Hyūga Ayato said lazily, "Oh? Not interested."
"Anyway, after you spread the news, when the whole village started hating Naruto, the so-called 'Will of Fire' became the only light he could cling to in that darkness."
"The Will of Fire had a great origin—uniting people who should be enemies. But… everything taken to the extreme backfires. You old foxes have completely lost the original meaning."
"Tell me—does your Will of Fire protect this village as a place… or the people living in it?"
"Not that I care. The village never had anything worth keeping me here. Only those… unforgettable 'assets' I can't abandon."
Ayato made a gesture across his chest, clearly uninterested in any political philosophy. He had always lived by one rule:
I enjoy life first. Everyone else is optional.
"Watch your mouth, brat. I'll leave Team 7 to you. Your personality is hard to read, but your strength—I trust."
Hiruzen puffed on his cigarette, voice calm.
"But if you ever threaten this village, I'll stop you with everything I have."
He wasn't angry—arguing with Ayato would only give him more fuel. And no one could really do anything about Ayato anyway.
"Want to try? But I'd advise an old bag of bones like you to cherish each day you have left."
Ayato smiled, but there was danger in his sky-blue eyes—cold and sharp.
Kakashi stiffened.
"Ayato…"
He had known Ayato for years and still couldn't predict what was going on in that guy's head.
"Relax, I'm kidding."
Ayato draped an arm over Hiruzen's shoulder with exaggerated respect.
"After all, I'm very respectful of elders and kind to children."
Everyone fell silent.
Ayato? Respectful? Kind?
Bull.
At fifteen, Ayato set Hiruzen's beard on fire.
At eighteen, he made several Academy students cry.
He respected neither "elder" nor "child."
Even worse—during a mission, he once beat up a passing beauty from another village simply because she "acted too arrogant."
"Brat, talk less." Hiruzen grumbled and glared at him before turning to leave.
Ayato watched him disappear, then turned to Kakashi with a playful smirk.
"Good. Now the nuisance is gone. We can finally start our… secret activities, just the two of us."
Kakashi deadpanned. "…With wording like that, should I take off my clothes?"
"Take them off," Ayato said immediately.
Kakashi hesitated shyly—then slowly lifted his mask.
"Whoa."
Ayato stroked his chin, examining Kakashi seriously before giving a satisfied nod.
"My curiosity is finally satisfied."
Before taking over Team 7, Ayato had struck a deal with Kakashi—
He wanted to see the famous face hidden under the mask.
Kakashi pulled the mask back on and bowed slightly.
"Then… I leave Team 7 in your hands."
Ayato's expression turned serious.
"You pestered me long enough—I have to give you some face. I'm taking this job entirely because of you."
[Incorrect. System correction: Host accepted due to mission rewards.]
A gentle female voice echoed in his mind.
"Shut up," Ayato replied silently. "Let me build some goodwill with Kakashi. Might be useful later."
Warmth stirred in Kakashi's chest.
"…Thank you. I'll remember this favor."
Naruto's growth mattered to him deeply—he was his beloved sensei's final legacy.
"No worries. Leave it to me. I'm a man who steps up when it counts. Three snot-nosed brats? I'll train them thoroughly. Even women—I could teach them everything."
Ayato waved the topic away.
"Anyway, enough chatting. Little Hinata asked for me. I'm heading out."
With that, he vanished without a trace.
A loud voice echoed down the street moments later.
"Ohhh! Kakashi! To meet you here—fate indeed! Come! Let us continue our eternal rivalry!"
Kakashi twitched at the familiar tone.
…
Hokage's Office
"Hyūga Ayato… what a troublesome boy."
Hiruzen slowly exhaled smoke, flipping through Ayato's classified files.
He had searched countless texts and still found no information on Ayato's astonishing, gem-like blue eyes.
One thing was certain—they evolved from the Byakugan.
The Sharingan evolving into Mangekyō had already caused massive political anxiety.
But what if the Byakugan could evolve too?
What if the Hyūga clan produced another Ayato?
The lucky part was that the Hyūga were loyal.
Unlike the Uchiha, who had long been pushed toward extremism.
Knock—creak.
The office door opened.
An elderly man covered in bandages stepped inside, leaning on a cane—Shimura Danzo.
Danzo stared down at Hiruzen with his single exposed eye.
"Hiruzen. Why did you give the Nine-Tails' container to Hyūga Ayato?"
"His personality is dangerous. He could become a threat to the village."
Danzo's voice was deep and cold.
"The Nine-Tails' jinchūriki should be under my Root's control."
To him, the Nine-Tails was a weapon—
And a weapon belonged in his hands.
Hiruzen exhaled another cloud of smoke and pressed down his Hokage hat.
"Danzo… I am the Hokage. This was a Hokage decision. Naruto needs to grow. And Ayato's strength is undeniable."
"If Naruto were handed to you, many people would object. Don't bring this up again."
Naruto was tied to too many people:
Kakashi, Jiraiya, countless shinobi loyal to the Fourth.
Danzo scowled.
"We should have put both Ayato and the jinchūriki under my command from the beginning. Leaving a man like Ayato unchecked is a danger."
He wanted Ayato's Tenseigan.
He wanted to weaponize it "for the village."
Hiruzen warned sharply, "Drop it. Do not lay a finger on Hyūga Ayato. That brat's personality and power both make him extremely dangerous."
He knew better than anyone—
Ayato wasn't as harmless as he appeared.
In the past, he had laughed brightly while watching enemies break down in despair.
"Hiruzen… you'll regret this."
Danzo shot him a cold look before turning to leave.
When I become Hokage, he thought darkly,
I will prove to the world that I am the one truly suited to protect this village.