"Hey, Sasuke, what happened in your class today?"
In the afternoon, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Sasuke sat at the table eating.
When the meal was nearly finished, Hiruzen noticed Sasuke finishing his bowl of rice and preparing to leave. It was then that Hiruzen put down his chopsticks and gently asked the question.
Even though Hiruzen was quite busy with various matters, this particular class was of great importance. He needed to stay informed, even if deciding whether to intervene was another matter entirely.
Hearing Hiruzen's question, Sasuke's expression became a little strange.
Could it be that Iruka isn't doing his job as a teacher and went off to complain instead...?
After giving it some thought, Sasuke decided not to hide anything. Sitting up straight, he began recounting the events of the morning in detail.
"Ridiculous!"
After listening to Sasuke's explanation, Hiruzen slammed his palm on the table.
The dishes and chopsticks on the table clattered and flew momentarily before settling back down with crisp sounds.
Seeing Hiruzen so angry, Sasuke felt uneasy for a moment, his heart filled with confusion.
"Did I do something wrong?"
Hiruzen was about to scold Sasuke but stopped when he saw the puzzled expression on his face. He managed to hold back from shouting.
Hiruzen cared about how Sasuke perceived him and didn't want to ruin their rapport.
"This Iruka is truly out of line. To think I trusted him so much, yet he behaves like this—where is his sense of ethics as a teacher?"
Just as Sasuke was about to ask in confusion, Hiruzen finally spoke again, albeit slowly.
"You did well. As a ninja, when you encounter injustice, you should not hesitate to act, regardless of who the other party is."
To Sasuke's surprise, after just one remark, Hiruzen didn't say much more. Instead, he patted Sasuke on the shoulder, as if encouraging him.
Sasuke felt odd about the situation. If this had happened to someone else, he wouldn't have cared much.
However, given Hiruzen's current anger, Sasuke decided not to provoke him further.
Silence is golden...
"Lord Mizukage, the Konoha ninja are here again…"
In the Land of Water, Tenzō had barely sent off the leader of his Anbu squad when he heard another report from his subordinates.
Instantly, he felt overwhelmed.
What on earth is Konoha thinking, sending group after group like this?
The people they sent were cold and unyielding, like fools.
They didn't seem to have any intention of genuine negotiation, opening every conversation with demands and threats.
But Tenzō wouldn't tolerate such behavior. Using his excellent political skills, he easily dismissed them.
The Anbu might excel at assassination and mission work, but sending them to negotiate and manage tense situations was a stretch.
Moreover, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't seem particularly pressed for results. He was content to drag things out slowly without any sense of urgency.
After all, Hiruzen hadn't forgotten that the Mist Village's initial goal was to form an alliance with Konoha.
If the alliance had been agreed upon too quickly, it would have been suspicious.
Now, with a bit of friction arising, things seemed more natural.
Still, the Mizukage's decision to detain one of his people left Hiruzen slightly annoyed. It felt like a minor offense against his authority.
However, considering Hiruzen's steady nature, this was still within the bounds of his usual approach.
He was an old man now, and this era no longer held any ships that could carry his ambitions.
"Fine. Since they've come, let them meet me."
Suppressing his frustration, Tenzō waved a hand at his subordinate.
"Kakashi, you wait outside. I'll go talk to the Mizukage myself."
Hearing the Mist ninja's words, Itachi thought for a moment and decided not to bring Kakashi along to meet the Mizukage.
After all, the Mizukage's true identity was Tenzō. It wasn't that Itachi didn't trust Kakashi, but Tenzō's identity was delicate, and fewer people knowing the truth was for the best.
Some things could be discussed openly, while others had to remain guarded. This was much like his relationship with Orochimaru in the past—a matter of balance.
Had he trusted Orochimaru earlier, he might have transplanted Hashirama's cells by now, with the integration nearly complete.
Though Itachi had some understanding of these individuals from the original story, living in this world made them real, flesh-and-blood people.
Itachi chose to connect with them sincerely rather than treat them as NPCs in a game to manipulate. Reducing everything to a game-like strategy would be dull, as if he were the only clear-headed person in a world of ignorance.
"Alright, don't overexert yourself."
Hearing Itachi's words, Kakashi naturally had no objections.
Why would he refuse such a good offer?
However, recalling that Itachi's strength seemed to have some issues, Kakashi spoke with concern.
"I know, you can rest assured."
In response to Kakashi's words, Itachi shook his head lightly and said in a soft voice.
He gestured with his eyes for the Mist ninja to lead the way.
At some point, the Hidden Mist Village felt almost like his own home—his visits were becoming quite frequent.
...
Arriving at the Hidden Mist Village brought back memories of the crisis that occurred the first time he and Jūzō came here.
And the time he clashed with Guy at sea.
It seemed like their fight had been evenly matched, though toward the end, Itachi had been on the defensive.
But Guy, having opened the Sixth Gate, had reached Kage-level strength. While the spectators didn't directly feel the full impact of the battle, many had been watching, both openly and secretly.
If Itachi had defeated Guy too quickly, the consequences wouldn't have been so simple.
The current period of calm would've been hard to maintain.
He wasn't invincible yet; there were still things he feared, so he refrained from flaunting his strength and instead focused on developing himself further.
Now, the backlash from the Hashirama cells had made everything fall into place perfectly.
His biggest concern had been that, if his strength reached a level that triggered alarm or suspicion in others, it would've been impossible to safely transplant the Hashirama cells. The worst-case scenario might even involve someone raiding Orochimaru's hideout.
If that happened, it wouldn't just be a matter of bringing trouble upon himself.
After all, there might still be spies from other villages lurking within the Hidden Mist Village.
Itachi's current caution stemmed from the DNA modification incident during his defection from the Leaf, when Obito had taken his eyes and he used Amaterasu.
...
"You can leave now."
Jūzō waved his hand at the unremarkable-looking Leaf ninja before him, signaling for his subordinate to leave.
"Understood!"
As the ninja departed, the Mizukage's office was left with just Itachi and Jūzō.
The office grew slightly quiet.
"What is your Hokage thinking? There's not an ounce of sincerity. If I don't get a proper explanation this time, don't bother coming back again. My patience is limited."
The unremarkable Leaf ninja appeared composed, which prompted Jūzō to take the initiative and speak, aiming to seize control of the conversation.
"Jūzō, seems like you're doing well for yourself..."
Just as Itachi was pondering how to reestablish their rapport, Jūzō's formal tone filled the air.
Itachi teased Jūzō with a slightly odd remark.
He noticed that Jūzō had become quite skilled—his progress was astonishing.