The moment the white smoke dispersed, everyone in the classroom turned their attention toward the same spot.
Ito Akira blinked and looked around.
…Wow.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was here.
His father and grandfather were here too.
And that person standing over there—
Wait, isn't that Shimura Danzō?
Why was that old bastard here as well?!
"Uh—hi! Hello, everyone!" Akira said, raising a hand awkwardly. "What's… going on?"
In truth, Akira had already prepared himself mentally.
Disappearing without warning in the middle of a Ninja Academy classroom was bound to cause a huge disturbance. And once something like that happened, it was inevitable that people with ulterior motives would start paying attention.
Even now, although he technically had Uchiha Madara as a summoned being, Madara absolutely did not take orders from him.
At best, Madara might intervene if Akira's life was truly in danger—because if Akira died, Madara would be forced back into a soul-state in the world of the dead. Compared to that, remaining as he was now was practically a resurrection.
But using Madara as a bodyguard? Forget it.
Because of that, Akira had already decided on a response while he was still in the world of the dead.
The system could not be revealed.The summoning of the dead could not be exposed.
So the safest option was simple.
I don't know anything.
He had been inexplicably dragged into some strange space… and then inexplicably returned.
There was no evidence to prove otherwise.
Before anyone else could speak, Ito Taiga rushed forward and wrapped Akira in a tight hug.
"My precious grandson!" the old man exclaimed, voice shaking. "You scared me half to death! At my age, I can't handle shocks like this anymore!"
"I'll agree to whatever you want to do in the future—whatever it is! Just promise me you won't disappear like this again!"
"Grandpa—!" Akira laughed helplessly, patting his back. "I'm fine! Look, I'm totally fine!"
Nearby, Ito Aoyama let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
Thank goodness.
If his son had truly vanished… he didn't even know how he would have explained it to his wife.
Nothing else mattered. As long as Akira was back, everything was fine.
To both father and grandfather, whether Akira had experienced something called "reverse summoning" was irrelevant. His safety was all that mattered.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, who clearly had many questions of his own, chose not to interrupt when he saw Taiga's emotional state. He understood it well—if his own grandson had disappeared without warning, he would have been just as shaken.
But Shimura Danzō had no such restraint.
Leaning heavily on his cane, he stepped forward, his single visible eye fixed on Akira.
"Ito Akira," Danzō said coldly. "I am Shimura Danzō, an elder of Konohagakure."
"Explain what you experienced just now."
"Why did you suddenly disappear, and what happened after that?"
Akira quickly reached out and patted his grandfather's shoulder again—Taiga was getting dangerously emotional.
"Grandpa, really, I'm okay! You don't have to worry!"
"Ito Akira," Danzō repeated stiffly, "I am asking you a question."
Hearing Danzō's tone, Hiruzen's brows creased slightly.
"Danzō," the Third Hokage said calmly, "the child just returned. There's no need to press him so aggressively."
"Hmph. I know," Danzō replied, though his expression darkened.
Akira reassured his grandfather once more, then nodded at his father to signal that everything was fine. Ito Aoyama returned the nod silently.
Then Akira stepped forward—directly in front of the Third Hokage.
He completely ignored Danzō.
Hiruzen noticed the gesture immediately and felt a subtle sense of approval.
Polite. Sensible. Knows who to speak to.
"Ito Akira, was it?" Hiruzen said with a warm smile. "What a well-mannered child."
"Your grandfather once served under me. There's no need to be nervous around me."
"You can call me 'Grandpa Hokage,' or simply 'Grandpa.'"
Akira widened his eyes in exaggerated surprise.
"Really? Grandpa Hokage?"
"Haha. Of course."
Hiruzen's words were gentle, but calculated.
By acknowledging his past relationship with Ito Taiga, he shortened the distance between himself and the Ito family. By calling Akira his own "grandchild," he subtly pulled the boy into his circle.
If Akira had truly been just a normal child, those few sentences alone would have earned Hiruzen immense goodwill.
Danzō, watching from the side as Akira ignored him completely, grew visibly displeased.
"So," Hiruzen continued kindly, "Akira, can you tell Grandpa Hokage what happened earlier? Everyone here is quite concerned."
Akira scratched the back of his head, wearing a puzzled expression.
"Um… Grandpa Hokage, I honestly don't know what happened."
"Just now, Iruka-sensei was explaining summoning theory and seal formations."
"I tried copying what he showed us… and then I suddenly appeared in a strange space."
"I don't know where it was."
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened slightly.
That confirmed it—reverse summoning.
And the place Akira had gone to was very likely one of the legendary realms tied to summoning contracts.
"Did you see any unusual creatures?" Hiruzen asked.
Akira shook his head.
"No. There was nothing there. I didn't see anyone or anything."
"I walked around for a bit, and then I came back."
Hiruzen frowned.
That didn't make sense.
When Jiraiya had been reverse-summoned to Mount Myōboku, he'd immediately encountered the toads—and that encounter had changed the course of his life.
If Akira had truly entered a sacred land, it was impossible for him to have seen nothing.
Unless—
The place wasn't one of the known holy lands.
Or the land hadn't acknowledged him.
…Or the child was hiding something.
Hiruzen's gaze lingered on Akira thoughtfully.