Chapter 56: Sarutobi Asuma Arrives in Konoha
The moment he thought of stepping forward, a deep blood feud weighed on him, stopping Asuma Sarutobi in his tracks. The fleeting thought of seeing Kurenai instantly vanished.
Instead, he silently climbed onto a high tree canopy, watching from a distance as Kurenai's figure slowly disappeared at the end of the road.
Beside her… weren't those Hayate Gekkō and Uzuki Yugao?
So they've found their happiness. I'm… jealous.
When he had a falling out with his father, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and left the village, Hayate and Yugao hadn't revealed their relationship yet. But now, seeing how inseparable they were, it made him wonder—if he hadn't left Konoha back then, would he and Kurenai be together now?
He had originally planned to finish his service with the Guardian Twelve and then return home this year. He missed his stern father, his mischievous nephew Konohamaru, and above all… Kurenai.
But everything changed.
The Uchiha… they're not even human. They killed my father. They slaughtered my clansmen.
That single thought shattered his resolve.
Asuma clenched his fists, grief and rage welling up inside.
"These cursed Uchiha… every last one of them deserves to die!"
He spat out the wild fruit he had been chewing, gritting his teeth as he sped deeper into the forest.
Just you wait, Uchiha. I'll be the one to send you all to hell!
Unaware of it, Asuma had just narrowly escaped a deadly fate.
Moments after he left, several masked figures in Anbu uniforms appeared on the same tree trunk where he had rested. One of them leapt down, noticing the discarded fruit remains on the ground. He touched them and immediately reported, "Elder, it's still warm."
That meant someone had indeed been there just moments ago.
Uchiha Setsuna narrowed his eyes, his hoarse voice cutting through the silence.
"Forget it. Don't waste time. Our target is Sarutobi Asuma—currently in the capital. Move out."
"Yes!"
With a unified response, the group blurred into afterimages and vanished.
Meanwhile, still rushing through the forest, Asuma felt nothing but hatred driving him forward. He knew the terrain like the back of his hand. Konoha was only a few dozen miles away now.
"Uchiha… I'm coming for you!"
His eyes glowed with madness as he darted through the trees.
If Fugaku had been there to hear those words, he would've sneered:
"Oh? You're eager for reincarnation? A mere jōnin like you dares think he can challenge the Uchiha? I'll let you duel just one of my jōnin. Whether you'd even survive is doubtful, yet you dream of bringing trouble to my clan. What an amusing fool."
The truth was simple: Asuma had already lost his mind. His thirst for revenge blinded him to his own weakness. Perhaps it was the arrogance of growing up as the Hokage's son, always seeing himself above others, that made him think he could challenge the Uchiha.
And while he was charging toward his doom, Fugaku Uchiha was just finishing his day at work.
"Alright, that's enough for today. I'll continue writing tomorrow."
Satisfied, he closed his notebook, tucked it away in his drawer, and headed home.
But as soon as he stepped inside, he noticed something was wrong. Naruto, usually full of energy, sat on the tatami mat with tears in his eyes. Sasuke sat nearby, arms crossed, a frown on his face.
Fugaku raised a brow. "What's this? Did you two fight again?"
Naruto lowered his head, silent. Sasuke opened his mouth to speak but glanced at Naruto and held back.
"These two kids…" Fugaku sighed, shaking his head, and walked into the kitchen. Mikoto was there, absentmindedly handling vegetables, her expression troubled.
Sliding his arms around her from behind, Fugaku asked softly, "Who upset my wife?"
Mikoto whispered, "Husband… remember how we told Naruto his parents had just gone far away? He learned the truth today—that they died."
Fugaku immediately understood.
"So that's what this is about. Hmph. It was bound to come out eventually. Everyone in the village knows the Fourth Hokage and Kushina died during the Nine-Tails' attack."
Back then, he had lied only to keep Naruto close.
And what now? Even if he knows the truth, what can he do? Run away? Leave the home that finally gave him warmth? Impossible. Unless Mikoto herself told him to go, he'd never choose to leave.
"He's crying now, but he'll get over it." Fugaku shrugged.
Mikoto bit her lip. "Still… my heart aches when I see him like this. I keep thinking of Kushina."
Fugaku noticed she hadn't even finished preparing dinner yet. Usually by the time he came home, everything was ready. Clearly, Naruto's discovery had shaken her.
"How about this," Fugaku said, "let's go out tonight. A proper meal."
"But Itachi isn't back yet…"
"He's on a long mission. Don't worry about him," Fugaku said, waving it off.
"…Alright then. Help me untie this apron."
He did so, and Mikoto hurried upstairs to fix her makeup—after all, she was the Hokage's wife now and had to maintain appearances.
Fugaku returned to the living room. "Naruto, Sasuke, we're going out to eat tonight."
Normally Naruto would have leapt up, shouting with joy. But today, he only sat quietly, dazed.
Sasuke pretended to watch the television, the sound barely audible, but his eyes kept flicking toward Naruto. Though he always claimed to hate him, it was clear he cared.
Hmph. That tsundere brat, Fugaku thought with a faint smirk.
He popped open a can of Snow beer, reclining lazily on the sofa as he waited for Mikoto. No need to rush.
…
The sun was setting, staining the sky gold. The ancient outer walls of Konoha glowed in the fading light, weathered stone standing as witness to centuries of history.
At that very moment, a lone shinobi, wearing a Leaf forehead protector, approached the gates.
His long shadow stretched across the walls, as if reaching for the village itself.
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