"Naruto's still alive… can't loot a living body…"
Kai stared at the sleeping infant, eyes flickering with thought.
"Then—if I slap him twice right now, does that count as defeating him?"
If it does… would that trigger the chance to copy a trait?
On the banks of the Naka River, the two-and-a-half-year-old boy's eyes lit up again and again.
He felt it.
He had discovered a system loophole.
The Konoha Twelve were all supposed to be born around this time, right?
Then what if he paid them each a visit—pinched a cheek here, smacked a butt there…
Hiss!
Kai sucked in a breath, his little mouth stretching wide.
One hand pressed to his forehead, he bent forward.
"Hahahahaha! I really am a genius!"
System: ...
Crack!
At that moment, the Four Red Yang Formation above suddenly deactivated.
Kai's laughter cut off instantly.
As he turned around, a smoking pipe flickered under the moonlight.
The Third Hokage.
"Hm? There are survivors? A child?"
The instant Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed someone inside the barrier, his body tensed reflexively.
His grip tightened around the staff in his hand.
Anyone who survived the Nine-Tails' rampage was no ordinary person.
"A child…?"
"That fan insignia—are you from the Uchiha clan?"
But as he took a closer look at the child's appearance and clothing, confusion flickered in his deep-set eyes.
Hadn't the Uchiha been confined to their district?
Where did this two- or three-year-old come from?
Behind him, the Hokage's guard squad followed immediately.
When they recognized Uchiha Kai, Genma Shiranui spat out the senbon from his mouth and blurted out in disbelief:
"Oi—don't tell me… the Fourth Hokage's kid already grew this big?!"
The other squad members: ...
The accompanying ANBU: ...
Hiruzen Sarutobi: ...
Kai: ...
I almost thought I'd turned into Nezha.
He complained internally, but on the surface, he put on a timid, clueless expression.
Clutching a token nervously, he spoke in a shaky child's voice:
"G-Grandpa… I—I'm Kai. A, a, a man wearing a… a painted mask said… said there was candy here…"
He deliberately repeated painted mask.
At the same time, he tilted the token just enough to reveal the engraved markings.
The effect was immediate.
Everyone noticed.
Kai's watery eyes locked tightly onto the Third Hokage.
If this old man made even the slightest hostile move—
Kai would activate Body of Light and escape under Weak Presence.
As for Flying Thunder God?
He hadn't even started training yet. There really was no chakra in his body.
Of course, he also believed the Third Hokage wouldn't do anything to him.
This old fox might be ruthless behind the scenes—
But toward children, he always wore a mask of kindness.
No matter who it was.
Even while preaching that same old Will of Fire.
Painted mask…
And this token…
On the right, Genma and the other two immediately grasped the implications. Without another word, they turned and left.
This was already a matter involving internal power struggles among Konoha's major clans.
Not something they were meant to witness.
Doing their jobs properly was enough.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, an ANBU appeared behind the Third Hokage in a flicker.
A scroll in his hand glowed red as he reported in a low voice:
"Token ID B–74. Belongs to Root, Third Reconnaissance Unit."
The wrinkles on Hiruzen's face deepened—deep enough to trap flies.
That was indeed a Root unit designation.
And the corpse…
Was still lying outside.
Which meant the child hadn't lied.
A two-and-a-half-year-old who hadn't even begun cultivating chakra couldn't possibly appear here on his own.
"So… trying to frame the Uchiha clan?"
"But framing an Uchiha toddler?"
"Danzo, have you completely lost your mind?"
A flash of cold light passed through the Third Hokage's eyes.
Then, when he lowered his gaze again, only warmth remained.
"It's alright, it's alright. You should go home now."
He gently patted Kai on the shoulder.
Thin strands of sensing chakra slipped quietly into his body.
One circuit.
Empty.
Completely empty.
Though his muscles and bones were unusually solid, there wasn't a trace of chakra.
Which made sense.
Uchiha children normally didn't start refining chakra until four or five years old.
Only after confirming this did Hiruzen finally relax, smiling kindly.
"Good child. Wherever the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire will burn on."
"Wherever the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire will burn on!"
Kai raised a tiny fist and made an exaggerated cheering gesture.
Then he turned and ran off.
"What a straightforward, honest child…"
Watching his retreating figure, a trace of emotion surfaced in the Third Hokage's eyes.
But when he thought of Danzo not even sparing a child, his heart sank again.
He removed the pipe from his mouth and knocked it twice against the nearby tree stump.
"Danzo… your hands have reached too far."
...
"Achoo!"
At the same time, inside the Hokage Tower.
Danzo Shimura, in the middle of an impassioned speech, suddenly sneezed.
"Danzo, are you alright?" Koharu Utatane asked with concern.
"I'm fine! I've never felt stronger!"
Danzo rapped his cane against the floor.
"The Fourth Hokage has fallen. What do you think is the most urgent matter right now?"
"Stabilizing the village?" Koharu answered instinctively.
"Exactly! Stabilization!" Danzo declared.
"With the Fourth Hokage dead, the village is leaderless. I believe it's necessary to immediately select the Fifth Hokage to take control!"
"And among those qualified, only the heads of the great clans remain—but none of them compare to me!"
"My love for this village runs deep!"
"I am the roots buried beneath the soil, supporting the great tree above!"
He poured out his ambitions in one breath.
He had waited out the Third.
He had outlived the Fourth.
He had pushed Konoha and the Uchiha into opposition.
Now—
At last, it was his era.
As that thought took shape, violent Wind Release chakra erupted from his body.
His momentum was overwhelming.
Even the two advisors couldn't help but nod in admiration.
This old friend…
Truly seemed full of heroic vigor.
After a moment's hesitation, Koharu nodded. "You are indeed the most suitable for Fifth Hokage, but—"
But?
Danzo smiled faintly. "But I will hand over control of the village's finances to the two of you."
"In that case… there really is no one more suitable than you."
The two exchanged glances and agreed decisively.
Bang!
At that moment, the tightly shut door to the Hokage's office was pushed open from the outside.
Thump.
When they saw the iconic smoking pipe, all three fell silent.
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked in slowly.
His weathered eyes seemed to see nothing at all.
Step by step, he walked behind the Hokage's desk.
Pulled out the chair.
And sat down.
You—
Danzo's teeth ground together.
That seat was this close to being his!
But the Third Hokage ignored him completely.
Both hands pressed against the desk, he looked around the room and said in a deep voice:
"The authority of Hokage will be temporarily assumed by me."
"You—who agrees? Who objects?"
"I agree!"
"I agree as well! The village is in chaos—Hiruzen, your return truly resolves the crisis!"
Koharu and Homura Mitokado exchanged a glance and nodded without hesitation.
Danzo, standing to the side, slowly typed out a question mark in his head.
Brother… what?