Kurenai's Gentleness, Danzo's Plot
Asuma rummaged through his wallet, only to find that he didn't have nearly enough money to pay for it. He glanced back and saw Red patiently waiting, her figure appearing exceptionally gentle.
Asuma took a deep breath and turned to the proprietress, saying, "I'm sorry, I don't have enough money with me today. Could I owe you 200 taels? I'll definitely make up the difference next time." His voice carried a hint of pleading.
The proprietress looked Asuma up and down, as if weighing the pros and cons.
She knew in her heart that Asuma's father was the Third Lord Hokage, and this identity softened her attitude.
Finally, she nodded and agreed to Asuma's request, "Since you are the Lord Hokage's son and a regular customer, I trust you won't break your promise. I'll let it go this time, just remember to bring the money next time."
Asuma breathed a sigh of relief, a weight lifted from his heart. If it weren't for Hong being there, he would have practically kowtowed to the landlady.
He bowed gratefully to the proprietress. "Thank you, I will definitely pay back the debt as soon as possible."
After paying the bill, Asuma walked towards Kurenai in a relaxed mood, and the two continued their date.
In the bustling streets of Konoha, Asuma and Kurenai strolled side by side, their figures appearing exceptionally harmonious in the warm sunlight.
Suddenly, Hong stopped abruptly, her brows furrowing slightly, as if she had remembered something important.
She turned to Asuma and said, "Oh dear, I think I forgot something at the dumpling shop. I need to go back."
Upon hearing this, Asuma immediately offered to accompany Red back to retrieve her belongings, his eyes filled with concern and a willingness to help.
However, Red gently shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips, and politely declined Asuma's suggestion. "No need, I can go back by myself. Wait here for me for a while, I'll be back soon."
Although Asuma was somewhat reluctant to part, he nodded and instructed, "Then be careful, I'll wait for you here." His words were full of concern.
Red smiled gently, gave Asuma a reassuring look, and then turned and walked quickly towards the dumpling shop.
Hong stepped back into the dumpling shop. She went straight to the proprietress and asked firmly, "Excuse me, how much money did Asuma owe you? I want to pay it back for him."
The proprietress looked up, recognized Hong, smiled slightly, and told Hong, "Oh, it's 200 taels."
Hong didn't linger. She deftly took out the corresponding amount of silver from her wallet and handed it to the proprietress.
The proprietress accepted the money, nodded her thanks, and thought to herself that Asuma was really lucky, while Red waved her hand casually, indicating that there was no need to thank her.
After completing these steps, Hong turned around and prepared to leave the shop.
Just as she was about to step out the door, her gaze caught sight of Asuma, who stood outside the door with a look of tension and unease on his face.
It turned out that although Asuma had promised Red he would wait there, he was really worried and ultimately decided to secretly follow her in case she needed help.
Asuma saw Kurenai emerge and immediately went to her, his voice filled with apology. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disobey you, I was just so worried about you, so..."
Before he could finish speaking, Hong couldn't help but laugh.
Looking at Asuma's worried face, Hong felt an indescribable sense of gratitude and warmth.
She gently shook her head and said in a tender and indulgent tone, "Silly boy."
Upon hearing this, Asuma felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and he smiled too. The two looked at each other and laughed, all the awkwardness and unpleasantness vanishing with the wind.
"Shall we continue our walk?"
"Certainly."
Deep within Konoha, a hidden underground structure sits quietly in the shadows. This is Root's secret base, a place shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
Danzo, the key figure who controlled the potential power of Konoha, was sitting on a simple wooden chair. His gaze was sharp as a blade as he carefully examined the several masked subordinates kneeling before him.
The atmosphere inside was heavy and somber, with only a faint candlelight flickering, casting dappled light and shadow that highlighted the wrinkles and resolute lines on Danzo's face.
His voice was deep and powerful, like a winter wind, piercing and cold. "Did he really say that?"
One of the subordinates, his eyes behind the mask avoiding Danzo, spoke in a voice filled with awe and certainty.
"Yes, Lord Danzo. Uchiha Fugaku's son, that boy named Uchiha Kōki, is exceptionally eloquent. His words convinced the villagers present, and now most of them tend to support him and the views he represents."
Danzo frowned, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair, as if deep in thought.
He said in a deep voice, "This child is extraordinary; his words have managed to change the villagers' minds in such a short time."
Danzo's figure appeared even more sinister in the dim light. A barely perceptible smirk curled at the corner of his mouth, a smile tinged with cunning and cruelty, like an old fox plotting some kind of scheme.
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a malicious undertone. "You call yourselves members of the Anbu, right?"
The masked subordinates kneeling on the ground trembled slightly, clearly feeling the pressure from Danzo's words.
They answered in unison, "Yes, Lord Danzo."
A cold glint flashed in Danzo's eyes as he continued, "I've received intelligence that Uchiha Kōki entered the village today, accompanied only by a useless loser. He's expected to return to the Uchiha soon."
He paused, seemingly giving his subordinates time to process the information, before issuing his order, "Pass the word down that on his way back, teach him a lesson so he understands that some things aren't as simple as he thinks they are."
In that dark and damp underground, one of Danzo's subordinates seemed quite hesitant. His voice carried a hint of unease as he cautiously spoke, "Lord Danzo, will taking action against Uchiha Kōki completely sever our relationship with the Uchiha Clan?"
Danzo hearing this, Danzo's lips curled into an even deeper smile, an unfathomable smile, as if everything was within his calculations.
He said slowly and deliberately, "If this matter is exposed, he will be a member of the Anbu, and everything you do will be in accordance with the Lord Hokage's will."
His words carried a hint of conspiracy, and he continued, "If the Uchiha Clan wants to get to the bottom of this, they can only vent their anger on the Third Hokage in the end, while I am merely an observer."
Hiruzen has always been seen as weak, so I will lend him a hand. All he has to do is watch from the sidelines.
Danzo's words were full of scheming. His plan was undoubtedly to cleverly shift the blame to the Hokage, so that even if the Uchiha Clan was angry, they would not be able to directly attack him.
After hearing Danzo's words, the subordinates' doubts lessened somewhat, but they still felt a chill.
Danzo smiled sinisterly, waved his hand, and signaled that they could leave.