Night fell over Konoha. The bustling activity within the Yamanaka and Aburame clan compounds gradually faded, returning the village to a tranquil peace.
Inside his apartment, Naruto lay sprawled across his bed, his limbs splayed out in every direction with a thick blanket bunched up beneath his exhausted body. He had been running around outside for far too long today and was completely drained.
In the neighboring house, Sasuke stood with a black cloth tightly blindfolding his eyes, his fists constantly blurring as he struck the heavy sandbags swinging toward him.
Out on the streets, only a few lingering villagers remained, enjoying the cool night air before heading home.
Outside the Yagyu residence, Kurama Yakumo had been waiting for quite some time. After a while, two figures finally strolled side-by-side from the end of the street. Spotting Yakumo, the pair momentarily froze in surprise before subtly stepping a bit further apart from each other.
Amusement danced in Yakumo's eyes. As they drew closer, her eyes curved into cheerful crescents. "Sensei, Kurenai-sensei... Hehe, I knew it. You two definitely went out to eat somewhere again."
"Ahem!" Kurenai coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment, quickly explaining, "I simply wanted to ask for his guidance regarding the integration of Taijutsu and Genjutsu."
Feigning seriousness, she added, "Did you need me for something, Yakumo?"
"Nope, I actually came to discuss something with Sensei." Yakumo shifted her gaze to Masahiko.
Masahiko gave a subtle nod. "Let us head inside."
He welcomed the two of them into his home. The Yagyu residence was an older building, but the rooms were quite spacious, boasting two floors and a modest courtyard. Kurenai opted to take a seat outside in the yard.
"This area is completely overgrown with grass. You could plant some flowers here, or perhaps a tea bush so you could brew your own leaves," she suggested.
"Kurenai-sensei, you could always help Sensei plant them!" Yakumo teased.
Kurenai rolled her eyes at her, exasperated. "Shoo! Go talk to your teacher!"
"Hehe!" Yakumo laughed, sticking her tongue out playfully before slipping through the doorway into the living room.
Masahiko retrieved a teapot and poured her a cup of water. "What is on your mind?"
"Sensei..." Yakumo stood anxiously, fidgeting with her fingers. After several seconds of hesitation, she finally spoke up. "For the past month, I've had this feeling that the new transfer student, Sai, has been following me."
She paused briefly before adding, "Ido... ah, I mean the entity inside of me. It is the one who warned me."
Masahiko pondered this for a moment. "Do you still recall what happened that day?"
"Of course," Yakumo nodded.
"There are certain individuals in the village who do not feel at ease when children possess overwhelming power," Masahiko explained smoothly. "Children like you. Or... like Naruto."
"Naruto is...?" Curiosity flickered across Yakumo's face.
"His situation is quite similar to yours," Masahiko replied simply.
Yakumo nodded, seemingly only half-understanding, but her tone remained resolute. "Sensei, no matter what happens, I trust you completely."
Deep within a remote mountain range in the Land of Fire.
"Shinnō-sama, ten of our squads were wiped out by Danzō's men!"
"I am aware." Shinnō's gaze was ice-cold. "We will certainly exact our revenge, but we cannot act impulsively. We are simply not strong enough yet!"
"My Lord... then, do we need to relocate?" the subordinate Sky Ninja asked, not daring to argue.
"The rest of you will relocate. Allocate three squads to assist me. I am going to make one more attempt to capture that special girl," Shinnō declared, his eyes burning with a feverish intensity.
'A peculiar soul capable of perfectly merging with dark chakra...'
If he could just get his hands on her, he might be able to cultivate another Zero Tails. For the sake of the Sky Village, seizing such an opportunity was far more critical than the lives of a mere three squads!
Meanwhile, in an open clearing near Ryūtō Street directly beneath the Hokage Monument.
Danzō stood looking up at the four massive stone faces. The faint, scattered village lights reflected off his face and glinted in his single exposed eye. He stood there, staring intently for a very long time.
Finally, the dull thud of approaching footsteps sounded from behind him, drawing closer until Koharu Utatane slowly emerged from the illuminated street.
"Danzō, for what reason did you ask to see me?"
"Koharu," Danzō began, his gaze never leaving the Hokage Monument. "Tell me. If I had raised my hand back then... would everything have turned out differently?"
Koharu fell silent. She looked up at the stone faces, then back at Danzō, letting out a soft sigh. "It has been over twenty years... Danzō, have you still not let it go?"
"Let it go?" Danzō sneered coldly. "I was only one step away. Just one single step... How could I possibly let it go?"
"Danzō, it was never yours to begin with." Despite her pity, Koharu bluntly spoke her true thoughts. She sighed again. "Hiruzen was indeed better suited to unite everyone than you were... Given the circumstances at the time, there was simply no possibility for you to take the position."
"And what about now?" Danzō turned around, fixing his piercing gaze upon her.
Unable to stop herself, Koharu took a step back in slight alarm. "What... what do you mean 'now'? Hiruzen is still in power!"
"You and I both know that after Minato perished, a new election should have been held. That was supposed to be my opportunity." Danzō's voice was dark and profound. "When leaves fall, they are still remembered. But when roots rot, they decay into the soil... No one will remember us."
The horror on Koharu's face deepened. Taking a sharp breath, her voice trembled. "What are you plotting?"
"Nothing." Danzō turned his head back toward the Hokage Monument, staring at the Second Hokage's visage for a long, silent moment.
After quite some time, he turned away and began walking into the unlit depths of the distance. "Take care of yourself, Koharu!"
"Danzō, what exactly are you planning to do?! Danzō..." Koharu's voice was desperate, but the man had already vanished into the shroud of night.
She stood rooted to the spot, the unease in her heart growing overwhelmingly potent. It seemed something was transpiring within Konoha that she was entirely unaware of. But she understood Danzō. If he had chosen to say nothing, it meant he refused to disclose his hand—or worse, the danger of this impending matter far exceeded her worst expectations.
The next day, at the Ninja Academy.
"After today, you are all officially on holiday! The New Year Festival is in a few days, and the crowds in Konoha will be much larger than usual. Everyone must prioritize safety and remember everything we have practiced in class. Do not forget to keep up your physical conditioning and training at home..."
Iruka droned on enthusiastically from the podium. Reaching this point, he shot a pointed glare at Naruto in the front row. "Especially you, Naruto! You absolutely must not cause any trouble during the New Year Festival! Because if you get arrested, I will not come to bail you out!"
"I know, I know, Iruka-sensei! Man, you're super naggy, ya know?" Naruto rested his chin on his hands, his face feigning annoyance while his bright blue eyes brimmed with irrepressible excitement.
Outside the classroom, Masahiko sat in his office as the Teaching Consultant, diligently organizing various trivial matters for the post-school break. However... this was merely his Shadow Clone.
Somewhere entirely outside the academy grounds, Osamu Akai stood with his head bowed, reporting the recent patrol statuses to the real Masahiko, as well as...
"Captain, Lord Danzō instructed me to hand this to you." He respectfully presented a sealed scroll.
Masahiko accepted it. Utilizing the decoding knowledge Danzō had previously provided, he unsealed and unrolled it. Written inside was a direct order stating that Danzō would be 'deploying additional personnel to protect the three targets.'
He casually handed the scroll back to Akai, his expression perfectly detached. "Execute the order."
"Captain, regarding this deployment of additional personnel mentioned here..."
"Do not concern yourself with it. We simply need to act according to Lord Danzō's directives," Masahiko replied smoothly.
Akai hastily nodded in compliance. "Understood! I will do everything in my power to coordinate with everyone and ensure the safety of the three targets!"
"By the way, during the usual New Year Festivals, I recall quite a few nobles visiting to partake in the festivities?" Masahiko asked thoughtfully.
Akai nodded. "Yes. The New Year Festival marks the most prosperous and bustling day in all of Konoha."
"The Sky Village remnants might seize this opportunity to cause chaos. Although dealing with such matters is primarily the responsibility of the Anbu and the patrol ninja, we must also take it seriously ourselves."
"Yes, sir!"