III

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Arc III Chapter 9

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“Captain Asami.” Fu knelt, his porcelain mask hiding his face. Next to him, Torune, his partner, and ‘Hisato’, one of Lord Danzo's most trusted acolytes. It took some time to locate her, but they eventually succeeded and found her at a training ground practising and honing her skills.

The girl named Asami turned her head, clicking her tongue. The usual disdain and disgust greeted them. The girl loathed their presence as if they were prepared to backstab her at any moment, which was indeed within the realm of possibility. Her attitude remained guarded despite several missions together. Asami distrusted them since the first time they met, an intelligent decision.

Lord Danzo ordered them to observe Asami, and to take more drastic measures if necessary, which was easier said than done. Dealing with her would prove to be a rather difficult task. Everyone within the ANBU knew that messing with the little princess was a risky matter. Her rise through the ranks was stellar, nearly unprecedented. The girl was a force to be reckoned with, feared and respected, hands were covered in blood.

Asami was strong, extremely strong considering her age. Her strength was terrifying. Fellow ANBU already compared her to ANBU legends such as Kakashi, or even Itachi.

Asami wore her favourite colour, black, a black kimono decorated with a playful floral pattern of gold and silver. Her attire was perfect, immaculate. Bloodstains were her major concern.

Fu was convinced that Asami got her priorities wrong. He wasn't the only ANBU who thought so. Her attire ignored the majority of written as well handwritten ANBU regulations, but Konoha didn't care as long as she delivered results. Asami delivered results. Her sense of fashion even earned her an entry in the bingo book. After all, you didn't meet a kunoichi clothed like nobility on the battlefield every day. They called her the Black Princess. The name fit her.

He never understood why Lord Danzo tried to recruit her for Root. She was a terrible choice possible. Eccentric, irrational, moody. Her personality didn't suit Root, but her talent was considerable, her strength undeniable. Asami was unquestionably a kunoichi of prodigious qualities. Fortunately, Lord Danzo quickly dropped any such fanciful notions. Her rejection did the rest, although her outright refusal took them by surprise.

It was then that Lord Danzo's interest turned into disinterest, and disinterest into distrust, and distrust one day suddenly into suspicion. Lord Danzo received a secret report. The report and its contents changed everything. There was something about Asami, some hidden secret, that deeply unsettled Lord Danzo to a degree they had rarely witnessed before. Her growing ambition and power concerned Lord Danzo and compelled him to act.

He, Torune, and Hisato were henceforth ordered to continuously observe her and report any findings, no matter how irrelevant they might seem. Lord Danzo demanded to know everything about Asami, her personality, her ambitions, her wishes, her skills, her jutsu, her strengths, her weaknesses. Nobody as to why, but who were they to question Lord Danzo's wisdom.

Asami finally acknowledged their presence. “Surprise, surprise, whom do we have here? Danzo's favourite little lapdogs, and our little wannabe artist. Tell me, what do you want? What do you need?” Her voice brimmed with open antipathy, but the antipathy was reciprocal.

“...” Fu chose to ignore her and her provocation. “We received orders to inform you that the Hokage wishes for your presence. He selected you for a special mission. He orders you to report to the Hokage tower as soon as possible.”

Asami furrowed an eyebrow, understandably. A direct summon by the Hokage himself was unusual even by ANBU standards. “As soon as possible?”

Fu nodded. “Indeed, the Hokage requests your immediate presence.”

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