Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

Unlike the shabby and messy environment of the alley, the base at the root was not only clean and tidy, but also had a slightly luxurious style of decoration.

Hanging from the ceiling is a crystal chandelier that most people can't afford, and the walls on both sides are covered with fine tiles.
The wooden flooring underfoot is also very high-quality, feeling very comfortable underfoot; it's clearly a top-brand product.
The group following behind Hiruko looked around anxiously, their eyes filled with anticipation for their new jobs.

Putting everything else aside, just look at this office environment; it's clearly a well-funded department, so the benefits and compensation must be excellent.

"Hiruko, when did you join Root?"

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Jiraiya couldn't help but ask Hiruzen, who was leading the way.
"I've only been here a short time, maybe three days?"

Hiruko, who was leading the way, deliberately slowed down and started chatting with Jiraiya behind him.
"What's the work atmosphere like here? Are the managers and colleagues easy to get along with?"

The straightforward Jiraiya skipped the formalities and asked the question he desperately wanted answered, immediately eliciting the attention of the others.

What are the salary and benefits like?

Surrounded by the intense gazes of several people, Hiruko subconsciously shrank back, carefully recalling her work experience over the past few days, and a faint smile immediately appeared on her face.
"The seniors in Root took good care of me, and Lord Danzo was very kind during the interview. As for the salary, it is said to be the same as that of the Hokage's Anbu."

Shared pay with the secret service?
The group was taken aback upon hearing this. As far as they knew,
The Anbu is Konoha's most secretive department, filled with elite ninja drawn from various clans. Even becoming a Jonin is merely the minimum requirement for joining the Anbu, demonstrating the strictness of its system.

In contrast, the salaries of the Anbu are ridiculously high; their total annual income definitely exceeds the rewards that Ushima Shinto ninjas earn from their hard-earned missions.

"Wait, it's not exactly the same as the Anbu."

This is right!

Jiraiya and the others immediately breathed a sigh of relief. If this place really did have the same welfare standards as the Anbu, they would have had to be careful not to fall into a recruitment trap.
"Hiruko, you didn't pay any job deposit, did you?"

Out of concern for his friend, Jiraiya quickly asked if he had paid any strange fees when he joined the company.

"What are you talking about? Why would the Root ask me to pay money?"

Hiruko blinked her large, watery eyes, tilted her head in confusion, and looked at Jiraiya, whose face was full of anxiety.
"The difference I'm referring to is that, in addition to receiving the same pay as the Dark Division, the Root also receives extra security bonuses, performance bonuses, perfect attendance bonuses, and holiday allowances."

He held up all ten fingers and listed out the benefits he had noted down when signing the contract, as if counting his own treasures.
With each name mentioned, Jiraiya and the others' expressions grew more complicated.
"What kind of amazing department is this?"

Even Tsunade, born into a prestigious family, was somewhat taken aback when she heard that Root members received such generous treatment.

"Who says it's not?"

Hiruko gently shook her head, her eyes filled with realization.
Even now, he still has a surreal feeling that he is just an ordinary Chunin, with only average skills in ninjutsu and genjutsu.
Limited by his physical condition, his physical skills were terrible; sometimes he would even trip and fall while walking on flat ground.

If it weren't for the help of his former teammates, he probably wouldn't have even passed the Chunin Exams.

His theoretical knowledge is decent, only slightly inferior to Orochimaru of the same year.

Just as the group was still reeling from the shock, a figure walking towards them interrupted their thoughts.

The newcomer was a burly man dressed identically to Hiruko, wearing a strange animal mask, and exuding the aura of a powerful Jonin.
He strode up to the group, looking down at Xiao Nanniang, who was half a head shorter than him.
"Little Orchid!"

His tone was extremely cold and sharp, which made the people behind him feel a chill. Could it be that this guy, Beiruhu, was about to encounter the legendary workplace bullying?

"Hello, senior!"

Hiruko clearly recognized the other party, bowing respectfully, his soft voice filled with enthusiasm.
With Hiruko's address of "senpai," the Root member, who had been so aggressive just a moment ago, suddenly withdrew his sharp aura.
"Why are you still here? Lord Danzo has been waiting for a long time!"

The harsh tone softened, even becoming slightly indulgent.

call.
Seeing this, the group finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It turns out it wasn't workplace bullying, but rather a case of rectal bullying!
and many more!

Do you think this is right?

"Yes, senior! I understand! I'll take them to the interview right away!"

Hiruko, completely unaware of the fabricated rumors, remained as energetic as ever, addressing everyone as "senpai" (older brother), which made the Root member feel quite pleased.

"You're new here, and there's still a lot of work to learn. Come to my office for a cup of tea later, and I'll guide you step by step."

The Root clan finally got a cute member, and they're too busy spoiling her to bully the sweet and soft Hiruko.
Faced with his senior's "friendly" invitation, Hiruko readily agreed. However, Jiraiya and the others, being outsiders, saw things much more clearly than he, the person directly involved.
"Thank you, senior. I will study hard! Wait until I catch up with them... Hey? Why are you guys pulling me here!?"

Several people immediately took action, pulling him away from this suspicious senior, thus rescuing Beiru from the jaws of death.
"These new recruits are quite energetic!"

Noticing the wariness in their eyes, the Root member wasn't annoyed. Instead, he nodded with a smile and commented.
Putting aside personal interests and hobbies, as a long-time member of the department, how could he not be happy to see the root grow and thrive?
They pulled Hiruko to a safe corner, and the others immediately surrounded her, their faces full of concern and gossip.

Reaching out and grasping Hiruko's delicate shoulder, Jiraiya wore an unusually serious expression.

"Hiruko! From now on, stay away from that senior, understand?"

"Huh? Senior Beast is usually very nice to me. When I first came here, I didn't know anything, and he was the one who showed me how to work."

Sakumo Hatake watched warily as the Root member codenamed "Beast" disappeared around the corner before confidently warning Hiruko.
"No, no, no! That's all an illusion. He just wants your body!"

"Huh? How could that be? With my small frame, what could I possibly have that would be worth the beast's covetousness?"

Hiruko tilted her head in confusion, crossed her arms, and displayed her fragrant, soft body to the group, her face full of disbelief.
"hiss"

But it was precisely this unintentional display of Nan Niang's alluring charm that caused the men present to subconsciously avert their gazes.

Little Nan is terrifying!
"Damn it! I lost!"

As for Tsunade, the only woman in the arena, she knelt on the ground in a defeated manner, her eyes filled with clear resentment.
"You've all misunderstood! The other seniors, like Beast Senior, have all taken good care of me!"

Even though Hiruko was slow-witted, she noticed the misunderstanding and immediately spoke up to defend Beast-senpai.
"what!"

Everyone was shocked to hear this; it turned out that Beiruk had fallen into the legendary Cave Zero.
"Hiruko, tell me the truth, they didn't force you to do anything strange, did they?"

Jiraiya gritted his teeth, his heart already filled with self-reproach. If it weren't for his negligence in writing his novel regarding Hiruko, she wouldn't have joined this sinister organization full of beasts.
"No! Everyone at the root is a good person!"

Upon hearing Jiraiya's unfounded and malicious speculation, Hiruko's face immediately puffed up like a steamed bun, and she indignantly tried to clarify things for her seniors.
"It's fine if you don't."

"My seniors were worried that I'd get blisters from running around so much, so they specially brought me breathable, sweat-wicking white socks!"

"."

Looking down at the high-waisted white socks on Hiruko's small feet, everyone's expressions changed repeatedly.
Real hammer!
"Stop dawdling! Lord Danzo must be getting impatient!"

Not noticing anything amiss, Hiruko, her chubby legs clad in high-waisted white socks, turned and greeted the group.

"Hey guys, we've got no choice but to join now."

Seeing Hiruko's high level of enthusiasm for her work, Jiraiya took a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination.

"We will protect what lies behind Hiruko!"

Sakumo Hatake nodded solemnly, and the others echoed his sentiment.
"That's right!" "Leave it to me!"

As childhood friends, they couldn't stand by and watch Hiruko descend into the abyss.
Tsunade pursed her lips, watching Hiruko's swaying figure, a flash of determination crossing her almond-shaped eyes.

"In that case, let me, as a woman, ignite the flames for Hirubebui!"

In her view, the reason why Hiruko was in danger was entirely because there were no young and beautiful women in the Root tribe, and her arrival just filled that void.
She believed that with her exceptional feminine charm, she could definitely replace Hiruko and become the object of admiration among the Root members.
"Tsunade! What are you standing there for? We've been waiting for you!"

However, Jiraiya's urging jolted Tsunade from her reverie, and she realized that everyone was already gone.

Several men were currently following Hiruko around eagerly, showering her with concern and attention, completely ignoring the vow she had just made.

Tsunade clenched her fist tightly, and a shimmering blue light flickered in and out of existence.
hateful!

What exactly is wrong with me?
"Tsunade?"

"I'm coming."

In the end, Tsunade dissipated the monstrous strength in her fists, choosing to endure. She glanced down at her barren canyon, a knowing glint in her eyes.
It must be due to her delayed development!
"Just wait for me!"

Fortune changes every thirty years, so never underestimate a poor young woman!

She decided to use her grandmother's account to place an order in Misadako's live stream as soon as she got home.

It's just milk, right? As long as it helps her develop, I'd even stick a needle into her major artery!
Soon, the group followed Hiruko to a door with a sign that read "Interview Room."

"This is the place. Don't be nervous, Lord Danzo is very easy to talk to."

As someone who had been through it all, Hiruko thoughtfully clenched her small fist, encouraging the tense-looking group.

“Hiruko, you wait for us.”

Jiraiya and the others nodded solemnly and resolutely pushed open the door to enter.

In order to become a strong supporter of Hiruko, they must successfully pass the interview!

Creak~
The interview room was much more spacious than they had imagined; the entire room contained only a table and chairs, and nothing else.
Their interviewer, Shimura Danzo, then an advisor and elder of Konoha, was sitting there resting with his eyes closed.
Hearing the door open, Danzo, who had been waiting for a long time, slowly opened his eyes. His gaze swept over the faces of the people who entered, revealing a faint look of surprise.

They were all familiar faces.
"You lot are the new recruits who came for the interview?"

Danzo looked at Jiraiya and the others, who were considered his junior disciples, with great interest, and his expression became somewhat amused.

Especially after seeing Jiraiya's trio, he began to suspect that the monkey didn't trust him and had sent his disciple to infiltrate Konoha, staging a double agent operation.

Danzo's reputation in Konoha wasn't bad; in fact, he was publicly praised by Hiruzen Sarutobi for his bravery in the previous war.
So while they wouldn't say they idolized him, they at least respected him; basic courtesy was expected, and they all bowed respectfully to him as juniors.
"Greetings, Elder Danzo."

"Did Hiruzen and Torifu send you?"

Looking at the several promising young talents of Konoha, Danzo suppressed his joy and asked in a low voice,
The unintentional release of his powerful aura made Jiraiya and the others feel a little breathless, but as disciples of the Hokage and elders, they withstood the pressure and unanimously shook their heads.

"No, we all came for interviews after seeing the flyers."

"Oh?"

Surprised that these little ones could withstand his oppressive aura, Danzo immediately raised an eyebrow.
As expected of the disciple favored by the monkey and the wind-bringer,
At this moment, it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.
The newly established headquarters, while well-funded, is short-handed; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so desperate as to recruit even the unremarkable Biruko.

Of course, Hiruko's ability to get the job was entirely due to his superior personal qualities, and had nothing to do with anything behind him.

Danzo, eager to find talented individuals, rested his chin on his hands, his slightly narrowed eyes revealing a sharp glint.

As their gazes swept over the area, Jiraiya and the others suddenly caught their breath.
"You need to think this through. Everything Root does goes beyond Konoha's bottom line. It's a department that's even more hidden than the Anbu. Once you join, it's like taking root in the darkness and never seeing the light of day again."

The calm tone of the narrative described the responsibilities of the root department, creating a very harsh and ruthless image of the department.
"Would you still want to join a department like this?"

Jiraiya didn't care about anything else; his best brother's chrysanthemum was in danger, how could he, as the eldest brother, sit idly by?
"willing!"

Even if he knew nothing about Root, the Toad Sage was still determined to give it a shot.
"A department hidden even deeper than the Dark Bureau, huh? Interesting."

Tsunade raised her hand with a smile; she loved experiencing this kind of tense and exciting life.
Since Hiruzen Sarutobi had previously rejected her application to join the Anbu, she would join a department even darker than the Anbu.
"Ugh"

Orochimaru sighed softly. He had originally planned to gather more information about Root before making a decision.
But since Jiraiya and Tsunade have both joined, it would seem out of place if he didn't express his opinion.
"I'd also like to join."

"Me too!"

Matt Day also raised his hand, afraid of missing out on this top-notch job with excellent benefits.

"It is our inescapable duty to fight for the rise of Konoha!"

Sakumo Hatake nodded, his face radiating a Will of Fire that would make Danzo feel ashamed of himself.

"If I hadn't wanted to join, I wouldn't be where I am now."

Kato Dan glanced at Tsunade, and along with the others, expressed his stance.

"Uh"

Danzo's expression froze, the feigned seriousness vanishing from his face, leaving only utter bewilderment.
Didn't you agree too readily? You should have at least questioned him a couple of times!
Does that make him seem low-class?

Having already made up his mind to join Root, Jiraiya urged Danzo with an eager expression.

"Elder Danzo, no, Elder Danzo, where do we go to complete the onboarding process?"

"."

"Ahem, you guys are underestimating the Roots. This isn't a department that just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can join."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than two cats and dogs burst through the door.

"Meow~"

"Wang Wang!"

Following closely behind was the panicked Hiruko.
"I'm sorry, Lord Danzo, for letting them in."

Seeing the cats and dogs that had suddenly appeared, Danzo's expression turned extremely cold, and a chilling aura emanating from his body was clearly visible.
Jiraiya and the others couldn't help but feel worried for these poor kittens and puppies.
"Little Orchid".

Danzo narrowed his tiger-like eyes, startling Hiruko so much that she stood frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably as she held Hakimi's delicate body.

Oh no, oh no, oh no! It's all my fault for not guarding the gate properly. Now Hakimi and Bruce are going to the Pure Land!

"Disrupting work order during work hours, punish them! They'll skip one canned food meal today!" (End of Chapter)