Konoha: You're letting me build up my bonds, but you're offending the entire ninja world.

His respect for Minato Namikaze was absolutely genuine. After his teacher's death, he was like a walking corpse for a long time, and he is still deeply affected by it now, using missions to numb himself.

Now Shimura Gengetsu is actually slandering him so directly?

Even if he can't beat them, he's prepared to turn on them.

But the next second, Kakashi, who was just full of anger, calmed down as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water.

It was all because Shimura Gengetsu uttered a name softly.

"Naruto Uzumaki"

"You seem to be quite familiar with this name?"

Gengetsu Shimura idly fiddled with his kunai. "Do you know his identity?"

"Know..."

Kakashi nodded with difficulty, his voice hoarse, "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Minato-sensei's...orphan."

"Tsk."

"The life of this hero's orphan was far from wonderful."

The boy sighed, "Although the living expenses given by the Third Hokage are more than enough for a child, many shops still refuse to sell to him. Although I've driven away quite a few people, I can't force all the merchants to sell to Naruto, can I?"

"That will only make others dislike him more."

"You, the disciple of the Fourth Hokage, should be called 'Big Brother' by Naruto's standards, yet you've watched Naruto live like this for seven years."

"You're really competent..."

"Yes, I was wrong."

Kakashi apologized dejectedly, "After my teacher died, I just wanted to numb myself in the darkness of the Anbu and neglected Naruto. I haven't visited him in the past few years because I didn't know how to face him. If Naruto asks me how I met him, I don't know how to answer."

"The Third Generation Lord issued a gag order, and there was nothing I could do about it."

"No need for a visit."

Gengetsu Shimura walked up to Kakashi and said, "With me as his older brother, he's doing alright for now. Your appearance will only make the Third Hokage more suspicious."

"If you really want to do something, use your position as a trusted confidant of the Third Hokage to punish those who abused Naruto."

After saying that, Gengetsu Shimura left the office.

He didn't expect to turn Kakashi away with just one conversation, but he did plant a seed of resentment in Kakashi's heart—resentment towards the villagers and the Third Hokage.

With time, it will eventually grow into a towering tree.

Ninja school.

After leaving the Anbu, Shimura Gengetsu realized that he hadn't picked up Karin in a long time, so he went to the school gate to wait for her.

Not long after, the school bell rang, and Karin came out with two friends, followed not far away by a blond boy with a bump on his head.

"Lord Xuan Yue!"

To be fair, Bai Yan's eyesight is still pretty good.

Hinata was the first to spot Shimura Gengetsu, and she rushed over with Ino and Karin.

"Lord Xuan Yue."

“Brother Xuan Yue.”

After the little heads patted him and said hello, Shimura Gengetsu finally looked at Naruto, who was grinning foolishly.

"Have you offended Karin again?"

"I didn't hit him," Karin quickly denied, not wanting to leave a violent image in Shimura Gengetsu's mind.

"Yes, it was Iruka-sensei who hit me." Naruto touched his head sheepishly, then touched his wound again, making him wince in pain.

Ino then added, "Naruto grabbed Sakura's hair today and almost made her cry."

No one knows what kind of ill-fated connection it was, but Naruto still fell for this most unremarkable girl.

"Brother Xuan Yue, are you free this weekend?"

Ino remembered what she had agreed on with Karin and eagerly extended an invitation, "You must be very tired from carrying out missions every day. We'd like to invite you to have barbecue. Karin said you love barbecue the most."

"There will definitely be time."

Gengetsu Shimura smiled and nodded, "But it's no big deal for you guys to treat me to dinner. I'll treat you on Saturday. I haven't used the 20% off card Uncle Choza gave me much yet."

"Then thank you, Brother Xuan Yue."

Ino didn't dwell on who would pay; she just wanted an excuse to spend time with this handsome older brother.

As for Naruto...

"I'll treat you to ramen on Sunday."

"0.3? Really? I want two bowls!"

"Any three bowls are fine."

This child is so easy to please.

The group agreed on a time and prepared to go home. Before leaving, Shimura Gengetsu saw a lonely figure walk out of the school, leave silently without speaking to anyone.

This is probably the most difficult time for Sasuke Uchiha right now.

Gengetsu Shimura only glanced at it twice before paying no more attention, and took Karin's hand in his own as they returned home.

As usual, he sneaked into the restricted book section at night and read until the next morning.

After slipping into a deserted alley, Shimura Gengetsu stretched and headed straight for the Hokage Building, barging headlong into the Hokage's office.

Two ANBU members tried to stop him, but he punched each of them away and kicked the door to the Hokage's office.

Inside the room, Nara Shikaku was reporting to Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Shimura Gengetsu was startled when he saw him kick the door open and enter.

On the contrary, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already prepared, and his expression did not change much.

"Old Deng, you transferred Kakashi away without even telling me. That's really not fair of you."

Shimura Gengetsu immediately launched an attack upon entering.

"The movement of personnel in the Anbu is within my rights as the Hokage. Gengetsu, even though you are the captain, you cannot refuse to release them."

"Then just transfer everyone away and disband the Third Battalion. I'm not going to be the captain anymore. Don't come looking for me if there are any problems with the Konoha barrier in the future."

Seeing the clash between the old and the young, Lu Jiu was afraid of being caught in the crossfire, so he made up an excuse and slipped away.

Upon hearing Shimura Gengetsu's words, Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.

(The picture shows Sakura Haruno; a picture of Hikari will follow later.)

Chapter 113 Engaged to Hinata, Finally Found Uchiha Hikaru

Gengetsu Shimura always manages to exploit Hiruzen Sarutobi's weaknesses.

The Third Dark Division is responsible for the village's security and identifying spies, and it is also specially equipped with a barrier team.

Meanwhile, Shimura Gengetsu spent the last few days working on updating and perfecting Konoha's barrier in order to practice his sealing techniques, and the effect was much better than before.

Although he still couldn't stop Obito, who possessed spatial abilities, he was very sensitive to the chakra of ordinary ninjas.

Over the years, they have helped the village catch many spies from other villages.

If Shimura Gengetsu had stopped managing things, the previous sealing team definitely wouldn't have achieved the same results.

"I've already assigned Kakashi a mission, and it can't be changed."

After a moment's thought, Hiruzen Sarutobi found a suitable excuse, "Xuan Yue, don't be temperamental. Everything is for Konoha. No matter where Kakashi is, he's contributing to Konoha."

"But my men fared much worse."

Gengetsu Shimura didn't buy it at all. "Just because you suddenly transferred Kakashi away, many of his missions have to be rearranged, and all the plans have been disrupted."

"This was indeed something I hadn't considered carefully."

Following Shimura Gengetsu's suggestion, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, "How about I transfer someone from another battalion to fill Kakashi's vacancy?"

"Don't."

Gengetsu Shimura shook his head vigorously, "Then wouldn't I become a despicable and shameless person like you? The other captains would curse me to death in their hearts."

Hiruzen Sarutobi was speechless. Why did he have to speak such blunt truths?

"So what exactly do you want? Anyway, Kakashi is not going to stay."

"I'll find someone myself and fill his vacancy with my subordinates, but you don't need to worry about who I find, and you won't be able to control it in the future."

Hiruzen Sarutobi then realized what Gengetsu Shimura was planning.

"Well... that's a bit difficult. Xuan Yue is the Hokage's direct force. How can you just assign your confidants to it?"

After some haggling, Hiruzen Sarutobi also gave away Yamato, Hayate Gekko, and a ninja from the Inuzuka family.

However, he gave Shimura Gengetsu two squads, for a total of eight slots, and after 17, he would no longer interfere with the operation of the Third Battalion, which can be regarded as tacitly acknowledging that the Third Battalion would be Shimura Gengetsu's power from then on.

The Sarutobi clan has many core members, and Hiruzen Sarutobi doesn't value ordinary ANBU members. Only Yamato, who possesses Wood Release, is worthy of his attention.