Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Part 1: The ROOT Cause Notes

Forbidden Projects

• Project Black
  • Spearheaded by the Analyst. Dark, gruesome, Incomplete.
• Project Green
  • ROOT attempt to grow and utilize Hashirama Cells into shinobi. Deemed FAILURE after only one semi-viable experiment made (Yamato)
    • Expect hashirama cells to be knocked down several pegs in this story.
• Project White
  • Project name for what Danzo is trying to do with Hinata. More info revealed in due time.
• Project Silver
  • ROOT's excavation efforts across the continent. More info revealed in due time. 

Chakra Changes

• Medical Ninjutsu
  • Rare ability which overall requires extensive chakra control. Attempting to perform medical ninjutsu without said chakra control can result in either splicing the individual into pieces, worsening the condition, to causing lethal mutations in the affected cells (Think chakra enhanced cancer)
  • Once thought to be a style lost during the Imperium period, the art began to blossom once more during the killing fields of the second shinobi war; innovation spearheaded by Tsunade.
  • Most common medical ninjutsu users act as first aid or quick patches rather than actual healing; meaning on the field medical ninja CANNOT heal anything more than a few scrapes. They can, however, do:
    • Aid Blood coagulation
    • Aid reducing fevers
    • Aid keeping wound clean
    • CANNOT regenerate tissue beyond minor cuts or scrapes
  • Actual regenerative medical ninjutsu is beyond rare, few have the capability to perform it due to extensive understanding of how the body works and control of precise chakra movements. Those that can are: Tsunade (ability to heal a deep wound in seconds), Kabuto (Heal a deep wound in seconds to minutes), Shizune (Heal a stab wound in minutes to hours)
• Chakra Overload
  • Using outside methods, most commonly by food pills, one can forcibly overload their chakra network and temporarily gain incredible ninjutsu ability ASSUMING they survive the initial overdose of the food pills. (example: Hidden Rain genin in Forest of Death)
    • High chance it ends in severe damage of chakra network
    • Any chakra attacks used are prone to instability
      • May fail entirely
      • May go out of control
      • May backfire on user 
• Chakra natures
  • When transforming chakra into a respective element; that element is generally weaker than its natural counterpart in some form.
    • Fire style
      • Chakra is mimicking combustion rather than generating actual fire; so, while chakra flame looks like fire and causes pain, lacks destructive thermal power of real fire.
    • Water Style
      • Converting chakra into Water is severely inefficient and can easily drop a ninja’s chakra levels to absolute zero (resulting in death) if they aren’t careful
    • Earth style
      • Apart from requiring heavy amounts of chakra to mold, earth style constructs DO NOT have the density of natural rock
    • Wind Style
      • Chakra made wind mimics cutting/pushing force but will struggle against dense materials. Also suffers from limited range due to dissipating quickly.
    • Lightning Style
      • Chakra electricity is more like a controlled shock. Painful, paralyzing but hardly lethal unless acute mastery is acquired
    • By mastering a chakra nature and chakra transformation, one can eventually achieve chakra become just as powerful as natural element (though this is typically found only in elite Jonin)
• Chakra System
  • Chakra Points
    • Micro-points spread across the body where chakra can be released and utilized.
    • Can be damaged, but always reparable
  • Chakra Coils
    • Internal reservoirs where chakra is generated by molding physical and spiritual energy.
    • Damage can be catastrophic, rupturing them and cutting chakra usage off permanently
  • Chakra Network
    • Lattice of vein/artery like structures that connects the coils to the chakra points, circulating chakra through the body.
  • Chakra Density
    • “Weight” of chakra, Small but dense chakra will always overwhelm a larger, thinner one. Density is naturally higher in clans, but training can refine it.
  • Chakra control
    • Ability to shape, suppress and efficiently direct chakra.
  • Chakra flow
    • Ability to move chakra quickly throughout the coils and network for active usage. Hand seals stimulate network for faster flow, mastering techniques allows one to stimulate flow without need of hand signs.
  • Chakra usage
    • No shinobi can reduce reserves to absolute zero. Network will shutdown before so as a natural safeguard. Attempting to forcibly utilize chakra anyway at best will result in paralysis and damage of the chakra points and chakra coils. At worst, remaining chakra will be drawn out resulting in immediate death.
• Dual or more Chakra natures (Ice, Crystal, dust etc…)
  • Typically reserved and only performed by specific bloodlines which have natural ability to meld two natures into a new form.
  • Those which have mastered respective natures may be able to utilize a Kekkei Gekkei without coming from a specific bloodline by completing a perfect understanding of the needed elemental natures.
    • In other words: A Shinobi who has MASTERED Wind and Water and understands the required specifics may be able to use ice style
  • Kekkei Tota requires natural affinity. No amount of training will ever allow usage of a kekkei tota jutsu.
    • Wood Style: Earth + Water + Yang
    • Dust Style: Wind + Earth + Fire

Hinata’s Abilities

• Current
  • Water Style:
    • Piercing Stream
      • High pressure lance of water
    • Swirling Guard
      • Swirling orb of water that expands; capable of distributing an attack around the user.
  • Fire Style:
    • Ember Shot
      • Flurry of red-hot embers
  • Hyuga Style
    • Chakra Propulsion 
      • Overload of Chakra focused at the soles, propelling user
    • Gentle Fist
      • 32 palm
      • dashing palm
  • Chakra control 
    • Heat Regulation 
    • Chakra Masking 
    • Chakra Efficiency 
  • Taijutsu
    • Gentle Fist
    • ROOT training
• Upcoming 
  • Vector-based attack
  • Flow-based attack

Konoha Politics

• The Fire daimyo
  • Ruler of the Land of Fire, controls the political and economic side of the country, dealing with the nobles, temples and economic matters.
  • Power of the Daimyo is balanced by three factions:
    • Nobility faction
      • Fickle, ambitious, deep coffers and deeper grudges.
    • Temple faction
      • Conservative, uninterested in politics, heavily influences peasant class.
    • Guild Faction
      • Gold driven, eager for growth and expansion
• The Hokage
  • Ruler of the Village hidden in the leaves, controls the military arm of the Land of Fire, dealing with espionage, defense, contracts and social stability. Power of the Hokage is split between three factions
    • Shinobi council
      • A council headed by the four great noble clans of the Leaf. These clans hold permanent seats. Annually, Middle clans rotate seats as to ensure the lesser clans have some form of influence in the council. Duties are to advise Hokage, lead village affairs, delegate clan and military matters across the nation. Majority support needed to vote in or remove Hokage from power.
        • Hyuga
        • Uchiha
        • Akamichi
        • Aburame
        • Two Rotating Middle Clans (Yamanaka, Nara, Inuzuka, etc…)
• Civilian council
  • Typically made up of the wealthiest and most influential individuals of the village. Typically, seats are essentially bought by offering large sums of donations to the village. Duties are to maintain economic and social growth of the village
• Elder council
  • While on paper the weakest of the factions due to lack of hard authority and duties, is in fact the most powerful of the three factions.
  • Advice the Hokage and maintain traditional aspects and stability of Leaf government through weight of influence.
    • Homura Mitokado
    • Koharu Utatane

Countries and Villages

• Great Powers (Strongest to Weakest)
  • Land of Lightning*
    • Hidden Cloud
      • Hands down, dominant military power on the continent
      • Self-sufficient economy, internal focus in diplomacy: Mostly uninterested in alliances save for guarantees on Land of Frost and Land of Hot Springs. Not true alliances, more similar to pledges to protect the two countries if another great power invades. Kumo does this to keep Frost and Hot springs as buffer states that guard the peninsula land of lightning is situated in. Apart from this, there is little diplomatic/economic connections between the three countries.  
      • By far most orderly nation
  • Land of Fire*
    • Hidden Leaf
      • Cultural, Economic heart of the Continent
      • Military greatly weakened following Third Shinobi War, Uchiha massacre and 9 tails attack
      • ROOT Intrigue in the background
      • Highly fraught with clan/civilian tensions following disasters of the third war. 
  • Land of Earth
    • Hidden Stone
      • Stable, Conservative society and economy
      • Military severely weakened following third war
      • Diplomatically reaching out to nearby countries (Lands of mountains, bears, Fangs)
  • Land of Water
    • Hidden Mist
      • Once home to most Kekkei Gekkei out of all lands due to lack of direct control during the Imperial period.
      • Numerous rebellions, Coups and Civil Wars greatly diminished bloodlines and left entire islands devastated. 
      • Economically impoverished and diplomatically isolated
  • Land of Wind
    • Hidden Sand
      • Economic stagnation and political upheaval wrack the nation
      • Military greatly weakened by cuts and money reallocation
• Middle Powers
  • Land of Waterfalls
    • Hidden Waterfall
  • Land of Iron
    • Samurai Remnant
• Lower Powers
  • Land of Mountains
    • Hidden Crag
  • Land of Bears
    • Hidden Star
  • Land of Fangs
    • none
  • Land of Birds
    • none
  • Land of Rainfall
    • Hidden Rain
  • Land of Rivers
    • Hidden Valley
  • Land of Meadows
    • Hidden Grass
  • Land of Rice
    • Hidden Sound
  • Land of Hot Springs
    • Hidden Steam
  • Land of Noodles
    • none
  • Land of Waves
    • None
  • Land of Frost
    • Hidden Frost
  • Land of Tea
    • None
  • Land of Spices
    • none
  • Land of Clay
    • none
  • Land of Honey
    • None
  • Land of Petals
    • Hidden flower
  • Land of Blizzards
    • none
  • Land of Snow
    • Hidden Snow
  • Land of Wolves
    • none
• Defunct Great Powers
  • Land of Storms
    • Partitioned between Land of Fire and Land of Wind. Eastern farmlands and forests given to Land of Fire, Western canyons given to Land of Wind. Core remains broken up to form lands of: Meadows, Birds, Rainfall, Rivers.
  • Land of Sky
    • Destroyed; Islands largely abandoned. 
  • Land of Whirlpools
    • Destroyed; collapsed into corrupt and lawless island micro-states. 

Continental Alliances

• The Pact of Unity

• • An alliance proposed and pushed by the Third Hokage ever since the end of the third Great War, has only recently borne fruit due to heavy machinations from the Hyuga. Aims to maintain a economic and diplomatic sphere of co-prosperity to ensure war does not break out again.
  • While the alliance has in theory been agreed upon, it remains incredibly fragile while economic unity has yet to be agreed upon.
    • Hidden Leaf (leader)
    • Hidden Sand 
    • Hidden mist
    • Hidden Sound
    • Hidden Waterfall
    • Hidden Rain
    • Hidden Grass
• Merchant Alliance
  • Alliance between the primary mercantile states in the Eastern continent. While none of the lands in the alliance has a village, their sheer wealth allows them the ability to hire swaths of mercenaries and rogue shinobi should a threat ever occur.  
    • Tea (Leader)
    • Spices
    • Clay
    • Noodles
• Northern Pact
  • Alliance between the three known Northern Lands. Reclusive and uninterested in the politics of the Eastern Continent, the North Pact holds a strict neutral position and refuses to get involved in the barbaric bloodletting the wracks the shinobi world every few decades.  
    • Land of Snow (Leader)
    • Land of Blizzards
    • Land of Wolves

Status of the Hyuga

• The Hyuga have consistently remained steadfast in their support to the Third, not out of loyalty per say but out of a tradition of honor. As they supported his initial ascension, they continue to ensure his reign so long as Hiruzen doesn’t move against them.
• Before the Uchiha massacre, the Uchiha acted as a vital counterweight to Hyuga power. Uchiha held the police, considerable influence in ANBU, and powerful reputation with many Uchiha being consistently chosen to guard the daimyo and other related nobles. Meanwhile, Hyuga emphasized cultural and political influence, gaining power via marriages and noble alliances.
• Post-massacre, the Hyuga have exponentially grown in power. In village influence alone, it would take the combined effort of the Akamichi, Aburame, Yamanaka, Inuzuka, and Nara to even challenge them.
  • A Hyuga descendant groomed and taught by Hyuga tutors is set to be the next Daimyo of the Land of Meadows (Hidden Grass)
  • A Hyuga marriage to one of the Land of waterfalls most powerful noble families has achieved considerable influence in the country and is largely responsible for Takigakure’s uneasy attempt to mend relations with the leaf.
  • Multiple Hyuga alliances and pacts of the Suna nobility has heavily influenced the Land of Wind’s Daimyo’s decision to befriend the land of Fire
  • It is well known that the current Land of Fire daimyo’s heir-apparent is smitten with the Hyuga clan and is an open secret that he intends to formally wed into the clan once he ascends to Daimyo.
  • Further Hyuga influences found in Land of Rivers, Land of Noodles and Land of Tea.
• I can’t state this enough: The easiest way to think of the Hyuga post-Uchiha massacre is truly to see them as the closest one can get to shinobi royalty. Something akin to the Habsburgs I suppose, 

Ninja training

• Ninja Academy
  • Students wishing to become shinobi (or their parents wishing for their children to become shinobi as often the case) may enroll in the ninja academy which will see students activate their naturally dormant chakra network and learn to harness chakra as well as the basics of martial arts, chakra theory, etc. Typically lasts between ages five/six to fifteen/sixteen.
• Jonin Instruction
  • Once graduated from the ninja academy, students will be assigned to a Tokubetsu Jonin/Jonin/Elite Jonin who will assess their skills. Of said students, only cream of the crop will have the opportunity to train with a Jonin to develop specialized skills with the goal of becoming the next generation of Jonin style shinobi. Typically made up of, mostly, if not all, clan born students.
• Secondary Academy
  • Students who were deemed not good enough for Jonin instruction are sent to the secondary academy where over a course of six to eight years will be trained to become the bulk of Chunin forces, typically to act as back up to Jonin officers or guard borders.
• Supplementary Instruction
  • These ninjas are those who were unable to handle the difficult later years of the Secondary Academy. Usually consists of civilian born shinobi. Most will never face open combat, instead holding rear line positions. All trained to be average low chunin to act as emergency reserves for war.

Ninja Ranking

• Elite Jonin (Handpicked by Kage)
  • Typically 2 to 8 per village depending on prosperity
  • Typically solo S-rank missions
  • Equal parts miliary commander and Symbol of Village power
  • Examples: Jiraiya, Gai, Kakashi
• Jonin (Achieved Via Jonin Exams: Unlike Chunin Exams, Jonin Exams are highly confidential for each village)
  • Fully realized, High ranking shinobi
  • Masters across Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu
  • Typically leads squads of Jonin and Tokubetsu Jonin to perform S-rank missions
  • Examples: Asuma, Kurenai
• Tokubetsu Jonin (Achieved Via Merit)
  • Chunin level shinobi with jonin level skill in particular area
  • Often employed in specialist roles
    • Interrogation
    • Assassination
    • Reconnaissance
  • Examples: Anko, Ibiki, Ebisu
• Chunin (Achieved Via Chunin Exams)
  • Standard professional ninja
  • Demonstrates reliable skill, intelligence and leadership
  • Typically peak physical human condition compared to non chakra users
  • Typically acts in squads of Chunin and/or genin
  • Example: Iruka, Izumo, Kotetsu
• Genin (Achieved Via Ninja Academy Graduation)
  • Entry level shinobi
  • Typically incredibly weak; unless part of shinobi clans
  • Example: Sakura abilities typically standard for most genin save for clan based students.

General Timeline:

• Ancient Period (Unknown Length)
  • Introduction of Chakra.
  • End Trigger: Death of Asura
• Lost Period (Lasted roughly 2000 years)
  • Relatively unknown due to history cleansing by the Iron Imperium. All that is known is shinobi in these days were far more attuned with natural chakra.
  • End Trigger: Rain of Fire (meteor storm in far western continent)
• The Shattered Period (Lasted 100 years)
  • Era of conquest and death as desperate, conquering hordes of the early samurai invaded the eastern continent
  • End Trigger: Iron Imperium Established
• The Imperial Period (Lasted 1,000 years)
  • Continental wide empire that ruled with an Iron fist. Islands that make up land of water remained outside imperial control due to naval superiority (reason for initial high volume of bloodlines before blood purges began)
  • End Trigger: Shinobi Rebellion/Collapse of Imperium
• The Warring state Period (Lasted roughly 300 years)
  • Short peace that followed the imperium’s collapse descended into a bloody chaos as states rose and fell with the seasons.
  • End Trigger: Formation of Konohagakure
• The Shadow Period
  • Current

The Shadow Period

• 1st Shinobi World War
  • Triggered following the assassination of the 1st Hokage. A decade of viscous fighting ensues with seemingly no end in sight. War draws to a close in a bitter stalemate as 8 major powers are left standing.
    • Uzigakure (whirlpool)*
    • Konogakure (leaf)
    • Iwagakure (stone)
    • Sunagakure (sand)
    • Kumogakure (cloud)
    • Kirigakure (mist)
    • Soragakure (sky)*
    • Amigakure (storm)*
• 2nd Shinobi World War
  • Mistrust, demands for conquests, and hatred from the indecisive first shinobi war erupts in conflict. War ends with the destruction of three of eight great powers and mass devastation across the continent. Konoha stands victorious and undefeated largely due to Hiruzens battle prowess and Danzo’s strategic brilliance.
    • Soragakure (Land of Sky) razed by Konoha, largely abandoned
    • Amigakure loses eastern forests to Konoha and Western canyons to Suna. Remnants broken up into Lands of birds, rain, grass, and rivers.
    • Uzigakure destroyed, crumbles into dozens of island micro states
• 3rd Shinobi World War
  • Conflict erupts between 5 great powers following attempts of de-militarization and severe economic stagnation.
    • By far bloodiest of the three wars, for the first time enemy forces break through leaf defenses leaving large swaths of fire territory devasted as war turns against land of Fire.
    • After several years of war, Konoha stands victorious ONLY due to the unmatched might of the fourth hokage.
• 4th Shinobi World War
  • A devastating conflict between multiple factions… NO SPOILERS!! 😊

ANBU

• Typically made up of elite chunin level ninja
  • Being in the ANBU doesn’t entail chakra prowess or fighting capability; rather it means you as individual are willing to get hands dirty if mission calls for it
  • Members of ANBU are more orientated toward assassination, sabotage and spy networks
• “Glass Cannons”.
  • Due to the nature of missions, ANBU are NOT designed to fight in the frontlines of a conflict, nor clash against an enemy in a 1v1 scenario
  • ANBU are specialists in guerilla tactics, espionage, and lightning offensives
  • Meant to hit hard and fast and get the hell out. 

ROOT

• Once a rival organization to the ANBU, ROOT was forcibly disbanded by order of the Hokage following the atrocious Third Shinobi War after overwhelming evidence of rogue-like actions and numerous massacres.
• All of ROOT’s wealth and territory were absorbed, with numerous individuals being arrested on order of the Third Hokage
• Danzo avoided arrest only due to Hiruzen’s own judgment but was barred from ever entering the Hokage residence or influencing leaf political matters.
• Known Divisions
  • Sealing Division (unofficial name)
    • The sealing division are specially trained ROOT agents who as name implies are trained and focused to seal threats away or even un-seal locked area.
  • Onyx Division
    • Best, most elite ROOT agents. Danzo’s handpicked bodyguards. Currently numbering four. Noticeable due to their pure black masks.
  • Pale Branch Division
    • ROOT’s research and experimentation division, headed by the Analyst.

Questions frequently asked on discord:

I’ve had several readers come on discord with mostly same questions, so I put them below just in case anyone else had the same:

• Is Hiashi a bad person?
  • I'll let ya'll decide that. He’s definitely a bad parent. Here is the thing with Hiashi in this story: Much like how younger Hinata once upon a time desperately sought his approval, he seeks the elders approval. It’s a cycle of control and dominance for the Hyuga main branch. However, that doesn’t mean he is a victim here. Perhaps he once was, but the days of victimhood for Hiashi have long since sailed. He makes his own choices, and he chooses the cruel tradition set by the elders.
• Does Hiashi love Hinata?
  • Love is a strong word… He certainly holds some parental affection for his daughter… somewhere in there… if you dig deep enough… Deeper than the dwarves of Moria... Point is, he isnt heartless. But that affection is a drop of water compared to the tsunami that is his desire to follow tradition and the will of the elders.
• What is this decay thing you keep mentioning?
  • Patience is a virtue!
• How long will the story be?
  • Very long…. I hope ya’ll are willing to come along for the long haul…
• Is Danzo a villain in this story
  • Yes, 100%
• Will this story go into Shippuden
  • Yup, though we still have quite a while to get to that point. Like I said… hope ya’ll in for the long haul.
• Will the story deviate from canon events or will it follow the story?
  • It will deviate to new territory. Again, patience is a virtue. Still trying to set everything up.

Maps

• So fun fact: I did not know there was not an official fully fleshed out map of the Naruto world. I could have sworn there was but no avail. Sooo, after doing a little bit of research on what Kishimoto did fill in as well filler I drew out a map. I could not figure out for the life of me how to add an image here so I just put a link from discord. To my understanding, everyone who clicks the link should be able to view it?... If not, let me know and I'll play with it.