Harvest Season

"Neji, teach Naruto Chakra extraction and the Three Basic Techniques."

Uchiha Akira shook his head helplessly.

Forget it.

Whether it was Neji or Naruto, both had further teaching assignments and could likewise earn mission rewards.

Meanwhile.

Hokage Building, office.

The doors were violently slammed open with a dull bang. The sheer force made the visitor's fury abundantly clear.

"Hiruzen! This is the consequence of indulging Uchiha Akira!"

Shimura Danzō's triangular eyes brimmed with chilling rage and bitter disappointment.

"Now Uchiha Akira has directly taken Naruto Uzumaki away. He is a scourge upon Konoha!"

Damn it.

He had said long ago that Uchiha Akira could not be kept, that he was a menace. Yet Hiruzen always styled himself as righteous. In his eyes, that was no different from hypocrisy!

"Naruto Uzumaki must be handed over to me for training, or the village will relive the Nine-Tails's Rampage!"

He was practically furious to death.

That blockhead Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely unfit to sit in the Hokage's seat. He had no ambition whatsoever to unite the Ninja World and restore Konoha to glory.

He was the one who should have become Hokage!

"Impossible!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice did not waver. His clouded eyes held steady authority and pressure.

"Akira is a good child. He possesses an exceptional Will of Fire. To protect Konoha, he can make any sacrifice."

"As for Naruto..."

He paused.

He could not help grinding his teeth. Why had Akira gotten involved with Naruto again?

First Neji, then Naruto—what exactly was Akira trying to do?

"I have already made arrangements. Asuma is keeping watch at Akira's side. Nothing will go wrong."

No matter what, Akira was far more reliable than Danzo in his eyes.

"Heh, Hiruzen, do you even hear yourself?"

Danzo sneered, his gaze growing increasingly disappointed.

"Hand Naruto over to me and let me cultivate him into an outstanding Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. That is the course most aligned with our interests. More importantly, Uchiha Akira has already become a threat to the village. He must... be killed!"

When he was young.

Under Hiruzen's formidable strength and resolve, he had always diligently handled the village's darkness without a shred of disloyalty. Later, however, the scales in his heart had gradually tipped. He came to believe that he should have been Hokage!

And now.

He believed that he should have been the one to become Hokage back then.

If he had become Hokage, Konoha would have united the Ninja World long ago!

As time passed, the fury born from failing to obtain Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, his resentment toward Hiruzen's incompetence, and Uchiha Akira's immense threat burned through him like a spreading fuse, nearing the limit of his patience.

It made his scalp tingle, and hatred surged in his heart!

"Danzo, as long as I am alive, your ambitions will never be realized. Remember, I am the Hokage!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sudden chill run through his body.

Could Akira have been telling the truth? A strange glint appeared in his eyes.

Shimura Danzō did not notice. His expression changed drastically as he turned and said furiously,

"Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

The doors boomed as though struck by a heavy blow. With a crack, a hinge had snapped, leaving the door slightly crooked. It was clear how much force Shimura Danzō had used.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly. "Have someone replace the door."

Over the years.

This door had been replaced more often than any other.

On the other side, after returning to Root, Danzo's face was as cold and grim as an ice corpse dead for days!

"What news is there from Orochimaru?! I cannot wait any longer. Without Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, I need even greater power!"

Ambition and malice churned in his eyes.

Like a nocturnal owl in the forest, waiting at all times to strike its prey.

"Lord Danzo, this is the Living Corpse Reincarnation Orochimaru sent over, along with his latest test subject. This body..."

The Root Ninja's Adam's apple bobbed, disbelief filling his eyes.

"It has a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan! And it is said to be able to wield the power of Wood Release!"

"What?"

Danzo froze. Then stunned delight erupted in his eyes as his gaze instantly landed on the pure-white, ugly test subject. To him, that hideous body was the greatest gift of all!

"That fellow Orochimaru has truly developed another new test subject!"

"As long as I use Living Corpse Reincarnation, I will possess this powerful body!"

Ugly?

He did not care in the slightest. He immediately took the Living Corpse Reincarnation and began studying it.

The only thing he cared about was whether it could achieve his goal!

The more Danzo read, the more excited he became. He ordered, "Send Root personnel after Naruto Uzumaki. Once I reincarnate into this body, I will possess the power to control the Nine-Tails!"

When that time came.

Neither Uchiha Akira nor Hiruzen Sarutobi would be a match for him.

And the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki would become the most powerful weapon in his hands!

Senju Clan.

"How is this possible?"

Watching Naruto Uzumaki, still wearing a bewildered expression, learn Chakra extraction and the Three Basic Techniques almost instantly, Neji opened his mouth in shock.

"A genius. Naruto, you are the true genius!"

The scarlet Three Tomoe Sharingan in Uchiha Akira's eyes slowly turned. Under his gaze, the Chakra circulating within Naruto Uzumaki was completely unaffected, despite Naruto having only just learned Chakra extraction.

He already possessed an amount far exceeding a single card.

"Let me give you two an insurance policy. If you ever encounter danger, just channel Chakra into it."

Uchiha Akira placed his palm over Naruto and Neji's hands. A black triangular shuriken-like Mangekyo pattern appeared on the backs of their hands.

"I will naturally descend like a divine soldier and save you from fire and water."

Although in the original story.

Neither Neji nor Naruto suffered much harm in the early stages.

But with him around now, who knew what plot changes might occur?

"Also, since you have already extracted Chakra."

Uchiha Akira grinned. "Then it is time for my harvest as well!"

"What do you mean?"

Naruto Uzumaki shuddered. "Teacher Akira, the way you look right now... is really scary!"

Bzzzt—!

Scarlet Mangekyō Sharingan emerged. Uchiha Akira instantly appeared within Naruto Uzumaki's body. With three parts anticipation and seven parts wickedness in his eyes, he looked at the five-year-old Naruto with a radiant smile.

"Come, Naruto. It is time for a tug-of-war."

In an instant.

Naruto vaguely realized that he had entered his inner world.

Without hesitation, Uchiha Akira placed his hand on the seal and fiercely tore at it. But in the next moment, a golden figure flashed past. Powerful force surged forth, trying to drive Uchiha Akira away.

Yet Uchiha Akira did not move an inch.

With a ripping sound.

He violently tore off the paper strip of the Sealing Formula.

In the original story, the tug-of-war happened after Naruto faced himself and reconciled with the darkness in his heart. But now, with him here, there was no chance Naruto could be corrupted by evil thoughts.

"You... do you know what you are doing?"

Minato Namikaze stared in astonishment, his azure eyes calm and stern, filled with vigilance.

"An Uchiha? What are you doing here? Could you be the culprit behind the Nine-Tails's Rampage?!"