After changing into her Anbu uniform, Konan pushed open the door and stepped out.
Kitazawa's gaze swept over her quietly, assessing her from head to toe.
Konan's calm, aloof demeanor suited the Anbu perfectly—only her striking blue-violet hair stood out too much for their usual discretion.
Still, he was the Anbu Commander. With his authority, no one in Konoha would dare to question his decision—except perhaps Tsunade.
That was precisely why he wanted Konan under the Anbu. On his own turf, he could manage everything with precision and control.
If he was going to stage a performance, it had to look flawless.
Kitazawa had already informed Konan that she would be treated as a genuine Anbu operative. She possessed formidable power—wasting it would be foolish. He would make use of her ability wherever possible.
Konan, on the other hand, knew she could not afford to offend Kitazawa. For Nagato's sake, she was willing to take on missions under him; after all, it was part of their agreement.
"Your usual mission will be simple," Kitazawa said, his calm eyes settling on her. "Protect me—secretly."
"Understood," Konan replied, her tone even and composed.
She soon realized this assignment was no different from her past duties in the Akatsuki. The only change was the name—Nagato had been replaced by Kitazawa. Both men, however, shared one trait in common: neither truly needed her protection.
Just then, a figure approached from afar—it was Haru, one of the Anbu.
Haru stepped up to Kitazawa, his eyes flicking briefly toward Konan in puzzlement. Who was this woman?
He didn't recall any Anbu members with blue-violet hair.
"She's Origami, a new Anbu member," Kitazawa said casually.
Konan blinked, momentarily surprised. Origami?
So that was the codename he had given her. Yet, something about it felt uncanny—Kitazawa seemed to know far more about her than he should.
"Kitazawa-sama," Haru reported, "all matters approved at this morning's Jōnin Meeting have now been publicly announced."
There were many items passed during such meetings. Some had to be shared with the entire village—like the appointment of the Hokage's Secretariat staff, or the revelation that Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
"Understood," Kitazawa nodded. "You've done well. You may go."
Haru bowed lightly and took his leave.
Kitazawa walked toward the railing, gazing down at the Training Ground below.
If all had gone according to plan, Uchiha Sasuke and the others should have already seen the Anbu's newly posted announcement. He was mildly curious about their reactions—but not enough to personally watch their expressions.
Turning back inside, he returned to his office, picked up a pen, and began writing a prescription for Nagato.
In the age of Medical Ninja, most injuries didn't actually require medicine—Medical Ninjutsu sufficed for almost everything. Only the most severe cases demanded medicinal treatment.
The essence of Medical Ninjutsu lies in accelerating cellular division and tissue regeneration.
In other words, it forced the body to heal by overdrawing its natural reserves. Medicine, therefore, was needed afterward to restore balance and replenish what was consumed.
Minor wounds, of course, didn't warrant such measures—they would heal naturally.
Among all of Konoha's clans, the Nara were renowned for their knowledge and trade of medicinal herbs.
Konan stood quietly beside Kitazawa, her eyes drifting to the prescription in his hand. She studied it for a moment, then fell silent. The symbols and medical notations were completely incomprehensible to her.
The specialization of Medical Ninja was far beyond her reach. All she could do now was trust Kitazawa.
At the Ninja Academy's Training Ground, the afternoon sun hung lazily overhead. Usually, after lunch, Sasuke and the others would nap on the grass or in the trees.
But today, before anyone could drift off, startled voices echoed from the school gate.
"What's going on?" Kiba mumbled through a yawn.
"Neji, use your Byakugan and check," Tenten suggested quickly, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Neji activated his Byakugan without hesitation. Its long-range vision made leaving the spot unnecessary.
"There's a crowd gathered at the bulletin board by the gate," he reported.
"A new announcement, huh?" Shikamaru said thoughtfully. "Kitazawa-sensei and Kakashi-sensei attended the Jōnin Meeting this morning."
"Then it must be related to that meeting," Kiba guessed. "Judging by those shouts, whatever it is must be pretty shocking."
"Neji, can you see what's written on the board?" Ino leaned forward eagerly.
"Yes," Neji nodded.
Sasuke, Naruto, and Yakumo turned toward him expectantly.
"The first notice is about the establishment of the Hokage Secretariat Office," Neji said, reading off the details.
"Wait—Kitazawa-sensei isn't in charge?" Ino asked, astonished.
Although Kitazawa was listed as a member, he was only a regular secretary. Given his standing, many would have expected him to hold the office.
Yet between his duties as Anbu Commander and Vice Principal of the Academy, it seemed he had no time for another title.
"Kitazawa-sensei must have other plans," Sakura speculated.
"Hey, congrats, Shikamaru—your dad's now a Hokage Advisor," Kiba said, grinning as he clapped him on the shoulder.
"That's not surprising," Shino remarked calmly, adjusting his glasses. "The Nara Clan is famous for its intellect."
"When I become Hokage, Shikamaru, you'll be my advisor!" Naruto announced proudly with a thumbs-up.
"Just thinking about it feels exhausting," Shikamaru sighed. "I'll pass."
"You're so lazy!" Ino huffed. "The Hokage Advisor's position is second only to the Hokage!"
"He'll be my advisor," Sasuke said coolly, shooting Naruto a sidelong glance.
"...?" Shikamaru blinked in disbelief. Why are you all turning on me?
The ship of friendship, it seemed, had capsized.
With Naruto and Sasuke both serious contenders for Hokage, Shikamaru suddenly foresaw a very troublesome future.
"Why do you all want Shikamaru to be the advisor?" Kiba protested. "I can do it too!"
"There's more than one advisor, so technically, you have a shot," Sakura replied with a teasing smile. She glanced meaningfully at Sasuke. "But I don't plan to be an advisor."
Her ambition was different—she wanted to be the Hokage's wife. Of course, that depended on Sasuke actually becoming Hokage first.
"Your expression looks… suspiciously ill-intentioned,"
Ino remarked, noticing the sly curve on Sakura's lips. She couldn't help but twitch the corners of her own mouth.
"No, wait!" Kiba suddenly interjected, puffing out his chest proudly. "My goal is to become Hokage!"
"Neji, keep going. Don't mind them," Tenten sighed, shaking her head.
"Second," Neji continued, "Kitazawa-sensei will represent Konoha Village in negotiations with the Hidden Mist Village."
"I told you Kitazawa-sensei had other arrangements!" Sakura patted her chest with a smug little laugh. "My predictions are always spot-on!"
She wanted to redeem herself—to prove she wasn't some kind of jinx.
"It's not that you're accurate," Ino corrected, crossing her arms. "It's that Kitazawa-sensei is just that incredible."
Sasuke fell silent. He felt as though he had suddenly taken an arrow to the knee.
Whenever Sakura spoke about him, she was almost never accurate. Was it because he wasn't "amazing" enough?
"Third…" Neji's voice trailed off. His gaze dropped, and his pupils involuntarily constricted.
"Neji, what's wrong?" Tenten asked, puzzled by his reaction.
"Is it something huge?!" Kiba's eyes lit up. "Come on, Neji, tell us already!"
"The third announcement," Neji said slowly, taking a deep breath, "is that Hokage-sama has revealed Naruto's true identity—he is the son of the Fourth Hokage."
"What?!" Sasuke, Ino, Yakumo, and the rest of the group were all stunned.
Even though they were heirs of prominent ninja clans, none of them had ever known the truth about Naruto's parentage. Their parents had merely told them to get along with him—nothing more.
Now, they finally understood why.
"So that's it!" Kiba exclaimed, slapping his palm with realization. "No wonder Naruto's strength is so crazy!"
He had always wondered how Naruto's power could far exceed theirs, even though they were all clan prodigies in their own right.
Now that he knew Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son, everything suddenly made sense.
"Still," Shikamaru said, shaking his head, "the Fourth Hokage wasn't known for having massive chakra reserves. This is all Naruto's own talent."
"Naruto, you don't look surprised," Sasuke said, recovering from his shock. "Did you already know?"
"Yeah," Naruto admitted with a small grin. "Kitazawa-sensei told me beforehand. I was shocked too, when I first found out."
"Then why wasn't it announced earlier?" Sakura asked curiously.
"The notice says it was delayed due to Danzo's interference," Neji explained.
"If it's Danzo, that makes sense," Shikamaru muttered. "My dad said he was a pretty terrible person."
"He's really bad," Naruto said flatly.
"Even Naruto says so—just how bad was he?" Rock Lee asked, his eyes wide with intrigue.
"Not just bad—rotten to the core," Shikamaru replied, sitting up straighter.
He began recounting everything he had heard from his father about Danzo Shimura.
Though his knowledge wasn't complete, the deeds he mentioned were enough to leave everyone speechless.
"Konoha actually had someone like that among its higher-ups?" Tenten said in disbelief. Her worldview felt shaken.
"Fortunately," Shikamaru added, "he got what he deserved—Hokage-sama and Kitazawa-sensei took him down."
Shikamaru patted Naruto's shoulder with a grin. "Looks like we'll be counting on you in the future."
"That's right!" Kiba laughed. "Naruto, your status is way higher than ours now!"
"You have to treat us!" Chōji chimed in eagerly.
"We should celebrate properly!" Ino added, smiling brightly.
They all knew too well how the villagers had treated Naruto in the past.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say the people of Konoha had repaid kindness with cruelty—after all, the Fourth Hokage had sacrificed his life to save them.
"Naruto shouldn't have to treat us," Shikamaru said after a moment of thought. "I think we can—"
"I'll treat," Sasuke interrupted, his tone calm but decisive. "Barbecue. Tonight."
Shikamaru blinked, momentarily stunned. He had originally meant that everyone except Naruto should split the bill.
"As expected of Sasuke-kun!" Sakura's eyes lit up immediately, her admiration plain.
"It's nothing," Sasuke replied coolly.
"Thank you," Naruto said, scratching his head, embarrassed yet touched.
Even though his status had changed, his friends hadn't treated him any differently. That alone meant everything to him.
He didn't want this revelation to change their bond.
Meanwhile, throughout Konoha, the villagers were thrown into shock.
The boy they had once shunned—the one they whispered about and avoided—was actually the son of their beloved savior, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
To have treated him with such disdain was an unforgivable act.
One by one, the villagers began to feel the weight of guilt and remorse pressing down on their hearts.
---
Ichiraku Ramen.
"...Naruto is actually the son of the Fourth Hokage?" Ayame instinctively covered her mouth in astonishment.
"Poor kid," Teuchi sighed deeply, his eyes softening with emotion. "He's the son of a hero, yet he's been treated like an outcast all these years."
"Dad, did you know all along?" Ayame asked quietly, looking up at him.
While most villagers had always shown open dislike toward Naruto, her father had never joined them. To him, Naruto was just another customer.
"No," Teuchi shook his head. "As a chef, you treat everyone equally. That's the least we can do."
"They won't dare treat Naruto like that again!" Ayame clenched her fists, her tone firm with conviction.
"Definitely not," Teuchi chuckled at her fiery reaction. "When Naruto comes by tomorrow, I'll make him an extra-large bowl of char siu spare rib ramen."
"I'll treat him!" Ayame said immediately, her face bright with determination. "The Fourth Hokage is one of my idols!"
Half an hour later.
While the Genius Class was still enjoying their lunch break, Kitazawa finally set down his pen.
The first draft of the prescription was complete.
Nagato's leg injuries had existed for many years—deep-rooted and stubborn—so treatment couldn't be rushed. The prescription would need constant adjustments depending on his recovery.
There would likely be more than a dozen versions before it was perfected.
"That's all for now," Kitazawa said, handing the paper to Konan. "The cost of the medicinal ingredients will be covered by your Akatsuki Organization."
"Mhm." Konan nodded slightly.
"Many of these ingredients are rare," Kitazawa continued, tapping the parchment thoughtfully.
"To save time, we'll search from two directions. Have your organization locate what they can first. If they fail, I'll reach out to the Nara Clan."
The Nara Clan, with their keen intellect and vast connections throughout both Konoha and the Land of Fire, could find almost anything. Even the Fire Daimyo often sought their counsel.
Konan studied the prescription, her expression calm but her thoughts cautious. She didn't intend to rely on the Akatsuki for this.
Instead, she would mobilize Hidden Rain Village's resources. Since Hanzo's death, both the Land and Village of Rain had effectively come under her control.
She didn't fully trust the Akatsuki members because if they tampered with even a single herb, the consequences could be disastrous.
In contrast, she trusted Kitazawa more.
"When the ingredients are gathered," Kitazawa said, outlining his plan, "I'll prepare the medicine. He'll take it for half a month, then I'll examine his progress and create a new formula. We'll continue until it's time to use Limb Regeneration."
"Thank you," Konan said earnestly, her eyes firm.
"This is an order—I'm giving you two days off. Go notify your organization." Kitazawa rose from his seat. "I've got class now. See you tomorrow."
His order would help her maintain her cover as an Anbu operative. Beyond that, it was up to her.
Konan watched him leave. Her gaze dropped to the prescription in her hand. She wondered when the day would come that Nagato could finally stand again.
For the first time in years, a faint spark of hope glimmered in her heart.
Kitazawa arrived at the Ninja Academy's training ground.
"Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino came running toward him, her golden ponytail swaying side to side with each step.
"We're treating Naruto to barbecue tonight—will you come too?" she asked, eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"And Sasuke-kun is paying!" Sakura added cheerfully, promoting him with a bright grin.
"My mom just gave me some pocket money," Sasuke muttered, glancing briefly at Kitazawa before turning away. "It's not specifically for treating him."
"Since Sasuke's treating, then I'm definitely coming!" Kosuke's voice rang out.
"Kakashi, what about you?" Kitazawa asked with a smile.
"I'm free tonight. I'll join," Kakashi replied, glancing at Sasuke's awkward expression.
A flicker of nostalgia passed through his mind—back when Obito and Rin were still alive.
"Alright then, we'll all go," Kitazawa said, patting Ino's head lightly.
"Yay!" Ino cheered, her face glowing with happiness.
Hinata, standing nearby, instinctively shuffled two steps closer to Kitazawa.
"Barbecue's for tonight," Kitazawa said with a faint smile. "For now—training."
"Yes, Kitazawa-sensei!" Ino replied, skipping off eagerly.
Kitazawa turned toward Hinata.
"I… I'll go train too!" Hinata stammered.
"If there's anything you don't understand, come ask me," Kitazawa said, gently tapping her forehead.
"Mhm!" Hinata nodded, smiling shyly before hurrying off.
"I should've realized it sooner," Kosuke murmured suddenly.
"You mean about Naruto?" Kitazawa asked.
"Mhm. The Fourth Hokage was a good man," Kosuke said quietly. "He even treated my wounds once."
Kakashi fell silent. Kosuke and Minato Namikaze had only met once. But for him, it had been an unforgettable encounter.
For Kakashi, however, it was different. He had been Minato's student—those memories were carved deep into his soul.
"The past is the past," Kitazawa said softly. "The Fourth Hokage wouldn't want you drowning in sadness. What matters most is living in the present."
"You're right," Kosuke murmured, a tremor running through his heart. "I'm not as strong as you."
He had never been able to forgive himself for the mistakes of his youth. That guilt had kept him a Genin even to this day.
Kakashi opened his mouth, but no words came. Some wounds weren't so easily healed.
Kitazawa knew that too—but said nothing more. Some things simply needed time.
"You all go ahead to class," Kitazawa said suddenly. "I've got to step out for a bit."
He smiled faintly. "We'll need to invite one more person to dinner tonight."
He was referring to Sarutobi Hiruzen. It would be a good opportunity to discuss his potential as a Ninja Academy teacher.
After bidding farewell to Kosuke and Kakashi, Kitazawa left the Academy and made his way to the Sarutobi Clan compound.
It was his first visit there, and to his surprise, he was welcomed warmly.