Naruto: I Kill, I Loot, I Ascend

Chapter 219: Sooner or Later, Root Will Fall into Hyuga Arin’s Hands

Inside the Second Squad's office, the five ninja with jōnin-level combat ability were not wearing masks. Instead, they revealed their faces.

None of them were familiar figures.

Three men and two women.

Arin sat behind the office desk, lightly tapping the tabletop with his fingers as he spoke.

"From today onward, I will be leading the Second Squad."

"Do any of you have objections?"

The five shook their heads simultaneously.

"We have no objections."

This wasn't some coveted position.

If they could have left, they would have already found a way out.

It wasn't that they didn't want to leave.

It was that they had no way to leave.

The sort of resistance one might expect simply wouldn't appear here.

Everyone just wanted to survive.

As long as the new captain didn't give stupid orders, that was enough.

Arin thought for a moment.

"As my subordinates, I need you to place my orders above all others."

In other words—

Even if Danzo issued commands, they could not bypass Arin's authority.

The five exchanged glances.

None of them responded.

Arin had only just arrived and already wanted to bring them under his control.

And even expected them to ignore Danzo's orders?

Impossible.

But Arin didn't ask for an answer yet.

Instead, he asked,

"Your code names."

The man on the far left spoke first.

"Mountain Child."

The others followed in sequence.

"Sea Priest."

"Earth Spider."

"Hair Demon."

"Rain Woman."

The first three were men.

The last two were female ninja.

Arin suddenly smiled.

"Hyakki, huh?"

All their code names came from the Hyakki Yagyō — the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.

"Quite suitable for my subordinates."

After all, they were already considered harmful elements within human society.

But compared to the Fourth Disaster Players, even demons were harmless.

Still—

The two concepts matched quite well.

Arin extended his hand toward them.

"Come."

"Let me grant you the power of the Hyakki."

The five looked at each other in confusion.

They had no idea what this "Player" was trying to do.

Granting power?

Such a thing sounded impossible.

They had never heard of anything like it.

But Arin was their superior.

So the five simultaneously extended a finger and placed it on Arin's hand.

Arin's smile widened.

"I hope you like it."

Phantom Troupe's Curse (No Rank)

All five of them trembled.

They suddenly felt pain appear somewhere on their bodies.

But that pain was nothing compared to the knowledge that suddenly appeared in their minds.

"What is this…"

The most muscular one, Mountain Child, raised his fist.

Blue chakra gathered around his hand.

Under his sleeve, a spider tattoo appeared on his arm.

The number 11 was written on it.

The ability in his mind was called—

Super Destruction Punch.

Meanwhile, Earth Spider instinctively touched the short blade on his back.

The spider tattoo on his chest bore the number 1.

His ability created a certain range using chakra.

Within that range, anything that entered could be cut apart with a single draw of his blade.

Iaijutsu.

A draw-and-slash technique even faster than a samurai's.

Sea Priest received the number 7 on the spider mark on his back.

His ability allowed him to fire chakra like bullets.

Hair Demon received the number 1, granting the ability to form chakra threads.

Rain Woman received the number 9.

A chakra gun formed in her hand.

Machi's ability had actually appeared again.

Arin glanced at Hair Demon.

Abilities gained through the spider curse didn't give their chakra Nen-like properties.

They simply granted an additional transformation ability.

Through his Byakugan, Arin could clearly see the changes within their bodies.

Chakra with Nen attributes looked very different from ordinary chakra.

If compared by color—

The blue was noticeably lighter.

The five were no longer calm.

They immediately knelt on one knee before Arin.

"We are willing to give everything for you."

For ninja—

Strength was everything.

Anyone capable of increasing their strength could easily command their loyalty.

"I don't believe you," Arin said calmly.

"This power was given by me."

"So naturally, I can also take it back."

"Don't prove your loyalty with words."

"Prove it with actions."

For now, he couldn't fully trust these five.

No one would sincerely pledge allegiance after just a small reward.

Arin didn't believe he had that kind of charisma.

He removed the mask from his face and placed it on the table.

The five were visibly shocked.

It was the first time they had seen a Hyuga clan member within Root.

Arin raised his hand.

Black-blue flames ignited above his palm.

The five pupils shrank instantly.

That ability—

Flame Demon Hyuga Arin.

Root operated as Konoha's hidden blade.

Their information channels weren't extensive, but they still knew certain things.

For example—

Arin's achievements on the battlefield.

During the war, all the famous names from the front lines had spread across Konoha.

White Fang Hatake Sakumo.

The Three Sannin — Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru.

Flame Demon Hyuga Arin.

And the man standing before them—

Was one of them.

More importantly—

He had broken free from the Hyuga clan's control, clashed with them, and left unharmed.

That was common knowledge throughout Konoha.

What no one knew was that Danzo had taken Arin away afterward.

The Hyuga clan wouldn't speak of it.

And Danzo wouldn't expose himself.

If even the Caged Bird Seal could be removed—

Then perhaps…

The Tongue-Sealing Curse Mark could also be removed.

A strange light flickered in the five pairs of eyes.

This was precisely Arin's goal.

Now—

This squad had completely fallen under his control.

After taking command of Root's Second Squad, Machi's identity issue was finally resolved.

Arin now had the authority to fabricate identity records.

He officially registered Machi into Root's roster.

"Root?" Machi examined the identification card in her hand.

Her Nen threads wrapped around it as she studied the strange energy inside.

It resembled Nen—

But was also very different.

"It's a deeply hidden department within this village," Arin explained.

"Everyone who joins has their public identity erased."

"They also undergo emotional suppression training."

"And they carry out tasks Konoha prefers not to acknowledge."

Machi pulled the card closer with her Nen threads and held it in her hand.

"I have no intention of working for you."

At home she could eat well and laze around.

Why would she go outside to work?

Machi was currently being slowly domesticated by comfort.

"But you're basically my Nen beast now," Arin protested.

"How can you refuse to fight alongside your master?"

Machi rolled her eyes.

"Sorry."

"I've never acknowledged you as my master."

Arin sneered.

"Really?"

After all—

Machi was still under his control.

Machi suddenly remembered that fact.

She immediately changed her tone.

"Well… it's not impossible."

"But only if you pay me."

After all, she used to earn money through handcraft work.

"That's not a problem," Arin said while rubbing his chin.

Root regularly provided funding to squad leaders.

He could easily add one extra zero to the amount.

Paying Machi's salary wouldn't be difficult.

Machi expressionlessly glanced at the television.

Farewell, my TV.

Then the sofa.

Farewell, my comfortable seat.

Then Hyuga Natsuna cooking in the kitchen.

Farewell, my household tool.

In the end—

She still couldn't escape Hyuga Arin's grasp.

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