The bugs beside Uzumaki Naruto soon flew away silently, passing beneath the sunlit eaves before landing on a rooftop nearby.
A squad of Root shinobi crouched on the roof. They moved calmly, their presence concealed so perfectly they seemed to blend into the air.
The lead shinobi gently extended his hand. Several bugs landed in his palm and fluttered above it, tracing out intricate patterns. It was a special Insect Communication Technique, using flight paths in the air to relay information.
"Target confirmed. Uchiha Rei and Uzumaki Naruto are traveling together, heading toward a place Uchiha Sasuke is believed to frequent."
The shinobi controlling the bugs spoke with a deep gaze. "Who would've thought tracking Uchiha Rei would lead to an unexpected discovery?"
The shinobi beside him frowned. "Didn't Lord Danzo tell us to approach Uchiha Rei in secret and recruit him into Root?"
"The mission has changed." The shinobi controlling the bugs issued his order calmly. "Abort the attempt to contact Uchiha Rei. Switch to covert surveillance and use him to find Uchiha Sasuke."
"Sasuke is Itachi's younger brother. If we get our hands on him, we'll have a lead on Uchiha Itachi." He added, "Keep the swarm on their trail, and send word to Lord Danzo requesting backup."
At his command, the bugs danced through the air again, tracing a series of hidden arcs before disappearing into the blue sky.
Meanwhile, on a street on the other side, Uchiha Rei pretended not to notice the movement behind him.
He was holding Uzumaki Naruto's hand as they made their way through Konoha's streets and alleys.
"I'm walking too fast! If I don't hold your hand, Big Bro, you'll definitely get lost," Naruto said with a grin as he trotted briskly along.
"We're being followed." Rei didn't intend to explain. He had plans of his own, too.
They continued on. Sunlight streamed through the shadows of Konoha's trees, spilling across the stone-paved road. The laughter of children rang out from the street corner. A group of kids were playing tag, chasing one another and stirring up the heat of midsummer.
Just then, Naruto came to an abrupt stop. His attention had been caught by a pair of siblings at the roadside. They were sitting on the steps, each holding a popsicle, smiling as they ate.
Naruto's expression faltered, a hint of indescribable loneliness appearing in his eyes. He lowered his head to look at the hand he was holding, then glanced up at Uchiha Rei, but said nothing.
It wasn't that he had no money. The owner of this popsicle stall simply refused to sell him anything. He was the "Jinchuriki," and many villagers kept their distance from him.
Uchiha Rei noticed. He stopped, turned around, and walked over to the popsicle stall.
"Boss, give me one of each of these. The freshest and tastiest ones you have."
The stall owner hesitated, then looked up at Uchiha Rei and immediately nodded, taking two popsicles out of the freezer.
"This one's mango, and this one's watermelon."
Uchiha Rei took the popsicles and walked back to Naruto with a faint smile. "Uzumaki Naruto, which one do you want? Mango or watermelon?"
The mango one was yellow.
The watermelon one was red.
Naruto's eyes lit up. He bounded over, so excited that his voice rose an octave. "You really bought them for me?"
But once his excitement subsided, he was immediately struck by a serious case of indecision. "But... I like both mango and watermelon..."
Uchiha Rei's lips curved up, and he couldn't help shaking his head. "Then have both."
"I don't choose. That's my ninja way."
As he spoke, he broke each popsicle in half, then handed Naruto one half of each.
"Half for you, half for me," he said.
Naruto took the popsicles and carefully licked the mango one, then the watermelon one. A cool sweetness burst across his tongue.
He looked up at Uchiha Rei and broke into a radiant smile.
"Lord Uchiha Rei, you're the best person in the world! Next time Third Elder Grandpa gives me my allowance, I'll treat you to popsicles too!"
The summer sun blazed over Konoha.
The two of them walked side by side through the streets, each with two popsicle halves.
Konoha was hot, and cold.
The popsicles were cold, and warm.
After the bugs beside Uzumaki Naruto disappeared, Uchiha Rei took a bite of his popsicle and glanced at Naruto, asking casually, "Do you like Sasuke?"
A real man always got straight to the point.
Uzumaki Naruto froze. He turned and thought seriously for a moment, then shook his head. "I don't hate him."
Uchiha Rei knew the bugs belonged to Root. He also knew he and Uzumaki Naruto were being watched.
So what? He'd even dare to kill Danzo. He couldn't be bothered to lift a finger against a few nobodies.
After finding the tails outside the Uchiha Clan Compound, he'd immediately created a Genjutsu clone and contacted Uchiha Rekka. A quiet order followed: "Take out that Root squad."
Less than fifteen minutes later, Rekka sent back the result: the squad had been wiped out. No survivors.
Uchiha Rei finally told Uzumaki Naruto the truth.
"Uchiha Sasuke is in danger right now."
"You have two choices!"
"First, go find Sasuke. You'll be putting yourself in danger."
"Second, go home now. Nothing will happen."
As a member of Konoha, how would Uzumaki Naruto choose to respond?
There were many ways to find Uchiha Sasuke—or to figure out how to find Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Rei didn't care whether they found Sasuke. What truly interested him was the choice Naruto would make.
Would he risk his life to save Sasuke, who was in danger?
Or would he protect himself and stay safe?
Rei was intensely curious about his choice.
"I'm going to help him," Uzumaki Naruto replied without hesitation, his voice firm as a stone dropping to the ground.
Uchiha Rei looked at him and asked softly, "Then... aren't you afraid of danger?"
Naruto gritted his teeth and lowered his head, thinking for a moment. Then he looked up, his eyes clear and bright. "I'm scared. But I trust you, Big Bro."
"You're a Jonin, so you'll protect me." He said it again, more firmly and confidently than before.
Uchiha Rei couldn't help laughing at that.
That was true. For Konoha right now, there was no place safer than by his side.
"Then let's go," he said quietly. "We should find Uchiha Sasuke as soon as possible!"
They picked up the pace, cutting through the village's narrow streets and heading straight for its outskirts.
Their destination was a pond outside the village, one Naruto had mentioned.
The water was still, its surface shimmering. Weeds grew thick all around, as if no one had come here in years. Uchiha Rei quickly scanned the water and the woods. Before long, he spotted a small figure by the pond.
"Just as I thought. He's here," he murmured.
"Go persuade him to head home, as quickly as you can. If Root finds him, Sasuke's life will be in danger," Uchiha Rei said.
"Okay!" Naruto nodded firmly, then ran toward the pond.
Uchiha Rei stayed where he was, quietly watching from beneath the trees.
By the pond, Uchiha Sasuke sat alone on a rock, his small back turned to them. He held a pebble and concentrated on skipping it across the water. The stone skimmed the surface twice before sinking.
"Still no good..." He frowned and picked up another pebble.
This was the method his older brother, Uchiha Itachi, had taught him.
He practiced throwing Hidden weapons by skipping stones across the water. His brother could make a stone skip more than ten times, but Sasuke could only manage two or three.
"Why does everyone say my brother's a rogue ninja...? He's so strong. How could he be a bad person?" Sasuke murmured, his gaze fixed on the water, stubbornness and sadness in his eyes.
"I don't believe them... They're all lying to me. My brother will definitely come back! This is our secret place. He'll come back to find me!"
Just then, a small figure darted out from behind the grass nearby.
It was Uzumaki Naruto.
"Sasuke, it's getting dark. Why haven't you gone home yet?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke didn't answer. He just stared down at the water, silently avoiding Naruto's gaze.
Naruto scratched his head and shook it lightly. After a moment's hesitation, he finally went over and sat down beside Sasuke.
"When I was little, I used to sit here alone all the time, watching everyone else go home." His voice was low and distant. "But I didn't even have a home."
A breeze swept past the pond, carrying a hint of coolness.
"I know your brother got into trouble, and you feel awful," Naruto said calmly, looking at the water. "But you still have your family—your parents. I don't even have parents..."
Sasuke's fingers twitched. He remained silent, but the corners of his eyes seemed to tighten.
"But eventually, I figured something out..." Naruto continued. "Going home alone is still better than staying outside forever."
He tilted his head with a smile. "If you don't go back, people won't know who you're waiting for. If you sit outside, people will laugh at me and say I'm a stupid kid nobody wants."
The pond fell silent for a while. Only the ripples stirred by the breeze moved across the water.
"You're annoying," Sasuke finally said. His voice was still cold, but he made no move to leave.
"Heh!" Naruto grinned. "You spoke, so that means you listened!"
Sasuke lowered his head and murmured, "I just want to be alone. I just... miss my brother."
"I know." Naruto's gaze was serious in a way that didn't suit the usually carefree boy. "Then I'll stay here with you. When you want to go back, I'll go home with you."
Sasuke slowly turned his head and looked into Naruto's eyes. For a moment, he was touched, but quickly hid it, only giving a slight nod.
The sun sank, and the sky grew dim.
The two small figures sat side by side by the pond, leaning on each other. They said nothing, but their silence spoke louder than words.
On a utility pole nearby, Uchiha Rei watched them quietly.
He slowly activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, a crimson light swirling in his pupils. His gaze swept over the area around the pond, then settled on the utility pole.
"Found you..."
He sneered inwardly.
"Uchiha Itachi, I never thought you'd come to a place like this. So you do have a weakness?"
"Should I just take you out now?"
Killing intent flashed in Rei's eyes.
Before you continue