Unlike ANBU that act as a black ops police force that guards Konohagakure's national security without a face or without a name, ROOT is secretive even amongst the most selective black ops groups. For years, ROOT has been working in the shadows of Konohagakure, while their power has often fluctuated over the years, they have never ceased to exist in one form or another... the unseen ones who support the great tree of Konoha from the depths of the earth." ROOT has a history of despicable actions, from the genocide of the Uchiha clan at the word of their commander at the time (Danzo) to political assassinations and eliminations of even their nations own ninja whom they deemed to be a threat to the country. Proving them to be far more secretive and radical than almost any other force in the ninja world.

ROOT agents are a group of ninja that are trained from a young age, usually Genin-Chunin to operate in total secret and under the skin of society, blending in with common ninja or ANBU and executing missions unknown to even Jounin of the village of such a sensitive or inflammatory nature that they could happily place Konoha at risk internationally and/or internally. Simply put, ROOT performs tasks in the shadow of Konoha's way of fire, operating outside the law with impunity and largely without oversight to do what needs to be done, no matter how dirty, no matter how dangerous and no matter how criminal to ensure the sustained future of the land of fire.

Typically, ROOT specialize in complete objective silence, few of them ever meeting one another unless they're placed in a squad from their commander. Masters of stealth and subterfuge even among other ninja ROOT agents are expert infiltrators, spies, and assassins.

ROOT Agent NPC:

ROOT, in order to operate in secret have been tailored a uniform that looks subtly separate from the normal ANBU of the village for when they're operating in an official capacity within the ROOT training centers or on a mission with other ROOT. However, this uniform is similar to the traditional garbs of the ANBU in order to keep questions to a minimum of their identity should they happen to be seen. Commonly wearing uniforms that wear a black hooded cloak over their unique masks which, while they bear the animal faces similar to normal ANBU, they all bear aggressive expressions upon them such as snarling wolves or roaring lions. Additionally, ROOT agents seldom wear colors other than black unless they're assimilating into crowds or daily life simply for the camouflage aspect of blending into the shadows of the night.

As an interesting ritual, root members, once they swear allegiance to ROOT upon entrance, are each given a chakra laced tattoo on their tongues. Usually invisible to the naked eye, should the user flow their unique chakra into it, it reveals itself as a form of identification.

Members of Root receive the following Equipment per rank:

• Genin:
  -ROOT Mask.
  
• Chuunin:
  -ROOT Mask (If new)
  -ROOT Cloak
  -ANBU Flack Jacket
  
• Sp.Jonin:
  -Free B rank ANBU weapon
  
• Jonin:
  -Free A rank ANBU weapon / upgrade.
  

ROOT Equipment:

ROOT is an incredibly exclusive group that trains only those it believes to be a powerful asset to the cause, picking from fine clans and prodigies across konoha. To become a member of ROOT, a ninja has to start their training early. At either Genin or Chunin the ninja must have trained their clans KKG skill if applicable (ie Sharingan) to its highest possible stage for their ninja rank and have their stats to their current maximum, as well as trained/apped 5 jutsu/items of a rank higher than their ninja rank. Additionally to prove their worth and skill to ROOT for recruitment they must have completed 5 missions of their ninja rank (Or pay 2500 ryo). Once this is completed, the ninja is able to apply for a position in root from an Admin or the Hokage / ROOTs Leader in the corresponding request thread(s) where they'll be offered an initiation thread from an A rank member already belonging to ROOT. Once that thread is completed, post its completion and upon Admin Request you'll be bestowed with your title as a ROOT agent!

Ranking up as a member of ROOT is far more simple, in addition to normal rank up requirements the member requires to have completed 2 additional missions of their ninja rank or higher, 3 stats trained to the maximum amount for your rank and have 5 jutsu/items of 1 rank higher than their ninja rank.

When it comes to invasions, due to the sheer secrecy and lower numbers of ROOT members spread out across the nation, ROOT members are not able to simply automatically invade the threads of others, meaning they must roll to invade in their country as per normal. However, due to their almost rogue nature and the dubious legality of their missions; Missions ROOT members create can be labeled with [ROOT], these missions are always off the books, and considered criminal by standard ninja in Konohagakure. As such, these missions use the criminal payout in place of the payout for standard missions.

Finally, when it comes to the training and techniques of the members of ROOT, they put a much larger emphasis on stealth jutsu and the acquiring of information by any means. ROOT are known to be able to infiltrate even the heaviest security, complete their missions undetected by the enemy and escape without complication. Signifying this, ROOT agents aren't often trained to aid others in combat, but rather to focus on themselves and the mission at hand. ROOT, as such do not receive either the 'Peaceful Stasis Palm Technique' or the 'ANBU Barrier Technique.' Instead, they gain the 'Hiding in Shadow' technique at D rank, and 'Hiding with Camoflague' when they reach A rank.  

Hiding in Shadow:

Hiding with Camoflague: