Uchiha Shisui turned his head and said dryly, "Um, Clan Head, I think... I lost..."
Uchiha Fugaku: "..."
With a dark expression, Uchiha Fugaku slowly lowered his hand.
Damn it!
I was about to celebrate and cheer for you, and you're telling me you lost!?
Did you use your Mangekyō Sharingan on a dog or something?
Uchiha Shisui felt like crying as he involuntarily looked toward Uzumaki Naruto.
Uzumaki Naruto smiled faintly.
Uchiha Shisui felt an even stronger urge to cry. He was such a gentle child, so how could he be this strong?
Uzumaki Naruto flashed a brilliant smile and said:
"Nii-san Shisui, you've lost about two hundred million to me altogether now. When are you planning to pay up!?"
Uchiha Shisui looked hopefully at Uchiha Fugaku.
"Clan Head..."
Uchiha Fugaku turned his dark face away, refusing to look at Uchiha Shisui's watery eyes.
Are you kidding me!?
Another forty million on top of that???
Better a dead friend than a dead me. Go repay your debt like a good boy.
Uchiha Shisui looked on the verge of tears. Then he gritted his teeth fiercely and said in a deep voice, "Again!!!"
"I was careless just now. I didn't dodge. This time, I absolutely won't lose! I'll put my friend's house up as collateral!!!"
Uchiha Itachi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something.
Ten minutes later.
Uchiha Shisui stared blankly at Uchiha Itachi.
"Itachi, I gambled myself away..."
"I even gambled away my friend's house..."
Uchiha Itachi patted Uchiha Shisui's shoulder comfortingly. "It's fine. You'll get used to it. I lost myself to Uzumaki Naruto too."
Uchiha Shisui: "..."
"..."
The Uchiha Clan had arrived in an imposing manner.
The Uchiha Clan left in a daze.
"..."
"Ahhh!!!"
"Naruto!!!"
"That was amazing!!!"
Cheers erupted across the training ground.
Yamanaka Ino, Hyuga Hinata, Aburame Shino... all rushed over in a crowd.
"That was so cool, Uzumaki Naruto! You can even defeat an Elite Jonin..."
"That was Uchiha Shisui, a renowned powerhouse even in the Ninja World!"
"Naruto-kun is incredible..."
"Naruto, that was so cool, especially when you stood in the training ground. You looked so, so cool..."
"..."
Uzumaki Naruto smiled. As he chatted with the rookies, he rubbed Little Hinata's hair.
Little Hinata's face turned bright red from the head pats.
The old father watching from afar had veins bulging on his forehead.
Hokage Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had just returned to his office when the door was kicked open with a bang. Shimura Danzō entered with a gloomy expression.
Without so much as a greeting, Shimura Danzō sat down in a chair and said darkly:
"Hiruzen, you went to the Ninja Academy at noon. You must have seen Uzumaki Naruto's performance, right!?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned and said:
"Danzo, knock before entering my office next time."
A flash of anger appeared in Shimura Danzō's eyes, but upon seeing the Hokage robe on Sarutobi Hiruzen, he could only suppress it.
"I understand. I'll knock next time."
"But you still haven't answered my question. What do you think of Uzumaki Naruto!?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe and said unhurriedly, "I have no particular opinion. Uzumaki Naruto is a very good child. He is gentle with everyone."
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen's indifferent demeanor, Shimura Danzō finally could no longer contain his anger. He slammed his hand onto the chair and stood up.
"Hiruzen, after seeing Uzumaki Naruto's Kunai Throwing Technique, do you still have the confidence to keep him under control?"
"Don't forget Uzumaki Naruto's true background. You hid it back then for the sake of your own reputation."
"With the talent Uzumaki Naruto has shown, if he learns the truth and betrays Konoha in the future, he will definitely be even more terrifying than Orochimaru. Perhaps neither you nor I would be able to defeat him."
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned and said gravely, "Danzo, I hid Uzumaki Naruto's identity to protect him."
Shimura Danzō let out a disdainful laugh.
"Hiruzen, do you really need to say that in front of me?"
Protect Uzumaki Naruto? What a joke!
The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was already dangerous. Would adding the identity of a prince really make him more dangerous?
You simply wanted to preserve your glorious image, so you chose to sacrifice Uzumaki Naruto.
"Enough!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened. He slammed his hand onto the desk and rebuked him, "Stop talking nonsense. Tell me what you want."
Shimura Danzō sneered inwardly but did not expose Sarutobi Hiruzen. He said solemnly, "Hand Uzumaki Naruto over to me and let him undergo Root training. I will cultivate him into a Perfect Jinchuriki absolutely loyal to Konoha."
"That way, we won't have to worry about whether Uzumaki Naruto will betray us in the future. On the contrary, Uzumaki Naruto will become a calamity that Konoha can use to intimidate the Ninja World."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sneered inwardly.
I knew you hadn't come here in such a hurry with good intentions.
Cultivate Uzumaki Naruto into a calamity absolutely loyal to Konoha?
Hmph!
You mean a calamity absolutely loyal to you, don't you!?
Sarutobi Hiruzen flatly refused Shimura Danzō's request. They were both old foxes who had lived for ages, so why put on this act?
If I hand Uzumaki Naruto over to you today, tomorrow you'll bring a humanoid calamity here and force me to make you the Fifth Hokage.
Shimura Danzō's expression became exceptionally dark, but he also knew he could not persuade Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Then how do you intend to control Uzumaki Naruto? For a special existence like a Jinchuriki, Konoha must have one hundred percent control over him."
Shimura Danzō glared gloomily at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
He had to get an answer today. Otherwise, even if Sarutobi Hiruzen objected, he would take Uzumaki Naruto to Root.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. This was something he had been considering as well.
Uzumaki Naruto did not yet harbor much resentment toward Konoha, but that was not guaranteed, because people could change.
If Uzumaki Naruto learned about the Nine-Tailed Fox inside him, or even his true background, what could he use to keep Uzumaki Naruto under control then?
As Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered, the image of a little girl with white eyes inexplicably surfaced in his mind.
"Danzo, you needn't worry about that. In a while, I'll speak with the Hyuga Clan Head."
Shimura Danzō's expression darkened further. He rose angrily and said:
"Fine. I won't interfere this time, but if Uzumaki Naruto truly develops harmful thoughts toward Konoha, I will seize him and take him to Root, where I'll train him into a humanoid calamity."
Sarutobi Hiruzen sneered as he watched Shimura Danzō leave.
Compared to Uzumaki Naruto.
You are the enemy I fear the most.
Before you continue