Yamato

"No name, huh?"

While Tsunade and Nonō were talking, the matter of sending Kinoe to school came up, and with it, this issue.

"In that case."

Tsunade was, in some ways, a very bold woman. Without giving it much thought, she waved a hand and decided.

"From now on, your name will be Yamato."

Yamato?

Kinoe froze for a moment. Nonō patted his shoulder, and he came back to himself.

"Yes."

He accepted the name.

After all, Tsunade had given him that name, and his Wood Release power had come from Tsunade's Grandpa, that great figure of the ninja world, the First Hokage.

As one who had inherited that power, it could not have been more fitting for Tsunade to name him.

Of course, while they were talking, the crowd in the open space before the Hokage Building had already dispersed. The ceremony for the Fifth Hokage's inauguration was over, and the Fifth Hokage was no longer visible on the platform atop the Hokage Building.

Then, after a while.

"Tsunade, Jiraiya." A call came from nearby.

There was a vaguely familiar rasp to the voice. Jiraiya and Tsunade turned toward it and saw a figure wearing the Hokage Hat. Naturally, it was Konoha's newly appointed Hokage, their old companion.

"Yo, Orochimaru."

With a grin, Jiraiya walked over and punched Orochimaru on the shoulder.

Then he casually waved at the other figure beside Orochimaru. "Yo, old man."

As he spoke, he also winked at Lord Third, gesturing toward Yakushi Nonō.

Seeing his disciple behave with such disrespect, Lord Third instinctively felt his fists itch. Soon, he realized it was probably an instinct left behind by his body. With his level of self-cultivation, he would not be so easily angered.

Besides, reacting too strongly would only make it seem like he was trying to hide something and confirm the misunderstanding, wouldn't it?

So he ignored him.

He took a drag from his pipe.

"Jiraiya, the Konoha hot spring district has recently received reports of a peeping tom. I know you enjoy soaking in the hot springs there. Do you know anything about this?"

Uh...

Feeling Tsunade's contemptuous gaze, Jiraiya awkwardly scratched his head with a dry laugh.

"Haha, I do like soaking in hot springs. Maybe they were just so comfortable that I didn't notice anyone peeping, haha."

So he really had been peeping.

Lord Third sighed helplessly to himself. Of course, he had not received any reports about a peeping tom. What a joke. Now that he avoided handling affairs whenever possible, how could such reports possibly reach him?

He had merely learned about this disciple's character after absorbing Hiruzen Sarutobi's memories, so he had tried bluffing him.

Still, honestly, peeping was rather disgraceful... though the original Lord Third had been cut from the same cloth.

Thinking of the crystal ball he had sealed away, Lord Third shook his head.

He continued puffing out smoke.

While Lord Third remained silent, Orochimaru spoke again.

"Since you're all here, come with us to attend a meeting."

"A meeting? Orochimaru, I don't want to get involved in any troublesome business." Tsunade crossed her arms disdainfully, turned, and prepared to leave.

Yet, to her surprise, Jiraiya stopped her in one swift motion.

"Jiraiya." Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him.

Jiraiya scratched his head with an awkward laugh.

"Tsunade, come along too."

"...How strange. Even you want to get involved? What kind of meeting has caught your attention like this?"

This time, Tsunade was genuinely curious.

She knew Jiraiya was not easy to persuade either.

When it came to petty scheming and underhanded dealings, Jiraiya was even more difficult to talk to than she was. Yet he seemed very willing to participate, which meant that, in his eyes, this matter probably possessed a certain degree of righteousness.

Righteousness, and Orochimaru?

Tsunade gave Orochimaru a sidelong glance.

All right, she was suddenly interested.

"You'll know once you see it," Jiraiya said.

Tsunade snorted.

"Then I'll do it for your sake."

Seeing Tsunade say she was doing it for his sake, Jiraiya let out an extremely delighted chuckle.

"Then, Lord Third, I'll..."

Seeing that the esteemed figures were about to take part in something important, Yakushi Nonō tactfully prepared to excuse herself.

After taking a drag and exhaling smoke, Lord Third said, "Tenshin, come with us too."

"...Yes."

Jiraiya once again secretly made teasing faces at his teacher.

Lord Third ignored him.

He deliberately intended to make Yakushi Tenshin his spokesperson. Some matters had to be handled from time to time, such as gathering the resources he needed to improve his martial arts.

Handling them himself would be too troublesome, so he needed someone reliable.

And in Lord Third's eyes, Yakushi Tenshin was a very reliable person. Not only was her character trustworthy, her powerful intelligence-gathering and processing abilities made her especially suited to helping him deal with mundane affairs.

Moreover, the feeling between them had become increasingly harmonious lately.

So he might as well make her his spokesperson.

Yakushi Nonō did not reject this.

In fact, being of sufficient use to Lord Third made her feel even more at ease.

"Kinoe... Yamato, go play."

As she spoke, Yakushi Tenshin looked at Kabuto, Anko, and Itachi, who were watching them from a short distance away.

Smiling, she pointed toward them.

"Go join them."

"Yes."

The former Kinoe, now Yamato, was about to leave.

But someone grabbed him again. He looked at Nonō in confusion and saw her smiling at him.

"Remember to tell them your name is Yamato."

Yamato paused, then nodded.

Only then did Nonō release him and watch him walk toward Kabuto and the others.

Yamato walked up to Kabuto, Itachi, and Anko.

"My name is Yamato."

He said it directly.

"Oh, Yamato? Got it." Anko replied, not finding anything unusual about the name Yamato.

Kabuto quickly understood. It seemed that Kinoe had chosen a name for himself.

Which meant...

"Are you enrolling in school next?" he asked.

"Mm."

"School, huh." Anko pinched her chin. "But I've already graduated."

Itachi glanced at Yamato. He sensed a certain danger in him, so he said, "You should already be a qualified ninja, right? Going to the Ninja Academy probably won't teach you much more."

Yamato nodded. "I think so too."

Then he added, "But Lord Third said I need to truly understand what it feels like to be alive."

Itachi froze upon hearing that. Then he carefully looked into Yamato's lifeless eyes and understood something.

"Lord Third is right." Itachi nodded solemnly. "People need to understand what it feels like to be alive."

Kabuto, standing nearby, fell into thought.

Meanwhile, Anko stared blankly at the three boys.

Why did she feel like she had been left out?