It was pretty much as Danzō had said.
At that moment, after receiving the Anbu's report for the day, Hiruzen Sarutobi's face was so deeply creased it was hard to tell how many layers of wrinkles he had.
The changes the Uchiha Clan had made over this period only strengthened Hiruzen Sarutobi's confidence in his decision.
The Military Police Force was no longer as arrogant and overbearing as before, nor did its members look down on everyone else.
While carrying out missions, they now prioritized the safety of ordinary people. They had also become much more amiable toward other ninja.
With results already beginning to show, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi possibly listen to Danzō's so-called theory that the Uchiha were a threat?
"Reduce the surveillance on the Uchiha."
"Over the next year, if they really have become guardians of the Will of Fire..."
"Then it'll be about time to start changing some of the village's existing arrangements."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the report in his hands.
Everything had gone so smoothly lately that it hardly felt real.
The biggest problem—the Uchiha Clan—was already beginning to change on its own.
What's more, their willingness to obey the village had reached an unprecedented level.
Of course, amid all these pleasant developments, there were still things that left Hiruzen Sarutobi deeply dissatisfied.
Namely, Shimura Danzō.
That man was fixated on eliminating the Uchiha Clan.
If such a powerful force couldn't be brought under his control, then eliminating them might have been acceptable.
But now that things had changed, Danzō was still stubbornly sticking to his position!
That couldn't help but make Hiruzen Sarutobi recall what had happened back then.
After the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, sacrificed himself, there had been the Daimyo's meeting as well as the village's leadership meetings.
At every one of them, Danzō had made it clear that he wanted to become Hokage.
He had even repeatedly disparaged Hiruzen Sarutobi, pinning the blame for the Nine-Tails Rebellion and the Fourth Hokage's death on him.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't had such a strong foundation at the time, and if the various clans hadn't still supported him...
He might have been impeached and forced from office then and there.
At worst, Hiruzen Sarutobi might have disappeared from the village altogether.
Even though Hiruzen Sarutobi had appointed Danzō over the years and turned a blind eye to some of the Root Organization's excessive actions,
he had never let down his guard against Shimura Danzō...
"Kakashi."
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly called out.
"Yes?"
Kakashi looked puzzled.
Under normal circumstances, Hiruzen Sarutobi would address him by his code name.
But today, he had called him by his name.
"You need to get used to that name."
"You won't be staying in the Anbu much longer."
"When the time comes, you and Tenzō will both leave the Anbu and take up other positions."
"For now, I have a special mission for you."
After Hiruzen Sarutobi finished speaking, Kakashi left the Hokage Office.
Back at home, Kakashi took off his mask.
Looking at the unfamiliar person in the mirror, Kakashi's expression was blank.
"I'm holding on to protect the things I want to protect."
"Obito, Rin..."
Kakashi fell into thought.
He also thought about what Hiruzen Sarutobi had said that day.
The things he had once only suspected had now been confirmed, and Kakashi was still deeply moved.
Soon, perhaps very soon,
he would no longer act as a member of the Anbu, but as Hatake Kakashi...
In the Uchiha Compound, in Sasuke's room.
"Naruto, tomorrow's trial might be dangerous."
"If we run into trouble, your job is to get away from me immediately. Got it?"
Sasuke spoke directly.
"Yeah!"
"If you tell me to run, I'll take off like a shot!"
Naruto nodded earnestly.
"Uh..."
Sasuke was at a loss for words.
Why was this guy's answer just like that disciple of the Old Celestial Master's?
"You know I'm not going to run."
"So you must have something else to tell me, right?"
Naruto scratched his head, wearing a goofy smile.
"Yeah."
"Once we're outside the village tomorrow, the teachers will be there to protect us, but there are a lot of students."
"Earlier, Orochimaru, the S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha, attacked me."
"I don't think he'll pass up this opportunity."
"And since the Root Organization is unhappy with the Uchiha, they might make a move too."
As Sasuke spoke, his head began to ache more and more.
This really did sound dangerous!
As members of Konoha's Military Police Force, the Uchiha weren't allowed to leave the village when they weren't on a mission.
So once they were outside, Sasuke would lose the Uchiha's protection.
Orochimaru, Danzō, Mizuki...[Mizuki was an extra factor.]
Escaping from those guys would be a hell-level mission!
On top of that, the urgent missions on his system panel kept flashing red, which was enough to show just how dangerous this would be.
"Actually, I have an idea that could keep you safe, Sasuke."
At that moment, Naruto suddenly spoke up.
"Huh?!"
Sasuke looked at Naruto curiously.
Was this chosen one finally about to show his brilliance?
"If you do it this way, then..."
Naruto quietly told Sasuke his plan.
At first, Sasuke thought Naruto was joking.
But then a mechanical, electronically mixed voice sounded, and Sasuke froze.
[ Ding, congratulations, host. You have completed the Root's Threat mission.]
[ Reward: Constitution +10, Foundation Talent +10, Chakra Refinement Speed +50%, Mystery Box ]
Looking at the mission completion notice on his system panel and feeling the energy welling up inside him,
Sasuke was convinced that Naruto really was the chosen one.
Only someone with Naruto's way of thinking could come up with an idea like that.
And it seemed he might even be able to turn this situation to his advantage...
"Thanks, Naruto!"
"How about I treat you to ramen next month?"
"But I need to take care of a few things during this trial. I'll need your help."
"And..."
Sasuke began telling Naruto his plan.
This wasn't just for his own sake. It was for Naruto's, too.
"Okay. Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do it!"
Naruto nodded seriously.
There was no denying that this kind of sincere friendship put Sasuke at ease.
Especially Naruto's goofy kind of friendship. Once he agreed to something, he wouldn't betray you...
"Let's keep refining chakra tonight and see who wins: whoever gets hungry first."
After saying that, Sasuke sat down and began refining chakra.
"You're getting a head start!"
Seeing him, Naruto began refining chakra too.
In the past, Naruto hadn't understood what chakra was until he was well into his teens.
He'd even often gotten it mixed up and called it "chakra tons."
After starting to refine chakra with Sasuke, Naruto's innate talent also began to show itself little by little...
Before you continue