The beginning of a promise

Unsurprisingly, Itachi lost to Tōka in the Chunin Ninja Exams.

The defeat was clean and decisive, without any suspense.

However, Itachi already possesses the strength of Chunin, so even if he doesn't become Chunin this time, he will definitely succeed in the upcoming Chunin Ninja Exams.

In Small Woods on the edge of the village, Tōka was Forest with Karin and Yakumo.

Yakumo was practicing the Genjutsu that Tōka had taught her, while Karin was training in the basic Three Transformations. As a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, Karin's chakra was truly enviable.

Back when he hadn't awakened the Sage Body through the Dragon Vein, Tōka's chakra was pitifully small, especially considering he was a direct descendant of Kaguya.

Rustling...

A soft footstep sounded, and the three people in the Forest immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to watch a dark figure approach.

"Senior Tōka, I hope I haven't disturbed you." Itachi Uchiha walked up to Tōka and stood in front of him, perfectly displaying the aura of a young master from a prominent clan.

"It's Itachi. What's up?" Tōka noticed Itachi's eyes; it seemed that the words Huanyin had conveyed to him yesterday had a profound impact on him.

"They are..." Itachi's attention fell on Yakumo and Karin.

"They're my two new, good-for-nothing disciples," Tōka said with a chuckle, his eyes narrowed, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

Karin and Yakumo immediately showed their displeasure; if it weren't for the presence of outsiders, they would have definitely started grumbling.

Itachi smiled slightly upon hearing this, "To be able to become Tōka- senpai's disciple, one must be a genius."

Hearing this, Karin glanced at Itachi with satisfaction, her eyes seeming to say, "Young man, you're quite perceptive!"

Even the mild-mannered Yakumo had a smile on his lips.

"Genius? You two come here and see what a true genius is!" Tōka waved his hand, signaling Karin and Yakumo to stop cultivating.

The two of them walked over one after the other and stood beside Tōka.

Itachi glanced at Tōka with a puzzled look. He could tell the difference in their strength: the red-haired girl had just been learning the basic Three Transformations, while the other girl was practicing Genjutsu.

In a one-on-one fight, even the two of them combined wouldn't be a match for him...

To be precise, Itachi was confident he could subdue both of them in one move.

"Let's learn Shuriken throwing properly from Itachi-senpai today!" Tōka's gaze fell on Itachi. Besides Fire Release, the Uchiha Clan is also famous for Shuriken throwing.

Even his Shuriken throwing is far superior to that of the average person.

Upon hearing this, Itachi finally understood what Tōka meant; it turned out that he was to be asked to teach the two little girls.

"Please enlighten us, Itachi-senpai." The two girls were naturally indignant that their teacher had told them they were hopeless while praising this kid in front of them.

They also wanted to know just how capable this kid, who looked to be only ten years old, really was!

Tōka took in the expressions of the two little girls and chuckled to himself. Don't underestimate Itachi just because he's only ten years old; even he can't beat him when it comes to throwing Shuriken.

Itachi pursed his lips. He had originally wanted to learn from Senior Tōka, but now he was the one teaching others.

Surprisingly, Itachi didn't feel any aversion!

"Where's the Shuriken...?"

So, Itachi flipped his hand, holding three Shuriken between his fingertips, and began to explain in detail to the two girls.

From the Shuriken's spin, wind speed, and the trajectory it creates as it cuts through the air...

Tōka leaned against the shade of a tree, her eyes crinkling as she watched everything unfold. The tranquility and peace were unique to Konoha.

All of this exudes a unique Konoha flavor.

Thanks to the Third Hokage's rule, although Konoha still had its share of darkness hidden deep within, the Third Hokage was generally considered a competent Hokage.

Occasionally, the sounds of insects chirping and birds singing echoed through the woods, and a gentle breeze caressed my cheeks, making me feel drowsy.

"It should be about time by now." Tōka looked up at the sky; the sun was almost at its highest point.

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a dark aura immediately approached.

Tōka instantly spotted the shadow hidden deep in the earth. His eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing within them. "You arrived just in time!"

He glanced at the three people who were intently studying the Shuriken.

Tōka secretly left behind a Shadow Clone, causing the space to rotate irregularly.

Its Original Body quickly vanished into the Void, disappearing into the Small Woods in the blink of an eye.

He came and went without a trace, without a sound. None of the three little ones, including Itachi, noticed that Tōka's Original Body had left.

On the other side of the Lake, White Zetsu sensed Tōka's presence and quickly used his Mayfly Technique to catch up.

The two met under a Big Tree.

"Let's get started. We need to leave after dealing with the Third Hokage today; time is tight!" Tōka's Tenseigan was extremely powerful; he could clearly sense whether the Third Hokage's Crystal Ball was watching him.

Strangely, none of the Third Hokage's Telescope Technique landed on Tōka all morning.

With White Zetsu arriving at this moment, Tōka decided not to waste any more time.

Upon receiving the order, White Zetsu immediately used his Object Transformation to transform into Tōka's appearance. The two identical people stood together, making it difficult for anyone to distinguish between them.

"What a convenient technique." A Green Light flashed in Tōka's palm, and then he slapped White Zetsu in the chest.

One of the abilities of the Tenseigan is the ability to wirelessly control puppets, which then possess self-awareness.

Moreover, it far surpasses the Performance of a Hundred Puppets in terms of both quantity and scale. It can also control the mind and actions of others and obtain information from their minds.

After discovering the flaw in the Tsuchi-e no Jutsu, Tōka decided to use it.

The White Zetsu's Object Transformation is difficult for ordinary people to detect. Combined with the Tenseigan's remote control, Tōka can use this puppet to perfectly control the movements of Konoha.

In the Land of Water, Hozuki Mangetsu; in Konoha, there are White Zetsu Clone.

Of the Five Great Nations, two villages already have spies from Tōka.

Snap!

Tōka snapped his fingers, and the two identical figures gradually became illusory around their bodies, with strange fluctuations in the space, rippling out like black water.

With a gentle breeze, the two figures vanished like ghosts into the forest.

The Hokage Building is located in the heart of Konoha.

The Third Hokage's gaze fell on the Crystal Ball on the table, or more precisely, on the blond-haired kid in the orange jacket inside the Crystal Ball.

He took a deep drag on his pipe, leaned back in his chair, Third Hokage slowly exhaled the smoke.

"The target isn't the Nine-Tails?"

The Third Hokage, who had been staring at Naruto all morning, had a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Since the Nine-Tails Incident five years ago, Tōka has chosen to go into hiding.

The Third Hokage never relaxed his surveillance on him. A user with the Bone Release Kekkei Genkai, capable of killing with a single blow, would never be content to live the life of an ordinary person.

However, over the years, Tōka has maintained a very low profile, making it impossible for anyone to find fault with him.

However, a few days ago Tōka chose to go on a mission!

The Third Hokage followed the Fourth Hokage's approach to Tōka: monitoring, giving him important responsibilities, but not granting him power; using his interests to bind him to Konoha's cause; and, if necessary, eliminating him swiftly.

Because of the devastating Nine-Tails Incident that caused Konoha so much damage, the Uchiha Clan could no longer be trusted, and the Third Hokage did not possess the abilities of the Fourth Hokage.

Therefore, they chose to leave Tōka aside in a semi-laissez-faire manner.

"Itachi's strength is no problem against Chunin, and in yesterday's exam, Tōka didn't even seem to take his hands out of his pockets..." A glint of light flashed in the Third Hokage's cloudy old eyes.

Years of dormancy didn't make that guy decadent; on the contrary, he became even stronger with the passage of time...

On the surface, it was Tōka who was taking the exam and testing Itachi's strength, but in reality, the Third Hokage deliberately arranged for Itachi to test Tōka's strength.

"Looks like we'll have to keep Kakashi on our toes." The Third Hokage took a deep breath and exhaled.

The room was shrouded in smoke.

In Konoha, there are very few people who can speak with Tōka, and those who are truly recognized by Tōka...

A green-clad, Watermelon- headed figure flashed through Third Hokage's mind. Kai's words were too straightforward... Perhaps one day Kai would be sold off by Tōka, and he would happily help the other party count the money!

Sudden!

In the Forest reflected by the Crystal Ball, a figure approached from afar. The Third Hokage's pupils contracted sharply, and he quickly put down his pipe and sat up straight.

"Tōka? So the target really is Naruto..." The Third Hokage's expression turned serious, and he secretly made a hand gesture.

Four dark figures shot out from the darkness, all composed of the most elite ninjas from the Hokage's direct Anbu, Elite Squad among elites!

Konoha Back Mountain, the ground is covered with dense trees.

The lush green leaves swayed in the wind, rising and falling like a rippling green ocean, as a figure slowly walked by.

It made a rustling sound...

"younger brother, what are you doing here?" Tōka smiled and stared at the back of Naruto's head, his blond hair matching his orange clothes.

A very familiar and tasteful outfit...

Naruto was slightly taken aback and turned around in surprise to stare at the handsome older brother in front of him.

"Are you calling me?" Naruto had never imagined that anyone would speak to him first, and his voice trembled involuntarily.

"Hmm." Tōka looked Naruto up and down; he had been wearing the same orange clothes for a long time.

It's not that Naruto's clothes haven't been washed in a long time, but rather that he hasn't had new clothes in a long time.

It seems nothing has changed since my arrival. What exactly is that old man, the Third Hokage, plotting?

Tōka couldn't judge whether the Third Hokage's actions were right or wrong, but in terms of Naruto's successful growth and acceptance of his identity, the Third Hokage seemed to have been right.

However, the suffering Naruto endured was indirectly caused by the Third Hokage's concealment of the truth.

The reason Tōka came to see Naruto at this time was because he remembered the promise he made with the Fourth Hokage.

"Big, big brother?" Naruto looked at Tōka nervously, his voice soft and uneasy. He was worried that this handsome big brother, the only one who was willing to talk to him, would be angry.

Tōka, who was lost in thought, was brought back to his senses by Naruto's voice, and at the same time, he noticed four dark figures rapidly approaching from a distance.

Tōka's face resembled Naruto's, but his vision encompassed the entire Small Woods.

The most elite ninjas wearing animal masks, the Anbu directly under the Hokage of Konoha!

They came really fast...

Tōka stretched out her hand, holding a balloon on her finger.

Under Naruto's curious gaze, Tōka blew up the balloon until it was inflated, then stretched out his palm, and the balloon began to sway irregularly in his hand.

"Big brother, what are you doing?" Naruto asked, puzzled.

As soon as he finished speaking, with a snap, the balloon in Tōka's heart burst, and the blast of air made Naruto was looking closely, squint.

Tōka took out another balloon and handed it to Naruto.

"My name is Tōka. Nice to meet you. How about I give you a gift?"

"Really?" Naruto had never experienced the feeling of receiving a gift before.

This was the first time he had received a gift, and he felt warm and excited, as if something was about to well up inside him.

This... must be what happiness feels like...

Naruto took the balloon and immediately put it to his mouth, took a deep breath and his chest expanded, then blew all the air into the balloon.

The tiny balloon, barely the size of a palm, was quickly inflated.

"It worked! It worked!" Naruto clutched the balloon in one hand and scratched the back of his head with the other, his Kakuzu the way to his ears.

It's such a pity that this little guy is so easily satisfied...

Seeing Naruto gesturing wildly, a strange look flashed in Tōka's eyes.

"If you can pop this balloon like I just did, I'll give you another gift." A leisurely voice rang out, sometimes near, sometimes far.

Upon hearing the sound, Naruto paused slightly and instinctively looked up...

The Forest were completely empty; not a single ghost could be seen.

Gone?

He's really gone...

"I haven't told my big brother my name yet..." Naruto looked at the vanished Forest and held the balloon in his hands with a sense of loss.

He finally met someone who smiled at him...

A bleak wind howled by, a little chilly and a little lonely.

In the lush green Forest, that orange shadow was particularly glaring.

A moment later, Naruto's gaze fell on the balloon, a warmth flickering in his lonely eyes, and he grinned.

The day the balloon bursts will be the day we meet again.

Naruto didn't care about the gift; he cared more about seeing Tōka again.

"I will definitely succeed!" A determined light shone in Naruto's eyes; the meaning of giving up was completely foreign to him!

Unsurprisingly, Tōka used the power of space to leave, leaving the four Anbu empty-handed.

Meanwhile, the Third Hokage, using his Telescope Technique at the Hokage Building, witnessed everything that was happening and fell into deep thought.

The Rasengan is a technique of the Fourth Hokage, recorded in Sealing Scroll.

Tōka didn't have the chance to access the Sealing Scroll, but he knew the Rasengan and even taught Rasengan how to train Naruto.

Even though Tōka didn't say anything, Naruto would definitely try every possible method.

Given Naruto's idiot-like intelligence, it's much easier for him to memorize Ninjutsu through physical practice than to explain the theoretical knowledge to him.

"Why? Between Tōka and the Fourth Hokage..." The Third Hokage stood by the window with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed, and wrinkles creased all over his face.

He seems to have aged several years, I can't understand it...

What exactly is Tōka's purpose? He should know Naruto's identity.

With a whoosh!

A dark figure landed in the Hokage's Office. Even with his back to the figure, the Third Hokage knew exactly who it was.

"By the time our subordinates arrived, the person had already left, and Nine-Tails had already gone home."

"Understood, you may go." The Third Hokage waved his hand, having observed everything that happened in the Forest behind the mountain.

The Anbu nodded slightly upon hearing this, preparing to leave in Body Flicker Technique.

At that moment, the Third Hokage's voice suddenly rang out, carrying an undeniable air of authority!

"Remember, he's not some Nine-Tails, his name is Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki!"

Anbu's heart skipped a beat. He could clearly feel the powerful aura emanating from the Third Hokage pressing down on him, and a bead of cold sweat rolled down his forehead.

I don't know why...

"Yes, he is Naruto Uzumaki!" the Anbu replied in a deep voice. From now on, he would never call that brat Nine-Tails again!

"Go." The Third Hokage's imposing aura vanished instantly, and the stagnant air in the room immediately relaxed.

The Anbu bowed slightly and then quietly withdrew.