At this point, more than a month had passed since the war ended.
During this time, Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, had been subjected to relentless interrogation day and night.
Every conceivable method of interrogation—no matter how brutal—had been used on him.
Experts in genjutsu from the Uchiha clan and intelligence-gathering specialists from the Yamanaka clan took turns extracting information from him.
The goal was simple: to squeeze as much intelligence out of him as possible.
It might sound cruel, but that was the nature of Root.
Root was the darkest corner of not just Konoha, but the entire shinobi world.
Its philosophy was clear—if extracting just a little more information from the enemy could increase the survival chances of Konoha's shinobi on the battlefield, then no method was too ruthless.
For that sliver of hope, they willingly became the most inhumane of demons.
Standing before Danzo now were Yamanaka Inoichi, Yamanaka Fu, and Morino Ibiki.
Of them, Inoichi had been the lead interrogator.
Supporting him were Yamanaka Fu from Root and Morino Ibiki, both assisting in information analysis while also learning from Inoichi's expertise.
Fu focused on mastering the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques.
Ibiki, on the other hand, was absorbing new interrogation methods to expand his own personal "House of Pain."
By the time Danzo arrived at the interrogation chamber, Inoichi had just finished his work.
"What's the result?"
Danzo got straight to the point. He had worked with Inoichi many times before and knew that the man had no patience for unnecessary words.
"Lord Danzo," Inoichi replied while handing him a scroll. "We've extracted some intelligence on Iwagakure, but deeper layers remain inaccessible."
The scroll contained all the information pulled from Han's mind, along with what had been obtained through traditional interrogation.
It included details on Iwagakure's military deployments, the Land of Earth's border defenses, and their reserves of forces.
"However, due to the presence of the Tailed Beast, retrieving additional intelligence is incredibly difficult."
"If we continue using forceful methods, there's a high probability that the prisoner will die."
Inoichi added this last part as a caution.
He wasn't some inexperienced shinobi—he was the heir of the Yamanaka clan.
He understood just how critical a Tailed Beast was—not just to a village, but to an entire nation.
Killing a normal prisoner during interrogation was one thing.
But killing a Jinchūriki?
That would be a major problem.
Danzo immediately understood the implication.
He had a choice: risk pushing for more intelligence or repurpose the Tailed Beast for another use.
His decision was instant.
"That will be enough. You've done well, Inoichi."
Danzo gave the younger man an approving nod.
Truthfully, he had a high opinion of this generation's Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
Their direct combat strength might not be the highest, but their versatility and utility were simply too valuable.
In fact, he could confidently say that when it came to intelligence gathering, no one in the shinobi world could surpass the Yamanaka clan.
Not even the Uchiha with their Sharingan could compete in this field.
At Danzo's words of appreciation, Inoichi simply gave a small smile.
"It is my honor to assist you, Lord Danzo."
"Regarding the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, I will personally seal away this knowledge within my mind. You can rest assured that it will never be leaked."
Yamanaka Inoichi's Departure
Although Yamanaka Inoichi was still young, his work was meticulous and experienced.
Perhaps this was due to years of influence from Nara Shikaku.
After completing the task Danzo had given him, he left without a single flaw.
He didn't even glance at the internal structures of Root's base.
"It's truly a pity that someone like him isn't part of Root," Danzo sighed as he watched Inoichi's departing figure.
Hearing this, Yamanaka Fu immediately stepped forward, his eyes burning with determination.
"Don't worry, Lord Danzo!"
"Give me some time, and I will grow into an intelligence ninja even greater than Brother Inoichi!"
Seeing the fighting spirit in Kaze's eyes, Danzo gave a slight smile.
"Then work hard and grow stronger—I believe in you."
"Morino Ibiki, the same goes for you. Don't let Fu surpass you."
Ibiki, who was also a specialist in interrogation, nodded firmly.
"Understood!"
After the two left, Danzo was finally pushed into the interrogation room by Aburame Ryoma.
The moment they stepped inside, an overwhelming stench of blood filled the air, so strong it could make an ordinary person gag.
But neither Danzo nor Ryoma flinched.
They were men who had waded through rivers of blood and mountains of corpses—such a smell didn't even make them frown.
In front of them, the towering figure of Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, hung from a wooden frame, bound in iron chains.
His thick red armor had been stripped away, revealing a body covered in wounds.
After enduring days of brutal torture—solitary confinement, starvation, sleep deprivation— Han was no longer recognizable as a human.
The once-powerful shinobi had withered away to skin and bones, his mind shattered from the constant psychic intrusions.
The only reason he was still alive was because of the Tailed Beast inside him.
Danzo gazed at him, completely indifferent.
"Don't worry, you'll be free soon."
Since they had already extracted all the information they could, the next step was simple.
Danzo would release the seal binding the Five-Tails, allowing it to return to its original form.
Then, he would subdue the beast, seal it into Ryoma, and complete the Jinchūriki transfer process.
Han's body, no longer able to contain the Tailed Beast, would serve as the sacrifice for its rebirth.
This was the true meaning of the term "Jinchūriki"—the Human Sacrifice.
Why Ryoma?
As for why Aburame Ryoma was chosen as the new host?
First, he was Danzo's most loyal subordinate—no one could surpass his devotion.
Second, Danzo was curious to see how Ryoma's parasitic insects would interact with the power of a Tailed Beast.
Perhaps he could develop something new—Jet-Powered Insects? Bombardment-Type Insects?
Otherwise, Ryoma might never grow beyond his current potential.
To be honest, Danzo had considered another candidate for the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki—Hatake Kakashi.
Kakashi was a low-chakra shinobi, and becoming a Jinchūriki could have compensated for this weakness.
But in the end, Danzo still chose Ryoma.
Why?
Simple—it was a personal decision.
Ryoma had been by his side for years, and Danzo wanted to reward his loyalty.
He wanted to give his old subordinate a chance at something greater—a future filled with new possibilities.
Ryoma and Danzo shared a deeper understanding and better synchronization.
This would make future experiments involving the Tailed Beast much more convenient.
After Ryoma unshackled Han, two more Root operatives, Shisui and Pakura arrived swiftly.
Upon seeing the battered and broken Five-Tails Jinchūriki, a flicker of shock flashed in Pakura's eyes beneath her mask.
She had never imagined that the war had gone so far that even the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki had fallen into Konoha's hands.
After all, killing and capturing were two very different things.
Killing an enemy simply weakened their forces.
Capturing, however, not only weakened the enemy but also strengthened one's own side.
The difference between the two?
An entire Tailed Beast could massively boost a village's power.
Shortly after, Kakashi arrived at the designated location.
With him, the lineup was complete:
Danzo
Shisui with his Mangekyō Sharingan
Pakura with her Scorch Release
Kakashi with his Sharingan
Aburame Ryoma, the next vessel
Together, they had more than enough power to suppress a Tailed Beast.
But just to be safe, Danzo had also brought along one of Minato's Flying Thunder God kunai.
If anything went wrong, he could summon Minato instantly.
Danzo wasn't worried about the Tailed Beast itself.
What concerned him were the hidden eyes watching from the shadows of the ninja world—people like Uchiha Obito or Black Zetsu.
Compared to them, the Tailed Beast was the least of his concerns.
Thinking about it, Danzo couldn't help but admire the Uzumaki Clan's sealing arts.
Back then, when Mito Uzumaki transferred the Nine-Tails to Kushina, she didn't need all this effort.
She simply bound it with her massive golden chains, pulled it over, and sealed it.
Like a natural predator of Tailed Beasts.
Combine that with Wood Release and Sharingan, and it was easy to see why Konoha stood at the top of the ninja world.
__
Soon, the group left Konoha through Root's secret underground tunnels, taking the Five-Tails Jinchūriki to a hidden valley.
Danzo had already prepared the location in advance, setting up an array of barriers and seals.
These weren't just any seals—they were the Uzumaki Clan's specialized techniques for restraining Tailed Beasts, obtained from Kushina through Minato.
They would:
Suppress the Tailed Beast's power
Prevent it from escaping
Deter outsiders from approaching
Why Not Call Minato and Kushina?
1. Minato was currently the head of Konoha's Jonin forces, meaning he was too busy to leave.
2. Kushina, as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, had numerous guards and safety measures around her. Any unexpected situation could jeopardize the entire operation.
Thus, Danzo decided—Root would handle everything on its own.
__
Ryoma placed Han at the center of the first sealing array, while he himself sat in the second array, ready to receive the beast.
The plan was simple:
1. The first array would release the Five-Tails from Han.
2. The second array would seal it into Ryoma once it was weakened.
With everything in place, Danzo stood up from his wheelchair and walked to Han.
It wasn't that the others weren't willing to assist—they simply lacked the skill to perform the sealing technique.
Danzo pressed his palm against Han's abdomen, channeling chakra into the seal.
Gradually, the bindings around the Five-Tails unraveled.
A cold, oppressive chakra surged outward, filling the entire valley with a crushing, violent aura!
In an instant, Han's body was engulfed in crimson chakra, and from within, a massive white form began to emerge.
Simultaneously, a wave of scalding hot steam blasted through the air, signaling the awakening of the Five-Tails!
_
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