"You're overthinking it."
Hokage Office.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, looked at Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi with a smile.
"Ita is an Anbu ninja. It's just that his face was burned, so he rarely goes out. It's normal that you haven't seen him."
"Ita?"
Asuma had never heard that name before.
But he didn't know all the Konoha Ninja, and even the Old Man said so, so it should be fine.
"I see. I was a bit rash."
Kurenai Yuhi quickly dispelled her doubts as well.
"No, you did well. Things have been uneasy lately, and there's a risk that someone with hidden agendas might slip into Konoha. It's good that you have such vigilance."
Hiruzen Sarutobi highly praised Kurenai Yuhi.
This Team 8 mission outside the village did give him a big surprise.
First, they forced back Uchiha Itachi and the rogue ninja from Kirigakure, and then they found a treasure in Whirlpool Country.
I never knew Kurenai Yuhi had this much strength. It seems that my Konoha isn't without talent after all.
Plus, his son Asuma seemed to be getting together with her. The more Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Kurenai Yuhi, the more pleasing she became.
"However, since you've both met him, let's all get to know each other."
Hiruzen Sarutobi said as he gave an order towards the door.
Soon, 'Ita,' whose face was wrapped in bandages, revealing only his eyes, walked in from outside.
Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma quickly introduced themselves, but 'Ita' just nodded politely without saying a word.
"This is Ita. It's just that this child hasn't seen people in a long time, so he's a bit introverted..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi explained 'Ita's silence.
"It's okay."
Kurenai Yuhi glanced at the bandaged man who had walked in again, scrutinizingly.
Although she felt that there was something unusual about him, she thought she was just imagining things.
----
"Sorry to put you through this, Itachi."
After Asuma and Kurenai Yuhi left, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally revealed the bandaged man's real name.
That's right, the ninja who wrapped his face in bandages and went by the name Ita was naturally Uchiha Itachi, who had recently returned to Konoha.
"If I had stood firm on pursuing peaceful negotiations and hadn't yielded to Danzo's demands..."
"Hokage-sama! The Uchiha clan is responsible for its own destruction. There's no one else to hold accountable."
Uchiha Itachi shook his head. With the Uchiha clan's conspiracy at the clan gathering back then, if it wasn't stopped, things like rebellion and internal strife would definitely happen.
At that time, the entire Konoha would be split and even destroyed because of it.
Uchiha Itachi felt that the Hokage's choice was not wrong to nip the crisis in the bud.
"But... in the end, it's still my incompetence as Hokage that made you bear the crime of killing the clan."
"This is the fate of a ninja, and there was no one better suited than me at the time. Hokage-sama doesn't need to blame yourself."
Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi's sincere words, the trace of resentment that Uchiha Itachi had harbored in his heart towards the Konoha Upper Echelon for so many years dissipated a lot.
"No, if I had agreed to Shisui's proposal back then, perhaps there wouldn't have been so many things afterward."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was referring to the fact that Uchiha Shisui had planned to use Kotoamatsukami to control Uchiha Fugaku, the Clan Head of the Uchiha clan.
He also took the opportunity to bring the topic to Shisui's eyes.
"I didn't really believe in that kind of Illusionary Technique back then. Now that I think about it, maybe it's true. After all, Shisui wouldn't exaggerate."
"There is indeed such an Illusionary Technique, but it would only control my Father, which wouldn't have much effect on the Uchiha clan at that time."
Uchiha Itachi had also considered Shisui's proposal back then, but his father's words before his death made him realize that the Uchiha clan's situation back then was no longer something his father could decide.
"So there really is that kind of Illusionary Technique. I wonder where Shisui's eyes are now."
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, his face full of worry.
"What if it endangers Konoha..."
"Hokage-sama, Shisui entrusted his eyes to me before he died."
"Oh? If that's the case, then there's no need to worry."
"However..."
Uchiha Itachi looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression before continuing.
"Before I left Akatsuki, Shisui's eyes were taken away by the Leader of Akatsuki."
Uchiha Itachi gave Shisui's eyes to Pain at the time, partly to sow discord between Pain and Obito, and partly because he didn't want to give Shisui's eyes to the Konoha Upper Echelon.
Hokage-sama might be fine, but Danzo...
Uchiha Itachi knew very well who killed his friend.
"Really? That's what happened?"
Kotoamatsukami is actually in the hands of the enemy?
Hearing this, the wrinkles on Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face deepened.
"But there's no need to worry too much. Before it was taken away, I placed a self-destructing curse on Shisui's eyes. Using that eye will only cause it to be burned by Amaterasu for nothing."
"Is it reliable?"
Itachi is still doing things steadily.
Hiruzen Sarutobi breathed a sigh of relief.
"I can't be completely sure. After all, the Leader of Akatsuki has the Rinnegan that only the Sage of Six Paths in legends had. I know nothing about his abilities."
"Rinnegan!? Is this true?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly remembered that the 'Future Note' mentioned that a ninja with the Rinnegan would come to destroy Konoha in three years.
Could it be the Leader of Akatsuki?
"It should be right."
"I understand. This intelligence is very valuable. Thanks to you for going deep behind enemy lines."
Hiruzen Sarutobi had heard about Akatsuki, which had risen to prominence in the Ninja World, but he had never taken it too seriously.
Now that he heard the information about the Leader of Akatsuki from Uchiha Itachi, he finally took it seriously.
"Also, they have been planning to capture the Tailed Beasts."
"Capture the Tailed Beasts? What do a group of mercenary ninjas need the Tailed Beasts for?"
"According to them, it's for the ultimate peace of the world."
"World peace? I'm afraid it's just a way of manipulating people."
This Akatsuki seems to have big plans.
"Let's not talk about this. Now that you've returned to the village, I'll arrange for you to secretly monitor and protect your younger brother, Sasuke."
Orochimaru didn't return to the village. But Itachi, who Sarutobi expected *not* to return, obeyed the order.
Hiruzen Sarutobi would naturally not mistreat him.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama, but the person I want to monitor is actually Uchiha Kage."
"Kage?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a little surprised.
Could it be that Uchiha Itachi was still brooding over the fact that one Uchiha child was left behind back then?
"Yes, Kurenai-Senior's Illusionary Technique is indeed very powerful, but it wasn't actually Kurenai-Senior who repelled me and Kisame. It was this Uchiha Kage."
Itachi returned to the village mainly to eliminate Uchiha Kage, believing he posed a threat to Sasuke and Konoha.
"How is this possible? Kage just graduated this year. Even if he is a genius, he can't be compared to you, or even be better than you..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi only thought that Uchiha Itachi was exaggerating.
"Uchiha Kage can be immune to my Mangekyo Sharingan, and he also took Samehada Great Sword from Kisame in a head-on confrontation. He is definitely not an ordinary person."
"He can be immune to your Sharingan? Is this true?"
Seeing Uchiha Itachi's serious expression, Hiruzen Sarutobi became a little skeptical.
"Yes..."
Uchiha Itachi recounted the entire process of fighting Uchiha Kage that day, emphasizing that Uchiha Kage knew Rasengan, a high-level Ninjutsu, and completely ignored his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"I understand, but let's wait until he returns to the village."
Contrary to what Uchiha Itachi thought, the more Hiruzen Sarutobi listened, the more he felt that this Uchiha Kage seemed to be an alternative genius.
A genius who can't activate the Sharingan, but can be immune to the Sharingan?
Recalling how Uchiha Kage tricked Aburame Ryoma with traps at the beginning, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt more and more that it was possible.
As for Uchiha Itachi saying that Uchiha Kage had ulterior motives and might be a spy lurking in the village from another force?
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't really believe it. Not to mention that Uchiha Kage was just a few years old back then, even if someone really wanted to arrange for a spy to enter the village, there was no need to use the identity of Uchiha, and it happened to be on the night the Uchiha clan was exterminated.
----
"Sister Yugao, are you still worried about Hayate-Senior's health?"
On the way to Wave Country, Uchiha Kage and Uzuki Yugao were running on the sea, one in front of the other.
Because he really left Gekko Hayate alone on the island in Whirlpool Country, Uchiha Kage was a little curious about Uzuki Yugao's thoughts.
"A little. He's too eager to be brave sometimes. As a ninja, especially as an Anbu ninja, liking to be brave is not a good thing."
After Uzuki Yugao evaluated Gekko Hayate expressionlessly, she looked at the boy beside her again.
"Besides, if you really fought Hayate, you would probably win."
Someone on the outside sees more than someone on the inside. As a bystander to the battle, Uzuki Yugao couldn't see Uchiha Kage's strength as clearly as Gekko Hayate.
"Sister Yugao has so much confidence in me."
"You..."
Uzuki Yugao turned her face away for some reason.
"Can you not call me Sister... just call me Senior or call me by my name directly."
"Why?"
Uchiha Kage didn't quite understand Uzuki Yugao's reaction.
"Does Sister Yugao hate being called Sister by me?"
"No."
Uzuki Yugao shook her head decisively.
"It's just... I've always wanted a younger brother since I was a child. Every time you call me Sister, it makes my heart race, which is distracting when I'm on a mission."
"Is, is that so?"
Uchiha Kage didn't expect to hear such a thing.
He subconsciously looked at Uzuki Yugao's profile and found that her earlobes were indeed a little red.
So this Sister seems cold, but she's actually very shy.
She can't stand being called Sister...
"Well, actually, every time you call me Sister, I can't help but want to..."
Uzuki Yugao took out her small bag from her arms.
"Want to give you pocket money..."
Unable to restrain herself, Uzuki Yugao took out a bill from her bag and handed it to the boy beside her.
"One thousand ryo? Sister Yugao is so generous."
"I told you, don't call me that..."
Uzuki Yugao couldn't restrain her inner impulse and slipped him a few more ryo.
"..."
Uchiha Kage looked at the three bills in his hand with a somewhat dumbfounded expression.
He thought that if he called her Sister for another half a minute, the Female Ninja in front of him would probably give him all her savings.
Uzuki Yugao's reaction was too refreshing.
She gives money whenever I call her Sister...
Wait, so she's been cold to me all this time because she's been enduring it?
This is too interesting.
"Sister Yugao, do you know what an evil Uchiha is?"
Uchiha Kage decided to let Uzuki Yugao know the danger of people's hearts.
"Ah?"
Uzuki Yugao couldn't restrain herself and put her hand back into her bag, pressing another bill into his hand.
"Sister, Sister, Sister, Sister..."
Like chanting scriptures, Uchiha Kage began to continuously call Uzuki Yugao, Sister.
"I'll keep calling you Sister until my mouth is dry, Sister Yugao."
----
"I've never seen anyone get *so* excited *or* shy from being called 'Sister' that they actually faint."
Looking at the Female Ninja who fainted on his shoulder after hearing too many Sisters, Uchiha Kage's expression was also wonderful.
But fortunately, he had enough stamina and Chakra, so he quickly arrived at Wave Country even with someone on his back.
"It's starting to snow? If that's the case..."
On the unfinished bridge of Wave Country, Uchiha Kage quickly spotted Kakashi and the others.
Surrounding them were corpses all over the ground, the watching citizens of Wave Country, Naruto, and Haku, who was placed next to Momochi Zabuza by Kakashi... and snowflakes all over the sky.
"Wha... what happened?"
Uzuki Yugao, who had fainted on Uchiha Kage's back, finally woke up.
"Those are... Kirigakure Ninja?"
After getting off Uchiha Kage's back with a slightly flushed face, she also saw the corpses on the ground and the two Kirigakure Ninja who hadn't completely died.
"It seems that Kakashi-Senior has solved the problem of Wave Country."
As expected of Kakashi, even a powerful ninja like Momochi Zabuza is no match for him.
"Yeah."
Great, I finally made it in time.
Uchiha Kage saw the ninja fragments appearing on Zabuza and Haku through the Byakugan's vision.
"Are they a couple?"
Looking at the two Kirigakure Ninja who wanted to be together before they died, Uzuki Yugao guessed.
"Maybe... yeah."
Uchiha Kage glanced strangely at Zabuza and Haku on the ground.
Indeed, if you didn't know that Haku was a boy, these two would look like a couple who shared life and death in the eyes of outsiders.
"I wish I could one day... never mind, that's too unlucky."
Uzuki Yugao wanted to say that it would be nice if she could die with Gekko Hayate like this one day, but she thought better of it.
It's best to start dating and getting married after retiring from Anbu.
"Is Sister Yugao thinking about Hayate-Senior?"
"Yeah..."
Uzuki Yugao nodded, then glared helplessly at the boy in front of her.
"If you call me Sister again, I won't have any money to give you."
"It's okay. I've already put all the money back into Sister's wallet. Just treat it as an advance payment for Sister Yugao and Hayate-Senior's wedding gift."
"You..."
She thought Uchiha Kage was a very well-behaved boy, but after getting to know him better, she realized that this guy was not honest at all and always liked to tease people.
However, just as Uzuki Yugao was about to retort to Uchiha Kage, Naruto, who was standing on the bridge, suddenly shouted at them.
"Hey, you two! Are you enemies here to deal with us again?"
"Naruto, they are Konoha Anbu. They are here to reinforce us, not enemies."
Kakashi helplessly helped Naruto with some knowledge. Not every ninja wearing a mask is an enemy.
"Sorry, I'll leave Naruto and the others to your care next."
Knowing that the visitors were Uchiha Kage and Uzuki Yugao, Kakashi finally let go of his tense spirit and fell weakly to the ground.