Sarutobi Hiruzen stared coldly at Uchiha Gray.
If Uchiha Gray had been deceiving him from beginning to end,
then Uchiha Gray was far more calculating than he'd ever imagined!
At the thought, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a chill run down his spine.
After all, Uchiha Gray was still only a nine-year-old child.
"You—you have the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!?"
Only now did Sarutobi Hiruzen notice Uchiha Gray's eyes. He was utterly shocked!
"A nine-year-old awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan?"
That talent was terrifying.
Even Uchiha Madara hadn't possessed such talent at that age!
In an instant, Sarutobi Hiruzen became wary of Uchiha Gray.
A clever and exceptionally gifted Uchiha wasn't someone he could control.
"Lord Third."
Uchiha Gray spoke indifferently.
Now that he possessed the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, there was no need to keep up a false show of deference to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"I'd originally planned to tell you, but I happened to pass Naruto's house today, so I came up to see him. That's why I'm late."
His tone was flat, with none of his usual respect.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils contracted.
Uchiha Gray was speaking to him like he was an ordinary person, without the slightest deference. That alone said enough.
Uchiha Gray wouldn't obey him!
"Lord Third!"
At that moment, Murakami Ichiro called out from behind them.
He hadn't yet told the Lord Third about Uchiha Gray's eyes.
That was the most important piece of information.
When he pushed open the door, he saw that Uchiha Gray had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and was confronting the Lord Third!
Arrogant!
Dominant!
He didn't back down even in the face of the Lord Third.
He even had the sense that Uchiha Gray was more imposing than the Lord Third!
That was the impression Uchiha Gray gave him now.
"This..." Murakami Ichiro couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath.
How could Uchiha Gray be so overbearing?
Even Fugaku Uchiha didn't have that kind of courage.
Did possessing the Three-Tomoe Sharingan mean you could act that arrogantly?
"Uchiha Gray, what do you think you're doing?" Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened.
"Why did you ignore my men when they tried to stop you? Why were you so determined to come up here and see Uzumaki Naruto?"
"You know what Uzumaki Naruto means!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze flickered.
If the Three-Tomoe Sharingan was your trump card, Uchiha Gray, then you were underestimating me.
A mere pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan wouldn't impress me.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes shifted. Uchiha Gray was alone right now. Should he take him out while he had the chance?
Once Uchiha Gray returned to the Uchiha Clan, it would be hard to find such a good opportunity again!
Sarutobi Hiruzen hesitated.
But Uchiha Gray smiled faintly.
It was as if he hadn't even noticed the killing intent in Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes.
Make a move?
Uchiha Gray remained calm and unruffled. Sarutobi Hiruzen was no longer the Shinobi Hero he had once been.
For the sake of his position, Sarutobi Hiruzen had become indecisive.
How could he possibly do something so decisive?
"I'm very sorry, Lord Third. I've met Naruto before and thought he was a good friend, so I came to see him today."
Uchiha Gray spoke calmly.
He was rather curious to see how far Sarutobi Hiruzen would go in the end.
Would he actually attack him?
Or would he timidly let him leave?
"That's right, Lord Third." Just then, Uzumaki Naruto suddenly spoke.
He looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen and calmly explained.
He didn't want Gray-nii to end up in danger because of him.
At the same time, Sarutobi Hiruzen's words made his gaze turn especially cold.
He'd been too naive before to understand what Sarutobi Hiruzen meant, but now he understood everything.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had never intended to help him.
All Sarutobi Hiruzen had ever wanted was a tool who would do as he was told!
But now, I, Uzumaki Naruto, will take control of my own fate!
Sarutobi Hiruzen finally noticed Uzumaki Naruto.
His gaze fell casually on Naruto, and in the next instant his pupils contracted. "Y-you're Uzumaki Naruto?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked bewildered. Naruto had changed far too much.
His once-innocent, bright blue eyes had become sharp and determined.
The whisker marks on both sides of his cheeks had vanished.
His golden hair had turned red, and he'd changed his hairstyle, brushing it back.
It revealed Uzumaki Naruto's youthful but handsome, resolute face.
"Naruto, why did you change your hair and hairstyle? You look different from before."
A trace of unease instinctively stirred in Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart.
Uzumaki Naruto now gave him the sense that he was slipping out of his control. Damn it, why?
"I don't know either, Lord Third. My hair just turned out like this on its own."
"Maybe when I was younger, only my father's genes showed, but now my mother's genes are showing too."
With Uchiha Gray's encouraging gaze on him, Uzumaki Naruto's lips curled into a smile. He looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with a teasing expression.
It was exactly like Uchiha Gray's.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's face flushed with anger. Even a fool could tell that something was going on between Uchiha Gray and Uzumaki Naruto!
Yet Uchiha Gray and Uzumaki Naruto were treating him like a fool, making a mockery of him!
And most importantly, he finally realized what was wrong.
Uzumaki Naruto had always called him Grandpa Hokage, but now he addressed him with the cold, formal "Lord Third."
Uzumaki Naruto had changed!
And it was all because of Uchiha Gray.
"Lord Third, do you have any other questions? If not, I'm going home now."
Uchiha Gray spoke calmly.
He hadn't used any honorifics, making Sarutobi Hiruzen's brow twitch!
But in the end, Sarutobi Hiruzen still managed to hold back.
Uchiha Gray gave him a knowing smile.
This was Sarutobi Hiruzen. The once-great Shinobi Hero had become a politician who would endure anything to hold on to his position.
"You may leave." Sarutobi Hiruzen drew a deep breath.
He now understood completely: Uchiha Gray had never intended to submit to him.
It had all been a lie from the start!
Uchiha Gray was young, but he already had the makings of a great schemer!
He must have some kind of trump card, which was why he dared to act so recklessly!
Uchiha Gray walked away calmly. He glanced back at Uzumaki Naruto and smiled. "Naruto, it was good to see you. I'll come visit you again."
"Uchiha Gray, don't push me too far!" Sarutobi Hiruzen roared. No matter how much he tried to hold back, he was still the Lord Third!
But Uchiha Gray didn't answer him at all. He turned and left, vanishing in an instant.
Uchiha Gray's figure flashed like a streak of golden light and disappeared. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen hadn't seen how he moved.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood frozen in place. What—what was that?
Why was Uchiha Gray so fast?
He was like a streak of golden light, every bit as fast as Namikaze Minato had been back then!
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