After changing into her new outfit, Konan pushed open the door and stepped out.
Kitazawa's eyes flicked toward her, assessing.
Her composed, icy demeanor suited the Anbu perfectly—it was just her blue-violet hair that stood out a little too much.
Still, Kitazawa was the Anbu Commander.
With his authority, no one dared to question his choices. Well—no one except Tsunade.
That was exactly why he wanted Konan in the Anbu.
On his own turf, he could manage the situation far more easily.
And if they were going to put on an act, they might as well make it convincing.
Kitazawa had already told her: she would serve as a real Anbu operative.
She had the strength, and he intended to make full use of it—wasting talent was never his style.
Konan, meanwhile, had no intention of offending Kitazawa.
For Nagato's sake, she was willing to carry out these missions—it was part of their agreement, after all.
"Your missions will be simple," Kitazawa said evenly, his gaze steady. "Just protect me in secret."
"Understood," Konan replied calmly.
To her, the task wasn't much different from her role in Akatsuki.
Only now, Nagato had been replaced by Kitazawa.
And though both men were powerful enough to need no protection, she accepted the mission without question.
Just then, an Anbu ninja approached—Haru.
She stopped before Kitazawa, her eyes briefly darting toward Konan.
Who was this?
Haru didn't remember any Anbu member with such striking hair.
"She's Panther, a new member," Kitazawa said casually.
Panther?
Konan blinked.
So that was the codename he'd chosen for her.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that Kitazawa knew more about her than he should.
"Kitazawa-sama," Haru reported, "all matters approved at this morning's Jōnin Meeting have been officially announced."
Many important decisions had come out of that meeting—ones the entire village would soon know.
Among them: the formation of the Hokage Secretariat Office, and the public revelation that Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
"Understood," Kitazawa nodded. "Good work. You may go."
Haru bowed and departed.
Kitazawa walked to the balcony railing, glancing toward the training grounds below.
If he guessed right, Sasuke and the others had already seen the announcement posted by the Anbu.
He couldn't help but feel a little curious about their reactions—
But he wasn't about to stroll over just to watch their faces.
Turning back, he returned to his desk and began writing a prescription for Nagato.
Thanks to Medical Ninjutsu, most injuries didn't require medicine anymore—ninja could simply be healed on the spot.
Only the most severe cases needed pharmaceutical aid.
Medical Ninjutsu accelerated tissue regeneration by forcing cells to divide and repair at high speed—
In other words, it overdrew the body's natural stamina.
To restore balance, medicine was used to replenish what was lost.
Minor injuries, of course, could heal on their own.
And in Konoha, the Nara Clan's medicinal expertise made them indispensable suppliers of rare herbs.
Konan silently watched him write, her eyes drifting to the prescription on the desk.
After a moment, she looked away.
She didn't understand a single line of it.
The intricacies of medical ninjutsu were far beyond her grasp.
For now, she could only trust Kitazawa completely.
At the Ninja Academy's training grounds—
On most days, Sasuke and the others would nap on the grass or in the trees after lunch.
But today, loud exclamations erupted from the school gate before they could even settle down.
"What's going on?" Kiba yawned, scratching his head.
"Neji, use your Byakugan and check it out," Tenten said quickly.
With the Byakugan's long-range vision, there was no need to walk all the way to the gate to see what the fuss was about.
"There's a big crowd gathered at the bulletin board," Neji reported, eyes glowing pale white.
"A new announcement?" Shikamaru mused aloud. "Kitazawa-sensei and Kakashi-sensei were at the Jōnin Meeting this morning…"
"Then it's gotta be something from that meeting," Kiba said eagerly. "Judging by the noise, it must be huge."
"Neji, can you read what it says?" Ino leaned closer, curious.
"Yes," Neji said with a nod.
Everyone turned toward him—Sasuke, Naruto, and even Yakumo among them.
"The first thing mentioned is the establishment of the Hokage Secretariat Office," Neji reported. He listed off the names that followed.
"Wait—Kitazawa-sensei isn't the one in charge?" Ino blinked in surprise.
Though Kitazawa's name was included, his position was that of a regular secretary.
Given his current status, that seemed almost absurd.
But considering he was already serving as both Anbu Commander and the Academy's Vice Principal, it wasn't hard to see why Tsunade hadn't burdened him further.
"Kitazawa-sensei must have his own reasons," Sakura guessed thoughtfully.
"Hey, Shikamaru—congrats. Your dad's a Hokage advisor now," Kiba said, patting his shoulder with a grin.
"That's no surprise," Shino remarked coolly. "The Nara Clan is known for its intellect."
"When I become Hokage, Shikamaru, you'll be my advisor too!" Naruto declared proudly, giving a thumbs-up.
Shikamaru sighed. "Just thinking about it sounds troublesome. I'll pass."
"You're so lazy!" Ino scolded. "That's a position right under the Hokage!"
"He'll be my advisor," Sasuke cut in coldly, glancing at Naruto.
"…Huh?"
Shikamaru blinked, a row of question marks forming in his mind.
'Why are both of you like this?'
'Our ship of friendship has sunk completely.'
Shikamaru suddenly felt the weight of destiny crushing his shoulders.
With both Naruto and Sasuke having high chances of becoming Hokage someday, his future as a "Hokage advisor" looked depressingly inevitable.
"Wait, why does Shikamaru get to be the Hokage advisor?" Kiba blurted out, puffing up his chest. "I can be one too!"
"There's more than one advisor, Kiba," Sakura said with a teasing smile, her gaze sliding toward Sasuke. "So technically… you still have a chance."
Then she added, grinning mischievously, "As for me, I don't need to be a Hokage advisor."
Her ambition was much simpler—
She wanted to marry the Hokage.
Of course, that depended entirely on whether Sasuke became Hokage first.
"…You've got a pretty suspicious smile there," Ino muttered, giving Sakura a sideways glance.
"No, wait!" Kiba suddenly snapped to attention, thumping his chest again. "Forget advisor—I'll become Hokage myself!"
Tenten sighed, resting a hand on her hip. "Neji, please continue. Just ignore him."
"Second," Neji began calmly, "Kitazawa-sensei will represent Konoha in the upcoming negotiations with the Hidden Mist Village."
"I told you Kitazawa-sensei had something big planned!" Sakura said proudly, patting her chest with satisfaction. "See? My predictions are spot on!"
"It's not that you're accurate—it's that Kitazawa-sensei is incredible," Ino corrected her with a small smirk.
Sasuke went quiet.
For some reason, he suddenly felt like an innocent bystander struck by an invisible arrow.
Whenever Sakura talked about him, she was usually wrong—was that because he wasn't "amazing enough"?
"Third…" Neji's tone suddenly shifted. His expression tensed, and his pupils contracted sharply.
"What's wrong?" Tenten asked, confused.
"Is it something huge?" Kiba leaned forward eagerly. "Neji, hurry up and tell us!"
Neji exhaled deeply before speaking. "The third announcement… Hokage-sama has revealed Naruto's true identity—he's the son of the Fourth Hokage."
"What?!"
Sasuke, Ino, Yakumo, and the rest froze in shock.
Though they were all heirs of prominent clans, none of them had ever been told the truth.
Their parents had only said one thing—be kind to Uzumaki Naruto.
Now, they finally understood why.
"So that's it!" Kiba exclaimed, slapping his palm. "No wonder Naruto's so ridiculously strong!"
He'd always wondered why Naruto's strength grew so fast, so unnaturally.
Now that the truth was out, everything made perfect sense.
"Fourth Hokage-sama wasn't exactly known for having a ton of chakra," Shikamaru mused, frowning thoughtfully. "Naruto's talent is just… extraordinary."
Sasuke turned to Naruto. "You're not surprised at all."
Naruto chuckled. "Kitazawa-sensei told me beforehand. I was shocked too when I first found out."
"Why wasn't it announced earlier?" Sakura asked, still puzzled.
"The announcement said it was delayed because of Danzo Shimura's interference," Neji replied.
Shikamaru nodded slowly. "If it's Danzo, that figures. My dad said he was a real piece of work."
"Yeah, really bad," Naruto added bluntly.
Lee blinked. "Even Naruto says so? How bad was he?"
"Not just your average kind of bad," Shikamaru said grimly.
Then he sat up straight and began recounting everything he knew about Danzo—stories passed down from his father, Shikaku.
Even with gaps in the details, what he described was enough to leave everyone stunned.
"Konoha actually had someone like that?" Tenten murmured, horrified.
"Fortunately," Shikamaru concluded, "Hokage-sama and Kitazawa-sensei took him down."
He patted Naruto's shoulder and smirked. "Guess you'll have to look after us from now on, huh?"
"That's right!" Kiba said jokingly. "Your status is way above ours now, Fourth Hokage's kid!"
"You have to treat us!" Choji chimed in excitedly.
"We should definitely celebrate," Ino added.
Their laughter carried a warmth that made Naruto's chest tighten.
They all knew how cruelly the villagers had treated him growing up—how unfair it had been.
To think that the boy they shunned was the son of the hero who saved the village... it was heartbreaking.
But now, those same friends were smiling at him—not out of pity, but genuine camaraderie.
"Actually," Shikamaru said, grinning slyly, "Naruto shouldn't treat us. I think we can—"
"I'll treat," Sasuke interrupted coolly. "Barbecue. Tonight."
Shikamaru blinked. That wasn't the outcome he'd planned.
He'd meant for everyone except Naruto to split the bill.
"As expected of Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's eyes sparkled instantly.
"It's nothing," Sasuke said indifferently.
"Thanks," Naruto said sheepishly, scratching his head.
Even though his identity had changed, he could feel it—
Their friendship hadn't.
And that, more than anything, meant the world to him.
Meanwhile, throughout Konoha, whispers spread like wildfire.
The villagers were stunned—
The loud, mischievous boy they once avoided… was the son of the Fourth Hokage.
To think they'd treated the child of their savior with such cruelty—
It made many hearts heavy with guilt.
Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
'Naruto… is actually the son of the Fourth Hokage-sama?'
Ayame instinctively covered her mouth, eyes wide with disbelief.
That poor boy…
Teuchi let out a heavy sigh. "The son of a hero, yet treated like an outcast all these years."
"Dad, did you know?" Ayame asked quietly, watching him.
Unlike most villagers who shunned Naruto, her father had always treated the boy with kindness.
Teuchi shook his head. "No. But as a chef, you treat every customer fairly. That's the rule."
Ayame's expression hardened. "They won't dare treat Naruto like that anymore!" she declared, clenching her fists.
Teuchi chuckled at her fiery tone. "Then tomorrow, I'll make him an extra-large char siu spare rib ramen."
"I'll pay for it!" Ayame added eagerly. "After all, the Fourth Hokage-sama is one of my idols!"
Half an hour later.
The Genius Class was still on their lunch break when Kitazawa set down his pen. The first draft of Nagato's prescription was complete.
Nagato's leg injuries had lingered for years—a deep-rooted issue that wouldn't be cured overnight. Kitazawa would have to revise the prescription multiple times as Nagato's condition improved.
"For now, this will do," he murmured, handing the parchment to Konan. "As for the ingredients, your Akatsuki organization will cover the costs."
Konan nodded. "Many of these herbs are rare."
"To save time, we'll work from both sides," Kitazawa continued thoughtfully. "Have Akatsuki start the search. If they come up short, I'll request help from the Nara Clan."
The Nara were known not just for their intelligence, but for their vast connections across the Land of Fire. Even the Fire Daimyo occasionally sought their counsel.
Konan studied the prescription carefully. Though she nodded, she had no intention of relying on Akatsuki. She'd mobilize the Hidden Rain instead.
After Hanzo's death, both the village and the Land of Rain had fallen under Akatsuki's control—but that didn't mean Konan trusted its members. One wrong move with the ingredients could spell disaster.
In this matter, she trusted Kitazawa more.
"Once the ingredients are gathered, I'll begin compounding the medicine," Kitazawa explained. "He'll take it for two weeks. Then I'll re-examine him and adjust the formula—until we reach the point where limb regeneration becomes possible."
Konan's gaze softened. "Thank you."
Kitazawa smiled faintly. "Then it's settled. I'm giving you two days off—inform your organization. I've got class now. See you tomorrow."
The command also served as her proof of identity as an Anbu operative—though it didn't mean much beyond that.
As Kitazawa left the room, Konan's eyes followed him briefly before falling back to the prescription in her hand.
'When will Nagato finally stand again?'
She exhaled slowly, but this time with hope. For the first time in years, there was a path forward.
Kitazawa arrived at the Ninja Academy's training ground.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Ino dashed over, stopping neatly in front of him, her blonde ponytail swaying.
"We're treating Naruto to barbecue tonight! Are you coming?" she asked, eyes sparkling.
"And Sasuke-kun's paying!" Sakura chimed in proudly, as if advertising a rare event.
Sasuke met Kitazawa's gaze, then turned away. "It's not just for him," he muttered. "I got some extra pocket money from my mom."
"Oh? Since Sasuke's treating, then I'm definitely coming," Kosuke said cheerfully from the side.
Kitazawa laughed. "What about you, Kakashi?"
"I'm free tonight," Kakashi replied, glancing at Sasuke with a hint of nostalgia. The scene reminded him of another time—of Obito and Rin.
"Alright then, it's settled," Kitazawa said, patting Ino's head. "We'll all go."
"Yay!" Ino beamed, skipping off happily.
Watching her, Hinata instinctively stepped a little closer to Kitazawa.
"Barbecue is for later," Kitazawa said, smiling. "For now—training."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino called back brightly.
Kitazawa's eyes shifted to Hinata.
"I-I'll start training too!" she said, flustered.
"If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me." He tapped her forehead gently.
"Mhm!" Hinata nodded, cheeks pink, and hurried off to train.
"I should have realized it sooner," Kosuke murmured suddenly.
"You mean Naruto?" Kitazawa asked.
Kosuke nodded. "Fourth Hokage-sama… he was a good man. He even tended my wounds once."
Kakashi fell silent. To Kosuke, Minato was a kind stranger. But to him… Minato was his sensei—a memory both bright and painful.
"The past is the past," Kitazawa said quietly. "The Fourth wouldn't want to see you dwelling on it. What matters is how we live now."
Kosuke smiled faintly. "You're right… I'm not as strong as you, Kitazawa."
He had never forgiven himself for his youthful mistakes—the reason he still remained a Genin.
Kakashi looked away. Some wounds simply took longer to heal. Kitazawa knew that too—and chose not to say more. Time was its own medicine.
"You all continue with class," Kitazawa said suddenly, a spark in his eyes. "I've got an errand to run. We'll be inviting one more person to the barbecue tonight."
"Who?" Kakashi asked.
"The Third Hokage," Kitazawa said with a small smile. "I could use a word with him about becoming a full-time academy teacher."
After bidding farewell to Kosuke and Kakashi, he made his way to the Sarutobi Clan compound.
It was his first time there—but to his surprise, the Sarutobis welcomed him warmly.
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