Itachi walked through the streets of Konoha, heading slowly toward the Hokage's office.
After so many years, he had almost forgotten what this felt like.
At the same time, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts about what to do if his cover was blown.
He pondered over and over but could only come up with one solution: if Hiruzen Sarutobi discovered anything, he would use the ultimate Tsukuyomi to trap him. Then, perhaps Kakashi could temporarily take his place.
From there, Itachi could manipulate Hiruzen and alter his will.
Ever since using his ocular jutsu on Shin'ya, Itachi had realized that the cooldown period for this technique was half a year, making it inconvenient to rely on.
---
"What's wrong? Has it been so long since you last visited the Hokage's office that you've forgotten the way?"
Before long, Kakashi appeared behind Itachi. Observing the younger man's distracted expression, Kakashi teased him.
"No," Itachi replied softly without turning around. "I just didn't expect things to end up like this. It's quite troublesome."
"Are you worried about your identity being exposed? Unsure how to face the village you once loved?"
Kakashi's deep gaze seemed to pierce through Itachi's complicated thoughts.
In truth, it was unclear if Kakashi was speaking to Itachi or reflecting on himself.
During his time in the Anbu, Kakashi might not have entertained such thoughts. But circumstances had changed. Standing in the sunlight again brought up mixed emotions he hadn't experienced before.
---
Itachi chuckled faintly at Kakashi's assumptions but didn't respond.
Many things were beyond repair.
The memories of his previous life made everything feel simultaneously familiar and strange.
Looking at it from a different perspective, though, this could also be a new beginning.
Compared to the memories of his past self, Itachi thought it might be interesting to personally experience life in this world—to interact with the Konoha 12.
Life was neither overly complicated nor overly simple.
He wanted to immerse himself in the experience, but his past memories often intruded, subtly influencing his decisions.
It left his mind in turmoil.
---
"Shall we go in together?"
Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the Hokage's office door.
Kakashi's voice brought Itachi back to the present.
The body's muscle memory of this place surfaced, contrasting sharply with the feeling of infiltrating in the shadows.
Stealth missions were about blending into darkness, something Itachi was far more comfortable with. But standing here in the open, bathed in sunlight, left him feeling out of place.
This unease wasn't caused by external factors but by his own internal conflict.
At some point, he had grown accustomed to the shadows.
---
"Alright."
Suppressing his chaotic thoughts, Itachi's expression returned to its usual calm as he spoke softly.
People often delve into their inner world, seeking to better understand themselves.
---
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in," came the weary, aged voice of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Itachi gently pushed open the door. After a brief hesitation, he stepped inside.
"Hokage…"
He walked steadily toward Hiruzen, stopping in front of him and greeting him in an even tone.
"Hokage-sama," Kakashi followed behind, offering his own polite greeting after Itachi finished.
---
Hiruzen's tired eyes lifted slightly at the sound of their voices. His furrowed brow deepened further.
The events of the previous night still weighed heavily on him, leaving him without any leads. To make matters worse, the people he trusted seemed distant.
Everyone called him "Hokage-sama," yet this Asura referred to him merely as "Hokage."
The subtle difference gnawed at Hiruzen, leaving him unsettled and unable to let it go.
His sharp gaze locked onto Itachi, scrutinizing him like a hawk. An invisible pressure radiated from Hiruzen, bearing down on Itachi.
The room was steeped in tension.
Behind Itachi, Kakashi felt a cold sweat trickle down his back. Despite his newfound strength, standing before Hiruzen still made him uneasy. The old Hokage's presence carried the same weight it had in his prime, triggering an instinctive reaction in Kakashi.
Yet Itachi remained unflustered, his calm demeanor unshaken under Hiruzen's piercing gaze. This poise astonished Hiruzen; such composure was rare for someone so young.
---
"Why did you summon me, Hokage? If there's nothing urgent, I'll be leaving now."
Itachi ignored Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze and spoke calmly.
He was no longer the young boy who had just defected from the village, sweating cold bullets under the weight of Hiruzen's aura.
"Heh, Asura, right? Not bad. But your attitude toward me seems less than friendly. Is there some kind of misunderstanding between us?"
At Itachi's words, Hiruzen's aura shifted, becoming warm and radiant.
The Asura in front of him was exactly the person he had been looking for. Such a calm and composed demeanor, unshaken by fame or disgrace, could outshine countless ninjas of the same age and rank. This was precisely the kind of person he needed.
Deep down, Hiruzen felt a sense of pride. These were the individuals he had personally selected, a testament to his unerring judgment, even after all these years.
What started as a rather gloomy day for him now felt unexpectedly refreshing—a sudden and inexplicable mood shift.
"You're quite something yourself, Aganzo," Hiruzen remarked.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Hiruzen glanced at Kakashi, who stood half a step behind Itachi, and felt a surge of satisfaction. Breaking the awkward silence, he spoke up.
At this moment, his excitement surpassed even the thrill of stumbling upon a beautiful woman bathing.
Seeing these two in person, he was convinced they were destined to be extraordinary leaders. For someone who lacked talented subordinates, Hiruzen couldn't deny his joy at finding these two exceptional individuals.
Of course, he mused, if two beautiful women were to join him for a leisurely day of sports, that might just surpass this feeling.
"Thank you for the praise, Lord Hokage…"
Unlike the relatively aloof Itachi, Kakashi responded with more tact and politeness.
This was precisely the kind of demeanor Hiruzen had imagined for Aganzo's fabricated personality.
If both were as cold as Itachi, there wouldn't be much fun to be had.
...
Hearing Kakashi's words, Hiruzen stroked his beard in satisfaction.
"The reason I called you here today is to promote you both to jonin..."
Without further delay, Hiruzen got straight to the point after meeting them.
"Huh?"
Itachi showed no reaction to Hiruzen's words; he had already anticipated this from Danzo's hints last night. Kakashi, however, was visibly surprised—a far more genuine response.
Seeing Asura's lack of reaction, Hiruzen felt a bit frustrated. This guy really was unshakable.
"Of course, it's not that simple. Initially, I wanted to observe you both further, but after today's meeting, I've decided to act on the principle of 'use those you trust.' So, let's cut to the chase. If you can complete the mission I assign, you will officially be promoted to jonin. Based on your records, your qualifications are already sufficient..."
Despite his earlier annoyance, Hiruzen quickly grew accustomed to their personalities and spoke bluntly.
He only mentioned success—he didn't say what would happen if they failed.
...
"What mission?"
Itachi asked coolly after hearing Hiruzen's explanation, while Kakashi remained slightly distracted. He couldn't wrap his head around why the jonin promotion was happening so quickly.
It was absurd. Aganzo had only appeared three days ago, and now he was already being evaluated for jonin—a promotion faster than Kakashi had ever experienced himself.
"This mission is neither too simple nor overly complicated. Six months ago, I sent two jonin to the Hidden Mist Village for negotiations, but they've been detained. Your mission is to complete the negotiations and bring them back."
Hiruzen was very pleased with Asura's composed reaction.
Itachi, however, felt slightly strange.
Initially, when Hiruzen mentioned a mission, Itachi felt reluctant, as though he'd rather avoid it altogether.
But upon hearing the details, his mood shifted. This sounded more like a vacation—something quite appealing.
Maybe it wasn't so bad after all...
...
"As jonin, you'll need more than just combat skills and mission execution. Other abilities, such as diplomacy and interpersonal skills, are just as critical. Ninjas are more than mere fighters; they must navigate human relationships as well," Hiruzen explained, worried they might refuse.
What he said was true. A jonin represented their village's image and required qualities beyond raw strength—though Might Guy was an exception.
Guy, after all, was a unique case. He was a civilian ninja, but his father, Might Duy, had a significant influence on both the Leaf Village and the outside world.
This warranted a special exception for someone as unorthodox as Guy.
And, of course, Guy had proven himself as someone capable of achieving greatness—not only through his looks but also through his unwavering dedication.
Hiruzen considered himself far from superficial.
...
---