Conversation

"Then, Lord Third, is this about the Kurama Clan? Shall I report the events of that day to you?" Seeing Naruto's figure depart, Ueno Kei spoke in a low, solemn voice, his expression grave.

The Third Hokage's movement of holding his pipe paused slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, followed by a faint smile.

"Kei-kun, there is no need to rush. Those things can wait. How are you feeling now?" The Third Hokage did not pick up on Ueno Kei's words, instead changing the subject nonchalantly after a brief smile.

Ueno Kei was stunned. He did not know what the Third Hokage was planning. Had he not come to see him about the Kurama Clan? Was there nothing he wanted to ask regarding his killing of Kurama Yakumo?

The image of the girl with the faint smile flashed through his mind. A slight ache pierced Ueno Kei's heart, and a trace of gloom crossed his face before he quickly masked it.

Well, since he could not fathom the Third Hokage's purpose, he would simply wait and see.

Ueno Kei thought for a moment and decided not to speak out of turn. After all, the Third Hokage hadn't asked.

"Um, thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage. I am basically fine. The doctor says I can rest today and be discharged tomorrow," Ueno Kei said cautiously, weighing every word.

Although he was fairly certain this was just the Third Hokage making polite small talk, he adhered to the principle that caution never leads to mistakes. After all, the Third Hokage held a status equivalent to the head of a nation.

In Ueno Kei's previous life, let alone a head of state, even within his own family, the hierarchy was strictly enforced.

When meeting elders or the head of the family, one had to strictly observe the rules.

Ueno Kei was, after all, a young master from that kind of noble family, and he had been deeply influenced by those standards, even if his own personality was relatively gentle.

He was not very imposing and was quite mild when dealing with servants and subordinates.

However, when facing his elders, Ueno Kei was completely different. Thus, when facing the leader of the village, a figure equivalent to the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, Ueno Kei still strictly observed the rules.

The Third Hokage smiled slightly. He could sense Ueno Kei's caution and care from his tone. Of course, in the Third Hokage's view, this was nothing strange.

Given Ueno Kei's background and his own status, such behavior was not unusual. Although it was perhaps overly cautious, the Third Hokage did not dwell on it; it was possible that childhood experiences had shaped this careful and meticulous personality.

The Third Hokage said, "Hmm, if the doctor says so, then that is good. Don't worry about the academy; I have already made arrangements for you. Just focus on recovering."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage."

The Third Hokage nodded and then added, "Kei, what is your take on this incident?" Seemingly casual, yet as if he had brought it up on purpose, the Third Hokage's tone was light, yet he emphasized certain words.

Ueno Kei's eyes narrowed slightly. The main event had arrived!

Ueno Kei pondered for a long moment. He knew he had to provide a report, but the key was how to phrase it and what to include.

The Third Hokage's question was actually quite intriguing. By "this incident," did he mean the rebellion of the Kurama Clan, or Kurama Yakumo herself?

Or perhaps, did he mean the way the Third Hokage had handled these two matters in Konoha Village?

Words could be spoken, but they could not be spoken recklessly. Because of the complex relationship and events involving Kurama Yakumo, Ueno Kei understood the cause of the whole affair quite well.

Even with Kurama Yakumo's vague explanations, combined with some information from Yuhi Kurenai and his own observations, Ueno Kei had guessed the truth with high accuracy.

This could actually be seen as the Third Hokage testing him to see how much he knew and how deeply he had been involved.

What if he said the wrong thing? Ueno Kei dared not imagine the consequences.

In these few short breaths, a faint sheen of sweat had appeared on Ueno Kei's forehead.

The Third Hokage frowned slightly. He was not entirely sure what Ueno Kei was thinking, but it was clear that the boy was very nervous and carried a trace of fear.

On second thought, the Third Hokage realized that the boy was likely overthinking it. In truth, he simply wanted to understand Ueno Kei's feelings after personally experiencing these events.

Because after the Kurama Clan incident, by the time the Third Hokage arrived at the scene, Ueno Kei was already unconscious, and only Yuhi Kurenai had barely managed to stay awake.

The scene of Ueno Kei embracing Kurama Yakumo, with the Lingyu Blade piercing her heart, remained vivid in the Third Hokage's mind.

After the incident, while Ueno Kei was still unconscious, the Third Hokage had already learned most of the truth from Yuhi Kurenai. The only thing unknown was that final moment: why Ueno Kei had appeared there, and why Kurama Yakumo had seemingly stood defenseless.

The fact that Ueno Kei had pierced her body was something Yuhi Kurenai did not know.

However, Ueno Kei's performance as described by Yuhi Kurenai had already impressed the Third Hokage, and he had a duty to understand the part of the event that remained a mystery.

Coupled with a vague, lingering thought in his mind, the Third Hokage wanted to observe Ueno Kei up close.

That was why he was currently in Ueno Kei's hospital room. But seeing Ueno Kei's expression now, the Third Hokage sighed inwardly. He was still just a child, after all.

Just as the Third Hokage was considering whether to say something, Ueno Kei spoke.

"Lord Hokage, regarding this incident, I feel that sometimes, it might be better to speak more openly about certain things." Ueno Kei had been hesitant at first, but then he spoke without further hesitation.

Ueno Kei knew that even though he had lived two lives, in front of the Third Hokage, he was still like an immature child. Playing dumb or hiding part of the truth? Ueno Kei did not believe he could hide anything from this Shinobi Hero who had dominated the ninja world for decades.

Especially when looking into the Third Hokage's deep, wise eyes.

The last shred of luck in Ueno Kei's heart was completely cast aside.

Even though the old man was in the twilight of his years, the power he possessed—or perhaps the strength of his spirit—made Ueno Kei feel that he was unfathomable.

To tell everything and express his true inner thoughts was perhaps the best choice. That was Ueno Kei's most genuine thought at that moment.

"Oh? Kei, why do you say that?" The Third Hokage's eyes brightened slightly, as if he hadn't expected Ueno Kei to say this, yet also as if he had been looking forward to it.

Ueno Kei took a slight breath to ease his tension. Since he had made his decision, he felt there was nothing left to hesitate about.