A Mysterious Figure's Spying

"That brat is Kakashi's useless disciple?"

The moonlight was hazy.

Outside an Izakaya in Konoha, Obito Uchiha's figure appeared within a large tree.

His black robe blended him into the night, and the spiral-patterned mask looked utterly eerie, while that scarlet eye stared straight at the Izakaya's window.

Through the window, he could see that although Kakashi still looked somewhat listless inside, his face carried a smile.

Guy had an arm around Kakashi and was saying something, while Jiraiya was letting himself go, flirting with the pretty waitress.

And sitting across from them, the handsome-looking black-haired boy was lowering his head with a little blond brat, both of them wolfing down food.

Obito Uchiha recognized who it was almost at once. He could not help sizing the brat up carefully, and only after a long while did he shake his head.

"Hmph, he looks pretty ordinary."

"Oh my, I didn't expect even you to misjudge someone, Obito."

Just then, a Zetsu poked its head out beside him, its white half-face revealing a strange smile.

"That kid has a lot of Chakra, you know. And when you were his age, you weren't as impressive as him. At the very least, you didn't dodge Kakashi's curse."

"Shut up!"

For a moment, Obito Uchiha truly wanted to strangle White Zetsu to death, but fortunately, he restrained himself in the end.

Part of the reason he had come this time was because White Zetsu had hit a nerve.

He wanted to see exactly what was so special about this brat!

Why had he failed to dodge it back then? More importantly, why had Rin failed to dodge it too?

Yet this brat had dodged it?

Although he did not blame Kakashi, and had decided that all of this was the world's fault, that did not mean he could accept it.

"This kid was just lucky. Maybe he has some talent, but that's all there is to it."

"It's still better to be careful. That brat doesn't seem simple."

Black Zetsu, who had not spoken all this time, could not help interrupting the two of them. He frowned as he looked at Kitagawa Gen in the distance and spoke.

"His aura feels off. I can't say exactly what it is for the moment, but we have to pay attention."

Black Zetsu was a life created by Otsutsuki Kaguya, so his perception naturally far surpassed that of ordinary people.

But he was not a true Otsutsuki, and Kitagawa Gen's bloodline Development Level was very low, so naturally he could not perceive the whole picture. Even so, it was enough to draw his attention.

"Oh?"

Obito Uchiha raised an eyebrow, as if his interest had grown even stronger.

"Looks like I can find a chance to test this kid."

"Hey, don't you still have something more important to do?"

White Zetsu's half-face looked at Obito Uchiha in confusion.

"Didn't you say you were going to take a look at that Sasuke Uchiha or whatever, so you could warn Itachi Uchiha? Why are you changing targets again?"

"It won't get in the way. It's just something I can do in passing."

Obito Uchiha snorted coldly, his gaze becoming somewhat deep.

"Itachi Uchiha serves Akatsuki in exchange for me not causing trouble for Konoha and Sasuke Uchiha, but this time, he broke the agreement first.

As a warning, I won't go too far. I only need some simple, true information about Sasuke Uchiha.

As for this brat, just consider him an accompanying warning for Itachi Uchiha, and I can test his quality along the way."

"Oh my, what warning for Itachi Uchiha?"

White Zetsu blinked, then said with a giggle.

"After all that, you still can't accept reality, can you?"

"If you keep talking nonsense, I'll kill you right now!"

"Hey, hey, hey, how scary, Obito. Don't do anything reckless—"

"Shut up!"

Seeing White Zetsu's half-body and Obito Uchiha start up again, Black Zetsu did not stop them. His gaze remained fixed on Kitagawa Gen.

"What exactly is going on with this kid? What is that feeling that's both familiar and unfamiliar?"

Time flew by, the bright moon hung overhead, and Kitagawa Gen and the others finally finished this celebration.

"Seriously, you actually spent that much money!"

Jiraiya looked at the bill in his hand, his face full of pained reluctance. He turned his head and glared fiercely at Kitagawa Gen.

"You brat, how can you eat that much!"

"I don't know either. I was just hungry."

Kitagawa Gen shrugged innocently. Now he seemed to understand a little why Hinata could eat so much.

Hinata was a famous big eater, and she was also the "Byakugan Princess" in the truest sense.

In a certain sense, her bloodline might also be somewhat atavistic. Since even she could eat that much, it was not strange that Kitagawa Gen, a legitimate "combat power five," could eat a lot too.

"If there's nothing else, Naruto and I will head back first."

"Go, go. You two brats who only know how to eat, stop disturbing this great sage's nightlife!"

Jiraiya waved his hand with a look of disdain. Kitagawa Gen immediately dragged Naruto, whose stomach was so full it was practically bursting, and gave a slight bow before leaving.

Although Jiraiya still looked disdainful, as the two of them left, his gaze slowly softened, and in the end, a smile appeared on his face.

"That brat really is interesting."

Only after he could no longer see Kitagawa Gen and Naruto did Jiraiya turn his head to look at Kakashi beside him.

"You really took in a good student, Kakashi."

"Gen's thoughts can be outrageous sometimes, but he really is a kindhearted child."

Supported by Guy, Kakashi's exposed eye curved into a crescent.

"And his talent is outstanding. I'm afraid it won't be long before I have nothing left to teach him."

"That's true. Gen learns everything pretty quickly."

Guy nodded along. Thinking back to the time they had spent together after he met Kitagawa Gen, he could not help laughing as well.

"You really are lucky. I wanted to apply to teach him too, but you got there first. Damn it, why didn't you send him back to the Academy back then?"

"All right, you two, stop talking. Honestly, Kakashi still came over even in this state."

Jiraiya interrupted the two of them at the right time. He rubbed his chin before speaking.

"But this really is interesting. I didn't expect we'd meet Naruto in this kind of way."

"Mm, yeah."

Kakashi nodded too. Although he had observed Naruto plenty of times while he was in the Anbu.

Something like this really was the first time.

With this beginning, the changes from now on would only grow bigger and bigger.

"I'm so... full."

On the other side, on Konoha's streets, Naruto rubbed his stomach while following Kitagawa Gen toward his home.

"Strange. You ate so much, but you're actually fine?"

"You think I'm you?"

Kitagawa Gen raised an eyebrow and shook his head in amusement.

"Also, how did today feel? I told you, even though they aren't very reliable, they definitely wouldn't hate you."

"Mm, they're all really nice."

Naruto thought back to everything at tonight's gathering and could not help smiling too, but very quickly, he thought of something and could not resist grumbling.

"That white-haired uncle, seriously, he's just a pervert!"

"Wrong."

Kitagawa Gen shook his head and spoke with solemn righteousness.

"He's a super pervert. Don't get it wrong."

"..."

Naruto opened his mouth, not knowing what to say for a moment, while Kitagawa Gen tilted his head and continued.

"But he's also a very powerful ninja. If he could teach you, you'd definitely improve by leaps and bounds. Why don't you develop a technique?"

"Huh?"

Naruto pointed at himself in disbelief.

"Me?"

"That's right. You've learned the Transformation Technique, haven't you? Use the Transformation Technique to turn into a beautiful woman and trick perverts. It couldn't be more useful!"

Kitagawa Gen knew that Naruto's talent in this area was no ordinary thing!

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Ebisu were both his "defeated foes," and this kid had even used some "Reverse Harem Technique" to charm the legendary Rabbit Goddess into a daze.

If he did not make proper use of this, would that not be too much of a waste?

"Hey, you're so perverted!"

Naruto muttered in dissatisfaction, but his eyes started darting around, clearly tempted.

Only, while he was still pondering it, he suddenly noticed that Kitagawa Gen beside him had stopped.

"What is it?"

Naruto looked at Kitagawa Gen in confusion, but when he followed Kitagawa Gen's gaze, he saw a figure walking alone into the distance under the moonlight.

"Hey, is that... Sasuke?"