Sarutobi Hiruzen's Suspicions

Naruto looked at Kakashi and Might Guy outside the door, surprise on his face.

"Uncle Guy, One-Eyed Uncle, what are you two doing here?"

Kakashi still stared with those dead fish eyes and said nothing, instead looking at Might Guy.

Might Guy was as enthusiastic as ever. He bent down and threw an arm around Naruto's neck. "Young man, are you ready to burn with us in the flames of youth today?"

Naruto felt a little awkward inside. Come to think of it, he had not expected Might Guy and Kakashi to come straight to his home. He had initially thought that Kakashi and Might Guy had been assigned by Sarutobi Hiruzen to stay by his side, watching him while also protecting him.

After all, all these years, Sarutobi Hiruzen had never allowed anyone other than himself to get close to Naruto. One of them was Konoha's top Elite Jonin, while the other could unleash Kage-level strength at any time. Protecting a Jinchuriki was more than within their capabilities.

But now, it seemed Kakashi might indeed have been specially arranged by Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Might Guy had probably just been a coincidence. They had run into each other on the street, and Sarutobi Hiruzen had then tacitly allowed him to stay by Naruto's side and teach him.

Perhaps it was because Might Guy had such a pure nature and no ties to any interests.

"After all these years, Guy is still the same. He really does resemble Uncle Dai. But Kakashi... he still hasn't emerged from the shadow of the past."

Within the Sealing Space, Minato Namikaze looked at his former student and the descendant of an old friend, unable to suppress a sigh. People said that things changed and people changed, but after all these years, it seemed more like the people remained the same while everything else had changed. The people were still the people he knew, but Konoha was no longer the Konoha he had once seen.

Naruto ignored Minato Namikaze's musings. He smiled at the two of them and stepped aside. "Uncle Guy, One-Eyed Uncle, come in first."

Might Guy and Kakashi entered with curious expressions.

Since Naruto lived alone, his house was cramped, plain, and very quiet, carrying a faint sense of being cooped up. The furnishings were simple as well. There was only a table and a sofa in the living room. Still, the place was quite clean, aside from the instant noodle containers in the trash can nearby.

Kakashi remained silent after entering. His slightly lowered head hid his expression. Perhaps he felt a little guilty as well.

If Kakashi was a stagnant pool of lifeless water, then Might Guy was a volcano forever on the verge of eruption.

Tears streaming down his face, he grabbed Naruto in a hug just as Naruto was hesitating over whether to prepare some water.

"Young man..."

Naruto's lips twitched when a grown man suddenly hugged him. In just that brief moment, he noticed that his shoulder had become a little damp. They said women were made of water, but he found that Might Guy was the one made of water. What kind of man shed this many tears?

Sure enough, he still found it difficult to be like Rock Lee. Perhaps only Rock Lee could truly become Might Guy's disciple.

Naruto struggled free from Might Guy's embrace and said awkwardly, "Uncle Guy, you and One-Eyed Uncle have a seat first. I'll explain in a moment."

Naruto still poured each of them a cup of plain water. Plain water was all he had. He had no habit of drinking tea, and visitors normally never came to his home. Other than instant noodles, there was only plain water.

Naruto roughly explained why he had not been going to the training ground lately. Naturally, he could not tell them the truth. He merely said that he was developing an incredibly powerful ninjutsu at home. The reason he was not practicing at the training ground was because he wanted to keep it as his trump card. Once he completed it, he would spar with them again—and then victory would be guaranteed.

Kakashi's dead fish eyes appeared again. He simply assumed that Naruto was young and unwilling to admit defeat, so he was trying to figure out a way to beat them. But guaranteed victory was impossible. Although Kakashi looked as if he struggled somewhat whenever he sparred with Naruto, that was only because he was not particularly serious most of the time. No matter how they fought, he should be the one who won.

Might Guy was different. He looked at Naruto with an extremely serious expression, made a declaration that he absolutely would not lose, and swore that he would train twice as hard before their next match. Other than his eternal rival Kakashi, he would not lose to anyone.

Thus, the two left Naruto's home with entirely different thoughts in their hearts.

"Developing a new ninjutsu? As expected of Minato's child!"

After receiving Kakashi's report, Sarutobi Hiruzen could not help sighing. Naruto had given him far too many surprises—so many that they were almost becoming shocks.

Not only had Naruto's proficiency in existing ninjutsu improved rapidly, but he could even perform many simple ninjutsu without hand seals. And now he had begun developing ninjutsu on his own? The student had surpassed the master.

It was just that ever since Danzo's rotten idea last time, something had gone wrong with Naruto's personality. Perhaps Jiraiya should return for a visit.

As Sarutobi Hiruzen pondered this, a figure suddenly pushed open the door and entered. There was no knock and no greeting. He simply spoke.

"Hiruzen, is there still no information about that mysterious person?"

The newcomer was none other than Shimura Danzō. Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression did not change at all in response to Shimura Danzō's rudeness. After all, he had grown used to it over the decades.

He shook his head and said with some disappointment, "Hiashi said the Byakugan found nothing suspicious. The Inuzuka Clan and the Aburame Clan have found nothing either."

Shimura Danzō's expression darkened at the news. He said angrily, "Then it seems this is all a conspiracy by the evil Uchiha!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned. "Danzo, do not spout nonsense!"

Shimura Danzō stared fixedly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"This is the Uchiha Clan's conspiracy. Otherwise, an outside invader seeking to steal bloodline limits could not have caused no abnormalities at all for so long."

"Danzo, I believe in Shisui!" Sarutobi Hiruzen declared firmly.

"Hiruzen, have you forgotten our teacher's words?" Shimura Danzō's gaze was equally resolute.

"Any Uchiha who awakens the Mangekyō Sharingan becomes twisted and extreme in temperament. Uchiha Shisui is probably no longer the Uchiha Shisui who held nothing but the village in his heart."

"That intruder is merely a smokescreen released by the Uchiha. Their purpose is to draw our attention away so that Uchiha Shisui can use the ocular technique of those eyes to control you, then seize the chance to launch a coup against the village! To that end, they have already killed one of Konoha's Anbu."

"That's impossible!" Sarutobi Hiruzen instinctively refuted Shimura Danzō's theory. His expression became extremely ugly as he continued, "I believe in Shisui's Will of Fire! And I believe the Uchiha would never do anything to harm the village!"

"Hiruzen! Are you going to put the village in danger just because of your own personal judgment?" Shimura Danzō looked at his old friend with disappointment. The once Hero of the Shinobi had become so weak.

"Enough, Danzo. I am the Hokage. I will make my own decision in this matter!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen directly pulled out his trump card, one particularly effective against Danzo, and dealt a blow that struck true.

"Hiruzen, you! You'll regret this!"

Bang!

After leaving behind those harsh words, Shimura Danzō slammed the door and left.

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in his own chair, smoking his pipe alone. His thin, small frame appeared somewhat bleak.

He had long suspected this as well. More than a month had passed, yet there had not been the slightest disturbance throughout the village. More importantly, aside from Uchiha Shisui, there had been no other witnesses to what happened that night—and it had happened at such a critical time.

Although Shisui had informed him that the Uchiha were planning a coup, and had also revealed the abilities of his Mangekyō Sharingan, sometimes the most convincing lie was one falsehood mixed among nine truths. He had no choice but to guard against the power of those Mangekyō.

"Shisui..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen lowered his head and murmured to himself. His expression grew increasingly bitter, while his eyes became increasingly dark.