Hokage Office
Recently, Sarutobi Hiruzen had been unusually busy.
Not only did he have to deal with diplomatic pressure from two foreign villages, but internally, preparations for the upcoming Chūnin Exams were also in full swing. Though his face bore the marks of age, his spirit remained far from exhausted.
Truth be told, Hiruzen still enjoyed the feeling of authority resting in his hands.
However—today was different.
Early in the morning, Shimura Danzō arrived at the Hokage Office, carrying with him a name that had long become a thorn in both of their hearts.
Namikaze Kirito.
"Hiruzen," Danzō said coldly, his voice sharp with irritation. "Didn't you say Uchiha Itachi would keep us informed? Then how do you explain the fact that there's been almost no information for all these years? That Uchiha brat must be working with Namikaze Kirito!"
His anger was barely concealed.
Danzō possessed one of Uchiha Shisui's eyes—the other had been destroyed. After transplanting it into himself, he understood better than anyone just how intoxicating the power of the Sharingan truly was.
If Hiruzen had allowed him to act against Uchiha Itachi back then, he might have claimed even more.
By that point… even Sarutobi Hiruzen himself may not have been able to stop him.
But now, Namikaze Kirito had returned to Konoha openly and without fear—clearly confident in his own strength.
And with Itachi and Orochimaru, both classified as traitors, now linked to him, Danzō knew all too well that acting rashly would no longer be easy.
How could he not resent Hiruzen's indecision?
Compared to Danzō's barely restrained fury, Hiruzen remained calm. He took a slow breath before responding.
"Danzō… don't jump to conclusions about Itachi," Hiruzen said. "Right now, what matters most is Kirito's relationship with Kirigakure and Sunagakure. I don't believe he returned to the village at this time without a reason."
Hiruzen's mind raced.
Why now?
Why return during the Chūnin Exams—precisely when foreign villages had gathered in Konoha?
And worse, Kirito wasn't hiding at all.
If information regarding the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki were to leak…
Hiruzen's grip tightened slightly around his pipe.
Both he and Danzō would be nailed to Konoha's pillar of shame.
Uzumaki Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage—a hero of the village. And yet, he had been treated as a monster since childhood, while the truth was buried by those at the top.
If that secret were exposed now, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Sunagakure was already dissatisfied with Konoha. They would seize upon this without hesitation.
And then there was the Uchiha Clan.
With Itachi now aligned with Kirito… old wounds could be torn open once again.
Despite his gentle appearance, Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart was far more calculating than most believed.
"Hmph," Danzō snorted. "So now you're afraid? If it weren't for your hesitation back then, none of this would have happened. I've already sent people to watch Kirito. If the chance arises, I'll drag him here myself. I want answers."
Not only Shisui's eye—but Kirito himself—was something Danzō could not ignore.
"There's also another concern," Hiruzen said slowly. "The Mizukage of Kirigakure… I can't shake the feeling that he seems familiar."
Though Kirigakure's delegation had arrived in Konoha days ago, the Mizukage had kept his face veiled and his presence restrained.
It unsettled Hiruzen.
"Should I send someone to test him?" Danzō asked coldly.
He wanted to be Hokage—but if someone threatened the village, he would not stand idle.
"Haaah…"
Hiruzen exhaled a thin stream of smoke, thinking carefully before answering.
"No. If they notice, it could damage relations between our villages. The daimyo personally instructed us to treat Kirigakure's delegation with care."
Danzō's expression darkened.
"Hiruzen, you—"
"That's enough," Hiruzen interrupted firmly. "The Chūnin Exams are our priority. We cannot afford to let the other villages see Konoha divided."
Seeing that Hiruzen's decision was final, Danzō said nothing more. He turned away with a cold snort and left the Hokage Office.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Namikaze Kirito and Kurenai Yuhi finished their ramen and walked together through the quiet streets of Konoha.
He was walking her home.
Most of the way, Kurenai remained silent.
"…Looks like we're here," Kirito said softly, stopping at the entrance to her house.
After hesitating for a moment, Kurenai gathered all her courage.
"Y-You… would you like to come in for a bit?"
"Perfect timing," Kirito replied casually. "I don't have a place to stay anyway."
Before she could react, he walked straight in.
Kurenai froze.
When she finally snapped out of it, she muttered under her breath, cheeks warm.
"Who said you could live here… you thick-skinned idiot."
Inside the living room, she watched Kirito look around without restraint.
"…Do you want some tea?"
"No need," he replied. "Let's talk about what just happened."
"J-Just now?" she said evasively.
"What? You said all that in front of so many people, and now you don't want to take responsibility?"
Kirito stepped closer.
He was more than a head taller than her now. Standing that close, she could hear his heartbeat.
"W-What are you doing…?" she asked, voice trembling—but she didn't step back.
Instead, she took a breath and met his gaze.
"Relax," Kirito said, smiling slightly. "I'm just collecting what I'm owed."
He lifted her chin gently with his fingers.
"C-Collecting what—mm…!"
Her words vanished.
The kiss came naturally—no hesitation, no resistance.
When they finally parted, Kirito looked at her flushed expression and smiled.
"Seems like someone enjoyed that."
"Shut up, you jerk!" Kurenai snapped, panicking as she turned and rushed toward her bedroom.
"You're sleeping outside tonight!"
Kirito watched her retreating figure, chuckled softly, then followed after her.
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