Return to the Village

Having learned what he wanted, Uchiha Kei wasted no more words and finished off the two with two swift strikes.

Under their despairing gazes, Uchiha Kei had already turned back to Naruto.

"How is it?"

"Very good."

Naruto grinned, but the movement aggravated the wound on his chest, causing him to wince in pain.

Uchiha Kei wasn't worried.

He could see that wisps of Nine-Tails chakra were circulating within Naruto, rapidly healing his injuries.

He turned his gaze to Twilight Spring Valley.

"The people who destroyed your village have all been killed by me. What are your plans now?"

Twilight Spring Valley looked up blankly, then glanced at the Hidden Person whose head had been severed.

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

She was just a young girl, and even with a bit of cleverness, she couldn't help but feel lost in this situation.

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

Naruto, enduring the pain, pushed himself up from the ground.

"Go back to the village?"

Twilight Spring Valley looked at Naruto.

"Yes, back to Konoha!"

Naruto's eyes were sincere.

"We in Konoha aren't afraid of any Hidden Person. If they dare to come, they won't be going back!"

"Right, Kei?"

Uchiha Kei remained noncommittal.

This little girl clearly had her own secrets.

The Hidden People had dispatched so many teams, their goal being the special ninjutsu of various villages.

With her village destroyed, they were still painstakingly hunting down an orphan. The reason was self-evident.

The special ninjutsu of the Twilight Ninja Village was, most likely, on Twilight Spring Valley.

A young girl with no ability to resist, entering the turbulent Konoha.

Whether it would be a blessing or a curse was truly uncertain.

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

Going back to Konoha might not be a blessing or a curse, but she had no confidence in surviving alone in this chaotic Shinobi World.

"Okay, if that's the case, then let's head back to the village."

"Huh? Going back so soon?"

Upon hearing this, Naruto's face instantly fell.

He had thought they could stay out of the village for a few days of fun, but instead, he was constantly being forced by Uchiha Kei to learn ninjutsu.

Learning ninjutsu was fine; after all, they were out of the village, which was better than staying put.

But after only a few days, they had to go back.

He really didn't want to go back—

"That's what happened."

Uchiha Kei stood in the Hokage's office, reporting the events of their journey truthfully.

"Hidden People?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.

He had never heard of this village before.

But based on Uchiha Kei's description, how could such a powerful village be unknown in the Shinobi World?

"What do you think about this matter?"

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

I'll just sit here and watch...

Uchiha Kei rolled his eyes internally.

This is something you higher-ups should discuss. Why are you asking me, an Anbu member?

"I believe..."

"Such a hidden force must be investigated thoroughly, or we will be put in a passive position."

Uchiha Kei was promptly interrupted by Danzo, whose eyes were filled with a thick, threatening glare.

Uchiha Kei raised an eyebrow, though he said nothing.

This was not a matter for him to voice an opinion on in the first place.

Loose lips sink ships; he was actually happy to be spared the trouble by Danzo's interruption.

"An investigation is a certainty."

Sarutobi Hiruzen did not seem to mind, exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

"However, the location of this Hidden village is the Divine Realm? What kind of place is this Divine Realm?"

Danzo let out a cold snort, his gaze fixed threateningly on Uchiha Kei.

"Perhaps someone knows what kind of place it is, but they are simply unwilling to say."

Uchiha Kei chuckled, meeting his gaze without a hint of fear.

"Lord Danzo, that is an interesting thing to say. As a member of Konoha, what benefit would I gain from hiding such a thing?"

"Who knows? After all, the Uchiha Clan has always remained on the fringes of the village. The intelligence they bring back, hmph."

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

A smile appeared on Uchiha Kei's calm, unruffled face—a smile that was bone-chillingly cold.

"Is there a difference?"

Danzo turned away arrogantly.

"Naturally, there is."

Uchiha Kei calmly drew his ninja blade from his back.

"If you are speaking as the Hokage's advisor, are we to assume that Konoha no longer welcomes the Uchiha Clan?"

Danzo frowned. "What nonsense are you spouting? That is not what I meant."

"Then you are speaking as an individual."

Uchiha Kei nodded in realization, and his blade left its sheath in an instant.

A flash of cold steel appeared!

"Enough!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen slammed his hand on the desk and rose, a gust of pressure surging toward Uchiha Kei and Danzo.

The room fell silent at once.

The blade in Uchiha Kei's hand was mere inches from Danzo's throat, his crimson Three-Tomoe Sharingan fully activated.

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

Had Sarutobi Hiruzen been a moment later, both men would surely have suffered grievous injuries.

"Uchiha Kei, you are merely an Anbu member, yet you dare to raise a hand against the Hokage's advisor! Who gave you the gall?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's presence was imposing as he stared coldly at Uchiha Kei.

Uchiha Kei's eyes flickered. "I would not dare."

With that, he sheathed his blade and returned it to his back.

"Danzo, as the Hokage's advisor, you must never speak out of anger. Furthermore, to bicker and clash with a mere child—where is your composure as an advisor?"

Danzo let out a cold snort, pulling his hand back from Uchiha Kei's chest and casting a look of disdain at him.

Speaking out of anger, huh.

Uchiha Kei sneered inwardly.

The words had been spoken so plainly; it was nothing more than pouring filth onto the Uchiha Clan.

For Sarutobi Hiruzen to brush it off so lightly as mere "angry words"—what a deep bond of brotherhood they shared.

"We shall now hold a meeting to decide on the matter of the Hidden village. Uchiha Kei, you may leave."

"You did well on this mission."

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

Once Uchiha Kei had departed, Danzo could no longer contain his fury.

"Hiruzen, that brat is a menace! He must be eliminated as soon as possible!"

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

"He is a menace, but he is also a rare talent."

"A Three-Tomoe Sharingan at eight years old, swordsmanship that can rival Hatake Sakumo, and, even more rare, a steady temperament."

"Is that why you have blocked everyone I sent after him?"

Danzo glared fiercely at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

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

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression was calm as he slowly nodded.

"Regardless, Uchiha Kei has not done anything harmful to Konoha so far."

"By the time he does, it will all be too late."

Watching the receding figure downstairs, Danzo's eyes flashed with deep apprehension.

Uchiha Kei's talent was too great.

He possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan at the age of eight, and his swordsmanship even chilled him.

He was only eight years old this year.

If he were given another ten years, who could stand against him?

Sarutobi Hiruzen remained silent for a long time.

Indecisiveness was his greatest weakness.

He had stopped Danzo twice because of his indecisiveness.

He wanted to eliminate the threat of an Uchiha, yet he did not want Konoha to lose a genius.

Being Hokage was so difficult.

Being a Hokage who wholeheartedly served Konoha was even more difficult.

Fortunately, I still wholeheartedly serve the Hokage...

Sarutobi Hiruzen thought with satisfaction.