"Just now, we already gave you food. Why are you still following us?"
Tsunade suddenly stopped and turned to look at the three children trailing them.
Faced with Tsunade's question, the three little ones didn't say anything. The blue-haired girl simply walked over, then suddenly pulled something out from behind her!
Out of a ninja's instinctive caution toward unknown, potentially dangerous things, Tsunade immediately started to step back and prepare to defend herself.
But Jiraiya put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.
When Tsunade came to her senses and saw the girl's beaming face, she realized she'd been far too cautious.
"Thank you. This is our way of showing our gratitude."
Looking at the bouquet in the girl's hands, Tsunade finally relaxed completely.
"Oh~ Origami? Did you make it with the oil paper and biscuit wrappers from earlier? You're really clever with your hands! What a shame I didn't have any better paper with me. It's such a waste of your skill~"
After taking the bouquet from the girl, Qi Luna brought out a scroll and sealed it inside.
"It means a lot to me. I'll treasure it!"
As she praised the girl, Qi Luna reached out and patted her on the head, murmuring to herself:
"No wonder Big Sis Tsunade likes patting my head. It really does feel nice~"
Seeing how friendly the atmosphere had become, the orange-haired boy stepped forward.
"Please teach us ninjutsu. You're ninjas from Konoha, right?"
Jiraiya and Tsunade were both slightly surprised by the orange-haired boy's words. Orochimaru, on the other hand, took out a Kunai.
"I'm going to kill these children."
At his words, the orange-haired boy and the blue-haired girl both looked terrified. The boy silently moved to shield the other two behind him.
"I've seen too many war orphans, and I still feel sorry for them. I might as well kill them all here and spare them from what awaits them in the end..."
"Stop, Orochimaru!"
"I sensed it in the chakra that leaked out just now. That child... the red-haired boy... is one of my Uzumaki Clan!"
"If you dare lay a hand on him..."
As she spoke, golden chains began to emerge behind Qi Luna. They were none other than Adamantine Sealing Chains!
Hearing Qi Luna's words and the threat in her voice, even Orochimaru, who usually always managed to remain calm, couldn't help looking astonished.
"That child... is actually..."
Tsunade stared wide-eyed at the red-haired boy behind the orange-haired one, feeling rather surprised.
Although red hair was a distinctive feature of the Uzumaki Clan, there were plenty of red-haired people throughout the Ninja World. Tsunade had never expected to encounter her grandmother's and Qi Luna's clansman in the Land of Rain.
"Interesting... I see..."
Feeling Qi Luna's chakra, vast as an abyss and a cascading waterfall, Orochimaru couldn't help licking his lips before silently putting away his Kunai.
"What do you plan to do, Qi Luna?"
Jiraiya asked at just the right moment.
Looking at the three little ones, still shaken, Qi Luna suppressed her amusement and pretended to fall into deep thought.
"Now that we know he's from the Uzumaki Clan, there's no reason to leave him behind. Let's take him back to Konoha so Grandma can meet him."
Seeing what Qi Luna had in mind, Tsunade made the suggestion at just the right time.
"Mm!"
Qi Luna nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with Tsunade both outwardly and inwardly.
"Didn't you want us to teach you ninjutsu? Would you be willing to come with us to Konoha, in the Land of Fire? Especially you..."
"Nagato. My name is Nagato."
Noticing Qi Luna looking his way, the red-haired boy helpfully gave her his name.
"All right, Nagato. Do you want to come with me? If I'm not mistaken, we're from the same clan."
Qi Luna patted Nagato on the head again and gave him a warm smile.
"Ah! This ninja is actually from Nagato's clan?!"
The blue-haired girl covered her mouth with both hands, looking astonished.
By now, Nagato and the other two children were all somewhat tempted by Qi Luna's offer.
"I..."
"Nagato, what are you hesitating for? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! We saw it with our own eyes from the hillside, didn't we? This ninja single-handedly took out Hanzo's two right-hand men! And there's a good chance she's your clanswoman!"
Seeing Nagato still hesitate, the orange-haired boy grew anxious and even started urging him to go.
"But I saw Konoha's ninjas kill my parents with my own eyes. I'm worried..."
Pressed by everyone, Nagato finally voiced the concern in his heart.
But when she heard Nagato's words, Tsunade was the first to get worked up.
"Impossible. Konoha's ninjas never entered the residential district of Amegakure!"
"But I saw it with my own..."
Tears ran down Nagato's face as he tried to argue, but Qi Luna embraced him first. She stroked his head and gently comforted him.
"It's all right now. Whatever happened in the past, I've found you. From now on, I'll protect you. I'll also investigate your parents' deaths. Whoever did it, I'll make them pay in blood!"
Feeling Qi Luna's chakra flow into his body along with her warmth, Nagato, who hadn't felt love since his parents died, could no longer hold back the grief pent up inside him as he rested in her arms. It spilled out with his tears.
In a hoarse voice, he sobbed into Qi Luna's ear:
"I... I'll go with you..."
"Sarutobi, I heard the Uzumaki kid you secretly sent to the Amegakure battlefield has found another Uzumaki Clan orphan, and even adopted two Amegakure orphans along the way?"
"Hand them over to me! Even if they're spies, I'll train them into proper tools loyal only to Konoha!"
Adopting orphans from an enemy nation was naturally something that had to be reported to the Hokage. But no one could have imagined that Danzō had managed to get his hands into the Anbu, which answered directly to the Hokage—and that his position there was high enough for him to obtain the intel right away!
Qi Luna also never expected that while they were still on their way back to Konoha, the three little cuties she'd worked so hard to kidnap... adopt would already have someone watching them!
And the one watching them was Shimura Danzō, that old schemer. That made things even worse!
"Danzō, I've told you before: knock before you come in!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen had been basking in the joy of the Amegakure battlefield's near-certain victory and his three students earning the title of "Konoha Sannin." But the moment he heard Danzō's voice—especially when he realized Danzō was here to demand people again—all his good cheer vanished.
"Didn't you just take some talented children from the various clans recently? And your Root has already stuck its hands into my Anbu! Now you want more people! What's next, are you going to try to replace me as Hokage in a few days?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen angrily pounded the desk, nearly smashing it to pieces...
"Sarutobi, what do you mean by that? I'm only trying to help you. Besides, you already have two Uzumaki brats. What's the harm in giving me one?!"
Danzō wasn't afraid of anyone, least of all Sarutobi.
In the future, he'd even attempt an assassination right in front of someone, then act as though nothing had happened after it failed! How could someone like that be shaken by a few words calling out his scheme?
"I won't give you any more people, whether they're members of Lady Mito's clan or children with deep bonds to them! They're all the future of Konoha!"
"Sarutobi, you'll regret this!"
"Not this! Never the future of Konoha! I will never regret it! Danzō! I am the Hokage!"
"Bang—"
Today's victor:
Shimura Danzō suffered a crushing defeat, Sarutobi Hiruzen won decisively, and Qi Luna won by doing nothing, taking home the MVP!
Before you continue