The Konoha Anbu, while also categorized as a "shadow organization," differs significantly from Root. Unlike the latter, the Anbu headquarters is a standard office building situated right next to the Hokage Residence. As a department under the direct command of the Hokage, it does not hide underground like Root.
After resuming his position as Hokage, Hiruzen began intentionally severing the ties between the Anbu and Root. He had even developed the intent to disband the Root organization entirely and was currently planning its implementation.
In truth, Hiruzen had once ordered Root to be dissolved and revoked Danzo's authority. However, an old schemer like Danzo was not so easily constrained. On the surface, Root was gone; in reality, Danzo maintained absolute control over its members. The organization remained a lingering specter that refused to vanish.
Inside the locker room, a shinobi wearing an Anbu mask was changing into civilian clothes. Judging by the dust on his gear, he had likely just returned to the village after a mission abroad.
When he removed his mask, he revealed a refined face. Though his nose was slightly prominent, somewhat affecting his overall balance, he remained an undeniably handsome young man. He looked to be in his mid-teens, similar to Kakashi, though slightly older.
He changed into a standard Konoha flak jacket; his attire confirmed his rank as a Jonin. He casually slung a small tantō over his shoulder. The placement was somewhat unusual, but masters of the blade often have their quirks, perhaps this position allowed for a faster, more efficient draw.
"Phew..." He let out a long breath, his expression complicated, before opening the door and stepping out.
The Anbu office area was notably quiet, as if the building were nearly empty. Even those present were mostly masked and moving in a hurry, rarely speaking to their comrades.
"Ah, Kakashi." The Anbu member turned a corner near the stairs and spotted Kakashi standing silently by a window, staring out at the scenery.
Today, Kakashi was dressed in full Anbu regalia, his mask tilted to the side of his head. He didn't seem to be on a mission; perhaps he was just here to report in?
Hearing the voice behind him, Kakashi turned and gave a small nod. "You're back, Shisui. Was the mission successful?"
Indeed, this Anbu shinobi with the tantō over his shoulder was none other than Shisui of the Body Flicker, a name famous not just within the Uchiha clan, but throughout Konoha and the entire shinobi world. During the Third Shinobi World War, his fame was rivaled only by the Yellow Flash, Minato. However, in terms of age, Shisui was much younger than Minato had been.
"It went well enough," Shisui replied, clearly not intending to dwell on the details.
Kakashi didn't press him. He understood the rules of the Anbu; his question had merely been a casual greeting. Kakashi nodded again; his personality during this period remained prickly and awkward.
He was also much more somber, speaking little and burdened by complex thoughts. Since the sacrifice of his Sensei, Minato, he felt as though he were sinking further into the darkness. As Diarmuid had observed on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, this young man possessed self-destructive tendencies.
Seeing Kakashi's listless demeanor, Shisui continued, "About what happened in the village... what's the truth? I heard rumors of a Sharingan..."
A flash of sorrow crossed Kakashi's eyes. He shook his head. "There was a Sharingan, yes. It is said a masked man calling himself 'Uchiha Madara' released the Nine-Tails and caused the disaster. However, Lord Third does not suspect the Uchiha clan of involvement. You don't need to worry too much."
Shisui had been away from Konoha, performing a mission as a direct subordinate of the Fourth Hokage. Consequently, he had missed the tragedy of the Nine-Tails' night. Upon his return, he found that his "Big Boss" was dead and the former "Chairman" had returned to the helm, a shift Shisui was still struggling to process.
More importantly, the moment he stepped back into the village, he sensed the subtle marginalization and resentment the villagers felt toward the Uchiha. Even though the Third Hokage had officially declared the clan innocent, the fact that the Nine-Tails' eyes had shifted into the Sharingan remained an indisputable truth. Official narratives notwithstanding, the villagers remained skeptical.
The Uchiha clan's reputation was already shaky; now, it had completely collapsed. This filled Shisui with anxiety. He could see a rift forming between the village and the Uchiha, one that was widening at an alarming rate. He had a premonition that if this rift grew beyond repair, something irrevocable, something no one wanted to see, would happen.
Yet, despite seeing it coming, he was powerless to stop it. He was neither the Uchiha clan leader nor the Hokage. Despite his great strength, he was still too young; in the eyes of his elders, he was merely a junior. His voice carried little weight in either the village council or the clan meetings.
Kakashi, however, was not the person to confide in regarding such emotions. Shisui opened his mouth to speak several times, but the words never came. Eventually, he simply shook his head. "You look terrible. Do you need a long leave to rest?"
Kakashi blinked, surprised by how quickly Shisui shifted the topic and by the genuine concern in his voice. After a moment, he nodded. "I have considered taking a leave..."
"The Anbu doesn't suit you, Kakashi. I told you that from the beginning. If you can make peace with it, I suggest you leave the Anbu. Staying here will only bring you more pain," Shisui added.
Kakashi's gaze grew distant, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. He was indeed on the verge of falling into darkness. The string of tragedies he had endured over the last few years, losing friends and family one after another, had left him with a self-destructive edge. While the Anbu wasn't as extreme as Root, it was still a place of shadows. For a man in his state, staying here was a recipe for disaster.
Shisui saw this clearly, which was why he urged Kakashi to leave.
During the Third Shinobi World War, Kakashi hadn't been in the Anbu; he was just an ordinary Jonin. It was only after Rin's sacrifice that Kakashi had become truly lost, unsure of his purpose. When Minato became the Fourth Hokage, Kakashi joined the Anbu specifically to serve as his teacher's direct subordinate.
But now, his teacher was dead too.
It made Kakashi feel like a curse. Wherever he went, disaster followed; whomever he grew close to, died. He was drowning in self-doubt. It wasn't that he hadn't thought of leaving the Anbu, but the Anbu was the last place that held any emotional significance for him. If he left, he would return to that state of aimless wandering. At least here, missions provided a distraction. The relative isolation from the outside world gave him a brief moment to breathe.
After a long silence, Kakashi looked at Shisui. "I'll think about it."
Shisui could hear the dismissiveness in his voice. He sighed helplessly. "Take care of yourself."
"I will. Thank you," Kakashi replied.
Just as Shisui was about to leave, another figure ascended the stairs. Kakashi and Shisui immediately straightened their posture and bowed. "Good afternoon, Commander."
The Commander of the Anbu was Hiruzen's eldest son, Sarutobi Shinnosuke.
He looked at the two and nodded with a smile. "Good afternoon."
"Is your mother's health improving?" Kakashi asked. He was on good terms with the Sarutobi family, with Asuma being one of his friends, so he could ask such a question both professionally and personally.
Shinnosuke nodded. "She's been discharged and is recuperating at home, though she isn't fit for visitors yet."
"I see." Kakashi nodded, seemingly at a loss for words. He wasn't the type to engage in polite small talk.
Shinnosuke observed him for a moment before speaking. "Kakashi, your state of mind is troubled. You aren't fit for missions right now. In my capacity as Anbu Commander, I am ordering and approving a long leave for you. Wait for my notice regarding your return."
Kakashi froze, looking at Shinnosuke in surprise. Seeing the genuine concern in his superior's eyes, and then glancing at Shisui beside him, Kakashi felt a flicker of warmth in a heart that had been stained by darkness. This was Kakashi's luck: every time he began to sink deeper into the abyss, someone was always there to pull him back at just the right moment. He would continue to teeter on the edge until he finally found his way out of the dark.
A rare, faint smile touched Kakashi's face. Even though it was hidden by his mask, both Shisui and Shinnosuke could feel it.
"Yes... I understand, Commander," Kakashi said softly.
"Good. Go enjoy your holiday," Shinnosuke said with a wave of his hand. He then looked at Shisui, thinking for a moment. "Shisui, come with me."
Shisui had intended to head home to see how the Uchiha were faring, but being "conscripted" by Shinnosuke, he followed quickly. "Yes, Commander."
Kakashi headed downstairs while Shinnosuke led Shisui up to his office. Shisui felt a bit apprehensive. What did the son of the Hokage and head of the Anbu want with him? He instinctively felt it had to do with the Nine-Tails' incident. Because I'm an Uchiha, am I being purged from the Anbu? If that were true, it meant the Lord Third no longer trusted the Uchiha at all. That would be catastrophic.
Lost in these turbulent thoughts, Shisui didn't even notice they had reached the office.
"What do you want to drink?" Shinnosuke's voice snapped him back to reality.
Shisui calmed himself and replied quickly, "Tea would be fine."
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