It is the duty of our Security Division

Kakashi's throat bobbed. The words "Descendant of Heroes" struck deep into his heart.

He watched Naruto fishing by the river, familiar memories flashing through his mind.

After a long pause, Kakashi finally spoke slowly.

"The Hokage will handle those matters."

Big Brother Eiji said nothing, simply tossing the book over.

The moment Kakashi caught it on reflex, Eiji had already flashed behind him.

Kakashi broke out in a cold sweat.

If this had been a battlefield, he might already be dead.

By then, Eiji had reached Naruto's side.

Naruto was lost in the joy of fishing, wrestling fiercely with a big fish beneath the surface.

"Aaaah!"

The fishing rod bent into a huge arc, the line pulled taut as steel wire.

With a crack, the rod suddenly snapped.

Naruto fell flat on his back, watching helplessly as the broken rod drifted farther away.

"Aw, my fish! My rod!"

Naruto rubbed his blond hair angrily, vowing to find that shady merchant and demand an explanation.

But that was a problem for later. Right now, there was a bigger issue: it looked like he'd be going hungry again tonight.

Just as Naruto thought about picking some mushrooms to fill his stomach, the water's surface suddenly began to swirl.

"Huh?"

Several whirlpools appeared on the water, then spawned small Water Dragon Tornadoes.

Eiji crooked his finger, and several big fish were flung out of the water, landing with a slap at Naruto's feet.

Naruto was stunned.

What was this? Were the fish taking pity on his hunger and offering themselves up?

Then Naruto heard footsteps behind him.

He turned and saw Eiji smiling.

A grin instantly spread across Naruto's face. "It's Big Brother Eiji!"

He grabbed the biggest fish and shoved it into Eiji's arms.

"Big Brother Eiji, this one's for you. I heard this kind of fish makes great soup."

Eiji held the fish and sat down beside Naruto.

"Thanks, Naruto."

"Hehe," Naruto's cheeks flushed slightly. "This is the first time someone's said thank you to me."

"Big Brother Eiji, guess what—the river suddenly started spinning..."

"Have you had dinner yet? Want me to grill you some fish?"

[Naruto finally realized how good it felt to be needed]

[Quest Reward: Taijutsu: Monster Strength. Your control over Chakra has become more precise, allowing you to concentrate it in one spot and unleash immense power]

Kakashi stood in the distance, quietly watching the two of them talk.

For some reason, seeing Naruto so happy stirred a pang of guilt in him.

Naruto was the son of his teacher, Minato.

Minato and Kushina had given their lives to protect Konoha, leaving only poor Naruto behind.

By all rights, he should have taken responsibility for looking after Naruto.

At the very least, he should have offered some help.

But he had done nothing.

Instead, it was the ostracized Uchiha who stepped forward, bringing a little warmth to Naruto.

"Damn it, I really am a piece of shit."

While Kakashi was drowning in self-blame, Ryoma, hidden in the shadows, could barely contain his excitement.

Hell yeah, I've finally been waiting for this!

According to Danzo's orders, once Eiji made contact with the Jinchuriki again, he could be forcibly brought back to Root for interrogation.

As for what charges to pin on him, that was entirely up to Lord Danzo's whims.

For example, the inherently evil Uchiha, refusing to reform, now brazenly attempting to control the Jinchuriki and incite a coup—something like that.

After all, the pen was in Lord Danzo's hands. He could write whatever he wanted.

Ryoma made a gesture, and the Root Organization members under his command moved swiftly.

Shuffling sounds came as several masked black figures slowly emerged, sealing off Eiji and Naruto tightly.

Naruto, who had been threading fish onto a branch, stopped his movements, his big eyes filled with immense confusion.

So many people had come looking for him today.

"Uchiha Eiji, suspected of—"

Before the speaking ninja could finish his sentence, Eiji ran him through the chest with a single thrust.

"Suspicious individuals are attempting to harm Naruto's safety, Captain Kakashi—I need your assistance!"

"Huh?"

Kakashi felt Eiji had probably lost his mind.

You don't recognize these people? You don't even recognize the masks they're wearing?

To that, Eiji could only say: don't ask. If you ask, the answer is no.

"Water Style: Water Wave!"

Eiji pressed his hands together, instantly summoning a rapidly rising torrent of water like a whirlwind.

It then formed a surging wave that flooded the ground beneath their feet.

Under the immense impact, the six-man Root squad was instantly blasted away.

"Naruto, stay right here and don't move. This will be over soon."

"Oh..."

Naruto replied weakly, clutching his branch and shrinking into a small ball.

Eiji vanished with Xiao Er in hand, reappearing the next second behind a black-clad ninja struggling to stand.

The sharp blade pierced through his body, and blood gushed out the moment Eiji pulled Xiao Er free.

"Eiji, stop!"

Kakashi called out to intervene, but Eiji ignored him completely.

With swift strikes, he finished off the six ninjas.

Naruto had never seen anything like this. Terrified into silence, he scrambled behind a large tree, barely holding back his sobs.

Kakashi didn't know what words to use to express his feelings at that moment. "Have you lost your mind? Those were—"

"Watch out!"

Eiji shouted, and Kakashi's pupils contracted as the Sharingan beneath his mask spun wildly.

What now!

Eiji pulled out several kunai attached with Explosive Tags and hurled them toward a tall tree.

Ryoma, hidden there, cursed Eiji's ancestors up and down.

Damn it, you Uchiha are all insane!

Completely insane!

"Art is an Explosion!"

Eiji bellowed, and the Explosive Tags detonated all at once, the blast rattling eardrums.

The shockwave sent gravel flying in all directions.

Eiji twitched his fingers, and a towering water wall rose before him.

Thud, thud, thud.

The gravel struck the water wall, then fell weakly to the ground.

"Threat neutralized. Thanks for the help, Captain Kakashi—I was able to protect Naruto."

Kakashi's dead fish eyes went wide, unable to believe what he had just witnessed.

Eiji had not only cut down several Root members but also used Explosive Tags directly?

Were you trying to make sure no one survived?

And who helped you!

When you were cutting them down, I didn't lay a hand!

At this point, Kakashi didn't know what to say.

He could only report this to the Hokage.

"Let's go, Naruto."

Naruto still hadn't snapped out of his shock. He stared blankly at Eiji.

"Go... where?"

Eiji threaded several large fish onto a branch and picked up the half-broken fishing rod from the ground.

"It's dangerous here. I'll take you somewhere safe."

"Oh, okay." Naruto gripped the hem of Eiji's clothes tightly.

Senior Kakashi really wanted to curse, honestly.

He couldn't understand why Eiji could act as if nothing had happened.

Didn't he know how much trouble this would bring him?

Kakashi blocked the two in front of him. "Eiji, you can't leave yet."

A faint smirk curled at the corner of Eiji's mouth. "Senior Kakashi, is this how you treat a good villager like me, who protected Naruto?"

"According to Konoha's code, no one is allowed to kill arbitrarily within the village's boundaries."

"According to the Security Division's regulations, I must ensure the safety of every villager."

The two stood at odds, the air thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder.

If you find this book enjoyable, to avoid losing it next time, please remember to add it to your bookshelf.