That year, Xuanhui turned twelve, while Minato, Fugaku, Yahiko, Nagato, and the others all turned ten.
By a reasonable estimate, this should have been the year the Second Shinobi World War ended in the original story.
The Third Shinobi World War would probably break out six years later.
One autumn day that year, Xuanhui received a letter from Jiraiya.
Its contents were simple: the three children were ready to graduate from his tutelage.
Nagato, in particular, had fully mastered ninjutsu of all five elemental natures.
In his reply, Xuanhui told Jiraiya that if he planned to leave for Konoha tomorrow, Xuanhui would spend tonight at their place.
After writing his reply, Xuanhui strolled over to the orphanage on the south side of the village.
With the rewards from his completed S-rank and A-rank missions, he donated a considerable sum to the orphanage every month.
Since he dropped by from time to time, the children there had always adored him.
The pregnant woman from the Kaguya Clan whom he had rescued was now a mother. She worked at the orphanage alongside the Uzumaki Clan couple Xuanhui had brought back.
Xuanhui had promised them lodging and three meals a day at the orphanage, with wages set at the minimum level for Konoha citizens.
That was enough for them. Surviving was already an immense blessing, and having a job like this was something they had never dared to dream of.
Still, he remained the deputy director. He was too young to serve as director.
Xuanhui did not mind, though. Once Yakushi Nonō arrived, he could simply hand the director's job over to her.
His financial support had freed the orphanage from Danzo's shadow.
After all, in the original story, Danzo had used funding as leverage to forcibly take children from the orphanage.
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