Because they had been in the cultivation pod since childhood, they couldn't speak, express themselves, or even understand what was being said.
Even though Kei used the Mind Body Transmission Technique, he could only vaguely sense the other person's emotions. He could perceive that Yamato did not want to take a single step away from the little girl's side.
Considering the two possessed Wood Release, it was indeed not suitable for too many people to know about them at this stage.
After some thought, he had the second squad captain summon Nonō, who was currently on leave and working part-time at the Konoha Orphanage to take care of the children.
She had a gentle personality, great patience, strong affinity with others, and experience in caring for children. If this job wasn't given to her, who else could take it?
"Kei-sama, subordinate from the intelligence division, 'Miko,' reporting for duty."
Nonō was indeed worthy of the title of a top-tier spy. Her emotional control was impeccable.
Even though every time she bathed and saw the marks on her legs, she wished she could bite Kei to death, her expression remained perfectly calm when they met in person.
Indifferent, distant, steady, reserved... Her external demeanor and aura were no different from an ordinary Root ninja.
"With our relationship, do you really need to be so formal?" Kei looked helplessly at her, who was acting strictly by the book.
"It seems that I have never met you before."
"Alright, alright, how many times have you cursed me in your heart already? There's no need to pretend you don't know me."
"You are overthinking. I have absolute loyalty to Root and strictly adheres to its ninja management regulations. I would never insult my superior."
Nonō slightly lowered her head to hide the expression that almost broke through her calm facade.
Mind Body Transmission Technique again!
Stay calm! Stay calm!
She quickly adjusted her state of mind, trying to empty her thoughts and prevent herself from overthinking.
In just a few seconds, she entered a state of complete emotional detachment—no joy, no sorrow, no distractions.
Root had strict ninja management regulations. If she were caught insulting a superior... Her fate would not be a good one.
"Relax, I really didn't use the Mind Transmission Technique." Kei held his forehead and inwardly cursed Danzō once again.
Just look at what he had turned this girl into!
Nonō was silent for a moment before cautiously raising her head to observe Kei's expression.
After a while, her tense body relaxed slightly.
"!!! Did you just curse at me again?"
"Kei-sama, please rest assured. I was merely praising you for your care towards your comrades and your thoughtfulness towards subordinates. You are truly an outstanding ninja who has inherited the Will of Fire."
"You've really mastered the art of sarcasm." Kei rolled his eyes and stopped playing verbal games with Nonō.
He pointed to the medical room, where a little girl lay inside the cultivation pod, while Yamato was half-leaning against it.
Then he continued, "I'm giving you a long-term mission—to teach these two children how to speak, write, mold chakra, and learn basic survival skills. And take care of them while you're at it."
"Root's training methods?"
"No, a normal child's upbringing."
"Understood." Nonō took a deep look at Kei before bowing and accepting the mission.
Children who entered Root...
Did they still receive normal education? And... Speaking? Writing? Basic knowledge? These two children looked around five or six years old. Could they really not speak yet?
"I'll give you the mission scroll later. I'll also transfer your records from the Intelligence Division. For now… you'll temporarily serve as my assistant."
Kei waved his hand and got up, walking out of the medical room.
Before he could take full control over all of Root, making drastic changes to its system in a hurry would only cause a series of complications. If he wanted to shape Root into what he needed, he had to take it slow.
Nonō bowed and accepted the order.
An assistant, huh? If the superior wasn't too strict, it didn't seem like a bad arrangement.
"Oh, by the way, those two— the boy is named Yamato, and the girl is named Akeno."
After leaving the medical room, Kei replaced the shadow clones that were on duty in Root, as well as the one disguised as Danzō.
With his head feeling heavy and groggy, he made his way home.
After working non-stop for so long—especially staying up for two whole days—he hastily ate a quick dinner before falling asleep, holding Kushina in his arms.
By the time he woke up again, it was already noon the next day.
Stretching out lazily, he squinted at the snowflakes falling outside the window, as well as the lanterns and ribbons hanging at the entrances of houses in the clan compound.
It suddenly dawned on him, New Year's was just around the corner!
"Kushina-senpai, Kei-senpai's genjutsu is amazing! Spending six days inside it feels like six years—doesn't that mean you can learn anything super fast?" A young girl's unfamiliar voice came from outside the bedroom door.
"Hmm... No technique is without its flaws. There are probably some restrictions on it. But this is something you should ask Kei himself—I'm not too sure." Kushina patiently explained her understanding to Shizune.
Shizune had graduated from the Ninja Academy in the same year as Kurenai. Right after graduation, she was taken in by Tsunade from the Third Hokage.
She had been training under Tsunade at Konoha Hospital ever since.
Now that Tsunade was undergoing genjutsu therapy and hadn't shown up at the hospital for several days, the worried young girl brought a fruit basket and came over to visit.
The two of them continued speaking in hushed voices.
Meanwhile, Kei was contemplating the feasibility of Shizune's idea.
Because he was accustomed to using genjutsu for combat and brainwashing, he had never considered this application before.
But... it might actually work?
Although training inside a genjutsu meant being disconnected from reality, which meant that the control over various abilities depended entirely on the user's own experience and knowledge, it could still significantly accelerate learning.
Of course, after leaving the genjutsu, the body and memory would need some time to adapt and synchronize. But it was still enough to drastically speed up the learning process!
The only downside was... For Kei himself, this required finding someone to help use the technique, and it could only accelerate cognitive processes. After all, a genjutsu constructed from his own knowledge and memories couldn't simulate things he had never learned.
Even if he forcefully created them, they would only be superficial.
Having quickly sorted out the logic behind this genjutsu application, he was just about to get up and wash up when shizune's gossip-filled voice rang out again from outside the door.
"Kushina-senpai, is Lady Tsunade… getting married?"
"Huh? Why do you ask?"
"I heard that nobles from the Land of Fire shave their eyebrows before marriage as a symbol of their commitment to their partner for life… and Lady Tsunade…"
Hearing this, Kei quickly let out a loud fake cough to catch the attention of the two outside.
What kind of nonsense was this?! Was Shizune trying to make up the wildest theory possible?