It's All Part of the Plan (Continued)

"No. I don't want to destroy the village you've only just built. You should know that a lot of people have their eyes on the Nine-Tails and me right now."

Naruto appreciated Shisui Uchiha's kindness, but she would not go. Konohagakure definitely had not given up on bringing her back. If she followed Shisui Uchiha back and others learned that the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki was in their village, Konohagakure would probably come knocking.

They would start with courtesy before resorting to force. Then Naruto would be trapped between a rock and a hard place. Besides, the Nine-Tails hated the Uchiha Clan so much. If she went there, would the Nine-Tails give her a pleasant look? It would probably scowl at her the whole time.

"Take care."

"You too! Don't let your wife drain you dry!"

At Naruto's words, Shisui Uchiha, who had turned to leave, nearly fell flat on his face. He roared at Naruto, "I'm not even married yet! And there's no way anyone could drain me dry! Where did a little girl like you learn this stuff?!"

"Make-Out Paradise~! It's a really interesting book~!"

Naruto clapped and laughed, her face full of curiosity.

"What does 'drain dry' even mean?!"

"It means nothing!" Shisui Uchiha snapped irritably. Looking at Mikoto Uchiha, he said, "Whatever you do, don't let Naruto touch that book again!"

"Mm." Mikoto Uchiha nodded.

Shisui Uchiha left. Watching his retreating figure, Mikoto Uchiha opened her mouth, but the words she wanted to say turned into a sigh.

"What, regretting it? It's not too late to change your mind and go back~!" Naruto, standing beside Mikoto Uchiha, tugged at her skirt and glared at her crossly.

"Ah! What are you doing... ah!"

Mikoto Uchiha suddenly picked Naruto up, then bit down on her cheek, leaving a tooth mark behind.

"Are you a dog or something?!"

Naruto covered her bitten cheek and glared at Mikoto Uchiha.

"Do you really want me to go back with Shisui?"

Faced with Mikoto Uchiha's dark eyes, which seemed to see right through her, Naruto's cheeks reddened. She awkwardly turned her head away, pouting as she muttered softly, "Whether you go or not is up to you..."

"Naruto~ Where exactly did you read that book, Make-Out Paradise?" Mikoto Uchiha asked with a dark expression and a smile on her face. The sinister aura radiating from her seemed to form a wrathful guardian deity behind her, glaring down at Naruto.

"I secretly read Kakashi's book back when I was in Konohagakure."

Naruto sat properly on her knees before Mikoto Uchiha and, without hesitation, dumped the blame on Kakashi, who had been hit by a stray bullet despite lying nowhere nearby.

Serves you right for bringing people to capture me last time! You deserve to take the blame! Pah!

Seeing Mikoto Uchiha become utterly terrifying, Karin instinctively hid behind Yakushi Nonō, clutching her clothes as she carefully poked her head out.

"Ah-choo!"

Kakashi, walking down the road, suddenly sneezed. Rubbing his nose, he felt that someone was speaking ill of him.

At that moment, someone raced up from behind Kakashi at incredible speed, the wind they kicked up blowing his hair backward.

"Kakashi! You must be lacking exercise lately! Want to run twenty laps around Konohagakure with me? You'll definitely become much healthier!"

"The Third Hokage wants to see me." Kakashi stared at the ever-energetic Might Guy with dead-fish eyes. Just thinking about the Third Hokage wanting to see him gave him a headache.

"Then let's run together next time! See you, Kakashi!"

Might Guy vanished from Kakashi's sight like a green whirlwind.

In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage took a deep drag from his pipe and exhaled a cloud of smoke. He pushed the file beneath his hand forward, signaling Kakashi to take it.

"Kakashi, Haruki Hyuga's body has been found."

Kakashi opened the folder and saw photographs of Haruki Hyuga's corpse. The hole that had pierced through his chest was the cause of death. More importantly, his eyes had been dug out.

"Kakashi, the Hyuga family wants Konohagakure's help recovering Haruki Hyuga's eyes. They do not want one of their own's eyes to fall into outsiders' hands."

The Third Hokage looked at Kakashi calmly, quietly awaiting his response.

"Were there any traces left at the scene?"

Kakashi frowned. He understood that the Third Hokage wanted to assign this mission to him, but he could not immediately determine who had dug out Haruki Hyuga's eyes.

He could only pretend to study the photographs carefully. Though he had already guessed most of it, and could even be certain who had killed Haruki Hyuga and taken his eyes, he would not tell the Third Hokage.

"Lord Hokage, where is Haruki Hyuga's body now?"

"Haruki Hyuga's body is with the Hyuga Clan."

"May I examine his body?"

"I'll ask the Hyuga Clan for you."

Perhaps Kakashi could find something from Haruki Hyuga's body... Watching Kakashi leave, the Third Hokage leaned back in his chair, pressing and rubbing his aching brow.

After Naruto's group left, Zetsu emerged from the ground. Itachi Uchiha had not become a Konohagakure Rogue Ninja and joined the Akatsuki Organization as he had expected. Left with no other choice, Obito Uchiha, who had decided to act personally, appeared beside Zetsu along with a vortex that materialized out of thin air.

Zetsu and Obito Uchiha looked at the enormous crater Naruto had created. The power of the Tailed Beast Bomb that had destroyed Kusagakure in a single strike was self-evident.

"So this is the Nine-Tails' true power..."

Obito Uchiha, who had once controlled the Nine-Tails, felt that he had not even brought out one percent of its power.

"It's far too different from when you controlled it~! If the Nine-Tails you controlled back then could have unleashed such power, Konohagakure would have been destroyed long ago!"

"Shut up, White Zetsu!"

The moment Obito Uchiha heard that irritating voice, he knew White Zetsu was babbling away again. A trace of anger entered his voice as he shot Zetsu a glance.

"Ah~ Ah~! You're angry!"

"Hmph! Spread the news that the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki destroyed Kusagakure! Make sure every ninja village knows about it."

Obito Uchiha snorted coldly, gave the order, and vanished into the vortex.

The Akatsuki Organization's current fighting strength was still far from what he wanted. With no other option, Obito Uchiha decided to join Akatsuki under another identity, help Nagato and Konan find capable recruits, and then carry out his plan.

Naruto Uzumaki was someone Obito Uchiha had only recently intended to bring into Akatsuki. He wanted Naruto to realize just how much trouble the Nine-Tails within her caused. When she came to hate the Nine-Tails inside her, that would be the time to invite her into Akatsuki. Then Naruto Uzumaki would become a weapon in Akatsuki's hands for capturing Tailed Beasts, and after she lost her usefulness, they would extract the Nine-Tails from within her.

Just obediently let me use up every last bit of your value, Naruto Uzumaki!

Obito Uchiha's calculations clattered away in his mind, but unfortunately, he did not know that Naruto's relationship with the Nine-Tails was the complete opposite of what he imagined.