Fugaku has gone mad; he's going to create a new Uchiha clan in Kirigakure.

In the early morning, sunlight streams through the paper sliding doors, casting soft dappled patterns on the tatami mats.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and his son Asuma Sarutobi sat facing each other across a low dining table in the empty house.

"Are you getting used to staying in the capital?"

After swallowing the food in his mouth and taking a sip of miso soup, Hiruzen Sarutobi broke the silence.

"good."

Sarutobi Asuma's gaze fell on the plate of golden, neatly cut pickled radishes on the table.

"Exactly, I can't find pickled vegetables that taste like this."

"Take some with you when you leave."

"We'll see."

Asma put down his chopsticks, picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, and gazed at the swaying bamboo shadows in the courtyard outside the window.

"I don't really want to do this job anymore."

"Because of Orochimaru?"

I guess so.

Asma did not deny it, his voice sounding somewhat muffled.

"You..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, his gaze distant amidst the swirling smoke.

"You've always had this personality since you were little: meticulous and intolerant of any imperfections."

"Has Tsunade ever done anything wrong in her life? So why did she compromise this time? Don't think that Konoha is strong right now. On the contrary, Konoha is at its weakest point, even though it looks strong."

"How many Jonin can you name who are truly capable and didn't become Jonin through accumulated merit or family connections? Even two of the four core members of Root are minors, with Aburame Torune being only ten years old. The foundation of Konoha is already starting to crumble."

Asma listened in silence, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rough surface of the teacup.

"Also, Tsunade has ordered that Kurenai Yuhi will be included in the Twelve Guardians, making her the Thirteen Guardians, specifically responsible for guarding the Daimyo's residence."

Sarutobi Asuma suddenly raised his head, blinked, and looked at his father, his face showing obvious confusion and hesitation.

Kurenai Yuhi is his lover, but she is also one of the few elite Jonin in Konoha in recent years who has risen to prominence through her talent for genjutsu and her solid strength. In Konoha, where manpower is scarce, each of her members is a precious core member.

Why would Tsunade order her to "protect the Daimyo"? That would be tantamount to removing her from the front-line combat sequence, a huge "waste".

Don't look at me.

As if reading his mind, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and tapped his pipe lightly against the edge of the ashtray.

"I, an old man, don't have that much influence. It was Tsunade who personally approved it. But, Asuma, I hope you will accept it."

"You and Kurenai, stay in Daimyo Prefecture. It's far from the front lines and the increasingly complicated conflicts within the village. At least you can live to a ripe old age there. Don't let me... bury my child again."

Asuma twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a bitter smile.

"So, does this count as a bribe?"

"It's not a bribe. Tsunade knows your personality. If you stay in Konoha and witness those compromises and deals that you can't agree with, you'll only feel worse. Besides, the Daimyo does need a trustworthy and influential person to oversee and protect him. You are very suitable."

"As for Kurenai, letting her leave Konoha is, in a way, also a way of protecting her."

"Protect her?"

"Sharingan, you silly child."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed with emotion.

"Kurenai is a rare genius genjutsu ninja. Even ordinary Jonin would be at a disadvantage against her. But now, the Sharingan is no longer exclusive to Konoha. In the future, when she goes on missions, she may face members of the Uchiha clan. All the genjutsu skills you painstakingly hone might be useless against her three-tomoe Sharingan..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

"And the Daimyo is almost never surrounded by Uchiha people; for her, that place is actually safer."

The room fell silent again for a long time, with only the faint crackling of tobacco burning in the pipe.

"I see."

After a long while, Sarutobi Asuma gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"I understand you a little better now, Father. But Father, I still stand by what I said: Orochimaru is no longer the person you remember. He... cannot be trusted! The most ridiculous thing about this whole thing is that the Fifth Hokage didn't even contact Orochimaru first before making the news public. This proves that she also had blind confidence in her former comrades..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't speak, but quietly smoked his pipe. After a long while, he took out a scroll from his pocket.

"Please give this to Naruto for me. I feel bad for that child."

"What is this?"

"Some of my ninjutsu insights."

Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Asuma sighed.

"I've said it before, you can't blame him for your mother's death no matter what. Instead of blaming the person who actually committed the crime, you're taking your anger out on a child who also lost his parents and didn't understand anything, and then he's gone..."

---Divider line

Within the Land of Fire.

The setting sun painted the horizon a brilliant golden-red, casting a warm hue over the camp along the official road.

The so-called "camp" is a place specifically for important figures from the Land of Fire or Konoha to rest. Konoha ninjas are stationed here year-round to ensure their safety.

"Hello!"

Sarutobi Asuma suddenly appeared next to Hatake Kakashi, who was hiding in the shadows, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Still watching 'Make-Out Paradise'? You've seen it so many times, you're probably numb to it by now, aren't you?"

"Go to hell."

Kakashi Hatake stared at Asuma Sarutobi with his one eye, then snapped the orange book shut in his hand.

"If you're not going to protect the daimyo, what are you doing here?"

Asuma shrugged, pulled a scroll from his pocket, and waved it in front of Kakashi.

"There's the Fifth Hokage, the Hyuga brothers Hizashi and Hiashi, and Kurenai. They don't need me. I came here to give Naruto this. The old man gave it to Naruto because he knows Naruto has wind-style chakra. These are some insights about wind-style chakra. I also filled in some myself."

"oh."

Kakashi nodded without saying anything, and simply put "Icha Icha Paradise" back into his ninja tool bag.

...

"However, I see they are going out on a mission, so I thought I'd go with your Jinchuriki Guard."

"Let's see some blood..."

"I said, my voice calm," Kakashi Hatake said.

"It's a bit early, but since he left the Ninja Academy, he'd have to go through this sooner or later. It's better with you here. If Naruto really gets provoked and goes berserk, I heard from the Third Hokage that if we can cut off his tail in time, we can stop him from turning into a tailed beast?"

"Yes, I've also heard the old man mention it. It was discovered by the Second Hokage back then. When the First Hokage passed away, Lady Mito was so heartbroken that the Tailed Beast went berserk, and the Second Hokage cut off its tail with the Thunder God Sword. However, according to the Second Hokage, it's only useful before the first tail is fully formed, and the window of opportunity is very short."

"That's good."

Kakashi stretched his neck.

"You stay here and keep watch for a bit, I'm going to take a leak."

"good..."

Asuma responded and turned his gaze to the distance.

There, eleven boys and girls from Konoha stood in neat rows under a lush ancient tree, facing Naruto Uzumaki.

It's clear that these young men and women admire Naruto Uzumaki.

This is not only because he is the son of the Fourth Hokage, but also because of his strength.

Asuma didn't witness it firsthand, but he heard that even Hyuga Neji of the Hyuga clan was subdued by him with a single Body Flicker Technique. His speed was so fast that it seemed as if the Yellow Flash had been reborn...

"Golden Flash..."

Asuma's eyes filled with longing when he thought of that name. It was the most perfect Kage in his mind. He had once dreamed of becoming Hokage, but after Hokage appeared out of nowhere, he became Minato's ironclad ally.

"Why..."

He sighed, looked at Naruto Uzumaki with guilt in his eyes, but he was also torn about what happened back then, since the person who died was his mother.

"The daimyo has safely moved into the camp, so we don't need to worry about the defenses here."

In the distance, Naruto's clear voice came, and Asuma looked in the direction of the sound.

Naruto Uzumaki pulled out a simple map from his pocket, unfolded it in front of everyone, and pointed to a location marked with a red circle.

"Just now, the old... cough, the Fifth Hokage found me. Our team has been assigned its first real-world reconnaissance mission. The objective is to explore the village marked on the map, confirm its current situation, check for any anomalies, and gather intelligence on the surrounding area."

Hyuga Neji immediately stood up, his white eyes looking at Naruto.

"Should we choose someone to go with you?"

"No."

Naruto shook his head and put away the map.

"Everyone except Sakura has to go together."

"Why...why don't I have to go?"

A weak voice rang out, filled with obvious grievance and unease. Sakura Haruno lowered her head and twisted the hem of her clothes with her fingers.

While it might seem "safe" not to carry out dangerous reconnaissance missions, she's not stupid. In a team focused on combat and missions, being excluded from the first group operation means that over time, she'll become a complete "outsider."

However, she dared not express her dissatisfaction or question clearly, because among the eleven people excluding Naruto, her previous ridicule and rejection of "Naruto the loser" was the most obvious and undisguised.

"Because you're not suited for fighting; you'll only hold us back."

"Naruto-kun, you...you can't say that about Sakura."

Hinata Hyuga suddenly spoke up from the side.

Her pure white eyes stared straight at Naruto Uzumaki. This was the first time she had mustered the courage to speak to Naruto since she started school and met him.

"She...worked very hard, just like you did back then. Although...although..."

Hinata Hyuga's voice trailed off as she realized that, recalling Sakura's past mockery of Naruto, she could say nothing more.

"Oh?"

Naruto walked up to Hinata and looked down at her.

How do you know I worked really hard back then?

"Because...because..."

Hinata's face began to steam, turning as red as an apple, and she flicked two fingers in front of her chest.

"Because I saw it with my own eyes."

Finally, Hinata mustered up her courage and spoke.

"I'm just an average person, while Neji is a genius. We're always being compared. But after I met you, Naruto, when I started school, I realized that you're someone who never gives up! I take Naruto-kun as my role model, and I believe you're definitely not that kind of person."

"Then, Hinata."

Naruto brought his face close to Hinata's and looked directly into her eyes.

"Do you think my efforts back then were worthwhile?"

"You...you never give up."

"I'm asking you, is it useful?"

"It's...it's no use."

"After all this effort, the only answer I've received is that one must believe in fate."

Neji Hyuga suddenly looked up at Naruto Uzumaki, his eyes flashing.

"First of all, I'm not holding a grudge against Sakura for mocking me. I'm not that petty. If I really hated her, I wouldn't have recruited her into this team. Besides, if I wanted revenge, wouldn't it have been a better option to have her participate in this mission and then 'accidentally' die in it?"

"Then."

Naruto turned to Sakura and started counting on his fingers.

"In terms of money, you're not as rich as Tenten's family. In terms of bloodline limits, the Ino family is the renowned Yamanaka clan. In terms of teacher background, Rock Lee has Might Guy, the number one taijutsu jonin in Konoha, as his mentor. In terms of combat talent, you're not even as good as one of Neji's fingers."

"So, guess why I hired you?"

"Because...I...I'm good at my studies?"

Sakura's voice became even lower.

"He still has some self-awareness."

Naruto nodded.

"This is the truth I've come to realize: life is short, and to achieve your dreams in a limited time, you must seize your advantages: bloodline, talent, family, teachers, luck. Like me, I've worked so hard for so long, but it's no match for something like 'I am the son of the Fourth Hokage.' That's the truth."

"Naruto-kun, I think you're wrong, so I'll try my best."

Xiao Li retorted, his thick eyebrows furrowed.

"Sakura, what is the seventh period lesson in the first-grade textbook, Physical Education section?"

Naruto glanced at him, then looked at Sakura and asked.

Excessive exercise can lead to... rhabdomyolysis...

"So, you see now, Li? Your physical talent is one in a million. With your training methods, nine out of ten thousand people in the entire village would die..."

"Oh, this..."

"But Naruto-kun, you...you've gotten stronger. Even Neji-nii can't beat you."

"I'm also curious about this question, and there's no answer yet. The most likely explanation is that the fact that I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage stimulated me and caused me to awaken some kind of bloodline limit. This is what I call 'luck.' If I hadn't awakened this power, I wouldn't be standing here today. Instead, I would be hiding in the village and not causing any trouble for it."

"In short, it's Sakura."

Naruto looked at her again.

"Your strengths lie in your learning ability and the solidity of your theoretical knowledge. The value of being first in your grade is undeniable. Even Sasuke can't compare to you in this respect. That's why I recruited you here: to tutor Naho in the basics of ninja."

"Moreover, to put it bluntly..."

He added that the sound was clear.

"If you just maintain a good relationship with Naho, given her status, even a tiny bit of what she gives you in the future will be enough for you and your parents to live comfortably for the rest of your lives. That's much more worthwhile and safer than you working hard as an ordinary ninja who may never be promoted to Chunin, understand?"

"Alright, alright."

Shikamaru scratched his head.

"Naruto is doing this for Sakura's own good, but Naruto, may I say something?"

"certainly."

"Don't make choices for others, even if it's for their own good. That's a lesson my father taught me. Everyone's life is their own experience and choices, isn't it?"

"I will protect Sakura!"

Not far away, Xiao Li clenched his fists, his eyes resolute.

Naruto looked around; everyone's gaze was firm. He nodded slightly.

"Okay, I hope you won't regret it, Sakura."

...

In the distance, Asuma's eyes gleamed as he looked up at a tree.

"Hello!!"

A wet hand suddenly patted his shoulder.

"You bastard!"

Asuma was so startled he almost fell off the tree, turning to glare at Kakashi, who had returned without him noticing.

"A tie, one to one."

Kakashi narrowed his exposed eye, his tone relaxed.

Asuma shook his head speechlessly, glancing at Naruto Uzumaki again, his thoughts seemingly unfocused...

...

The night was deep, outside the village.

The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, with only a few scattered starlights falling, outlining the village as a blurry shadow.

Neji Hyuga and Hinata Hyuga approached Naruto with grim faces.

Neji was alright, though his lips were tightly pressed together and his face was pale. Hinata, on the other hand, covered her mouth, her body trembling slightly, her pure white eyes filled with shock and discomfort.

"It has been investigated and confirmed."

Neji's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"This village, on the surface, is a village, but in reality, it's a slaughterhouse."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but gag, which he forcibly suppressed. Hinata was even more unable to speak, only nodding vigorously.

"Shikamaru".

Naruto looked to the side.

"Explain."

Shikamaru's expression was also not good. He took a deep breath and tried to speak in a calm tone.

"The slaughterhouse is disguised as a village. It looks like an ordinary village with men, women, the elderly, and children, but in reality, it lures people in as prey to be killed. People are treated like livestock here. After they are killed..."

"stop."

Naruto waved his hand.

"No need for description, in short, kill them all."

"Xiao Li, Tenten, Neji's group, are in charge of the south side."

"Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji form a group and are in charge of the east side."

"Shino, Kiba, Sakura, Sasuke, you four will form a group and be in charge of the west side."

"Hinata is in my group as a backup observation and rescue team. Once everything is alright, we'll handle the northern area. Any questions?"

"No!"

"Set off!"

Under the cover of night, the twelve people split into four groups, like shadows blending into the darkness, and silently approached the village from four directions.

Naruto and Hinata, who were part of the observation team, found a high vantage point with a wide view and hid in the tree canopy.

Below, a few barks could be faintly heard from the village, followed by short, muffled thuds, the clanging of metal, and suppressed screams, before silence returned.

"Has it been discovered?"

Naruto asked in a low voice, his gaze sweeping downwards.

No, no.

Hinata's voice trembled slightly as she activated her Byakugan, trying to observe carefully.

"Everyone is amazing... they're killing these bad guys."

"Yes, that's normal. Actually, this is a bloody process. The old woman already knew about what happened here and wanted us to see some blood."

"what?"

Hinata was taken aback.

"Oh, right, Naruto-kun."

"What?"

"You asked before why you had a reason for contacting them, so do you have a reason for contacting me?"

"Yes, I have."

"Why?"

"You're beautiful."

"Pfft..."

Hinata Hyuga transformed into a steam engine, with white smoke seemingly billowing from her head. She swayed precariously, only managing to stay upright thanks to Naruto's quick reflexes in grabbing her wrist.

"Just kidding."

Naruto released his grip, smiled, and turned his gaze back to the village below, which was gradually returning to silence.

"Your strength is that you never give up."

"But, but..."

Hinata cupped her face in her hands, her voice leaking through her fingers.

"You said before... that trying hard is useless."

What I'm saying is, "Never give up." Day after day, month after month, year after year, even when your efforts don't yield results, you keep trying.

"But... what's the use?"

"It's no use, but I'm not resigned to it."

Naruto looked at Hinata Hyuga.

"I'm not... willing to accept this?"

"Yes, I'm not reconciled."

Naruto took a deep breath.

"I worked so hard, and yet, just because I'm the son of the Fourth Hokage, just because I awakened the so-called bloodline limit, I've surpassed everything I had before. What was the meaning of my life before then? So, when I saw you, who shared my plight, I decided to bring you into this team. I hope that one day you can prove to me that the end of hard work is success. After all, you and I are allies, right..."

"Is that so...?"

At that moment, Hinata's eyes seemed to shine with light...

...

"Control..."

Naruto turned back to look at the village, but his thoughts sank into the dark, dilapidated sealed space.

Here, on one side of the wall, there are a bunch of photos of people.

Tsunade, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kakashi Hatake...

He took the pen and gently put a checkmark under Hinata Hyuga's photo.

"My dad wrote in his diary that the essence of being a Hokage is to make more friends and fewer enemies..."

"Next one, um..."

Then, Naruto's gaze fell on the empty space. With a thought, a picture of Sarutobi Asuma appeared on the wall, crouching in a tree far away...