News about the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, quickly spread from the Land of Fire to Konoha's encampment in the Land of Rain.
The key points were simple: all information regarding Leo was now classified, and he was to be transferred into Konoha's ANBU Special Investigation Division.
From the name alone, it was clear this was no ordinary squad. The Special Investigation Division reported directly to the Hokage himself.
Although the ANBU were nominally under the Hokage's command, they were often influenced by other powers. Danzo, for example, could still meddle in ANBU affairs when he wanted to.
But now that Hiruzen had personally placed Leo in this "special" division, it meant he was part of the Hokage's inner circle. Even Danzo would have no authority to interfere.
In terms of clearance, Leo was on equal footing with the other ANBU squad leaders, second only to the overall captain, Sakumo Hatake.
That alone showed Hiruzen's intent—he truly wanted to draw Leo close and bind him firmly to Konoha.
When Danzo received the news, he nearly spat blood in rage. Combined with the endless rain in the Land of Rain, his mood was foul beyond words.
Leo, however, understood. Hiruzen wouldn't make such a move without reason. It likely meant a new secret operation was already in motion—one that he would soon be part of.
Still, none of that mattered much. With his current strength and the hidden trump cards he possessed, he finally had enough power to protect himself in the shinobi world.
Over the next two weeks, Leo stayed quietly in the Konoha camp, sharpening his swordsmanship and deepening his understanding of Haki, always ready for whatever lay ahead.
Half a month later, Hiruzen's new secret orders arrived.
This time, the mission was unlike any before—it was a solo operation. No mask, no cloak. He was to disguise himself as a civilian of the Land of Rain, infiltrate deep into enemy territory, gather intelligence, and eliminate key targets.
There were several assassination targets, including many elite jōnin from Amegakure—and even Hanzō of the Salamander was on the list!
Leo, of course, immediately dismissed that idea. Taking on a boss like Hanzō was something for the village—or maybe, someday, he could tag along with the Three Legendary Sannin when they fought him. He'd just be there for the eEXPerience points.
Still, if he somehow managed to kill Hanzō, the loot would be god-tier.
After all, Hanzō was one of the early-stage final bosses—an opponent so powerful he was known as a demigod.
He had practically masterminded the Second Shinobi World War; his status was beyond question.
Aside from the ninja of Amegakure, the targets also included jōnin from Iwagakure and Sunagakure.
That was the kind of task Leo's special ANBU division was assigned—dangerous, free-form, and unsupervised. He could use any method he wished to complete the mission.
He didn't have to kill everyone on the list. Even taking down one or two would count as a success.
Hiruzen never eEXPected him to wipe them all out. Even Sakumo Hatake couldn't have done that!
After packing his things, Leo left the Konoha encampment and set off alone—his solo grind had begun.
Following the instructions, he disguised himself as a Rain Country native, crossed the border, and started gathering intel to plan his next move.
Not long after he departed, deep beneath the Konoha camp, a Root operative knelt before Danzo, reporting Leo's movements.
Danzo's eyes narrowed, his eEXPression unreadable.
"So, he left the camp alone… and without a mask or cloak. What's the meaning of that? Carrying out Hiruzen's secret orders, perhaps?"
His lips twisted into a snarl. "That brat dares insult me… he'll pay the price! Konoha doesn't need disobedient pawns—only tools!"
Now that Leo was part of the Special ANBU Division, all his records were top secret. Even Danzo couldn't access them without the Hokage's permission.
That only deepened his frustration. Hiruzen's motives were a mystery. In Danzo's eyes, Leo had no right to be in that unit at all.
Sure, the kid was talented—but there was no way he had grown that strong so quickly.
Danzo was convinced Leo had used some forbidden technique to kill those twenty Iwa shinobi—something that couldn't be used repeatedly and likely had serious side effects.
He needed to uncover that secret. That boy didn't deserve such power!
The more Hiruzen protected Leo, the stronger Danzo's killing intent became.
"Hiruzen… after all these years, you throw away our friendship for an outsider brat?" he muttered coldly. "Fine. Then I'll handle this my way."
Two shadows appeared soundlessly in front of him and knelt.
Danzo's eEXPression darkened. "Anma Bloodmist, Sunset Dreamkill—you two will bring him back alive. I want his secret."
"Yes, sir." The two Root operatives vanished instantly.
Watching them go, Danzo's eEXPression softened with satisfaction. Tools should behave like tools—no emotion, no hesitation, only obedience.
Yet just thinking about Leo's defiance made his chest tighten in anger.
Both Anma and Sunset hailed from Konoha's great illusion clans. Together, their genjutsu could overwhelm even an elite jōnin. Surely they would capture Leo without making a sound.
Dark clouds loomed overhead as always, the rain falling endlessly.
Leo walked along the muddy road, yet not a drop of mud splashed up from under his feet, and his clothes remained perfectly dry.
Every raindrop that came near him was subtly deflected to the sides by an invisible force.
This was Haki—specifically, Armament Haki, the Flowing Sakura technique that allowed one to repel attacks at a distance.
At Level 4, his Armament Haki had become something truly profound. The boost it gave him was enormous.
After walking for some time, Leo suddenly stopped.
A shadow was approaching fast from behind.
At first it looked like a single person, but as it neared, he realized there were two.
Both wore masks and cloaks—ANBU? No. Their attire was slightly different. Root operatives.
Danzo's people.
"Leo," said the one with the red mask, Sunset Dreamkill. His voice was cold, devoid of any feeling. "Lord Danzo requests your return."
"Sorry," Leo replied flatly. "I don't have the time."
Clearly, they hadn't come with good intentions—no point wasting words.
"In that case," Sunset Dreamkill said, "we'll take you back by force."
"Technique—Darkness March!"
He formed hand seals in a blur, and darkness swallowed the world.
Leo's vision vanished completely. All light, all color—gone.
"Genjutsu?"
He eEXPanded his sensory perception; even in the dark, he locked onto their positions.
But something felt off. Everything was too real.
Kill!
In the next instant, Leo vanished—his figure flickered forward like lightning, a killing strike unleashed in a single flash.
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