"Power resides where men believe it resides."

— George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones

--

[Root Headquarters – Deep Below Konoha]

The underground air was cold and damp. Stone walls on every sideShadows clung to the walls like living things, twisting and crawling. The faint orange glow of oil lamps flickered mounted unevenly along the corridors. The narrow corridors were a maze of pitch-black tunnels, each guarded by silent figures whose eyes never blinked—empty like the death itself.

The sound of footsteps broke the silence.

A Root operative emerged in a flicker — a man whose face was hidden beneath the mask of the ROOT. He moved without hesitation, his steps were careful as he advanced toward one of the innermost chambers. In his gloved hands, he clutched a sealed scroll tightly

As he approached the inner chamber, the atmosphere thickened

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately dropping to one knee, head bowed low.

"Danzō-sama… there is news."

The words were simple, respectful, and they seemed to carry an unmistakable fanatical reverence.

Danzō Shimura sat at the far end of the chamber on a wooden chair, his form half-shrouded in shadow. The dim light revealed the bandaged eye, the arm wrapped in cloth, and the hunched yet commanding posture. His lone visible eye fixed coldly on the kneeling operative.

Without a word, the Root ninja extended the scroll upward with both hands — a perfect display of submission.

Danzō leaned forward as his hand emerged from the folds of his robe, fingers curling over the scroll. He took it slowly, as though the weight of the message was already known to him.

The operative lowered his head further..

The faint crackle of the lamp accompanied the quiet sound of parchment being unrolled.

Danzō's eye scanned the contents in silence.

For a long moment, there was nothing — no sound, no shift in posture, only the stillness of a predator reading the perfect opportunity to strike. Then, slowly, a smile curved his lips—not a smile of joy, but a cold, sinister grin that never reached his eye. It was the smile of a man who had just seen a piece fall perfectly into place on his chessboard.

Leaning back in his chair, a cruel expression etched across his face, he murmured, "Excellent."

The light caught the side of his face. There was no happiness on his face—only the triumph of a man who had won a war before the battle had even begun.

He rolled up the scroll calmly and set it down on the desk beside him. Then he rose from his seat.

The Root operative's head remained bowed.

Danzō stepped forward, his sandals making no sound on the cold floor. His hands moved behind his back, clasped in the familiar posture of a commander deep in thought. Then, in a low, steady voice, he spoke.

"Spread the word…" 

The operative raised his head slightly, waiting for the command.

"…that Otis, a shinobi of Konoha, has been found responsible for the deaths of more than forty-five civilians."

His tone did not rise, but the weight was already heavy

"Make sure that this reaches every household, every street, every ear in this village. Let the children hear it in whispers. Let it poison the hearts of every family. Let Otis become the monster they fear."

"And bring the criminal back to the village. We will give the people the justice they deserve."

The operative bowed lower. "As you wish my lord"

Danzō did not dismiss him. Instead, his gaze drifted upward, into the darkness that stretched into the unseen heights of the chamber.

And then… movement.

From the shadows above, from behind the walls, from the floor itself, Root operatives appeared. Dozens. Hundreds. All of them wore the same expression, like clones—but their presence was suffocating.

Slowly, they raised their masks over their faces

It was clear.

They were ready for war.

Danzō remained still, his hands still clasped behind him.

In that moment, Danzō's voice dropped to something quieter, more personal — as if he was speaking not to his soldiers, but to another man.

"You can't blame me for this, Hiruzen…

"

His visible eye narrowed sharply.

"It was you who insisted on protecting the child of that woman. You even had the audacity to consider him your successor. Did you really think I wouldn't know what you were doing?"

A faint scoff—half-laugh, escaped him.

"Did you truly believe I wouldn't see your intentions? Did you think I would remain blind while you allowed him to grow close to the Jinchūriki… to the Hyūga… to the Uchiha… to Might Guy…"

He took a step forward into the light, the faint glint of his pupil catching the lamp's flame.

"…and even Maruboshi Kosuke." His voice dripped with disdain at the name.

He paced slowly now, the sound of his footsteps echoing ominously.

"Such reckless trust... You allowed him to walk among them freely, to weave a web of influence.. bonds, that threatens everything I have worked for. No—threatens Konoha itself."

Stopping before the gathered shadows, Danzo lifted his head defiantly. 

"But I will not allow that to continue. Konoha's safety lies in strength and control—not sentimentality and foolish hope. I will make Konoha great again."

The room seemed to grow colder, as Danzo's words hung in the air like a curse.

"Otis is a threat," Danzo continued, his voice cold and absolute.. "And I will see him removed—not just from Konoha's ranks…"

Danzō's hands tightened behind his back.

"Foolish, Hiruzen. Sentimental. Weak. You don't deserve to be Hokage."

His voice hardened.

"You tried to shape a weapon with kindness. You tried to build your legacy with hope. Now… you'll see what becomes of such dreams when they cross my path."

He turned his head, sweeping his gaze across the endless ranks of masked Root operatives.

"Go." 

In perfect, absolute silence, the masked figures vanished until only darkness remained.

Danzō stood alone in the chamber once more. The scroll still lay on the desk. The oil lamp flickered, casting his long shadow across the cold stone floor.

For a long moment, he did not move. His lone eye fixed on the dark where his soldiers had vanished.

Then, slowly, he reached out and snuffed the lamp's flame between two fingers.

The chamber plunged into complete blackness.

And somewhere in the darkness, a whisper:

"Otis… this is just the beginning."

--

(A/N)

💬 Leave a review or  drop a comment — every bit of support helps this story grow!

🚀 Want to read ahead?

Join my Patreon and help keep the story alive! ❤️

/pacifist01

Quick Question for You Guys:

So I’ve been thinking… what kind of outfit actually fits Otis the best? 🤔

* A sharp Kingpin-style suit (imagine Otis rolling up like a mafia boss).

* A ninja outfit (classic Konoha style, practical but deadly).

* A full-on Viking look (because nothing says “fear me” like a giant with furs and an axe vibe).

* Or maybe something completely different—your ideas are welcome!

Drop your thoughts, I’m curious which one you think matches him the most 👊