Son of the Hokage

"That's far too strange!"

Fukai, who stood behind them with a Ninja Sword in his arms, looked at his student and felt that the boy was becoming increasingly mysterious. He had somehow even gotten hold of the corpses of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, not to mention all his other unusual behavior. This was not something money alone could buy.

"Some secrets can't be told."

Yozuki A shook his head. The matter of the Firearms absolutely could not be revealed. The more people who knew, the greater the risk of exposure.

There was also the earlier plan to create a split Tailed Beast Jinchuriki. Although that junior disciple had only provided some simple ideas, and there were still many obstacles to overcome in its actual implementation, inspiration was often the most difficult part.

Just as one of the sentences in that junior disciple's Erotic Novels said, a true genius was ninety-nine percent inspiration and one percent perspiration. This showed just how important ideas and inspiration were.

In such a short time, he had brought enormous benefits to the village. There would certainly be even more in the future.

They could not treasure such a talent enough.

Even the reason he and his older cousin Fukai had come along this time was to serve as bodyguards for their junior disciple.

Seeing his cousin put it that way, Fukai could not bring himself to ask further. Besides, as a ninja, he should not be overly curious. He only needed to complete his mission.

After traveling swiftly in silence, they reached a suitable landing site on the coast of the Land of Whirlpools the next day. More than a thousand Kumogakure ninjas came ashore with all kinds of supplies, set up camp in a suitable location, and waited for the coming war.

Dodai, Tamura Hiroshi, and three dark-skinned jonin changed into Konoha Anbu attire, then took a detour toward the Uzushio Hidden Village.

Since they had sent a calling card to the Uzumaki clan's Great Elder beforehand, someone was waiting specifically at the village entrance and led Dodai straight to the Great Elder.

This Uzumaki clan Great Elder, Uzumaki Ashina, was the person most opposed to Konoha within the Uzumaki clan. He was also the clan's highest-ranking surviving member after Uzumaki Ashina's death, and his authority within the clan even surpassed that of the current clan head.

As for Tamura Hiroshi and the three Anbu jonin, they were left at the village entrance. These were sensitive times, and the Uzushio Hidden Village refused entry to all outsiders, especially ninjas.

Tamura Hiroshi did not find this strange. He simply stood quietly at the village entrance with the three jonin, studying the surrounding environment.

Not long afterward, an awkward scene unfolded. Three figures were escorted out of the village by an Uzumaki Ninja. Their clothing and appearance were exactly the same as theirs, all dressed in Konoha Anbu attire.

But those three were clearly the real thing, far beyond comparison with temporary impostors like them.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.

It also became stifling.

The two sides stood facing each other at the village entrance. The several Uzumaki ninjas there scrutinized both groups and noticed that something was wrong.

Tamura Hiroshi's gaze lingered mostly on the youth whose entire body was wrapped up, leaving only his mouth exposed.

That outfit looked vaguely familiar!

Moreover, judging by their builds, none of the three seemed very old. There were two males and one female, a standard combination in Konoha. Two of them wore masks, while the other was wrapped so tightly that only his mouth was visible.

These three had probably come to take Uzumaki Kushina away. But why had such an important matter been entrusted to three young men and women?

Or did the three of them have some special identities?

Tamura Hiroshi guessed at their identities. He had more or less figured out the identity of the youth wrapped from head to toe. That was precisely why he dared conclude that the other party belonged to Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō's faction. As for the other two, however, he could not determine their identities.

Still, judging by the way the three stood, the one from the Aburame Clan was positioned at the back, while the youth stood at the front. The latter clearly held the higher status.

After considering the information he knew about Konoha's various Ninja Clans, Tamura Hiroshi had a rough guess.

"Go back and tell Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō not to entertain any thoughts they shouldn't. The Great Ninja War is imminent, and we don't want anything unpleasant happening within the village. You'd better not do anything to displease us either. Otherwise, the consequences aren't something you can bear."

Seeing that the other side was about to make a move, Tamura Hiroshi stepped forward and spoke coldly, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance as though he were looking down on the three across from him.

From now on, call me Senju Hiroshi!

Hearing Tamura Hiroshi's words, the eyes of the three opposite him flickered. In the end, they dispersed the chakra they had gathered.

From the other party's words, they could roughly guess that he had been sent by the Senju Clan. The ANBU had been established at the suggestion of the Second, and its original core members had been from the Senju Clan.

Even now, there were many people from the Senju of the Forest in the ANBU. It was not strange for these four to appear.

So they really don't trust Father. Unfortunately, the ending has already been decided!

Tamura Hiroshi pretended to study them carefully. Then, as if he had recognized the youth at the head, he sneered.

"So it's you. He actually sent you to the Land of Whirlpools. Wasn't he afraid you'd die here and leave him to suffer the grief of a white-haired man burying his black-haired son?"

Although he still could not confirm the other party's identity, the build suggested that he was most likely a young man. This proved that his status was not low; otherwise, he would not have been qualified to represent Konoha on a diplomatic mission to the Uzushio Hidden Village. That meant he could use his words to test the waters.

Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who stood at the head, saw that his identity had been exposed and sighed. "You people of the Senju of the Forest have misunderstood my father too deeply. The Second passed the Hokage Position to my father for his own reasons. You shouldn't defy the Second's will."

"If it were truly just a misunderstanding, why would the elites of our clan have been sent to the Frontline in the Land of Earth at a time like this? It's far too far from the Land of Whirlpools. They can't even arrive in time to provide support."

Tamura Hiroshi sneered, indicating that he was now a member of the Senju of the Forest, while inwardly muttering, Just as I thought.

His previous statement had merely been a test meant to trick the other side into revealing information about their identities. Now it seemed he really was the Son of the Hokage. That identity was indeed sufficient for him to represent Konoha on a diplomatic mission to the Uzushio Hidden Village.

The three Kumogakure Anbu behind him were confused, but they still cooperated by taking up position with fierce looks in their eyes. Kunai and Ninja Swords appeared in their hands, making it look as though they were about to start a fight.

"You've misunderstood Lord Hokage too deeply. No matter what Lord Hokage does, you'll always interpret it wrongly."

The girl could not help speaking up, clearly displeased by Tamura Hiroshi's words.

"You're the ones who've misunderstood Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Hiruzen Sarutobi of twenty years ago is no longer the same as the Hiruzen Sarutobi of today. The poison of power is the most terrifying poison in the world. It can corrode anyone's will.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi's Will of Fire has already been corrupted. Under his leadership, Konoha will only grow weaker and weaker, until it loses its strength and status above the other ninja villages."

Still sneering, Tamura Hiroshi became even more immersed in the role.

In other words, he was fully in character!

At the same time, he tried to guess the girl's identity. She had repeatedly glanced at Sarutobi Shinnosuke earlier, and her gaze had seemed unusual, proving that their relationship was no ordinary one. Were they lovers?

Or was she the future mother of Konohamaru Sarutobi?

Who was Konohamaru Sarutobi's mother again?

He recalled the Naruto he had watched in his previous life, but had no impression of her. It seemed there had only been a setting in which one person was Hiruzen Sarutobi's right-hand man and a high-ranking member of the ANBU. Beyond that, there was nothing.

He had only learned the name Sarutobi Shinnosuke from Dodai. Dodai had given him information on the important figures in the Five Great Ninja Villages, and the Son of the Hokage was naturally a top priority.

"It's you who've been corrupted!"

Sarutobi Shinnosuke firmly denied it. He was also displeased that this man had directly called his father by name, while secretly guessing at the other party's identity.

He was definitely from the Senju Clan, and his status was absolutely not low. Yet, as he ran through the names of the people he knew, not one matched.

Was he someone the Senju Clan had kept hidden?

The girl was likewise displeased, but she could not lose her temper. She could only explain seriously, "The Senju Clan has already produced two Hokage in succession. If a Third were to come from the clan, it would inevitably arouse the dissatisfaction of the various Ninja Clans in the village. If things went wrong, Konoha could fall apart.

"It was precisely out of such considerations that the Second passed the Hokage Position to the Third.

"Moreover, the Third has already taken Lady Tsunade as his disciple. Given the Senju Clan's prestige in the village, the Fourth Hokage will inevitably be Lady Tsunade. Why are you in such a hurry?"