"Rie—raise her yourself. And congratulations... you've successfully infiltrated."
The moment those words left his mouth, Reiji's twisted expression snapped upward, eyes fixed on Hiruzen Sarutobi like he was staring at a lunatic.
"Heh... if you want something, just say it. I'll cooperate. No need to insult my intelligence like this."
At the same time, he clutched Rie even tighter, shouting inwardly.
Rie, we did it! Your brother finally won't be sliced into Reiji sashimi! I can finally keep my promise to your mother. I can finally let you grow up under the sun!
Damn, that was brutal.
This fight—up against a powerful opponent, with no backup, supplies cut—he actually turned the tide!
He'd impressed Hiruzen Sarutobi with his skill, moved him with raw emotion, and shaken his conviction with belief.
To put it bluntly, he had forced the man who would one day be called the "Professor of Ninjutsu" to grow fond of his potential.
Of course, the most crucial part was—his emotions had been completely genuine.
Hearing Reiji's retort, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly smiled.
"You suspicious little brat... you can leave now. I believe no one will stop you.
Even if you walk out of this village right now, I won't stop you."
He was certain—Reiji wouldn't run. In fact, he believed Reiji would truly, willingly join Konoha.
That was the confidence of a legend.
Reiji went quiet.
After a long pause, he slowly stood, still holding the unconscious Rie. His voice was hoarse.
"I... I know what to do now."
With that, he staggered toward the exit.
Just as he pushed open the door and was about to leave, Sarutobi's voice rang out again.
"Oh, right. Just something I'm personally curious about—how exactly did you manage to kill four ninjas, including the jōnin Onoton?
Of course, you don't have to answer if you'd rather not."
Heh, like hell I have a choice! Choose? My ass—what choice do I even have?
Though he was cursing wildly in his head, Reiji's face didn't show a flicker. Without hesitation, he decided to reveal a piece of his hand.
He raised his arm, letting chakra slowly flow through his meridians.
In an instant, a kunai shot out from his sleeve with a sharp whoosh.
Sarutobi's pupils narrowed. Then his heart surged with joy.
He knew Magnet Release was a Kekkei Genkai unique to Sunagakure in the Land of Wind—but he wasn't worried.
Because Reiji hadn't tried to hide it. He hadn't concealed his chakra nature. That meant—he no longer saw Konoha as a threat.
"Magnet Release. It's my chakra nature.
I know, maybe I was born in Sunagakure. Maybe you'll suspect I'm a Suna agent planted in Amegakure.
Doesn't matter anymore. You can assign someone to monitor me 24/7. No need to stay hidden."
Reiji no longer bothered hiding the maturity in his mind. He grabbed the kunai mid-air, then bent down and gently placed it on the ground. With Rie in his arms, he walked out without looking back.
...
In the bright and spacious Hokage's office, Tobirama Senju—over forty but still dashingly composed—stood before a towering window, gazing down at the streets of the village.
Behind him, Hiruzen Sarutobi was delivering a detailed report about Reiji's interrogation. Every gesture, every expression, every word Reiji had spoken—he recounted it all with exact precision.
Not a single personal opinion was mixed in.
When he finished, Hiruzen stood confidently, waiting for his teacher's judgment.
Sure enough, after taking it all in, Tobirama turned slowly to face him, expression unreadable.
"Saru, what's your assessment?"
Hiruzen straightened up, energized.
"Sensei, I believe Reiji Sakuhō possesses intelligence far beyond his age—beyond most adults, even. He values bonds deeply and would give his life for someone he accepts as a comrade. I conclude that he can be shaped by the village's environment and the Will of Fire, and should be brought into Konoha."
"Reason?" Tobirama asked curtly.
It sounded redundant—Hiruzen had just explained.
But he knew better. When his teacher asked for a "reason," it was deeper than logic. It meant: "How can you guarantee his loyalty?"
Without missing a beat, Hiruzen replied,
"The girl—Rie Sakuhō. And the already deceased—Mizukuma Sakuhō."
Tobirama nodded slowly.
"Saru, you've grown. Well done."
"But—while we don't need to worry about Reiji Sakuhō's loyalty, we also can't give him too much responsibility."
"Sensei, why?" Hiruzen asked, startled. He was hoping to take Reiji as a disciple.
Tobirama didn't answer directly. Instead, he posed a question of his own.
"Saru, have you considered this... what if Reiji Sakuhō came to Konoha on his own?"
"What?" Hiruzen repeated, stunned.
Tobirama didn't press him further, simply speaking aloud to himself.
"Reiji Sakuhō likely intended to leave Amegakure from the very beginning.
You can tell from how he arranged things with his teacher, Mizukuma. He knew him well—and he knew Hanzō of the Salamander just as well.
I'm certain that if he had the chance, he would've taken his teacher and fled.
Unfortunately, Mizukuma Sakuhō was raised by Hanzō. Even if their ideologies clashed, betrayal was nearly impossible for him.
So, Reiji arranged for his teacher—the single Mizukuma—to get married, hoping that emotional ties would make him hesitate.
That also explains why he later attacked his fellow Amegakure shinobi.
First, because he truly couldn't tolerate what they were doing. Second, because he was confident he could eliminate all witnesses. Third, because he didn't care about the village.
That's also why he openly told you about killing Amegakure shinobi—he wasn't hiding it.
He was sending you a message: Amegakure meant nothing to him. Only Mizukuma Sakuhō mattered.
He chose Konoha. You didn't choose him!"
After speaking, he glanced at the stunned Hiruzen Sarutobi, reached into a drawer, pulled out a scroll, and placed it on the table.
"Take a look."
Hiruzen snapped out of it, grabbed the scroll, and started reading rapidly.
"A cursed seal?! Found on the tongue of that teenager who died in the Land of Hot Water?!" he exclaimed.
"The research team already looked into it. It's a trigger-type seal designed to destroy the entire brain if any information about Amegakure is revealed.
He told you all that about Amegakure. Did he die?
Or did you see a cursed seal on his tongue?"
Hiruzen shook his head blankly.
"This guy had already figured out how to neutralize the curse. Maybe he had been preparing to leave Amegakure all along!"
Tobirama Senju let out a slow sigh, a flicker of unease flashing in his eyes.
Not fear of strength—but of intellect.
Reiji Sakuhō was an exposed spy sent from Amegakure. Yet through sheer strategy and manipulation, he made both Hiruzen and Tobirama drop their intent to kill him and even let him live in Konoha.
Through his actions, he packaged himself as completely harmless, and with near-total honesty, wore down their vigilance.
Reiji Sakuhō—a spy, a traitor—had convinced Tobirama Senju that he wouldn't leak Konoha's secrets, and would never betray the village. It was absurd.
Tobirama had never encountered such cunning and intellect, not even during the Warring States period.
Maybe Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju possessed world-breaking power, but when it came to foresight and manipulating hearts—they were nowhere close.
"No need to monitor him. A guy like this knows exactly what he should do. Since he's chosen Konoha, just let him live quietly here."
Then, Tobirama's tone suddenly hardened.
"But! Saru, remember this—never let him into Konoha's upper echelons!"
He sighed silently to himself, adding in his mind: If you let him rise to the top, not a single one of you will be able to handle him.
...
On a street not far from the Hokage Residence, Reiji carried Rie in his arms, walking with a lazy gait.
To make his intentions clear to Konoha's leadership—to protect Rie, to save Mizukuma, and to legitimize his status as a defector—he had truly exhausted himself today.
To achieve all this, Reiji had prepared three plans.
First, an imperfect fake background—for the idiots.
Second, the tragic genius with a troubled past—for those with a bit of brain.
Third, the harmless slacker who's best left alone—for the truly perceptive.
In fact, Reiji had even prepared a fourth plan, just for one person: the purely kind Reiji. Sadly, that person was already dead.
...
After who knows how long, Rie stirred awake on Reiji's back. Her big, sleepy eyes half-opened as she looked at the golden sunset and asked bluntly:
"Brother, are we dead?"
Reiji nodded blankly.
"Yeah. Our cover's blown. We got beheaded."
"Wah!" The little girl jumped in fright, clinging tightly to Reiji's back as she flailed and grabbed her head.
"No, my head—don't let it fall off!"
Reiji looked over his shoulder and shook his head helplessly at Rie's adorable panic.
"Relax, it's not going anywhere. Here, eat this."
He pulled out a glossy, ruby-red candied apple as if performing a magic trick.
"Whoa! What is this?! So round! So shiny! So cute! It looks delicious!"
Rie's eyes sparkled as she snatched it and gave it a careful lick with her little tongue.
"Wow! So sweet! Brother, is this the afterlife? It's amazing!"
Watching her silly reaction, Reiji couldn't help flicking her forehead with his finger.
"Idiot. If we were dead, you wouldn't feel pain."
Rie tilted her head on his shoulder, blinking in confusion.
"Then how do you know, brother? Have you died before?"
Reiji smirked.
Well, I actually have. If I wasn't afraid of scaring you, I'd have asked: Little sister, want to reincarnate? Zombie-style, of course.
...
Before long, Reiji arrived at his destination with Rie on his back—a blacksmith shop.
If you're going to play a role, you have to commit to it. Reiji planned to live low-key in Konoha, and he wasn't leaving any loose ends.
Back when he was traveling with the merchant caravan, he'd already fed them a fabricated backstory.
In it, he and Rie were siblings from a blacksmith family. As it happened, Rie's father really was a blacksmith, and since Reiji was her current guardian and legal big brother, being from a blacksmith family was only natural.
Is it reasonable? It's practically cosmic truth!
Besides, until he made contact with Amegakure's handler and received his first paycheck, Reiji needed income—to feed his growing appetite and give Rie a happy childhood.
He had two ideas for money: forge weapons for cash, or go find Sarutobi and ask for a salary.
Since he'd already secretly sided with Konoha and become a bona fide double agent, how could he not get paid?
One job, two salaries—and enough spare time for a side hustle. What's not to love?
Once he made enough, Reiji planned to invest in real estate and build a little rental empire in Konoha.
Then, he'd use his tenants' rent to buy up land in other villages.
With time, even if thirty years passed and Konoha Year 48 arrived with the Nine-Tails attack as scheduled, and Konoha took heavy damage, Reiji wouldn't bat an eye.
By then, his assets would be spread across the entire shinobi world.
That's what you call diversified, stable, long-term investment!
Or in simple terms: don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Even if the Fourth Great Ninja War broke out, Reiji still wouldn't panic.
After all, the protagonist and his sidekick would save the world. He'd just pick a scenic spot, hang out in a tree, and wait for the rescue squad.
No way he was ever fighting in a war—not in this life.
There were way too many monsters in this world, and with the Sage of Six Paths still around, what could he possibly fight them with?
At best, he'd learn Flying Thunder God Technique for quick travel and village-to-village rent collection.
Maybe pick up some Puppet Techniques to cut labor costs when flipping land and building houses.
Then train Magnet Release and mine Gold Dust globally.
And finally, master Eight Inner Gates to boost his stamina—and his bedroom performance.
Of course, Lightning Release Chakra Mode was always welcome. The more the better. Great for durability.
Excited by his bright future, Reiji felt a surge of energy.
Soon, they arrived at their destination.
It was a ninja tool shop tucked away in a quiet corner.
The sign read: Katō Ninja Tool Shop.
According to that guy Nihonmatsu, his older brother owned the place and had agreed to give Reiji a chance to earn a living here.
With Rie on his back, Reiji stepped inside.
"Excuse me," he said politely, lifting the curtain marked with the word "Tools" and walking in.
It was nearing dusk. Behind the counter sat a man who looked about 70% like Katō, nodding off in his chair.
"Excuse me!" Reiji called out.
The sudden voice startled the round-bellied man awake.
"Ah! Welcome to Katō Ninja Tool Shop—feel free to look around!"
He recited the greeting automatically, rubbing his drowsy eyes as he stepped out from behind the counter.
"Huh? Two kids? Did your parents send you to run an errand?"
The man asked kindly.
Reiji shook his head.
"Training, then? Need some tools for practice?"
Reiji shook his head again.
"Then what are you here for?"
"I'm a blacksmith. I forge ninja tools."
The man burst out laughing and motioned to Reiji's small frame.
"A little guy like you? You think you can even lift a hammer?"
"Sigh…" Reiji let out a helpless breath.
"No wonder your dad said you lacked common sense and told you to stay home and watch the store.
With your instincts, you'd go out for business and come back with nothing but a loincloth!"
Reiji's comment hit a nerve. The fat man jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"You little brat, are you calling me a loser?"
Before the man could finish, Reiji casually grabbed the corner of the counter—crack! With a snap, a chunk of solid wood broke clean off.
The fat man's face turned beet red.
"You little bastard! That's my luohan pine counter! I spent a hundred thousand ryō on that thing! I'm ruined!"
Watching him flail on the floor like a kid throwing a tantrum, Reiji froze.
A hundred thousand ryō? Luohan pine? Wood Release?
Wood Release: Arrival of Luohan Pine? No, wait—this is clearly Wood Release: Cash Sprouting from the Ground!
Damn, I just found the secret to getting rich!
Suppressing the excitement bubbling inside, Reiji locked eyes with the man in front of him. His first job in Konoha had landed—right here!
With that thought, he didn't hesitate.
"Katō-san, I'm the blacksmith recommended by your father, Noriya Katō."
Hearing this, the fat man stopped flailing, slowly got up, and dusted himself off while muttering under his breath.
The old man sent him, huh? Well, he's always had a sharp eye for people. This kid might really have something. Either way, let's see what he's got!
Clearing his throat, he introduced himself.
"Ahem... I'm Ippongi Katō, the owner of this Katō Ninja Tool Shop."
Ippongi? And your brother's Nihonmatsu? Noriya Katō sure didn't put much effort into naming you two…
Reiji kept a straight face despite the snark running through his head. With Rie beside him, he gave a polite bow.
"Reiji Sakuhō. This is my sister, Rie Sakuhō. We're in your care."
Ippongi nodded, his expression turning serious as he stepped behind the counter.
"Reiji, since you came with my father's recommendation, I trust your character. That said, this is a ninja tool shop. We hold very high standards when it comes to materials, forging technique, heat control, appearance, and hardness.
We sell weapons—tools that save lives or take them—so quality is everything."
Reiji gave a slight nod. He knew this was a test of skill, and his lips curled into a faint smile.
You're talking about stuff I don't even understand—but it doesn't matter. I've got Magnet Release and raw strength. None of this is a problem.
After a moment's thought, Reiji reached into his robe and pulled out a silver senbon the length of his palm. He placed it on the counter.
"Ippongi-san, I made this myself. Please take a look."
At the sight of a senbon, Ippongi's eyes lit up.
Among ninja tools, senbon are one of the best indicators of a blacksmith's craftsmanship.
Senbon are simple and widely used—fast, silent, easy to conceal—beloved by countless shinobi. Along with shuriken and kunai, they make up the three most common ninja tools.
Shuriken demand perfect balance. Kunai require relentless hammering to remove impurities—testing strength and patience. But senbon? They're all about the fine details.
After all, something that small has to be perfectly straight, finely sharpened to pierce anything, and made from the right material: a hard tip and a flexible body.
Ippongi ran his fingers over the gleaming silver tool, inspecting every detail. Then, with a casual motion, he stabbed it into the counter.
The senbon sank in completely, leaving only a sliver of the tail exposed.
And this was solid wood, over five centimeters thick.
Ippongi's grin stretched wider and wider.
Holy crap, did the old man really hook me up with a blacksmith of this level?
My little shop is saved!
With that, he slapped both cheeks, composed himself, and forced a greasy smile.
"Ahem, little brother Reiji, how much were you thinking for salary?"
As long as it's under thirty thousand ryō, anything goes, he muttered to himself.
...
Reiji had no idea Ippongi thought so highly of him—but even if he did, he had no intention of taking a wage.
Working a regular job? Not in this lifetime. He was here to play the long game.
"Ippongi-san, I don't want a salary."
Ippongi froze, his gaze fixed on the two kids behind the counter. His mind raced.
Wait... did these two just arrive in Konoha?
That's right, the old man's been dragging Nihonmoku all over the place... and with the war going on—could they be refugees?
No home, no relatives, nothing...
"Well, that's perfect! I've got a spare room—you two can stay there for now!"
Reiji's expression didn't change. Calmly, he said,
"Ippongi-san, I think you misunderstood. I'm not asking for a salary—I'm proposing a partnership."