Although Danzo thought someone like Orochimaru wouldn't remember what his past experimental subjects looked like, it's better to be safe than sorry.
"Lord Danzo," Yamato said respectfully upon seeing Shimura Danzo.
"Hmm, show me your strongest Wood Release Ninjutsu," Danzo ordered with a slight nod.
Though Danzo couldn't wield Wood Release, he possessed the Wood Release Ninjutsu records left by Senju Hashirama.
Danzo mainly taught Yamato Chakra Control techniques and various Assassination Jutsus.
With a serious expression, Yamato performed hand seals, gathering Chakra and converting it into Wood Release Chakra before casting the jutsu.
Under the effect of Yamato's Wood Release Chakra, a sprout broke through the ground and rapidly grew into a tree slightly taller than Danzo.
After releasing the jutsu, Yamato looked at Danzo with hopeful eyes.
Danzo frowned slightly, "Isn't this about the same as before? Tenzo, have you not been cultivating diligently?"
Danzo had assigned multiple Root Ninjas to monitor Yamato, with daily reports on his activities and any suspicious individuals nearby.
Reports indicated Yamato trained daily according to Danzo's plan.
However, based on Yamato's performance, Danzo suspected he might be pretending and not putting genuine effort into his cultivation.
Yamato dropped his hands to clutch the corner of his clothing nervously, explaining, "No, I haven't been slacking off, Lord Danzo. If you look closely, it's actually five centimeters taller than before."
He had only practiced recently and was sure he'd made some progress since the last time Danzo visited.
Up until Danzo spoke, Yamato expected praise for his work.
"Tenzo, you're the elite of the Root elites. Your goal is to surpass Root's current finest creation, Habu Mokgetsu. With only this small improvement in two weeks, do you think you meet my standards and expectations?" Danzo said sternly.
Having witnessed the grand spectacle of the First Hokage summoning an entire forest with a wave of his hand, Danzo could never be satisfied with a mere five-centimeter improvement from Yamato.
In his eyes, this hardly counted as progress and served only as evidence of Yamato's lack of commitment to cultivation.
"I... I..." Yamato opened his mouth to further explain, but facing Danzo's stern countenance, he ultimately lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Lord Danzo."
Though he believed he had been training diligently, if even the person who saved him, Lord Danzo, said he hadn't been taking it seriously, perhaps he indeed had been unknowingly slacking off.
"It's good that you recognize your mistake. As long as you train according to my plans, you can definitely become the strongest ninja in the Root—no, in all of Konoha, and even the entire Ninja World," Danzo said instinctively, utilizing his well-practiced motivational tactics.
Yamato nodded dully.
He actually didn't understand what it meant to be the strongest ninja in the Root or the Ninja World, but he felt that whatever Lord Danzo said must be the right thing to do.
"However, I do understand your hard work. You haven't had dinner yet, right? I brought you some food," Danzo said, patting Yamato's head and having his subordinate hand over two portions of dinner.
Yamato's previously dim eyes brightened up again, "Thank you, Lord Danzo!"
During dinner, Danzo's demeanor became much more amiable, abstaining from any harsh words towards Yamato and instead expressing concern for his well-being.
After finishing dinner, Danzo patted Yamato's shoulder and said:
"Tenzo, no matter what, I hope you take your training seriously. This isn't just for me, but for yourself, for the Root, and for Konoha."
Yamato nodded emphatically, "I will not let you down, Lord Danzo."
Danzo showed a benevolent smile, patted Yamato's head, and then turned to return to Konoha with his subordinates.
After walking some distance, Danzo's benevolent expression vanished, reverting to his usual cold demeanor.
As the Leader of the Root, Danzo was well-versed in how to train his subordinates.
Let alone a child like Yamato, who was not yet ten years old—even for adult ninjas, Danzo was confident he could mold them into loyal Root members within five years.
"Even a Wood Release Ninja requires enough time to accumulate power, huh?" Danzo mused thoughtfully.
Yamato was developing slower than he had imagined. Although still considered a genius, he wasn't as extraordinary as Danzo had envisioned.
"Or is it because there isn't the right teacher?" Danzo quickly considered two possibilities.
The best solution would be to directly have Senju Hashirama reincarnated to teach Yamato.
Hashirama was not only the God of Ninjas but also the strongest Wood Release Ninja, making him the ideal teacher for Yamato.
Danzo quickly dismissed this idea, focusing his thoughts on another possibility.
Otherwise, this was simply too outrageous and unthinkable.
The Reanimation Jutsu, dealing with the dead, was already a taboo in Konoha, and involving the village founder, Senju Hashirama, would immediately result in dire consequences should Danzo dare to attempt it.
"If it were Mokgetsu, it might also accelerate Tenzo's growth," Danzo thought.
Mokgetsu's teaching abilities were so strong that Sarutobi Hiruzen worried for Mokgetsu's safety and continuously refused Danzo's suggestion to send Mokgetsu to the battlefield.
The performance of Mokgetsu's disciples on the battlefield proved his teaching prowess, with all five disciples, including Nohara Rin, showing exceptional talent.
"But increasing Tenzo's exposure in Konoha also raises his risk," Danzo began to weigh the pros and cons in his mind.