Returning to the Village

Having learned what he wanted to know, Uchiha Kei said no more and finished the two men off with two strikes.

As the two stared at him in despair, Uchiha Kei had already turned and returned to Naruto's side.

"How are you?"

"Couldn't be better."

Naruto grinned, but the movement tugged at his chest wound, making him wince in pain.

Uchiha Kei wasn't worried.

He could see wisps of Nine-Tails Chakra coursing through Naruto's body, rapidly healing his wounds.

Turning to Twilight Spring Valley, he asked, "I've killed everyone who destroyed your village. What are you going to do now?"

Twilight Spring Valley raised her head in confusion, then looked at the Hidden Person's decapitated corpse.

"I... I don't know."

She was still just a little girl. Even if she was clever, it was hard not to feel lost in a situation like this.

"You can come back to the village with us."

Naruto forced himself through the pain and got to his feet.

"Back to the village?"

Twilight Spring Valley looked at Naruto.

"That's right. Back to Konoha!"

Naruto's gaze was sincere.

"Our Konoha isn't afraid of the Hidden, or anyone else. If they dare come, they won't be going back!"

"Right, Kei?"

Uchiha Kei neither agreed nor disagreed.

The girl clearly had secrets of her own.

The Hidden had sent out so many teams for one purpose: to steal the special ninjutsu of the various villages.

Her village had been destroyed, yet they had gone to such lengths to hunt down one surviving orphan. The reason was obvious.

Twilight Ninja Village's special ninjutsu was most likely with Twilight Spring Valley.

A little girl with no ability to defend herself was headed for Konoha, where undercurrents were swirling.

Whether that would be a blessing or a curse was hard to say.

Twilight Spring Valley looked at Uchiha Kei, then at Naruto, and finally agreed.

Returning to Konoha might not be a blessing, but she didn't have the confidence to survive alone in the chaotic Shinobi World.

"Good. In that case, let's head back to the village."

"Huh? We're going back already?"

At that, Naruto's face immediately fell.

He had thought he'd get to go out of the village and have fun for a few days, but instead Uchiha Kei had made him study ninjutsu the whole time.

Studying ninjutsu was fine, since at least he was out of the village. It was better than staying cooped up there.

But they hadn't even been gone a few days, and now they were heading back.

I really don't want to go back to the village...

"That's what happened."

Uchiha Kei stood in the Hokage's office and gave an honest account of what had happened along the way.

"The Hidden?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen knitted his brows.

He had never even heard of this village.

But judging by Uchiha Kei's description, how could a village that powerful be completely unknown in the Shinobi World?

"What do you make of this?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe and looked up at Uchiha Kei.

I make of it that I'm sitting here...

Uchiha Kei rolled his eyes inwardly.

This was the sort of thing the higher-ups should discuss among themselves. Why ask an Anbu member?

"I think..."

"We have to investigate this hidden power thoroughly, or we'll be put on the back foot."

Danzo, standing to the side, cut Uchiha Kei off, his eyes full of menace.

Uchiha Kei raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

This wasn't something he should be weighing in on anyway.

Speaking too much could get him into trouble. Since Danzo had interrupted him, he was happy to keep quiet.

"An investigation is a given."

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't seem to mind. He exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

"But the Hidden's village is in the Divine Realm? What kind of place is the Divine Realm?"

Danzo gave a cold snort and stared at Uchiha Kei threateningly.

"Someone might know, but they just don't want to say."

Uchiha Kei chuckled and met his gaze without fear.

"Lord Danzo, that's an interesting thing to say. As a member of Konoha, what would I gain by concealing this?"

"Who knows? The Uchiha Clan has always kept itself apart from the village. The information they bring back..." He gave a derisive snort.

"Oh? Lord Danzo, in what capacity are you saying that? As an individual, or as the Hokage's advisor?"

A cold smile crossed Uchiha Kei's otherwise impassive face.

"What difference does it make?"

Danzo turned away arrogantly.

"It makes all the difference."

Uchiha Kei calmly reached behind him and took down his Ninja Blade.

A glint of cold steel flashed!

"Enough!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sprang to his feet and sent a wave of force toward Uchiha Kei and Danzo.

The room fell silent.

The Ninja Blade in Uchiha Kei's hand was only inches from Danzo's throat, and his crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan was fully activated.

Danzo's outstretched hand was pressed against Uchiha Kei's chest.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen had been even a moment slower, they would both have been gravely wounded.

"Uchiha Kei, you're only an Anbu member, yet you dare attack the Hokage's advisor! Who gave you the nerve?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen glared at Uchiha Kei, his presence stern and imposing.

Uchiha Kei's gaze flickered. "I wouldn't dare."

With that, he withdrew his Ninja Blade and put it back behind him.

"Danzo, as the Hokage's advisor, you can't say things in anger, no matter the circumstances. And picking a fight with a child? Where's the dignity of the Hokage's advisor?"

Danzo gave a cold snort, withdrew the hand pressed against Uchiha Kei's chest, and shot him a disdainful glance.

Words said in anger? Hah.

Uchiha Kei sneered inwardly.

He'd made his meaning perfectly clear. He was trying to smear the Uchiha Clan.

And Sarutobi Hiruzen had brushed it off so casually as words said in anger. They really were brothers in all but blood.

"We're going to hold a meeting to discuss the Hidden. Uchiha Kei, you may leave."

"You did well."

Uchiha Kei bowed respectfully and strode out of the Hokage's office.

After Uchiha Kei left, Danzo could no longer contain his fury.

"Hiruzen, that kid is a menace. We have to get rid of him as soon as possible!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sat back in his chair and took a puff of his pipe.

"He's a menace, but he's also a rare talent."

"An eight-year-old with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, swordsmanship that rivals Hatake Sakumo, and, rarer still, a steady temperament."

"So that's why you stopped the people I sent after him?"

Danzo glared at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"This is the second time! The second time, Sarutobi Hiruzen! My patience has limits."

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained calm and slowly nodded.

"Whatever else, Uchiha Kei hasn't done anything harmful to Konoha so far."

"By the time he does, it'll be too late."

Watching the figure gradually disappear below, Danzo's eyes flashed with deep apprehension.

Uchiha Kei's talent was far too great.

At only eight, he already had a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and his swordsmanship was enough to make even Danzo uneasy.

He was only eight years old.

Give him another ten years, and who could stand against him?

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent for a long while.

Indecisiveness was his greatest weakness.

Both times he had stopped Danzo, it had been because he couldn't make up his mind.

He wanted to eliminate a threat from the Uchiha Clan, but he didn't want Konoha to lose a genius.

Being Hokage was hard.

Being a Hokage who devoted himself entirely to Konoha was even harder.

Fortunately, I'm still wholly devoted to the Hokage...

Sarutobi Hiruzen thought to himself with satisfaction.