don’t care anymore! I just… I need to make him pay!” Her voice cracked as tears spilled from her eyes.

Tsunade’s grip tightened as she restrained her, pulling her close to prevent her from leaving. “Tenten, I know you want justice, but not like this. You’re stronger than this.”

Tenten collapsed into Tsunade’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Tsunade held her tightly, her heart breaking for the young woman who had lost so much. “I’m so sorry, Tenten,” Tsunade whispered, gently stroking her hair. “But I won’t let you destroy yourself over this. I’ll help you find another way. Please trust me.”

Tenten’s sobs grew louder as she clung to Tsunade, her body shaking with the weight of grief and frustration. “I just… I don’t want to be alone in this. I just want to make him pay…”

“ You’re not alone,” Tsunade said, her voice soothing but firm. “You have me. You have your friends. We’ll get through this together. But you need to heal first.” Tenten nodded, still crying in Tsunade’s embrace, her heart heavy with grief and vengeance. The road ahead would be long, but Tsunade vowed to help her find peace, even if it meant standing in her way when necessary.

” First Hinata, Tenten, is he trying to go after all the genin?”

As Tsunade was calming her down, Danzo watched from the shadows, his lone eye gleaming with calculated amusement as he observed the heartbreaking scene unfold. Tenten was crumbling, her grief consuming her, and Tsunade was desperately trying to keep her from shattering completely. A cruel smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Perfect. He had anticipated this reaction. Tenten was strong-willed, but in this moment of emotional turmoil, she was nothing more than a wounded animal—desperate, reckless, and easy to manipulate. Danzo thrived on exploiting such weakness.

“ She’s already on the edge,” he murmured to himself, watching as Tenten clung to Tsunade, her sobs shaking her entire body. “A little push… and she’ll fall right into my hands.” He had no intention of killing her. No, that would be a waste. Instead, he would mold her into something useful—something more. If he played this right, she could be the perfect weapon to dismantle Tsunade’s rule from the inside.

Danzo stepped back into the shadows, his plan already forming. He would let her suffer a little longer, let her rage fester. And when the time was right, he would offer her the one thing Tsunade refused to give her.

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