Chapter 421: Two Little Girls
"Haha... oh, is that what this is about!"
The Sand envoy threw his head back and laughed, his expression friendly and open.
"We're helping the Land of Rain rebuild!"
"The war devastated them. People lost their homes, became refugees."
"Our Kazekage is compassionate. He couldn't bear to see those refugees starve and freeze to death. So he allocated special funds to provide aid."
"Is there a problem with that?"
"Compassionate?" Danzo's cold laugh dripped with sarcasm. "I wonder who created those refugees in the first place?"
"Konoha did, obviously." The Sand envoy threw responsibility right back without hesitation, as if stating the obvious.
"What did you say?" Danzo's fury exploded. He slammed his cane against the floor. "Stop playing the saint!"
"You think I don't know the truth?"
"You're obviously colluding with Hanzo the Salamander, planning another war against Konoha!"
The atmosphere instantly turned tense. Even the air seemed to stop moving.
Facing Danzo's accusation, the Sand envoy spread his hands in a gesture of helpless resignation.
"If Konoha insists on this misunderstanding, there's nothing we can do."
"Our aid to the Land of Rain serves peace!"
"If Konoha doesn't believe us, write to Hanzo and tell him to reject Sand's support!"
"Though Hanzo will definitely demand compensation from Konoha instead. Whether you pay is up to you."
Both Hiruzen and Danzo frowned simultaneously. This was getting complicated.
They definitely didn't want Hidden Sand pulling Hanzo to their side. But they also didn't want to spend Konoha's money buying him off either.
That money could do so much good inside the village. Why waste it on outsiders?
Besides, once you started paying bribes, there was no stopping. First time led to second, then third.
The appetite only grew. The payments would have to keep increasing, never decreasing. Eventually it became a bottomless pit, dragging Konoha into the mire.
But if they didn't buy Hanzo's loyalty, wouldn't the Land of Rain become Hidden Sand's staunch ally?
Once the two nations solidified their relationship, if war broke out again, they'd definitely join forces to invade Konoha.
The Land of Rain had fought three major nations simultaneously without being destroyed. Hanzo the Salamander's strength couldn't be underestimated.
Seeing Hiruzen starting to waver, the Sand envoy sighed as if resigned.
"Well, I won't hide it from you, Hokage-sama. This decision by our Kazekage has caused considerable controversy within Hidden Sand as well."
"If Konoha provides funding and the Land of Rain starts wavering, people in our village will definitely push to sabotage the whole arrangement."
Hiruzen and Danzo exchanged glances. They didn't believe a single word, only deepening their suspicion.
The more candidly the Sand envoy spoke, the less they believed things were so simple on the surface. There had to be some hidden angle. Rashly throwing money at this might not just be wasteful but walking straight into a trap.
How could they both avoid paying and damage the Sand-Rain relationship?
That required cunning, skill, and perhaps some... methods best kept in shadow.
Hiruzen found his gaze drifting toward Danzo. In perfect synchronization, Danzo's gaze shifted to him.
Their eyes met. Understanding passed between them. Both looked away as if nothing had happened.
Silence spoke louder than words.
Just then, Minato arrived with Kushina.
Hiruzen seized the opportunity to end the meeting, smiling at the Sand envoy.
"If the Kazekage has the compassion to aid refugees in other nations, that's certainly admirable. Konoha is pleased to see it."
"Since this is a misunderstanding, Konoha won't interfere with normal diplomatic relations between your nations."
"As for the academy attack, we'll continue investigating and reserve the right to pursue the matter further."
After more pleasantries, Hiruzen had someone escort the Sand envoy to the guest quarters.
With business concluded, Kushina, who'd been waiting impatiently, burst out immediately.
"Hokage-sama, I want to take Uchiha Yasushi as my student!"
"Absolutely not!" Before Hiruzen could speak, Danzo jumped in like a reflex.
"The jinchuriki cannot have private contact with the evil Uchiha!"
"Allowing that Obito boy to become Minato's student was already pushing the village's tolerance to its limit. We absolutely cannot let the Uchiha clan push for more!"
"You're the evil one!" When Kushina lost her temper, she feared no one. Left hand on her hip, right hand pointing at Danzo's nose, she tore into him.
"Old bastard, every time I get near you, I get goosebumps. Every hair on my body stands on end."
"Talking about evil Uchiha? I think you're the one with the most malice toward me!"
"Yasushi is pure and adorable, a thousand times kinder than you!"
Having his true nature exposed publicly, Danzo remained unfazed. As if he hadn't heard a thing, he simply fixed his cold gaze on Kushina.
"The jinchuriki should be kept under strict supervision. That's what truly serves the village."
"If not for your relationship with Minato, I'd have dragged you into Root for proper training long ago. You wouldn't be running wild here."
"You...!" Kushina's fury peaked. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to beat the old man senseless.
Minato quickly grabbed her from behind, pulling her back, his brow furrowed as he looked at Danzo.
Danzo's words about Kushina had crossed his line.
His gaze toward Danzo lost its usual warmth, carrying clear disapproval.
"Danzo-sama, the jinchuriki is a person, not a tool."
"Kushina isn't just my partner. She's an important comrade in this village. Root's methods shouldn't be casually applied to her."
This was a fundamental clash of ideology, and as Kushina's partner, a position he had to defend.
The office atmosphere turned razor-sharp with this sudden confrontation.
Hiruzen quickly moved to defuse the tension.
"Enough, both of you. Stop arguing."
"Kushina is a member of this village. That's beyond question. I won't allow her to be dragged into Root and treated as a tool."
Hiruzen stared seriously at Danzo, eyes full of warning. But then he turned to Minato.
"However, Kushina taking on students isn't a trivial matter. We can't be hasty about this."
"How about we hold a competition at the academy? Let Kushina make her selection from there. It doesn't have to be Uchiha Yasushi specifically."
But Kushina wasn't buying Hiruzen's compromise. She stuck her head out from behind Minato, her tone absolutely firm with no room for negotiation.
"No. I want an adorable child like Yasushi as my student. In the future, when Minato and I have children, I want them to be just as cute."
"I've already picked out names. A boy will be Naruto, a girl will be Naruko."
"I see..." Watching Kushina's blissful, dreamy expression, Hiruzen found himself reaching for his pipe again, feeling a mild headache coming on.
Women were such troublesome creatures.
Once emotions took over, logic went right out the window.
As someone who'd been there, Hiruzen understood deeply. Against a Kushina like this, words were useless.
He glanced at Minato, eyes carrying sympathy and understanding, as if saying "you're in for it in the future."
"Heh heh..." Minato laughed awkwardly and quickly offered the old man an out. "Hokage-sama, Kushina has danger-sensing abilities. She can tell who has malice toward her. She won't be easily deceived."
"Besides, Kushina's control over the Nine-Tails' power has deepened considerably. Ordinary ninja pose no threat to her anymore."
"The Sharingan works on the Nine-Tails, but not specifically on jinchuriki. There's no real danger."
"Moreover..." Minato hesitated, then continued. "I know the village needs balance. We can't get too close to major clans like the Uchiha."
"So I was thinking, Kushina could take on two more students to form a complete squad, bringing in other clans too."
"That way, other ninja clans won't have as many objections."
"Bringing in other clans as balance?" Hiruzen looked at Minato with approval, satisfied with his political instincts.
"Good. It could help forge bonds with Yasushi as well, letting him deeply experience the Will of Fire through long-term interaction."
He shot Danzo a warning glance to shut him up, then nodded to Minato with a smile.
"Let's do that. Reach out to the clans, see which families have children of the right age who'd be interested."
Minato's face lit up with relief. A weight lifted from his heart. He and Kushina exchanged glances, both seeing joy reflected back.
They bowed respectfully and quickly left the office, as if afraid the Hokage might change his mind.
After they'd gone, Danzo, who'd been forced into silence by Hiruzen earlier, suddenly spoke.
"Root wants one of those two remaining slots."
He didn't care about balance or bonds. He just wanted to plant his own "nail" in the jinchuriki's squad.
Hiruzen's brow furrowed, displeasure rising. But before he could speak, Danzo raised his voice.
"Hiruzen, you can't be this weak!"
"You can't indulge Minato just because he's Jiraiya's student!"
"He's too influenced by the jinchuriki. He had the audacity to come here making demands at her urging. That shows clear disrespect for you as Hokage."
"And that jinchuriki Kushina obviously lacks proper respect for you as well."
Facing Danzo's obvious manipulation, Hiruzen took a leisurely puff on his pipe.
"I see it more as closeness and trust."
"Kushina's loyalty to the village is beyond question. Stop targeting her."
"I don't care about the jinchuriki! I care about the Uchiha!"
Danzo's single eye blazed with fierce light. His entire presence shifted.
Mention the Uchiha and it was like he'd been buffed. Even his voice took on a unique persuasive quality.
"The Uchiha clan has always been closed ranks. They don't allow outsiders in. Who knows what they're really doing inside? Whether they're hiding their true strength?"
"That business with Uchiha Takeshi suddenly having three-tomoe Sharingan? I don't believe you're not suspicious."
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"If I can plant someone close to Uchiha Yasushi, they can move freely within the Uchiha clan."
"And it's just a child. Even if they wander into the wrong places, who'd suspect?"
"Trust me. If there's anything wrong inside the Uchiha, Root will definitely get to the bottom of it."
Danzo was confident. Once given permission, there was no place "Root" couldn't infiltrate, no secret they couldn't uncover.
This time, Hiruzen was actually persuaded. A legitimate, covert, and efficient monitoring channel would indeed help the village maintain control over the Uchiha clan.
But he still had doubts. He worried his old partner would use this as an excuse to cause trouble, finding problems in the Uchiha clan even where none existed.
Hiruzen still hoped to keep Root's blade's edge within his own sheath.
He took a draw on his pipe, thinking carefully before nodding.
"I can give you the slot. But you only have investigative authority. Without my permission, no independent action."
"Of course. After all, you're the Hokage!"
Danzo's face showed a slightly stiff smile of achieved victory. He agreed to the conditions readily.
He understood Hiruzen's hesitation and boundaries too well. He knew how to use the rules to achieve his own ends.
Once Root's tendrils reached deep, when circumstances changed, the so-called "permission" and "action" boundaries could naturally become blurred.
When push came to shove, you wouldn't have a choice!
The matter was settled.
A few days later, Yasushi was brought before Kushina along with two other children.
Sunshine bathed a green lawn.
Three children stood in a row, curiously sizing each other up.
All six or seven years old, naturally delicate and adorable, utterly endearing. Seeing them, Kushina's earlier dissatisfaction completely evaporated. Her maternal instincts awakened.
"Ah, this is wonderful!"
Kushina clapped her hands, joy spreading across her face. Her eyes curved into crescents, like a girl who'd just gotten cute new toys.
For her, this wasn't just a teacher taking students. It was having three "little treasures" to dote on, play with, and share the future with.
"Minato has his squad too. You'll need to perform well. Can't let his team show you up!"
Before the other two could speak, Yasushi raised his hand and declared loudly.
"Don't worry, Kushina-neesan! We may be a few years younger, but we definitely won't lose!"
Yasushi knew exactly how to please Kushina, and didn't mind volunteering as the squad's "spokesperson."
His small face wore a confident "leave it to me" expression that delighted Kushina even more.
But Yasushi's reminder made Kushina belatedly realize her request might be unreasonable. She slapped her own forehead and took it back.
"Oh right, you're younger than them!"
"Don't worry about what I just said. Compare yourselves after you graduate from the academy."
But this time, the other two children also reacted, offering their own assurances.
"Please don't worry, sensei. I won't disappoint you."
"Sensei, age doesn't determine everything. I've already learned quite a few jutsu. Even a genin might not beat me easily."
"Huh?" Even Yasushi looked surprised, turning to stare at the confident little girl beside him.
After all, geniuses like Kakashi who graduated at five were rare. Most academy students at this age had just enrolled and couldn't even use the basic techniques yet.
Kushina was also surprised, but after checking the file in her hand, she understood.
"Ah, you're Inuzuka Jun, from the Inuzuka clan."
"You've mastered the family secret techniques and can fight alongside ninja dogs already, right?"
But this statement made the little girl's face flush bright red. She loudly objected.
"That's not it!"
"Even without ninja dogs, the Inuzuka clan's jutsu is strong!"
"And our clan doesn't just fight with ninja dogs. We can use normal jutsu too!"
Inuzuka Jun bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
Her reaction was unusually intense, as if being simply associated with "ninja dogs" deeply bothered her.
As if to prove her point, the little girl formed hand seals and quickly demonstrated all three basic techniques, then released a Wind Release.
Her movements were fast and precise. Though her chakra reserves were clearly limited, making the Wind Release's scale and power modest, for a six or seven-year-old to execute multiple techniques so smoothly was already exceptional.
After finishing her demonstration, she stood panting before them, head raised high, big eyes blinking, full of anticipation.
Kushina had zero resistance to such cuteness. She immediately smiled and reached out to ruffle Jun's hair, praising warmly.
"Wow, little Jun is amazing!"
"You'll definitely become a great jonin someday."
Receiving her teacher's head pat and praise, the little girl instantly forgot her earlier "anger." Like a dog being petted the right way, she closed her eyes contentedly, her face showing satisfaction mixed with smug pleasure.
That "I'm very strong" posture from before instantly melted into an adorable "praise me more" expression.
'Definitely a carefully selected clan elite.'
Yasushi silently noted this, then turned to look at his other companion.
Also a little girl, with rare beautiful purple hair falling softly over her shoulders.
She wore a miniature ninja vest, her small frame carrying a somewhat introverted and reserved expression. He couldn't tell which clan she belonged to.
Right now she was watching Jun's performance, her originally rosy little face starting to pale. She bit her lip, fingers unconsciously fidgeting together.
Clearly aware of the gap between them, she looked nervous.
When she noticed Yasushi looking at her, her pale face started turning red again.
"I, I've practiced the basic techniques too. Just, just not as well..."
The purple-haired girl's lips trembled as she instinctively defended herself.
She kept her head down, voice barely audible, full of insecurity and fear of being looked down upon.
Good, good. This is more normal!
Yasushi relaxed internally. He reached over and patted her shoulder in a big-brother-advising-little-brother gesture.
"No worries. How old are you anyway? Not being proficient yet is normal."
"I'm Uchiha Yasushi. What's your name?"
The purple-haired girl looked at him gratefully and bowed politely.
"Hello. I'm Uzuki Yugao."
Ah, so you're Uzuki Yugao!
Your boyfriend's Transparent Escape made me so jealous, you know?
Yasushi smiled at her with an odd expression, making Yugao feel a bit creeped out.
"Um, since you're an Uchiha, you must be really strong."
"How many jutsu have you learned?" Yugao asked nervously.
"Heheh..." Yasushi laughed proudly, chest out, head high, using the most self-righteous tone and zero shame to declare loudly: "Jutsu? I don't know any at all!"
"Eh?" Yugao's brain practically crashed. Her small mouth fell open wide, her face a picture of disbelief.
How could someone be this shameless?
But Yasushi didn't care at all.
As a transmigrator skilled at exploiting resources, he had clear "survival strategies."
He knew who the real power players were.
At this stage, gaining Kushina's affection and guidance was top priority.
Just cling tightly to Kushina's coattails, and everything else would follow naturally.
The opinion of some little girl? He couldn't care less.
He turned to look at Kushina chatting and laughing with Inuzuka Jun, his face showing an "everything according to plan" smile.
*******************
Chapter 422: You Can't Awaken Because You Haven't Cried Enough
"Great! Now that everyone knows each other, let's all come to my place for dinner!"
"I'll cook myself. Let you all taste my cooking."
Unlike the Hokage lineage's traditional "bell test" opener, Kushina's first act after assembling her squad was bringing everyone together for food and team bonding.
This had to do with Kushina's own experiences.
Though she was jonin-level, her jinchuriki status meant she always partnered with Minato on missions outside the village.
While the Yellow Flash was always late, he was completely reliable when it came to his wife. He'd only been late once - on the Night of the Nine-Tails. (uuuuuioooh, burn!)
Under Minato's care, Kushina hadn't suffered much hardship, and her mentality retained a lot of girlish innocence.
Current Kushina seriously lacked awareness of being a teacher. Rather than taking on disciples, she was more like finding three playmates for herself.
Strict ninja training and team coordination probably ranked below "making everyone happy" on her priority list.
If not for Yasushi's sudden idea touching her heart earlier, she wouldn't have thought about taking students at all.
Of course, this also related to the three children being so young.
Only Inuzuka Jun knew some jutsu. The other was a half-beginner and one was a complete slacker. What bells were they supposed to grab?
"Thank you, sensei."
The two little girls had no idea what they'd be facing. They bowed naively in gratitude, faces showing anticipation.
Only Yasushi knew the truth. Kushina's cooking was certified by Minato as "dark cuisine." Full marks for heart, zero for skill.
It absolutely transcended the realm of ordinary bad food, qualifying as a ninja poison resistance training program.
Survival instinct kicked into maximum overdrive.
"Oh no, how could we trouble Kushina-neesan to cook herself!"
Yasushi quickly plastered on his sweetest smile.
"We didn't even bring proper apprenticeship gifts. How about we treat you to dinner instead?"
"What nonsense!" Kushina's eyebrows shot up immediately. She reached over and pinched Yasushi's soft little cheek, scolding: "How can a teacher let three children pay?"
"Ah, I wasn't thinking clearly."
Yasushi realized he was still a kid now. While enjoying many conveniences, there were many things he couldn't do. He'd have to change tactics.
"How about this - let's make it a gathering of all four families."
"I'll bring my mom, and we'll invite Inuzuka-san and Uzuki-san too. Everyone can eat together."
"More people means more fun!"
"Eh? All four families together?"
Kushina paused, feeling this was a bit odd.
She'd simply wanted to cook a meal for her students to strengthen the teacher-student bond. She hadn't expected it to evolve into a big family reunion.
This exceeded her initial expectations.
But she was straightforward by nature and didn't overthink things. After brief hesitation, she agreed.
"Alright, all four families it is!"
"Whew..." Yasushi exhaled deeply, finally relaxing.
Crisis averted!
Kushina's heartfelt cooking could be enjoyed by Minato himself. He, a little kid, wouldn't compete with Minato for that privilege.
The three children each went home to fetch their parents.
The clan elders were naturally delighted at the opportunity to build more personal connections with important figures in the Hokage's faction.
This wasn't just children taking on a teacher. It was expanding family relationships.
Soon, Minato's home became lively and bustling.
A group of people happily worked together in the kitchen, laughter and conversation flowing continuously.
Before long, dishes filled the entire table, abundant and varied, filled with warm domestic atmosphere. Enticing aromas permeated the living room.
Just as everyone was about to sit down and eat, the courtyard gate opened. Minato returned home with three little followers of his own.
Cool-faced silver-haired Kakashi, cheerful and bright Rin Nohara, and... Obito Uchiha, currently still wearing a sunshine-filled silly grin.
Seeing Minato return, Kushina looked delighted. She quickly stood and went to greet him.
"You're back! How come?"
"Today's your first meeting with your students. I came back specially to see if you needed help with anything."
"I brought Kakashi and the others too. They can provide demonstrations and examples."
Minato smiled and hugged Kushina briefly, then greeted everyone.
Everyone smiled and returned the greetings.
"Minato-san's timing is perfect. We're about to eat. Why don't you join us!"
"Oh, you're having a dinner party? Then I won't hold back."
Minato introduced his three students to everyone with a smile. Kushina likewise introduced Yasushi's trio to Kakashi and company.
So the whole group sat down to eat.
The long table was packed full. Adults in one section, kids naturally clustering together.
By coincidence, Obito ended up sitting right next to Yasushi.
Yasushi glanced sideways at him and saw pre-corruption Obito grinning at him stupidly, face full of pure innocence and goodwill, eyes clear as an undegraded college student's. Made Yasushi almost feel bad about bullying him.
But Yasushi knew what insane things this guy would do in the future, so he had no intention of being friendly.
He wasn't Kakashi. Even if they became best friends, once Obito went dark, a knife to the head was inevitable anyway.
"Hey there, Yasushi."
"If you ever want to train in ninjutsu, feel free to come find me. I'll definitely help you."
Obito smiled cheerfully at Yasushi, proactively offering goodwill, patting his chest and making grand promises like a caring big brother.
"Heh..." Yasushi let out a cold laugh and glanced at him dismissively. "I know who you are. Deadlast."
"Eh?" Obito immediately took the hit like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He shot up with a whoosh.
He completely forgot he was at the dinner table. Face flushing red, he shouted at Yasushi.
"Wha- what deadlast?"
"Who are you calling deadlast?"
Yasushi sat calmly in his chair, even leisurely picking up food with his chopsticks and stuffing it in his mouth, mumbling as he chewed:
"Heh. You don't know your own academy grades?"
"Who else would I be calling deadlast?"
Noticing the commotion, the lively dinner atmosphere momentarily froze. Everyone's gaze turned their way.
Feeling all eyes on him, Obito felt like his whole world was crumbling.
Being publicly called out by a younger clan member, especially in front of his teacher, so many elders, and his teammates, was social death.
His eyes widened to their limits. He clutched his head with both hands, mouth gaping open, screaming in panicked dismay.
"No no no no, I'm not deadlast! I already graduated!"
"Fine. Graduated deadlast then."
Yasushi's follow-up strike was casual, as if he'd just stated an insignificant triviality.
"You..." Obito nearly lost his mind. He desperately wanted to punch Yasushi, but the person saying this was a little kid. His fist raised high but couldn't come down.
Couldn't hit him, couldn't out-argue him. So frustrating!
"Obito, stop!" Rin beside him quickly rushed over to restrain him, preventing him from actually punching Yasushi in his impulsiveness.
That would be terrible!
"Hmph. Idiot." Kakashi's cold voice sounded nearby, adding fuel to the fire and making Obito's breakdown complete.
Yasushi acted as if he saw nothing, like everything had nothing to do with him, eating even more enthusiastically.
"Mm, Inuzuka-san's cooking is absolutely delicious."
A little conflict between kids didn't ruin the atmosphere. Instead, it made the adults laugh.
"Yasushi, don't bully Obito. Everyone should get along nicely."
Kushina wore a coaxing-children expression, making Obito feel even worse.
What do you mean don't let him bully me?
Am I that easy to bully?
But Yasushi spoke with complete seriousness:
"Don't worry, Kushina-neesan. Our squad definitely won't lose to Minato-san's squad."
"I'll take care of this Obito guy myself. I'll show him what a real Uchiha is all about!"
He pointed at the still-sulking Obito from across the table, his tone dripping with contempt.
"Eh?" Kushina's face stiffened, laughing awkwardly. "That was all just joking before! You actually remembered!"
She briefly explained the context to everyone, and they all burst out laughing.
To them, this was just cute competitive behavior from children, amusing dinner table seasoning. No one took it seriously.
But the other two little girls did take it seriously.
Inuzuka Jun immediately jumped in, small face full of fighting spirit, pointing at Rin Nohara and declaring loudly:
"I've decided! Rin-neesan is my lifelong rival! I'll definitely defeat you!"
Only slow-on-the-uptake Uzuki Yugao was dumbfounded.
Her gaze shifted to the last remaining candidate - that little white-haired boy.
Kakashi graduated from the academy at five, made chunin at six. He was the village's famous genius youth. How was she supposed to compete?
His cold, distant aura and legendary track record instantly made her feel a massive, almost hopeless gap.
To her, this wasn't competition. It was suicide.
She was completely bewildered, not knowing how to respond.
"Then I, I guess my rival is... is... Kakashi-senpai?"
She forced the words out with difficulty, voice getting smaller and smaller until it was barely audible at the end.
Seeing Yugao looking like she was about to cry, everyone's laughter grew even louder.
After laughing a while, Minato warmly reassured them:
"Being competitive is good. Competing with each other helps everyone improve."
"But you're still quite young. No need to rush comparing yourselves to them."
"A ninja's career is long. With hard work, surpassing them later isn't impossible."
"Keep at it, everyone. I have high hopes for you all."
Minato's warm smile instantly soothed some of Yugao's anxiety. She quickly bowed her head in thanks.
After clearing the air, the atmosphere quickly recovered. Everyone continued eating happily.
Well, happy for everyone else. For Obito, this meal was destined to be tasteless.
The warm, lively dinner concluded. Dishes were cleared away, and the living room returned to tidiness.
Adults left with satisfied smiles, giving space to the two teacher-student groups.
Minato and Kushina briefly consulted, deciding to let the kids get to know each other more deeply, so they brought them to the training grounds.
Leaving the embarrassing dinner table behind and arriving at the relatively familiar training grounds, Obito's confidence and fighting spirit quickly rebounded.
This was a place where he could let "strength" do the talking.
First, he removed his goggles and took out carefully formulated eye drops, applying one drop to each eye, then gently rubbed them with closed lids.
He performed this "pre-battle preparation" with great solemnity, movements meticulous, as if this were some power-enhancing secret technique.
Once everything was ready, he jumped to the center of the field, hooked a finger at Yasushi, and shouted loudly:
"Yasushi, didn't you say you'd defeat me? Come on then!"
"Today I'll teach you proper respect for your seniors!"
The frustration he'd bottled up through dinner finally found an outlet. He was fully revived, eyes full of eagerness to prove himself.
Kushina and Minato exchanged glances. Neither stopped them, allowing the match to proceed.
For ninja, appropriate sparring was a good way to deepen understanding, test character, and identify problems.
They were also curious how these two with obvious age and skill gaps would handle this match.
Yasushi walked forward with a smile, standing opposite Obito, assuming a stance.
"Fine. Since you're volunteering to get beaten, I'd be rude to refuse."
"Hmph, we'll see who beats who! Don't blame me for picking on little kids!"
After some trash talk, both formed the seal of confrontation.
After the formality, Yasushi charged at Obito on his short little legs.
He didn't even know the basic academy techniques. He could only fight with rudimentary taijutsu.
Watching from the sidelines, Inuzuka Jun and Uzuki Yugao naturally knew Yasushi's skill level. They stared with tense, wide eyes.
Rin clutched her hands worriedly, afraid Obito would hit too hard and hurt the little kid.
As for Kakashi, he stared into space boredly. This amateur clash held zero interest for him.
Obito showed off deliberately, hands forming seals rapidly. While not top-tier swift, the movements were smooth and practiced, showing he'd worked hard on this signature clan technique.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A fist-sized fireball shot from Obito's mouth, arcing through the air with scorching heat straight at Yasushi's face.
The fireball was small, but for a genin, it qualified as acceptable.
After releasing the jutsu, Obito pulled out a kunai and followed behind the fireball, using it to block vision as he rushed toward where Yasushi would likely dodge.
Though he didn't consider Yasushi a serious opponent, his basic combat instincts remained.
Ninjutsu to force movement, close combat to finish. Standard ninja tactics.
Sure enough, everything went as Obito predicted. Yasushi seemed intimidated by the fireball's heat or simply chose the most instinctive evasion path, hastily moving to the side Obito had anticipated.
Obito felt secretly pleased, planning to take this opportunity to properly discipline this unruly junior.
He could already picture himself holding a kunai to the kid's neck, delivering "a senior's earnest teachings."
In that instant, he'd even prepared the lecture he'd give afterward.
Smugness showed on his face naturally. His mouth corners couldn't help but curl upward slightly.
But just as Obito confidently closed in, kunai about to strike, Yasushi's face showed a sinister smile of success.
What Obito couldn't believe was that Yasushi's originally pitch-black eyes underwent an astonishing transformation in an incredibly short time.
The base color instantly turned blood red. The black pupils suddenly rippled, beginning to rotate and split, transforming into the tomoe he'd dreamed of.
"What? That's... Sharingan?"
Obito's heart shook violently. His whole world tilted.
The Sharingan he'd thought about day and night, desperately pursued without success, had appeared in someone several years younger whom he'd just considered "a junior needing discipline"!
This sudden, intense psychological shock and sense of disparity left his mind blank, movements completely frozen. His previously standard tactical motion instantly fell apart. The knife strike became weak and powerless, follow-up attacks losing all threat.
"Heheh..."
Yasushi laughed wickedly, fully seizing this perfect opportunity.
He ducked low, letting the kunai pass overhead, grabbed Obito's wrist with one hand, pulled outward while sweeping his leg.
Originally, Yasushi's small size and weak strength meant even with single-tomoe Sharingan enhancement, he might not beat Obito reliably.
But Obito's entire focus had been captured by those Sharingan. His reactions were extremely sluggish, completely unable to dodge.
Thud! Obito got flipped and fell face-first like a dog eating dirt, kunai flying from his hand, goggles knocked askew. Utterly pathetic.
Yasushi pressed his advantage, immediately jumping on Obito's back and raising his pale little fist to pound down.
One punch landed square on the nose. Blood spurted. The nose bent to one side, like opening a condiment shop - salty, sour, spicy all flowing out together.
Waaah...
Obito screamed. Whether from nasal nerve stimulation, Sharingan stimulus, or the mental shock of public beating, tears gushed from his eyes like a flood inside his goggles, streaming down his face.
"Ahaha..."
Yasushi laughed aloud, sitting on Obito's back, looking down at that face covered in snot, tears, blood and dirt, crowing triumphantly:
"Obito! The best thing for nourishing the Sharingan isn't some precious eye drops - it's bitter tears!"
"The reason you can't awaken is purely because you haven't cried enough!"
Combined with those slowly rotating crimson tomoe in his eyes, Yasushi's words carried extraordinary persuasive power.
But looking at Obito's eyes still stubbornly black and white, Yasushi let out another cold laugh.
"Since you want to awaken so badly, let me help you out!"
"Cry harder!"
With that, Yasushi raised his fist to strike Obito again.
*******************
Chapter 423: Nagato Has Been Abducted
His next punch targeted Obito's goggles.
Those goggles were Obito's most precious possession. He'd always used them to protect his treasured "future Sharingan."
The goggles weren't just a tool. They represented Obito's obsession with awakening his eyes.
Attacking them was like attacking the most stubborn and vulnerable part of his heart.
But under Yasushi's strike, the precious goggles finally revealed their plastic nature.
Crack! The lens shattered. The frame twisted and warped.
Yasushi raised his fist for a third punch, but Kushina had already flashed over, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck like lifting a kitten.
"Alright, Yasushi. The match is decided. No need to keep going."
Yasushi dangled in the air, limbs hanging naturally. He struggled to twist his little face back toward Kushina, flashing her a brilliant smile.
"Kushina-neesan, look! I made you proud!"
"I could beat ten deadlasts like that!"
Seeing Yasushi's triumphant, adorable expression, Kushina burst out laughing, eyes crinkling like flower petals.
Inuzuka Jun and Uzuki Yugao bounced over, eyes sparkling with stars, faces full of worship.
"Yasushi, you're amazing! Awakening the Sharingan so young!"
Even Kakashi looked over in surprise.
Unlike Jun's emotional admiration, his surprise came from pure rational assessment.
As a genius himself, Kakashi understood the Sharingan's value better than most.
The Sharingan enhanced a ninja's abilities across the board. Even with just one tomoe and zero jutsu knowledge, you were already at genin level.
With proper study and a few techniques mastered, making chunin was practically guaranteed.
Awakening this young, Yasushi had enormous potential.
Kakashi glanced at Yasushi, then at his own useless teammate, and couldn't help but sigh deeply.
"Ugh..."
Comparisons really were odious.
While Kakashi stood sighing, Rin had already jogged to Obito's side, helping him up. Green chakra glowed from her hands as she began healing his injuries.
Obito's physical wounds weren't even severe. At most, he had a bloody nose.
But Obito's injuries went far deeper than the physical.
Medical ninjutsu could heal external wounds but couldn't soothe a shattered spirit.
The pain mixed with frustration, jealousy, humiliation, and self-doubt far exceeded any ache in his nose.
Physical pain, the shock of public defeat, the shame of being disciplined by a little kid... under multiple stimuli, Obito's tears broke through like a dam, mixing with blood smeared across his face. He looked pathetic and almost comical.
"Why? Why can he awaken when he's so young?"
Obito wailed in anguish.
Even as a genin, even relatively mature for his age, even destined to become a major villain someday, Obito was still only nine years old right now.
On the battlefield, he'd definitely be tougher. But this was just friendly sparring, and his opponent was a six-year-old child. That made it especially hard to accept.
The mismatched context amplified his sense of failure.
This "shouldn't have lost" defeat cut particularly deep.
Minato sighed quietly and approached Obito. Rather than offering comfort, he placed a hand on his shoulder, looked him in the eye, and spoke seriously:
"Obito, you didn't lose to Yasushi's Sharingan. You lost to your own arrogance."
"Yasushi doesn't know any jutsu. He hasn't even mastered the basic academy techniques. He only knows rudimentary taijutsu. If you'd been slightly more serious, you wouldn't necessarily have lost."
"But you were too cocky. You assumed that being older meant you'd easily win. So you underestimated him completely."
"That's what led to this defeat."
"This is a profound lesson. You must remember it. No matter what kind of enemy you face in the future, never let your guard down."
"Understand?"
Minato's tone was stern, each word hammering into Obito's heart.
He had to shatter Obito's self-comforting narrative of "losing to talent" and make him face his own mistakes directly.
"I... I understand." Obito nodded through his sniffles.
He'd taken his teacher's words to heart, but the shame only intensified.
He raised his sleeve to wipe his face, trying to dry his tears, but only succeeded in smearing tears and blood everywhere.
Seeing this, Kushina kindly produced a handkerchief and carefully wiped away the blood and tear stains from Obito's face.
After Obito thanked Kushina, Minato patted his shoulder.
"Alright. Let's form the seal of reconciliation."
Obito took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions, and obediently returned to the field. He and Yasushi formed the seal together, completing the match's final formality.
Whether due to his naturally optimistic nature or the effects of Minato's guidance and Kushina's care, within moments Obito emerged from his dejection, showing a fighting spirit again.
He pumped his fist vigorously at Yasushi and shouted:
"I won't give up! Next time I'll definitely beat you!"
"Sure thing, deadlast."
Yasushi looked disgusted, waving his hand dismissively like shooing away a fly.
That casual attitude was more infuriating than direct mockery. It instantly set Obito's temper blazing again.
His just-rebuilt psychological defenses shattered immediately. Like an enraged bull, he stomped in place, waving his fists and roaring empty threats.
"Damn it!"
"I'm going to make you cry someday, you little brat!"
"Tch!" Yasushi turned his head away disdainfully, completely ignoring him. This made Obito yell even louder.
Watching how easily Yasushi manipulated Obito's emotions, Kakashi felt even more contempt for his teammate. This guy was beyond help.
"Idiot."
"Kakashi!"
Seeing her two teammates about to start fighting each other, Rin quickly stepped between them, once again becoming the team's glue, beginning damage control with practiced, weary expertise.
Minato and Kushina watched this familiar drama and exchanged smiles without intervening.
After Rin finished soothing her teammates, the eager Inuzuka Jun leaped into the field, gesturing at Rin Nohara and issuing her challenge.
"Rin-senpai, please teach me!"
Rin cheerfully entered the field and began sparring with Jun.
The fight wasn't particularly intense. More like friendly practice.
Though Jun had decent talent and showed good form with her taijutsu and Wind Release, facing the more experienced Rin with more solid fundamentals, she gradually fell behind.
After all, Rin was several years older with better physique and chakra reserves.
Naturally, Rin eventually won.
After the two formed the seal of reconciliation, it was Uzuki Yugao versus Kakashi.
This was the final and most "lopsided" pairing.
Kakashi at this stage was still in mission-obsessed mode. He didn't know the first thing about going easy.
The moment the final gesture of the "seal of confrontation" fell, Kakashi's figure vanished from his position like a phantom.
The next instant, a cold blade pressed gently against the tender skin of Yugao's neck.
The whole process was so fast even afterimages were barely visible.
The little girl hadn't even finished lowering her hands from the seal. The fight was already over.
"Thank you for the match."
Kakashi coldly sheathed his blade.
Looking at the ice block face before her, Yugao's little mouth trembled. Mist rapidly gathered in her large eyes.
Tears came faster than expected. She tried desperately to hold them back, but her eyes were already reddening.
Seeing another one about to cry, Kushina quickly ran over and hugged the little girl tightly, comforting her:
"It's okay. Later, sensei will teach you amazing jutsu. Next time we'll win it back."
Yugao pressed her lips together firmly and nodded vigorously, eyes wide open, afraid the water inside would spill out.
After the two formed the seal of reconciliation, today's matches finally concluded.
Through these sparring sessions, Kushina gained direct understanding of her three students' personalities, talents, and weaknesses.
Yasushi had exceptional talent but almost zero foundation, with an unpredictable personality.
Inuzuka Jun had solid fundamentals and strong competitive drive.
Uzuki Yugao had acceptable basics but lacked confidence and combat experience, with a more introverted nature.
With this knowledge, she had corresponding ideas for teaching plans forming in her mind.
"Alright, today's activities end here. Everyone dismissed. Tomorrow morning, gather here again."
With Kushina's command, everyone dispersed.
Meanwhile, in the northern Land of Earth, beneath desolate cliff faces, in a massive underground cavern.
The grotesque form of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path loomed indistinctly in the gloom. The withered, aged body connected to chakra tubes sat motionless in darkness like a corpse long dead.
White Zetsu's form slowly emerged from the cavern ceiling, standing before that figure.
"Madara-sama, we have a problem! Nagato has been abducted!"
"What do you mean Nagato has been abducted?"
Uchiha Madara slowly raised his head and opened his eyes. His voice was low and hoarse, carrying both irritation at being disturbed and disbelief.
Nagato, the vessel of those Rinnegan, was a crucial piece in his plan. He couldn't afford to lose him.
"Exactly what it sounds like."
White Zetsu shrugged, his tone carrying a detached lightness, even a hint of schadenfreude.
Being without human emotions, he seemed to enjoy bringing "surprises" to this legendary shinobi and observing Madara's reactions to satisfy his curiosity.
"Madara-sama, remember that Akatsuki organization I reported on a few years ago?"
"Hmph!" Madara snorted coldly, his ancient face full of disdain. "I know about that."
"That boy Yahiko started that Akatsuki organization with Nagato and the others. They've been active in the Land of Rain, trying to achieve peace through understanding rather than force."
"Heh. Such naive, childish thinking. In this rotten shinobi world, people ultimately cannot understand each other."
"I said at the time to ignore their little game of house. Reality would teach them soon enough."
"What happened? Did the Akatsuki get wiped out?"
Mockery dripped from Madara's words.
He understood this world's cruelty too well, viewing such idealism as childish fantasies.
"That's where the problem is..." White Zetsu's face showed puzzlement.
"Not only wasn't Akatsuki destroyed, they actually gained Hidden Sand Village's recognition and massive material support."
"What?"
"Akatsuki gained Hidden Sand's recognition?"
Madara's eyes widened in shock. Those eyes, clouded by age, flashed with sharp light.
His body, which had been leaning against the Demonic Statue, involuntarily straightened.
This completely deviated from Madara's expected script.
"That's right." White Zetsu sighed. "Hidden Sand sent Pakura as an envoy to meet Yahiko, claiming to be moved by Akatsuki's ideals and wanting to help them."
"They not only brought massive material support but planned to bring Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan to Hidden Sand Village. They promised the Third Kazekage would personally take all three as students and support spreading Akatsuki's ideals throughout the village."
"However, Yahiko worried that joining Hidden Sand would label them with the village's political stance, making it harder to promote Akatsuki's ideals later. So he refused."
"After learning about Jiraiya's relationship with the three, Pakura settled for second best and only took Nagato as a liaison between Hidden Sand and Akatsuki."
"So unless something unexpected happened, Nagato has already become the Third Kazekage's student by now."
"Impossible!" After hearing White Zetsu's intelligence briefing, Madara's expression changed immediately. He rejected Hidden Sand's supposed "goodwill" without hesitation.
He had deep-rooted understanding of humanity's darkness.
So-called goodwill and ideals were often just packaging and tools before national and village interests.
He absolutely refused to believe one of the Five Great Nations' Kage would genuinely endorse what he considered laughably naive peace ideals.
There had to be deeper, more pragmatic motives behind this.
"Something's wrong here!"
Madara's eyes gleamed as his aged brain began racing again.
"The Third Kazekage is no saint. He'd never believe Akatsuki's nonsense ideals."
"Either Hidden Sand has designs on Hidden Rain and plans to use Akatsuki to undermine Hanzo the Salamander, or... they recognized the Rinnegan!"
Madara's voice suddenly turned ice-cold, his expression growing severe.
The Rinnegan and Nagato were the core of his future resurrection and the Moon's Eye Plan. He couldn't afford any mistakes.
Nagato in a small nation like the Land of Rain versus Nagato in the hands of one of the Five Great Nations - the difficulty of controlling him was completely incomparable.
In the dark space, Madara sank into prolonged silence, with only the sound of life force flowing through tubes from the Demonic Statue.
Storms were gathering in those ancient eyes.
Madara lowered his head, thinking carefully for a long time before speaking in a low voice:
"There are always those in this world who covet things that don't belong to them, not realizing that greed is the root of all disaster."
"Since the Third Kazekage wants to covet the Rinnegan, let's see if Hidden Sand Village has the ability to swallow it!"
"Let's hope Hidden Sand doesn't choke to death."
*******************
Chapter 424: The Savior Arrives at Konoha Village
The sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, perfect weather for training.
Kushina brought her three students to the riverside, hands on her hips, radiating energy as she announced:
"I've given this some thought. Since you three are all at different skill levels, I can't use the same teaching approach for everyone."
"So I'll be training each of you in different areas."
"Yasushi's case is straightforward. First master the Three Basic Jutsu they teach at the academy, then we'll move on from there."
"Yugao already knows the Three Basic Jutsu. What you need now is practice and refinement. So I'm going to teach you my specialty: sealing techniques. We'll start with the fundamentals."
"As for Jun..." Kushina scratched her head, looking somewhat troubled. "Normally, ninja clans have their own secret techniques passed down through the family. They don't need to study under outsiders to learn common jutsu."
"But since you're interested in learning, Jun, I'll teach you some basic medical ninjutsu!"
"Your role in the squad will be as the medical ninja. For combat, you'll rely primarily on your family's secret techniques..."
"Wait!" Before Kushina could finish, Jun's hand shot up, interrupting her teacher.
"Kushina-sensei, I don't want to be a medical ninja. I want to learn regular jutsu and fight with normal techniques, not rely on my family's secret techniques."
Her reaction was intense, almost rude. Her small face was taut with tension, eyes filled with resistance.
"Huh?" Kushina blinked in surprise, genuinely confused. "Why? The Inuzuka clan's secret techniques are quite powerful. Why would you want to take the harder path?"
Jun lowered her head, fingers twisting together anxiously. Her shoes scraped against the ground as her face flushed red with embarrassment. Despite her obvious distress, she didn't explain, only repeating:
"I just don't want to."
She looked conflicted, as if hiding something painful.
That stubborn mixture of shame and determination made Kushina realize this wasn't simple childish defiance.
"I see." Kushina's eyes softened. Clearly something specific had prompted this reaction, so she didn't press further. She made a mental note to visit the Inuzuka household later and get to the bottom of it. "In that case, you can study sealing techniques with me too!"
"Then I want to learn as well!" Yasushi's hand immediately shot up.
Sealing techniques were essentially cheat codes in the ninja world. Even the most powerful individuals couldn't withstand a well-executed seal.
Now that he had the chance, he wasn't about to pass it up.
"Alright, alright, everyone can learn."
Kushina gave Yasushi an indulgent look, then immediately turned stern, pointing at him.
"However, before you can study sealing techniques, you must master the Three Basic Jutsu first. Otherwise I won't teach you."
"No problem, sensei. You can count on me!"
Yasushi agreed confidently, but when it came time to actually practice, he discovered it wasn't nearly as easy as he'd thought.
Standing on the grassy riverbank, attempting to form hand seals and guide his chakra for the first time, he immediately felt the difficulty.
The theoretical "no problem" clashed sharply with the practical "this is hard."
His brain said: I've got this. His hands said: No, you really don't.
Six years of academy training, countless graduates who only knew the Three Basic Jutsu. It wasn't because the instructors were withholding other techniques.
The reality was that the Three Basic Jutsu demanded exceptionally strong fundamentals. Ordinary children without family training could easily spend years just trying to master them.
The hand seals themselves were simple enough. There were only twelve basic seals, and the Three Basic Jutsu used just four combined seals total.
Precision was critical—even slight imperfections would affect the final result. But with a month or so of practice, most children could perform the seals accurately.
The real challenge lay in coordinating chakra flow with the hand seals. Poor coordination would produce results like Naruto's pathetic, limp clone that looked like a wet noodle.
The key was "synchronization."
Chakra quality, quantity, and flow rhythm had to mesh perfectly with the specific seal sequence. The slightest deviation would cascade into total failure.
Only now did he truly understand how much tedious foundation work and precise chakra control went into those supposedly simple C-rank jutsu.
Still, what might have been difficult for the old Yasushi posed no challenge whatsoever for the current one.
"Sharingan, activate!"
Yasushi grinned and engaged his bloodline cheat code.
His eyes flared crimson, tomoe slowly rotating as everything in his vision became unnaturally clear and distinct.
He'd found his "shortcut"—the Uchiha clan's natural advantage: perception and copying.
Kakashi could claim the title "Copy Ninja of Konoha" with this ability. As the genuine article, Yasushi certainly wouldn't fall short.
"Kushina-neesan, could you demonstrate it once?"
He shamelessly requested the "answer key."
Only a fool wouldn't use an available cheat, especially during the learning phase.
Seeing those blood-red eyes, Kushina understood immediately. She deliberately slowed her movements, performing the standard technique while intentionally stabilizing her chakra flow so Yasushi could clearly "see" every detail.
"Ha! I did it!"
Yasushi laughed, forming the Ram seal.
Pop. An identical clone appeared beside him.
The clone looked somewhat stiff, but its form was complete and chakra stable—a miraculous achievement for a first attempt.
"See? The Three Basic Jutsu are way too easy!"
Yasushi immediately got cocky, tail practically wagging as he squinted smugly and flashed a toothy grin.
Jun and Yugao watched him succeed so effortlessly. Remembering how long they'd struggled to reach that level, their eyes filled with envy and resentment.
But the next moment, Yasushi's luck ran out.
When he attempted the Transformation Jutsu, his problems became obvious.
The Sharingan could help him "see" the correct chakra pattern, but it couldn't directly grant him fine control ability.
He tried transforming into a tree. Due to uneven chakra distribution, the transformation only half-completed. His lower body succeeded, but his upper body failed.
The result was a ridiculous "tree-person" hybrid—trunk legs with a human torso.
"Pffft... hahaha..."
Now it was the two girls' turn to laugh.
Seeing Yasushi make such a fool of himself after all his showing off, Jun and Yugao laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
Yasushi didn't get angry. He found his own appearance hilarious too, joining in their laughter. The atmosphere actually became more relaxed.
He understood his problem perfectly. Classic case of knowing everything in theory but failing in execution. He just needed practice.
All it would take was more training to solve everything.
Kushina assessed the situation the same way, smiling as she advised:
"Alright, you should practice for a few more days first!"
"Successfully performing the Three Basic Jutsu once isn't enough. You need to be able to adjust and switch between them instantly based on battlefield conditions."
"That requires muscle memory and conditioned reflexes, not just copying the technique once."
"Understood." Yasushi nodded obediently. "You two go ahead and learn. I'm a genius anyway. Even if I study a few days later, I'll easily catch up to you."
This time both girls looked annoyed.
"Provoked" by his comment, Jun and Yugao's competitive spirits ignited.
They refused to let this "half-baked genius" overtake them later. They immediately urged Kushina to begin teaching sealing techniques, determined to get ahead in this area.
Time flowed like water. Noon arrived quickly.
The sunlight grew more intense, and the children's stomachs began growling on cue.
Kushina stopped training and clapped her hands.
"Alright, everyone's worked hard. Lunch is on me—we're getting ramen. Then we'll continue this afternoon."
"Awesome! Thank you, sensei!" All three cheered.
The group headed back to the village together, walking through Konoha's streets with cheerful conversation as they made their way toward Ichiraku Ramen.
Yasushi had heard about "Ichiraku Ramen" for ages—it was practically a mandatory landmark.
He'd always eaten at home before and never visited.
Finally getting the chance to check it off his list made him genuinely happy.
Time to taste this "Ichiraku Ramen" and see if it really lived up to the hype.
The curtain parted, releasing a rich wave of bone broth aroma.
Inside, the shop was warm and bright, filled with the pleasant bustle of everyday life and conversation.
The group filed in one by one. Amid the chorus of "Welcome!" they found seats and sat down.
Yasushi didn't rush to sit. He stood beside his seat, glancing around and taking in every detail of the shop's interior.
Behind the counter, the future Teuchi—currently in his prime—looked sharp and capable. His movements were clean and efficient, full of energy. When he pulled the noodles, the motion flowed like water, beautiful to watch.
A long table stretched in front of the counter where many customers sat eating heartily, slurping their noodles with obvious enjoyment.
The shop was filled with the distinctive aroma of meat broth that made mouths water.
Yasushi smiled and was about to sit down when his gaze suddenly locked onto someone's back.
The person appeared young with short, messy black hair. He wore no ninja insignia, looking completely ordinary—like a regular Konoha villager or passing traveler. He was currently hunched over his bowl, eating with evident pleasure.
However, on the back of his neck, a diamond-shaped mark appeared like a tattoo, embedded deep in the flesh.
The mark's unique and striking design instantly triggered something from the depths of Yasushi's mind—dangerous memory fragments from his "previous life."
Is that... Karma?
The term emerged from his consciousness with ice-cold dread.
Associated with it came a cascade of terrifying concepts belonging to the distant future: "Otsutsuki," "reincarnation," "vessel," "Kara Organization."
How is this possible?
Why would this thing appear here?
Yasushi's heart lurched. He nearly stopped breathing.
His rational mind screamed warnings.
Something's wrong. The timeline is wrong. "Kara Organization" couldn't possibly exist at this point in time, and certainly not here!
I must be seeing things!
This has to be a mistake, or maybe just some coincidental tattoo!
Yasushi shook his head repeatedly, slapping his own face several times to force himself to calm down.
But that string in his heart had already been plucked. An indescribable unease spread like ripples from a stone dropped in a still lake.
He looked at the figure again, his expression now completely different from before.
As if sensing his stare, the person set down his bowl and turned around naturally, revealing a face that looked quite cheerful, even somewhat honest.
Yasushi's reaction was instantaneous. He immediately managed his expression, switching to the innocent curiosity appropriate for a six-year-old, eyes wide and twinkling, smile pure and guileless.
"Mister, you're really enjoying that! Is the ramen here that good?"
The man was completely fooled by his act. He laughed heartily, his demeanor genuinely sunny, almost reminiscent of Minato.
"Haha, of course it's delicious! I've traveled all over, and I've never had better ramen than this."
"Really? Are you a ninja from another village, mister? Do you travel around the ninja world a lot?"
Yasushi fired off questions in rapid succession, trotting over to sit in the seat next to the man. He waved at Teuchi.
"Mister, I'll have whatever he's having."
"Haha, coming right up. One tonkotsu ramen!"
The newcomer was precisely Arato. He and Akakaze had both been swept into the Dragon Vein's spacetime turbulence. When they emerged, they'd found themselves twenty years in the past.
Unlike Akakaze, who'd rushed back to Hidden Sand Village to report, Arato had quickly discovered something wrong in the ancient Loulan Kingdom. He'd spent time freeing Loulan from An Lushan's control.
Only after settling everything there did Arato officially enter the ninja world, ready to begin fulfilling his "savior" duties.
In the final moments before the time displacement, he'd received information transmitted through chakra that explained everything about cause and effect. He'd learned the name Uchiha Yasushi.
So after leaving Loulan, he'd come straight to Konoha Village.
He just hadn't expected to run into his target the very first day he arrived.
Though he'd seen the massive statue of Uchiha Yasushi in the Uchiha Divine Nation—had witnessed it with his own eyes—no one could possibly connect that deity with the extra eye in his forehead and Rinnegan in both sockets to this little kid sitting before him.
Seeing just an ordinary child rather than someone from the Military Police Force, Arato relaxed his guard. He lowered his head to eat a few more bites before smiling and answering:
"Ninja... I suppose you could call me that. But I'm a wandering ninja without any village affiliation."
"As for traveling around—yes, I've been to quite a few places and seen many different customs and cultures."
"Wow, that's amazing..."
Yasushi wore an expression of pure admiration, feeding Arato's ego exactly as much as he wanted. The man's favorable impression of him increased substantially.
"Then you must be a jonin, right, mister? What kind of jutsu are you best at?"
"Jonin..." Arato tilted his head, considering. "Skill-wise, I'd say I'm probably around that level."
"Though where I'm from, we don't use rank classifications anymore."
"As for my specialty, that would be Water Release jutsu."
Arato was far too honest, really terrible at lying. He'd practically laid out his entire background for Yasushi.
But the more Yasushi heard, the more panicked he became.
Much of what Arato described actually referred to the Uchiha Divine Nation period, which contradicted certain common knowledge about the current ninja world.
Most ordinary ninja might not catch the discrepancies, but someone with cheat-level knowledge like Yasushi could clearly detect the abnormalities.
Yasushi didn't know Arato was a spacetime traveler. He assumed everything the man said reflected internal "Kara Organization" practices.
Especially after this round of questioning, Yasushi became increasingly convinced that Arato's background was extraordinary.
With Arato's level of knowledge and bearing, he absolutely couldn't be an ordinary wandering ninja. Yet he wasn't anyone from the famous roster of known ninja world powerhouses that Yasushi recognized.
But high-level fighters in the ninja world couldn't just appear out of nowhere. They had to come from somewhere.
If this wasn't a false name and identity, then where else could he have come from?
*******************
Chapter 425: That Kid Is Uchiha Yasushi
Wary of Arato, Yasushi didn't dare ask more questions. When his ramen arrived, he immediately buried his face in the bowl and ate frantically, avoiding further eye contact or conversation. He needed to end this dangerous encounter quickly.
When he looked up again, the seat beside him was empty, the dishes already cleared.
The man had vanished like a water drop absorbed into a crowd, completely gone without a trace.
"Phew..."
Yasushi exhaled slowly, finally relaxing slightly.
Maybe he was overthinking it. Perhaps the guy was just an odd wandering ninja passing through who happened to have lunch and left. Not some "Kara Organization" plot against Konoha Village.
He had no intention of reporting this to his clan or the village. After all, why invite trouble? There was no need to provoke a powerful figure who "didn't exist" in the original storyline.
But who would have guessed that after afternoon training ended, on his way back to the clan compound, he'd encounter Arato again, wandering through the streets.
Merchants and travelers constantly visited the village. Konoha's marketplace was filled with diverse goods and plenty of food. Anyone visiting naturally browsed the streets and did some shopping.
Konoha's prosperity and openness provided perfect cover for Arato, making him look like an ordinary traveler interested in local cuisine. His behavior showed nothing obviously suspicious, so naturally no one doubted him.
The two collided head-on in the street, both caught off guard.
Arato was holding several skewers of grilled meat. Seeing Yasushi, his face lit up with delight as he casually offered one over.
"Haha, we meet again, kid!"
"Here, have a skewer on me."
"By the way, your Konoha Village really does have great food. Too bad there's no movie theater yet. Could use more entertainment options."
His manner was warm and natural, his gesture friendly. But the casual mention of "movie theater" stabbed like a fine needle into Yasushi's sensitive nerves.
In this era, Konoha definitely had no movie theaters. The other great nations probably didn't either.
So where had Arato learned about such things?
Inside "Kara Organization"?
Their technology was already that far advanced?
Yasushi's heart raced with alarm, though his face showed only an awkward smile as he politely declined.
"No thanks, mister. I appreciate it though."
"I really need to get home. My mom's waiting for me."
Yasushi moved to put distance between himself and Arato, but Arato reached out to stop him, smiling.
"I actually came to Konoha Village looking for someone."
"I'm a stranger here and don't know who to ask."
"Since we've run into each other twice now, seems like fate. Mind if I ask you about this person? Think you might know them?"
"Oh, sure!"
Though Yasushi didn't want to invite trouble, curiosity gnawed at him. He wanted to know what storyline this "non-existent" powerful figure connected to.
Weighing the risks against the benefits, curiosity and hunger for intelligence temporarily overrode his survival instincts.
He decided to hear who the target was first, then decide his next move.
So he asked with a cheerful smile:
"Who are you looking for, mister?"
"Another member of your Uchiha clan, actually. Someone named Uchiha Yasushi. Know him?"
"Uchiha Yasushi?" Yasushi's heart lurched, his expression nearly cracking.
Damn it, why is he looking for me?!
Fortunately, after days of playing the good kid, his expression management skills were solid. Instead of showing fear, he even grinned wider.
"I know him!"
"What do you need from him, mister?"
"I can take you into the clan compound to find him!"
Faced with Yasushi's enthusiastic offer, Arato quickly waved his hands.
"No, no, don't trouble yourself."
"I haven't decided yet whether I actually want to meet him. Just wanted to confirm he's a real person."
"Here, you can have all these skewers. Consider it a thank you."
Arato shoved the grilled meat into Yasushi's hands and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Yasushi panicked.
Having this kind of person watching him from the shadows would keep him up at night.
But he didn't dare shout or make a scene, worried the man might lash out and kill him on the spot.
Just then, his gaze swept across the street and caught sight of Kakashi's three-person squad walking past on the other end.
His eyes immediately brightened. He pointed at Obito and whispered to Arato:
"Mister, see that Uchiha wearing the goggles?"
"That's right. That kid is Uchiha Yasushi!"
"Oh?" Arato stopped at those words, his gaze turning toward the group.
Obito remained completely oblivious to Yasushi's "diverting disaster eastward." He continued laughing cheerfully, circling around Rin like a devoted puppy.
Yasushi carefully observed Arato's expression. The man's eyes showed intense focus, but no apparent killing intent. Instead, he seemed to be evaluating something.
What does this mean?
Is he planning to assess me as a "vessel"?
But that doesn't make sense!
I'm only six years old with no reputation at all. Why would Isshiki Otsutsuki target me?
He doesn't have "prophecy" abilities, and there's no way he could know I'm a transmigrator.
Yasushi's anxiety deepened, unable to understand how he'd attracted this attention.
After Obito's trio disappeared down another street, Arato finally looked away and smiled at Yasushi with a nod.
"Thank you, kid."
"Come to think of it, I never properly introduced myself. How rude of me."
"My name is Arato. What's yours?"
"Oh, I'm Uchiha Obito." Yasushi lied without missing a beat. "You can ask around the village about my reputation, mister. I'm known for being genuinely kind, honest, and reliable. I just love making friends with people."
"Haha, excellent. Obito, we're friends now then."
Arato laughed heartily and waved goodbye.
"I've got things to handle. I'll be going now. Maybe we'll meet again sometime!"
Yasushi smiled and waved farewell. The moment Arato's figure vanished, the smile dropped from his face like a mask. He immediately spun around and bolted, mobilizing all his chakra to accelerate.
He charged straight into the clan compound without going home, heading directly for Clan Leader Fugaku's residence.
He hadn't reported the earlier information because he'd thought it didn't concern him and wanted to avoid trouble.
But now that the man had specifically asked for him by name, continuing to hide would be suicide.
He had to eliminate this threat before Arato discovered the "Yasushi" he'd identified was a fake.
As for why this person was looking for him or what his purpose was, Yasushi didn't care to investigate. Once they captured him, everything would become clear.
"Uncle Fugaku!"
"Uncle Fugaku!!"
Yasushi ran full speed, gasping for breath as he burst through Fugaku's gate. He found Mikoto watering flowers in the yard.
Seeing Yasushi covered in dust and looking disheveled, Mikoto set down her watering can with a smile and teased:
"Just finished training, I take it? You look like a little monkey."
"Come on, Auntie Mikoto will help you get cleaned up."
Yasushi had no patience for small talk with middle-aged housewives right now. He craned his neck toward the main house and shouted:
"Uncle Fugaku, a ninja from another village is trying to capture me!"
That got results immediately. Fugaku pushed the door open, his face serious.
"What did you say?"
"A ninja from another village?"
"Where?"
Yasushi gave him a brief rundown of everything. After listening, Fugaku's expression turned thunderous.
"Stay here at my house. I'm taking the Military Police Force to capture and interrogate him immediately."
"I'd like to see who dares have ill intentions toward one of my Uchiha in Konoha Village!"
Fugaku leaped out of the courtyard. Soon the sounds of commotion rose outside as a group charged out with murderous momentum.
Only then did Yasushi relax, finding leisure to flirt with the beautiful married woman.
"Ah, Auntie Mikoto, I heard your family's bath is really spacious. Could I see it?"
Mikoto giggled and pulled him toward the back courtyard.
...
After Yasushi had bathed until he was clean and tender, and finished eating the high-quality snacks Mikoto provided, Fugaku finally returned with Takeshi.
But one look at Fugaku's expression told Yasushi the situation wasn't good.
Sure enough, Fugaku sat down with a dark expression and said regretfully:
"We were a step too late. He'd already fled Konoha Village."
"But don't worry, Yasushi. I've reported that guy's appearance and name to the village. They'll put him on a priority watch list. He won't be getting back into Konoha Village."
"That's it?" Yasushi's face fell immediately, dissatisfaction clear. "The village isn't sending anyone to hunt him down?"
A flash of displeasure crossed Fugaku's face, but he still explained:
"I originally intended that, but some in the village argued that this Arato person hadn't actually done anything concrete. There's no evidence proving he's an enemy nation ninja."
"Capturing him hastily might alarm merchants and wandering ninja visiting from various countries, which wouldn't benefit the village's development."
"Furthermore, all the testimony came from you, a six-year-old child. Some people felt we were overreacting, so they didn't approve the pursuit."
"What do you mean overreacting?" Yasushi jumped to his feet. "I guess it's easy for them to say since they're not the ones in danger, right?"
"Do they need to wait until that guy actually hurts someone in the village before they'll take action?"
"What good is a 'priority watch list'?"
"That's completely useless!"
"As if they could detect someone using Transformation Jutsu to sneak in!"
Yasushi's small face flushed red with anger, complaints firing like rapid shots from his mouth. He looked like an enraged but powerless young beast.
Beside him, Takeshi said nothing, but his dark expression and clenched fists showed his fury had reached its limit.
As a father, having his son targeted while the village's response remained so dismissive filled him with dual rage.
As a Three-Tomoe Sharingan expert, his silence carried more oppressive weight than Yasushi's outburst.
Watching the furious Yasushi and the grimly silent Takeshi, Fugaku was thoroughly confused.
After the previous assassination incident, he'd been cooperating with the village to monitor Uchiha Takeshi, but weeks of surveillance had revealed nothing suspicious.
He'd started thinking they'd been overcautious. Who would have guessed that turning around, he'd discover the problem wasn't with Takeshi at all, but with this tiny six-year-old child?
Why would anyone target such a young kid?
What about Yasushi could be more interesting than Takeshi?
He couldn't help asking:
"Yasushi, are you certain that man was specifically looking for you?"
Now that he had sufficient time, Yasushi recounted everything from beginning to end in detail, including every word from both encounters and his "diverting disaster" scheme of deceiving Arato with a false identity. He hid nothing.
Compared to being "looked at differently" for lying, whether they could use Obito as bait to trap the mysterious Arato was far more important.
His thinking was clear.
Personal image was a small matter. Capturing the potential threat and eliminating the danger took priority.
Indeed, after hearing Yasushi's "confession," Fugaku's look turned somewhat odd, but he didn't react strongly.
After all, a child telling lies wasn't some serious crime. Moreover, for a six-year-old in that situation, you couldn't expect much more.
Facing crisis, a child who could adapt this well on the fly and even attempt to set a counter-trap already possessed the qualities of a qualified ninja.
Fugaku was more concerned with Arato's behavior patterns and true purpose.
But the intelligence was still too limited. They still didn't understand why Arato had targeted Yasushi. Most importantly, it seemed Arato not only didn't know Yasushi, but might not even know what he looked like.
That was strange. How had he learned Yasushi's name?
Had someone posted a mission on the black market?
After thinking for a moment, Fugaku looked up at Takeshi and said:
"I didn't understand the details of this matter thoroughly before. I assumed someone coveted the Sharingan and therefore targeted Yasushi."
"Now it seems the situation is more complex than we imagined."
"I didn't mention Yasushi's central importance in this matter to the village. They must have misjudged the situation to some degree."
"I need to ask your opinion now. Should we report to the village leadership that this person specifically targeted Yasushi?"
Takeshi froze, hesitating before asking in return:
"If we do that, what are the benefits and drawbacks?"
"The benefit is that the village will take this more seriously. They might assign people to protect Yasushi, which would improve his safety somewhat."
"The drawback is that the village will definitely become interested in Yasushi's special nature. While protecting him, they'll certainly monitor him as well, trying to figure out why someone is interested in him."
"And..." Fugaku hesitated before finally adding a reminder: "Regarding the assassination attempt at the academy gates, whether Yasushi was accidentally caught up in it or if they were actually targeting him all along has now become unclear."
Takeshi hadn't considered that angle. Fugaku's reminder made him realize immediately, and his expression turned extremely ugly.
He couldn't help looking at his own son, unable to understand why anyone would specifically target his good eldest boy.