Asuma

"Hmm? There's another letter?"

Tsunade looked at the other letter Shizune had taken out.

"This is a letter from Anko," Shizune said.

"Who did Anko write to?"

"To Itachi Uchiha."

"I see."

Tsunade grew a little interested. Women were more or less curious about gossip.

But with Shizune and Kabuto present, she could not be so shameless.

So she looked at Kabuto.

"Kabuto, come here."

Realizing something, Kabuto walked over.

Sure enough, just as he had expected, Tsunade handed him Anko's letter.

"You're Orochimaru's disciple too, so I'll have to trouble you to give Anko's letter to Itachi."

"Yes."

Kabuto agreed and accepted the letter.

With the letter tucked away, Kabuto returned to the Konoha Orphanage where he lived.

By the time he returned, it was nearly dark.

The Orphanage was already in sight when he spotted someone standing atop a house nearby.

He stopped and looked at the person.

That person noticed his gaze and looked back at him.

Though it was dark all around, that small figure still felt familiar.

Kabuto touched the letter in his pocket.

It seemed he could complete the errand early.

That was right. Itachi stood on that rooftop. Lord Third had moved house today, and as a student who had received Lord Third's guidance, Itachi had voluntarily helped out.

Of course, the clan was happy to see this as well. To demonstrate the closeness between the Uchiha and the Hokage's faction, Itachi had received repeated instructions from his father before leaving home.

The move had taken quite some time, and he had not neglected his training afterward. By the time he finished, it was already late. Then Nonō, who was with Lord Third, invited him to stay for dinner.

Naturally, he did not refuse. The clan had placed its hopes on Itachi getting along with the Hokage's faction, and this was even what Shisui hoped for.

Of course, Itachi himself hoped for the same.

The reason dinner had not begun yet was because they were waiting for someone.

He had volunteered to wait outside, and now the person they were waiting for had arrived.

Whoosh.

Kabuto saw Itachi vanish from the rooftop in an instant.

Kabuto remained where he was. He sensed that Itachi was coming toward him.

So what did Itachi want?

Kabuto found himself slightly excited that Itachi had come looking for him.

It was the feeling of being noticed by someone he cared about.

Had someone as arrogant as Itachi noticed him too?

Kabuto pushed up his glasses, trying to appear as calm as possible.

The moment he lowered his hand, Itachi appeared before him.

"Lord Third and Lady Nonō are waiting for you to eat."

"?"

"Lord Third moved house today. He moved near Lady Nonō's Orphanage. To celebrate, they prepared a lavish dinner and are waiting for you to return."

"I see."

Kabuto's feelings were complicated.

Lord Third's relationship with the director had progressed this far already.

No matter how he looked at it, Kabuto felt Lord Third had moved specifically for the director. Rather than living directly with her, he lived nearby instead, which only made his intentions more obvious.

Anyone could tell what Sandaime was after.

Of course, because of this, the Orphanage's funding approvals came easily, and its living conditions had been steadily improving.

"I understand."

Kabuto looked toward the house Itachi had come from. It now seemed that was Lord Third's new home, where Lord Third and the director were waiting for him.

"Let's go."

As he spoke, Kabuto started walking, slipping his hand into his pocket again as he prepared to take out the letter.

But he discovered that Itachi had not moved. Instead, he was looking in a certain direction.

"What is it?"

Was there something there?

"While training today, I kept feeling that someone was watching Lord Third's new home and Lady Nonō's Orphanage."

Someone was spying on the Orphanage?

Kabuto immediately turned serious.

Keeping alert for movement nearby, he asked, "Is it an enemy?"

"Probably not. There must be Anbu guards nearby."

After all, this was Lord Third. There had to be sufficiently strong security measures.

"If those Anbu are turning a blind eye, it means the spy isn't an enemy."

That was true.

Kabuto relaxed his guard slightly.

"Then who is it?"

Itachi shook his head.

"I only know that he's very close to us now."

Using Kabuto as cover, Itachi silently formed hand seals.

Kabuto, who worked seamlessly with Itachi, immediately darted aside.

Itachi had already completed the technique.

Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!

A fierce gust blew from his mouth toward the nearby bushes.

The person hiding there could no longer conceal himself and had no choice but to leap out.

It was a young ninja with a cigarette in his mouth, frowning at Itachi and Kabuto.

Itachi recognized him immediately.

So it was him—the slovenly ninja wearing a Konoha Headband.

No wonder the nearby Anbu had turned a blind eye.

After all, who would dare interfere in the Hokage's family affairs?

As for why Itachi recognized him, the clan had long prepared him to identify certain sensitive figures in the village, especially those from the Hokage's faction.

"Tch. Sharp little brat."

The young ninja complained. With the cigarette still in his mouth, his voice sounded even more strange and muffled.

"Who are you?"

Kabuto asked directly.

This young ninja looked like a hooligan, and Kabuto's first impression of him was far from good. On top of that, he had been spying on the Orphanage. Kabuto felt he needed an explanation.

Nearby, the Anbu responsible for protecting Lord Third perked up as they watched the scene unfold.

Guard duty was so boring. It was rare to have some gossip to enjoy.

And, in a sense, it was gossip about their superior.

"Who I am is none of your business," he said, still holding the cigarette in his mouth.

"I'm the Hokage's disciple," Kabuto stated directly.

If he had connections he could use, why not use them? Kabuto was practical like that.

"I'm also the Hokage's—"

The man opposite him was about to say something, but stopped halfway through.

"Tch!"

Looking thoroughly displeased, he turned away.

Had Kabuto's identity intimidated him? Kabuto furrowed his brow, sensing something was off.

At that moment, Itachi leaned close and whispered into his ear.

Kabuto's expression changed, becoming strange.

He immediately understood why the other man had come here to spy.

After all, this was someone else's family matter.

And when Kabuto thought of that, he felt somewhat awkward. After all, his adoptive mother was involved in this family matter, playing a role that was hardly honorable.

Growing more embarrassed the more he thought about it, Kabuto said nothing and allowed the young ninja, who was much older than him, to leave.

But just then—

"Asuma."

A voice called out.

Asuma stopped.

He turned around with a thoroughly impatient expression, shouting disdainfully, "Old man, you're still alive?"

"I'm doing very well."

"Of course you are. The old woman died, and you were in a rush to find a new lover. Disgusting."