Uchiha Dan knew what Tsunade would be thinking, but he'd done it on purpose.
As long as his intention wasn't to hurt anyone, but to protect himself, he believed that understanding Tsunade would understand.
At some point, Uchiha Dan had started wanting to deceive Tsunade less and less.
So Uchiha Dan turned to Tsunade and said, "I was backed into a corner before, and I really did lie to you about a lot of things."
"But from now on, I won't lie to you about anything. You're the reason I can keep living, and you're the reason I no longer have to hide and keep things from everyone."
Tsunade blushed when Uchiha Dan saw right through her thoughts and hurriedly said, "Who cares about you, anyway!"
But she believed what Uchiha Dan had said.
Today, when she asked, Uchiha Dan had told her everything about his plans to leave and why.
He'd even called out to Hatake Sakumo right in front of her and spoken with him.
No matter how much Uchiha Dan had schemed against her in the past, he'd only done it to survive.
Besides, Uchiha Dan had genuinely treated her well over the past month, so why hold it against him?
"So, Hatake Sakumo, I meant it when I said I'd help you and save you," Uchiha Dan continued.
"Hmph, I can't be bothered with you!" Hatake Sakumo said, then used the Body Flicker Technique to return to the tree nearby.
"Big bro, remember this: I'll be your steadfast ally from now on. If you ever need anything, you can come talk to me, and I'll help however I can."
Uchiha Dan shouted toward Hatake Sakumo, scaring the daylights out of him and making cold sweat break out all over his body.
If anyone heard that, how could things possibly go well for him from now on?
"Bastard, shut up!" Hatake Sakumo replied, his whole body ice-cold.
"He's panicking, Tsunade. Look, he's panicking!"
"When he used to watch the moon with me, he called me 'Young Master.' Now, after all this time, he's calling me a bastard."
Hatake Sakumo clutched the branch so hard his fingers went white, gritting his teeth in anger.
When did I ever watch the moon with you? And when did I call you Young Master?
"Dan, that's enough. Senior hasn't done anything to offend you," Tsunade hurriedly urged. She didn't want Hatake Sakumo to actually lose his temper.
"Fine!" Uchiha Dan stopped provoking Hatake Sakumo. After all, he'd be one of their own in the future.
Since Hatake Sakumo hadn't killed him, the two times he'd knowingly kept quiet would remain leverage over him. There was no way he'd ever side with Hiruzen Sarutobi.
There was no denying it: Hatake Sakumo's personality really didn't suit the Anbu.
He was too forthright, and his own ideas were too numerous and too firmly held.
But Hiruzen Sarutobi had wanted to keep him under control this way in the first place. Assigning him somewhere else would have been even less suitable, so he'd forcibly recruited him.
After all, if Hatake Sakumo were allowed to leave, his strength and reputation would make him impossible to keep in check.
Besides, although he was angry at Hatake Sakumo for blocking his escape, Hatake Sakumo had genuinely looked out for him in secret.
"Dan, I'll verify what you've told me," Tsunade said seriously after a long pause. "If it's all true, I'll agree. But until then, you can't leave."
It wasn't that Tsunade didn't believe Dan. This was a matter of great importance, and deciding to become Hokage wasn't something she could do overnight.
"Fine. But if you can't bring yourself to decide, I'll leave quietly."
"But don't just sit around worrying on your own. You can discuss it more with Lady Mito. You can tell her anything I've told you."
"She's much more clearheaded than you, and sees things more clearly."
"I understand!" Tsunade nodded solemnly.
After they parted, Uchiha Dan didn't go home. Instead, he headed to a residence near the Ninja Academy.
At that moment, in one of the house's bedrooms, Namikaze Minato was curled up under the covers, shivering.
He'd been sensing Uchiha Dan's Chakra signature the whole time. He knew Dan had gone out to see Sister Tsunade, and then... started heading toward him.
Having been steeped in Uchiha Dan's schemes and tricks since childhood, how could he not guess that everything had been exposed? Cold sweat poured down him!
"Minato, are you okay?" one of Namikaze Minato's classmates asked, worried, when he suddenly started acting like this.
"Rin, I'm going to die. What do I do?" Namikaze Minato said in a panic.
Miyagi Rin was startled. She hurriedly felt Namikaze Minato's forehead and asked in confusion, "You don't have a fever."
Just then, someone knocked on the door, making Namikaze Minato jolt all over.
"Who is it?" Miyagi Rin's father asked, sounding a little displeased.
"Uncle Miyagi, it's Uchiha Dan. I'm here to get my little brother!" Uchiha Dan called from outside.
Miyagi Jin hurriedly got dressed and rushed to the door.
"Doctor Dan, I never expected you to come by. What an honor, what an honor! Please, come in!"
Uchiha Dan had saved Miyagi Jin's life. He wouldn't be rude to Dan, of all people. He greeted him with great warmth.
That was also why Namikaze Minato and Miyagi Rin were such good friends, and why Minato could stay over at her house whenever he wanted.
"Sorry for showing up so late, Uncle. But I won't come in. Something's come up at home, so I'm here to take Minato back," Uchiha Dan said with a smile.
"Oh, oh, all right. Minato, your brother's here. Come out!" Miyagi Jin hurried toward his son's bedroom as he called out.
"It's over!" Namikaze Minato was utterly hopeless.
But he knew this day was bound to come. There was no escaping it, so he could only come out reluctantly.
When he saw Uchiha Dan, Namikaze Minato managed a smile even more painful than crying.
"Bro..."
Uchiha Dan only gave him a sinister smile, making Namikaze Minato shrink his neck.
After saying goodbye to Miyagi Jin, he picked up Namikaze Minato and left.
In the training ground late that night, Namikaze Minato shivered in the gentle, warm breeze.
But before he could make an excuse... no, explain himself,
Uchiha Dan had already dragged him there and started smacking his butt. "I told you not to go running your mouth! You little brat, what's wrong with you? Let's see if you do it again!"
"Bro, it hurts! Stop hitting me!" Namikaze Minato's shrill cries echoed across the training ground.
"Tell me, why did you set your brother up?" After giving Namikaze Minato a good beating, Uchiha Dan finally cooled down a little and demanded angrily.
"Bro, didn't you tell me Sister Tsunade could be trusted?" Namikaze Minato protested.
"You're talking back now? Just because she can be trusted doesn't mean you can say whatever you want!" Uchiha Dan immediately raised his hand to hit him again.
"N-no, that's not it!" Hanging from Uchiha Dan's hand, Namikaze Minato clutched his butt with both hands and pleaded urgently, every word brimming with emotion. "It's because I can't bear to be apart from you, Bro!"
At that, Uchiha Dan's hand stopped at once, and his heart couldn't help but ache.
"Didn't I tell you I'd leave only after I mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique?" Uchiha Dan said, still a little angry. "I'll come back to see you all the time."
"But it's not the same!" Namikaze Minato said, eyes brimming with tears.
"How is it not the same?"
"It's just not the same!" Namikaze Minato said sadly. "Even if I can see you often, it still feels like you're far away from me, Bro."
"But if you could stay in Konoha, even if I couldn't see you every day, I'd be happy."
Uchiha Dan felt a wave of sadness rise in his heart, too. He set Namikaze Minato down, straightened his clothes, and said with a grin, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to."
"You got yourself into trouble, so you're trying to make up for it this way, aren't you?"
"Hehe!" Namikaze Minato knew Uchiha Dan well enough to realize he'd gotten off the hook. His shameless grin returned. "Didn't you tell me that if you can't solve a problem, you should create a bigger one to distract everyone?"
"You should've seen how angry Sister Tsunade was. The moment I told her you were leaving, she wasn't nearly as angry anymore."
Uchiha Dan laughed in exasperation again. He rubbed Namikaze Minato's face roughly and scolded him, "You little rascal, I taught you to use your head from the time you were little, but I didn't tell you to use all your clever tricks on me!"
"Geh... s-stop... let go..."
Translation: Bro... that hurts... let go of me...
Before you continue