12 Butterfly Effect

"Next cell, number five. Akimichi Shinsuke. Takashi Kinjo. Uchiha Izumi."

Izumi high-fived Kinjo, who continued the chain by slapping Shin. The trio were sitting near each other, and the announcement made all of them break out into excited grins.

"Your jonin instructor will be Shirakumo Hayama," Taku announced. "I wish you three the best of luck."

Kinjo caught the slight grimace on the chunin's face as he announced the instructor, which earned a curious glance toward the door. A grizzled man with long grey hair and a hideous scar on the right side of his mouth bared his teeth and motioned for the three to step outside.

The trio followed him into the hallways, and he inspected each of them like a general inspecting his troops. His hardened expression made Kinjo straighten his posture, especially as the jonin's eyes lingered on him for a few moments longer than the others. "I am Hayama, as you may have heard. I am now your jonin instructor for the foreseeable future."

"It's nice to meet you, sir!" Izumi yelled out, causing Shin and Kinjo to wince.

"Good, I like your enthusiasm, Uchiha Izumi. You'll need it to remain as my pupil." Hayama said. He started walking down the hallway, and Team Five followed behind him. "You may have heard that we are dealing with some shortages in manpower and that the standards to become a genin have… dropped in recent times. However, I still have the authority to send you back to the Academy or place you in the Genin Corps if you do not meet my expectations."

This time, it was Shin that spoke up, "What's the Genin Corps?"

"A place where your aspirations to become a shinobi die. I have read the files for all three of you, and I'm impressed by your close combat abilities. A student training under Gai, an Akimichi, and one of the best taijutsu fighters of your generation. However, I found some parts of your skillsets… lacking, to say the least, which is why I have a test prepared for you. Pass the test, and I'll acknowledge the three of you as my students. Fail, and well… that talk won't be pleasant."

"What's the test?" Kinjo asked. "Do we have to fight you head-on for something or?"

"Ha! Fight me directly? You're a decade too early for that." Hayama laughed heartily. He led them out of the Academy grounds and toward the northwestern portion of Konoha. "No, it's much simpler than that. However, it will determine if you have what it takes to grow under my tutelage and become a well-rounded shinobi. You three may be the last team I take before I enter semi-retirement, and I want to ensure that it's a team worth taking."

Training Ground Nine was filled with trees and bushes but lacked much else. A small clearing was in the center of the grounds, with a long line drawn in the middle and a small wooden pedestal toward the far end of one side. The pedestal held a glass bottle and was loosely secured onto the platform with a rope, approximately fifty meters from the center line.

Hayama pushed the team to the side without the bottle while he stood in front of the pedestal with his arms crossed. "The test is simple; knock over or destroy the bottle. However, there is a catch; you can not cross the line. All body parts must remain behind that center line, but you may use any jutsu or weapons to complete your task. I will 'guard' the bottle and use any means to defend it. You have an hour."

"We can use anything and everything, correct?" Kinjo inquired.

"Yes. Show me your best. Impress me with the flashiest, most advanced jutsu you have to topple that bottle. Remember, if you fail, you will need to reconsider your career choice. You may begin."

The jonin readied his stance and waited for his students to attack. However, before Shin or Izumi could fire any jutsu or weapons, Kinjo grabbed them and dragged them to the edge of their side. He shoved them into a huddle and looked at his puzzled teammates, "It's probably a test of skill and teamwork. He's a jonin while we're genin. There's no way he expects us to overwhelm him."

"So, you're thinking of just giving up?" Izumi scowled. "I didn't think you were a quitter, Kin."

"No, no. What I'm saying is he's expecting us not to have a lot of long-range firepower. I don't think he knows what you and I are capable of," Kinjo glanced at Shin. "Shin, do you have anything up your sleeve that can help us?"

"Uhh… maybe my Partial Multi-Size Technique? I can use it to enlarge my hands and chuck stuff at him? I've never really used it like that before, but I think I can do it."

"Like scoops of dirt or?"

"And trees. I'm strong enough for it," Shin boasted, puffing out his chest and sizeable stomach.

"Perfect. I have an idea then…"

The trio strategized for several minutes before dispersing and taking up positions. Hayama tapped his foot while checking a pocket watch. "A strategy session? Not too bad. It seems as though you have some brains rather than being all brawn. Now, what have you come up with?"

Kinjo and Izumi answered with two large fireballs at the jonin and the bottle.

Hayama chuckled for a moment before responding to their attack, "Water Style: Water Wall."

A thick stream of water burst from Hayama's mouth as he covered his surrounding with a large water dome. The fireballs crashed into the wave, vaporizing the water and creating a sizeable fog around the jonin. Kinjo felt a bead of sweat roll down his forehead as the temperature and humidity rose with every passing second, a sauna in the middle of a forest.

As the duo continued their fire attack, Shin towered behind them and clapped his hands together. "Partial Multi-Size Technique!"

Shin's hands grew into a comical size, large enough to manhandle boulders. He cracked down two trees with a loud thump and heaved them at the jonin. "Battering ram!"

The logs flew toward Hayama, and Kinjo was able to make out the dark figure in the fog as he turned and slashed out with his sword. A powerful arc of wind was unleashed from his blade and sliced the logs mid-air, making them tumble on the ground harmlessly. The arc rushed forward at Kinjo and Izumi, forcing both of them to dash away.

Izumi cut off her fireball and threw a spread of kunai at the bottle, while Kinjo followed with a row of shurikens and set them on fire with his Phoenix Fire jutsu. They were sweating profusely, though Kinjo was not panting like Izumi.

Kinjo smelled burning metal as they whizzed through the air toward their target. He quickly threw a set of kunai before pulling out his gunbai and tossing it at the bottle. The metal chain attached to his fan was wrapped around his wrist as he watched the multitude of projectiles flying in the air. Shin also followed through by throwing a giant clump of dirt, a globe of earth, amongst the storm of steel.

As the fog cleared, Kinjo saw Hayama's impassive face as he swatted away the kunai with his sword and blasted away the shurikens with another wave of water. He sliced through the chunk of dirt with his blade, which glowed green briefly before returning to normal.

Kinjo had hoped the gunbai might be just enough to slip by, but Hayama knocked it down with the handle of his sword at the last second and stepped on it triumphantly. "Is that all you got? The fireballs were impressive but too predictable. The logs were a nice touch, but too slow."

Kinjo slipped back with his teammates and whispered. "Izumi, can you use the Hiding in Ash Jutsu yet?"

"No," Izumi groaned. "I think I can fire a jutsu or two more before burning out, but the fireball was a lot more tiring cause we used it for half a minute!"

"It's fine; save your chakra for that," Kinjo ordered. "Shin, what about you?"

"I'm ok, but I can only expand sparingly. Only like twenty seconds at a time," Shin's hands were back to normal size as they were shoveling melon bread into his mouth. "I still have the other thing I can try too."

"Good, let's try plan number two. Ready?"

"Ready." "Ready!"

"Back for more?" Hayama mused as they stepped forward. "At least you're strategizing and being creative to slip by me. Let's see what else you have up your sleeves."

Kinjo chewed on the inside of his cheeks and urged his chakra to morph into small dusty particles. He held back a gag as he felt a wave of ash surge from his throat and breathed them out, creating a substantial cloud of ash and dust that sprang toward the jonin. He felt Izumi move next to him, tossing her last kunai and using a toned-down version of the Phoenix Sage Fire to control her shurikens as they weaved in the air.

"Ash? Interesting." Hayama swiped the air with his wind-infused chakra blade, dispersing most of the jutsu. However, Kinjo willed every last chakra-infused particle to move back toward its target, causing the jonin to slash again and move while blasting away the shurikens with water. Both Kinjo and Izumi shifted their techniques like homing missiles, tracking the jonin's every movement and occupying his attention.

Shin stepped forth from his position behind Kinjo and whipped out a bo from a scroll. "Multi-Size Technique!"

The Akimichi's body expanded like a balloon being filled with water. His staff grew larger with every passing moment, reaching the size of a tree trunk. After a few seconds, he tossed it, sailing toward the bottle while Hayama was shrugging off the other techniques as if they were flies whizzing around him. Kinjo tugged at his gunbai and sliced it toward the bottle as well, two large weapons that bore down on their final target.

Unsurprisingly, Hayama noticed the weapons after batting away the last of the shurikens and slammed down the gunbai again with his foot while slicing through the bo and the gunbai's chain with his sword. He shoved the staff away with a jet of water, and it landed a few feet to the left of its intended target.

"My staff!" Shin cried as he pulled back the remaining piece, which had shrunk in size. He rubbed the slashed tip and sighed. "Mom is going to kill me; this was one of hers…"

"Damn. Only if you could've expanded my gunbai and swatted everything down. Too bad I threw it recklessly before." Kinjo muttered as he patted his male teammate on the back.

"Nah, I can only expand certain things. Like this bo is made specifically for our clan, and I just broke it…"

Izumi joined them and sighed. "That didn't work either, Kin."

"Yeah, that was a long shot; it was too similar to the first plan. We still have one more plan, though."

"Do you think it'll work this time?"

"Let's hope it does."

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Let's go!"

This time, Shin and Kinjo chucked their kunai at Hayama while Izumi awaited at the wing. Kinjo threw a spread of shurikens after throwing his kunai and leaned back. He took a deep breath before firing his Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu.

Hayama deflected the kunai with his sword and laughed at the incoming burning shurikens. "Again?"

Kinjo held out his arm and smiled. The shurikens dispersed in various directions, creating a dome around the jonin. "Yes."

Before Hayama could swat down the shurikens, they glowed and flashed in the air with blinding luminosity. Kinjo and Shin whipped their heads away to avoid the mini suns from burning their eyes, but not before they threw their remaining kunai at the bottle.

Kinjo felt water splashing his clothes and glanced over his shoulders. His face was immediately basked with the light from the shurikens, blinding him and making him cry out.

Finally, when the dots in his vision disappeared, Kinjo saw Hayama standing with his blade pointed at the genin with a smile on his face. The ground was littered with weapons, small trenches, and puddles of water. "An interesting tactic… What was that jutsu?"

"Phoenix Flash Fire," Kinjo answered. "It's a technique I made up. The shurikens are made with magnesium, which glows like the sun when it's on fire."

"Truly? An interesting technique and a useful one. I'll give you marks for that. It was a good effort, but the bottle still stands."

"Actually, sensei, you should look behind you."

Hayama turned to see the bottle tipped over and shattered by a pair of kunai. He rotated to look at the trio once more, with his smile faded away. The jonin glanced at Izumi, who was whistling innocently with her pupils now back to normal. "I noticed the Sharingan, but how?"

"Leer of the Peculiar." Izumi grinned. "Not a powerful genjutsu, but you were distracted by the flashes, and I managed to sneak one on you after you briefly opened your eyes. I added a more noticeable one on top, so you wouldn't realize it was a two-layered genjutsu. It's very subtle and causes a moment of hesitation, but that's all we needed. "

"Delaying my reactions by a second to slip some kunai past me while making me think I swatted them all away after breaking free from the genjutsu…"

"We pass, right?" Kinjo asked, crossing over the line to retrieve his gunbai.

"... Close enough."

"What do you mean?" Shin spoke up after pulling a bread bag from his pockets.

"What is Shinobi Rule Forty-Four?" Hayama answered, pointing at his head.

Izumi's expression dropped while Kinjo's jaw slackened. Even Shin stopped before opening his bag. The three of them answered in unison, "A shinobi must see the hidden meanings within the hidden meanings."

"And what did I say at the beginning of this test?"

"I knew something was up! I saw something weird in Kin's and Shinsuke's chakra when I used the Sharingan, but I didn't know what it was!" Izumi ranted.

"You would use any means for defending," Kinjo stated in a monotone voice. He raised his index finger and burst chakra through his body. "Kai!"

Instead of a broken, knocked-over bottle, he was greeted by the sight of a bottle in perfect condition that stood several meters to the left of the jonin, a good distance from where he had thought the bottle was. Only then did Kinjo notice everything they had thrown at Hayama had been purposely directed to his right.

"I can't say I'm a master of genjutsu, but I have learned a few tricks over the years," Hayama announced while sheathing his blade. "While you three were distracted by the test itself, I slipped a genjutsu on all of you when we first entered the clearing. An advanced one that shifts an object in your vision to somewhere else. It's called the Echo of Autumn, which I will teach you in the near future, Izumi."

"That sounds really cool; too bad I won't…" Izumi blinked. "Wait, we passed?"

Hayama chuckled. "Three separate plans of attacks with a good show of your overall abilities, which turned out to be more balanced than I initially thought? Not to mention a good demonstration of teamwork and building off each other's skills? Yes, all of you passed. Congratulations."

Shin and Izumi cheered while Kinjo sighed in relief. "Thank god. Those magnesium shurikens cost almost a year's worth of allowance… And I had to borrow some of Shin's and Izumi's kunai and shurikens."

"Well, I will pay for your equipment until you earn money from missions," Hayama promised. "I wouldn't want my new star pupils to get killed because they were Ryo-pinching."

Kinjo bowed and then looked up into the clear sky. It was a good day.

+++++

"Have you asked about the apprenticeship with the Hokage yet?"

"You've asked me every time we've met for the past few months, Kinjo."

"As I said, you're a prodigy and can learn much more with better guidance. Also," Kinjo frowned and leaned in closer so he could whisper. "You know why. I'm not stupid, Itachi. I've seen it multiple times now. Your clan and Konoha have issues, serious ones at that. Someone needs to bridge the gap, and you're… the most suited person for it. Being the Hokage's apprentice will help."

Itachi glared at him but looked away after a few moments. "How long have you known?"

"Since that time I saw your clan member shouting at the Hokage Tower. After that, there was that confrontation between the civilians and the Military Police…"

"For a while, then. I appreciate you caring for my clan's well-being, but this is something beyond you."

"I know. Which is why you need to do it."

Kinjo initially thought of approaching Hiashi directly and trying to petition the Hokage for suggestions on how to ease the tension between the Uchiha Clan and Konoha. However, he quickly discovered several colossal snags in that plan. Chiefly that Simu officially didn't exist; he would be interrogated the moment he stepped into the Hokage's office. He wouldn't be trusted because of a single event that happened to play in Konoha's favor.

Sure, maybe Hiashi could vouch for him, but he had no idea if the Hyuga clan head would stick out his neck for his ideas. Nor was he confident that his words would be taken seriously, considering he lived in a world of shinobi, where deception and ruses were the norms. On top of all this was the fact that the Hokage probably knew the situation of his village better than Kinjo did and might take offense from an outsider boldly petitioning ideas about a delicate situation. So he scrapped his ambitious plan as idealistic but otherwise grand and idiotic.

Instead, he dropped off a letter at the Hyuga Compound once again, this time with a different henge and delivering it through a mail shinobi. While he may have earned some goodwill from his previous letter, the last thing he wanted was to be captured and interrogated, as the information he gave out was sensitive and top secret. He wrote the letter with a different handwriting and used gloves while handling the paper and writing utensils. Standard shinobi protocols.

The letter held some… information that only he could potentially know due to his knowledge about the shinobi world from his past life. It would be the last letter from his anonymous persona, as the village would scour around for the person with such dangerous knowledge.

Hopefully, his letter would be taken seriously and provoke an immediate reaction from the Hokage.

Ultimately, he was a single genin with limited resources and skills in a world filled with people who could shatter mountains. He had knowledge but had no way to enforce said knowledge in a direct manner, at least for now. The most he could do was nudge the ship in the right direction to sail through the hurricane.

He could only pray that the Hokage, Hiashi, and Itachi would eventually find a solution.

It had only been a week since he had officially become a genin. Yet, he was confident that this gambit was the most important one of his shinobi career. His hand unconsciously went into his pocket, where the coin was sitting. His fingers rolled around the rough edges as his thoughts wandered.

Itachi adjusted his headband, fiddling with a loose string hanging out the back. "I'm not sure if Hokage-sama will accept. I'm only ten, and I'm still a mere genin."

"You'll be chunin soon. I'm sure he's wise enough to see the potential in you and the potential change you can bring for the Uchiha Clan and Konoha," Kinjo advised. "Have faith, Itachi. I know you can do it."

"... Sometimes, you sound like my father. I'll submit the request tomorrow."

The two sat wordlessly among the trees in the park within the Uchiha Compound and stared at the empty sky together. Kinjo pulled out a scroll and scrunched his eyebrows together while Itachi closed his eyes as a breeze passed. "Fuinjutsu?"

"How did you know?"

"You only look that confused when studying fuinjutsu."

"Well yeah, it's like calligraphy, art, and jutsu combined into one squiggly mess," Kinjo replied.

Itachi smiled. "Two of them being your worst skills."

"My art isn't that bad. Ask Izumi." Kinjo grumbled.

"I'm sure the resident artist of our group will compliment your fine squares and circles." Itachi deadpanned. "Why fuinjutsu, though?"

"It has potential. I can combine it with my ninjutsu to lock down an area or increase its firepower. Imagine sealing gunpowder or oil in a scroll so I don't need to waste chakra making those during a fight. Or a barrier to contain fire to a certain area."

"You put a lot of thought into it, but most powerful fuinjutsu seals require time for preparations. In a fast-paced fight, that is all but impossible."

"Which is why I'll need to plan in advance and use it selectively," Kinjo agreed. He scribbled some patterns on a new scroll and sighed. "That doesn't look completely right."

Itachi peeked over his shoulders and pointed at a few areas on the paper. "A basic sealing seal. That symbol is too lopsided, and these lines should be curvier."

"Thanks." Kinjo felt a tingling in the back of his neck and discreetly looked at a nearby tree. There was no one there, but he swore he saw a fluttering of leaves that seemed too strong to have been caused by a mere breeze. "Ever get the feeling that we're being watched?"

"The entire compound is being watched. There's a reason why every member of my clan was forced to move back here."

"You knew?"

"It's necessary," Itachi dismissed his question. "One of my clansmen may have been involved in the Nine-Tails Attack. Even in a village like ours, that is a good reason for surveillance."

Kinjo opted for silence, sighing in relief as his precaution earlier wasn't unwarranted. Yet, Itachi's words gave him a pause.

Itachi was idealistic, which Kinjo saw as a strength. His idealism was what helped save the world in the end. However, Itachi was blissfully unaware of the more atrocious acts Konoha had committed, whether it was due to Danzo or Hiruzen. This thought was only reinforced after witnessing the Uchiha having valid concerns about their position in the village.

Konoha ignoring the minor grievances and failing to address the serious ones would eventually snowball into a catastrophe. A catastrophe Konoha would solve by committing genocide.

If Itachi did become Hokage, then perhaps his idealism would temper Konoha's darker tendencies. However, that remained to be seen.

"Hey, guys!" Izumi shouted out as she ran toward them. "Sorry, I'm late! Mom made me do some chores! She was fussing over me more than usual after I told her we might get our first mission soon. What were you two up to?"

Itachi looked up. "You should be Kinjo's art tutor. Otherwise, he might blow himself up with a badly drawn exploding seal."

"I can create explosions without an exploding seal, thank you very much," Kinjo grumbled.

+++++

It was pouring. Dramatic or emotional scenes always had grey rainy weather with even greyer clouds to emphasize the mood. Spring showers weren't uncommon, but the current weather was more than a mere shower. Kinjo knew something was up when a sudden downpour bombarded the village out of nowhere, leading to his team ending training a bit early.

Instead of heading home, he decided to make his way to Ichiraku Ramen, located just a few blocks from the Academy. Not just because he was hungry but because he had a gut feeling that he would see a familiar face there.

At least, that was his excuse. As he neared the shop, the aromatic smell of pork and broth, with a hint of ginger and soy sauce, made his stomach howl. He could almost hear the boiling ingredients even above the rapid taps from the raindrops.

"Welcome back!"

"Hello," Kinjo waved at Teuchi, who was cooking behind the counter. He scanned the stall and saw that all the seats were empty. He shook off the water from his clothes and slid into a seat directly in front of the man. "How's the business doing, sir?"

Teuchi added several spoonfuls of tare before pouring a milky broth into a large bowl. "As busy as always! You just missed the dinner rush. Hopefully, we'll get a few more customers, but we might close early today because of the heavy rain. Not too many folks are willing to get drenched for a bowl of ramen."

"I just finished training. Hot broth and noodles sounded good after a workout in this weather."

"Haha! You have excellent taste, just like your old man! How is he doing, by the way?"

"He's doing fine, and so is the shop." Kinjo watched as Teuchi twirled a large pile of noodles into the bowl and sliced a hefty number of chashu pork slices on top. "Did you need something from him?"

Teuchi shook his head. "Not for now. I'll ask him for some shiitake mushrooms at next week's business association meeting. I'll need to make sure he accepts the full payment this time."

"Well, you do give me free ramen."

"That's the least I can do when he gives me those big discounts when I buy ingredients from him! He needs to think about your family more. He works hard to secure some difficult suppliers, yet he's always so generous with his prices. Your father is very popular with the business owners around Konoha."

"He's the best," Kinjo agreed.

"Not to mention, he always brags about his young and talented eldest son." Teuchi grinned. He placed some green onions, mushrooms, and boiled eggs into the bowl before sliding it before Kinjo. "Your usual: tonkotsu ramen with extra tare, chashu, and onions."

Kinjo's eyes widened at the giant heap of food. "This seems… bigger than usual."

"Consider it my congratulatory present for your graduation. Also, since you're a shinobi now, you'll need to eat more to grow!"

"Thank you." Kinjo speared his chopsticks into the noodles and savored the chewy noodles. He drank some rich, salty broth before turning back to Teuchi. "By the way, where is Ayame?"

"She's sleeping upstairs. That daughter of mine is far too eager to help me with the business and exhausted herself running around during the dinner rush. I'll tell her you said hello. You should visit more often! She doesn't have too many friends her age, and she likes it when you're here."

"I'll keep that in mind. I'm sure I'll come here more often since my team's usual training ground is nearby."

They chatted for a few minutes before Teuchi glanced toward the street and motioned with his hand. "Come in!"

Kinjo looked back to see a tiny blond peek into the shop. He shivered as he walked in, his trembling blue eyes bouncing back and forth between Kinjo and Teuchi. He stumbled onto a seat at the very end of the counter and shrank away when Kinjo smiled at him.

After meeting Sasuke a few months ago, Kinjo expected to meet Naruto. Yet, he was still taken aback by how small Naruto was and how docile he acted.

Teuchi pointed to the menu and grinned. "What can I get for ya?"

"Uh…" Naruto glanced at Teuchi and then back to Kinjo. "I… I don't have any money."

"No worries, lad. Think of this as my treat for a first-time customer!"

"Then… can I get the miso ramen?"

"One bowl of miso ramen, coming right up!" Teuchi whipped out the ingredients dramatically compared to before and exaggerated his movements to Kinjo's and Naruto's amusement.

While waiting for Teuchi to finish cooking, Kinjo tapped the small boy's shoulders. Naruto flinched and scooted to the edge of his seat, but Kinjo smiled reassuringly to ease the boy's frayed nerves. "What's your name?"

"Naruto?"

Kinjo chuckled. "No, that's not my name. Is it yours, though?"

"Naruto," the blond answered.

"I'm Kinjo; nice to meet you."

He stuck out his hand for Naruto to shake. Naruto stared at his hand and tilted his head. "You… don't hate me?"

"Why would I hate someone that I just met? I know who you are, but to me, you're just another kid like my sister."

"He's right," Teuchi interjected while pouring the broth into a bowl. "You seem like a nice kid. I've seen you around here before."

Naruto's shoulders eased up as he shook Kinjo's hand, and a giant smile formed on his face. The smile was even more prominent when Teuchi put the miso ramen in front of him. "Now, eat up!"

"Thanks!" Naruto dug into his bowl with gusto while Kinjo joined him and finished his own.

They finished around the same time just a few minutes later, with Teuchi watching with his arms crossed approvingly. Naruto let out a loud burp and scratched the back of his head sheepishly while Teuchi's laughter boomed through the sound of the rain. "I've never seen someone eat my ramen with such enthusiasm. Feel free to come back anytime, Naruto."

"I don't have money right now… but I will when I become a great shinobi and the Hokage!" Naruto announced with a grin. "I'll pay you back then, I promise!"

"Well, until you make enough money as a shinobi, ramen here is free for you until I say otherwise," Teuchi replied. He handed Kinjo an umbrella from behind the counter. "Kinjo, why don't you walk him home? It's late, and it's still raining dogs and cats. You can return the umbrella the next time you visit."

Kinjo nodded as he opened up the umbrella. "Of course. Thank you, sir. Come on, Naruto, I'll take you home."

The pair walked out after Kinjo discreetly snuck a bill under his empty bowl, and Naruto looked up at him with an uncertain smile. "Are you a shinobi?"

"Yep. Just got my headband two weeks ago," Kinjo said, moving his headband up and down with his free hand. "You wanted to be a shinobi too, right?"

"Yeah! I want to be the Hokage one day!"

"Sounds like an excellent goal. If you work hard enough, I'm sure you'll get there someday."

"Can you teach me shinobi stuff then?"

"... Maybe some other time. My sister is your age, and she also nags me about 'shinobi stuff' all the time. I think you would like her. Anyways, what did you do today? Anything interesting other than visiting the ramen place?"

Naruto blinked and listed everything he had done for the past week in an excited tone. As the blond jumped up and down from his tale, Kinjo listened to his every word and answered with similar enthusiasm.

He knew he was biased. It was hard not to be because he knew who Naruto was and what he was capable of becoming. Yet, he assured himself that even if he didn't know about Naruto, he would've treated the boy with kindness and respect.

Because when a small lonely boy drenched by the rain came into Kinjo's vision, his first thought wasn't to ignore him; it was to help.

Naruto was five years old, an age when he was supposed to enjoy his childhood and live carefree. Yet, he was socially isolated and shunned by the local population for circumstances beyond him. It was cruel, yet it was often the norm, even in Kinjo's previous life.

People, even entire communities and races, were demonized for illogical reasons, and their persecution was normalized through self-serving justifications.

It was a wonder that Naruto turned out the way he did despite everything working against him.

He wouldn't try to indoctrinate or train Naruto. No, Naruto needed to go about his own journey as his own person. What Kinjo could do was to be someone he could talk to, a person that could make his childhood just a bit easier. There was still time until canon, and he was going to ensure that Naruto enjoyed that time as a child, not as a shinobi.

After all, if he couldn't help a small boy feel a little more alive, how could he expect to change the world?

+++++

The Hokage Tower loomed visibly even during the dead of night. The building itself wasn't particularly tall, but a presence emphasized the residence more than any other building in the vicinity. That presence was even more pronounced this particular evening as a muffled spike of power echoed through the night.

Within the Hokage's office was a simple desk strewn with papers and scrolls. A stack of folders, books, and stationary equipment guarded the front of the desk. It was messy, yet there was a sense of order amidst the heap when the Hokage sat behind it all.

The elderly man had his hand interlocked in front of his face and stared at Hiashi, who had waited for the Hokage to read the content of the letter. His large hat accented his intense stare, which bore into the clan head. "Can you vouch for this… 'Simu?' This information seems far-fetched, at best."

"He was the one that gave us information during the Kumo Incident, Hokage-sama," Hiashi answered.

"It could've been a ruse to earn our favor and then use that opportunity to accuse one of my trusted advisors of an abominable crime."

Hiashi grimaced. "There is a way to check if his claims are true."

"Ah, that is true. Are you willing then, Hiashi?"

"If it is as Simu says, then I also have a vested interest in this matter. I am more than willing."

The Hokage lit his pipe with his teeth and inhaled for a few seconds. He leaned back in his chair and sighed, releasing a plume of smoke. "Hound."

"Yes, Hokage-sama?" A voice asked. The speaker remained out of sight from the two occupants of the office.

"Bring Danzo to me."

"Right away."

"And have your left eye at the ready."

"... As you say."

Instead of waiting for the Hokage to order him, Hiashi tensed and activated his Byakugan, glaring at the entrance to the office. A few silent minutes ticked by as Hiruzen rhythmically tapped his desk with his fingers while Hiashi stared at the door with his veins bulging. The stench and smoke of the tobacco filled the room and grew with each passing moment as Hiruzen inhaled his pipe constantly, his eyes hidden under his hat.

Finally, Hiashi squinted and snarled before deactivating his Byakguan. "His right eye is sealed. I don't recognize those patterns."

"... I see." Hiruzen rose from his seat and placed his pipe away. "Hound, ensure that you are observing him."

"I am, Hokage-sama."

The subject of their talks strolled into the room, with every methodical step sounding louder than the previous ones. He ignored the stares and looked serene as he stood in the middle of the office, with only his tense shoulders giving away his reaction to the atmosphere. "You shouldn't smoke this much considering your age, Hiruzen."

"Danzo," Hiruzen acknowledged. He shifted his hat to bring his glare into full view, his eyes brimming with intensity and disapproval. "I have a request for you."

"What is it?"

"Remove the bandage around your right eye."

The Hokage's request was met with a small frown. "I am not sure what you have been told, but I am blind in that eye, Hiruzen."

"Then why are there seals that are indecipherable even to the head of the Hyuga Clan on that eye?"

Danzo glanced at Hiashi before turning his attention back to the Hokage. "As protection. It is necessary to protect my blind side."

"Remove it, Danzo."

A burst of air blasted from the Hokage, sending papers and books flying into the walls. Danzo remained inscrutable even after the display of power. "Of course, Hokage-sama. However, I expect repercussions for these false accusations."

The pair watched as Danzo unwrapped the bandages with slight hesitation before revealing a blank white eye. "As I said, I am blind in this eye."

"He used chakra on his entire body for a brief moment before he revealed the eye," Hound mentioned as he materialized by the Hokage's side.

"Do you take me for a fool, Danzo?" the Hokage asked as he slammed his desk with his fists. "Do you think I do not know what Izanami is? After all the years I have spent working alongside the Uchiha and fighting with them on the battlefield?"

"It was necessary to use chakra to undo the sealing of the eye," Danzo replied promptly.

"Then you would not object if I required a DNA test on that eye? Perhaps I will need to thoroughly examine the records of all Uchiha whose bodies were not recovered as well. I recall there was one case…"

"... That would be unnecessary. However, I assure you it was…"

"Do you realize the implications of your actions, Danzo?" Hiruzen admonished. "Grave robbing one of Konoha's most precious dojutsu or worse?"

Hiashi stepped back and readied into a fighting stance. "If he is willing to steal the Sharingan, then it is not impossible for him to possess the Byakugan as well, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage nodded. "Which is why there will be severe repercussions."

"The usual punishment is death."

"As I said, severe repercussions. Hiashi and Hound, you two may excuse yourselves. I will need to speak with Danzo alone. Thank you for your assistance on this matter. I will inform you of the details later on, Hiashi."

"Will you be fine?" Hound questioned.

"I will manage. I expect everything that transpired in this room to remain within this room."

Hound left silently through the window while Hiashi glared at Danzo and the Hokage before leaving the office.

The two elders were left alone, with Hiruzen circling back to his seat and sinking into the comfortable leather. Danzo watched, his soulless eyes tracking his counterpart's every movement. "It was a necessity for defending Konoha."

"A necessity?" Hiruzen stared at him in disbelief. "Do you realize how hypocritical you sound, considering your opposition to any concessions toward the Uchiha Clan and pushing them to the brink?"

"Concession to threats will only stir up their enthusiasm for violence and treachery."

"Treachery that they have a valid justification for due to your actions, Danzo. Can you imagine if the Uchiha Clan discovered that one of the village elders snatched their dojutsu off one of their clansmen's corpses? You are their fear and paranoia about the village manifested."

"So what will you do then, Hiruzen?" Danzo scoffed. "Execute me?"

Hiruzen stroked his beard as he stared at the ceiling. "No."

"I always knew you were too soft for that hat."

"Instead, I will now have total oversight of Root. Any and all Root operations within Konoha will cease immediately for the time being. However, I will grant you some leeway in maintaining your missions outside the village limits. You are also removed from your position within my council, and you will submit yourself and all Root members to a weekly medical check-up to prevent this from occurring again."

"... The sleeping tiger finally awakens."

"You can only get away with so much. Especially when the head of another clan with a powerful dojutsu was here to witness it." Hiruzen said. "Additionally, your opposition regarding the current Uchiha situation will cease, especially considering the new information I have received about the truth behind the Nine-Tails Attack."

Danzo frowned. "I assume this 'new information' also spoke of… my eye? Are you naive enough to believe it so willingly? Don't you suspect this may be another village's ploy to fracture our leadership?"

"This informant also provided valuable information regarding the Kumo Incident. Information that has placated Kumo for some time and strengthened our position among the villages. Perhaps I should see if Jiraya knows about him…"

"What information was on there?"

Hiruzen sat motionless for a few moments before handing him the letter. "Perhaps it will ease some of your concerns regarding the Uchiha Clan and give you something else to focus on."

The elder skimmed through the content before looking back at his old friend. "A rogue Uchiha? One that we wrote off for dead? They are the one that carried out that attack?"

"There are a few that I know of. As I mentioned earlier, bodies that were never recovered. The details match up perfectly with what happened that night. If the informant didn't know the perpetrator, then it's impossible for him to have this knowledge."

"How convenient this informant was under his genjutsu for years."

"The captor knew about your Sharingan. Simu only discovered this information from him."

"Which means we have bigger issues, especially regarding our internal security," Danzo finished. "How do we know this rogue Uchiha is not aligned with the Uchiha Clan?"

"You've placed the Uchiha Clan under surveillance for years now. Have your agents reported anything of the sort?"

"... Growing discontent, but not outright rebellion or working with foreign villages. The few Uchiha that venture outside the village are also watched, but it's not impossible that…"

"I have had enough of bickering with you over the Uchiha Clan." Hiruzen declared. "We will make amends before this rogue Uchiha does anything to poison the well further. There is another piece of information that we can investigate. If that also turns out to be true, then perhaps we can both acknowledge that Simu has given us truthful information."

"Orochimaru and this Akatsuki in Amegakure… It may be worth investigating. There must be a reason why this rogue Uchiha and Orochimaru are a part of this organization. They are potential threats to Konoha."

"You may decide on the Root agents you will send for the task, but I want the names and the mission report on my desk before you send them off. After all, Simu noted that this organization is treacherous, filled with S-rank criminals. Secrecy and caution must be maintained at all costs."

"Of course," Danzo remarked. "As for your… negotiations with the Uchiha Clan. What will you propose to them?"

"What they've wanted this entire time: de-segregating of the military police, along with listening to their grievances and acting on them," Hiruzen responded.

"There is a reason why no other clan is willing to be a part of the Military Police."

"Hiashi volunteered his clan. He informed me that the attempted kidnapping would've been foiled before it began if a Hyuga was on patrol on the night of the Kumo Incident."

Danzo nodded. "I see the potential. The Byakugan would improve our internal security, spotting potential infiltrators and foiling any subversive activities long before they become a larger issue. But why now?"

"It doesn't matter. However, this will allow me to cite the Kumo Incident as the reason for this change in course, thus appealing to the Uchiha Clan without making it look like capitulation."

"Even with this, and solving their other trivial grievances, it will not be enough. The Uchiha are too prideful and will demand more."

Hiruzen pulled out an application and smoothed it out over his desk. "But this will be. This was submitted to me several days ago, and I have decided. I will take Uchiha Itachi under my wing once he becomes chunin and groom him to be my eventual successor. It will erase any remaining concerns the Uchiha have about the village leadership."

"Itachi… An apt choice - something both of us can agree upon."

"He has wisdom far beyond his years, and his growth after unlocking his Sharingan has been nothing short of extraordinary. I believe his genius exceeds even that of my former student."

"... Your plan may work."

"It will work, Danzo. That I will make sure."

+++++

"... That bumbling old fool. At an age where he should be enjoying retirement, instead, he is set on softening the village with his ideals." Danzo mused as he sat in his private room within the Root Headquarters. "Perhaps this is an opportunity for him to shed his Will of Fire and force him to face the realities of keeping the village safe by any means necessary."

The evening had not gone the way he had planned, yet for some reason, he was not bothered by the developments. The information about the rogue Uchiha gave him some pause, but he would use every resource he had to discover more. Perhaps Kabuto could pursue the lead at Amegakure after he finished his mission in Kiri...

"He is finally alive, instead of shackling along since the attack…"

Danzo scanned the file on his desk and tossed it away. A single picture fell out, revealing a boy with light brown hair and seal brown eyes. He was smiling for his ninja registration photograph, though Danzo could see a glint in his eyes that set him apart from his peers. "A boy that has Itachi's ears. Capable of one day reaching greater heights, with the right guidance."

His agents had reported some interesting things about Kinjo's behavior and words. If he weren't born and raised in the village, Danzo would've even suspected him of being a clever foreign agent masquerading as a child. Yet, from all accounts, the boy was just that mature and wise. And he had untapped talent, with intelligence and wits to match.

He had considered recruiting Kinjo into Root before but dismissed the idea almost instantly. The boy was too well-known to various people throughout the village and displayed a heavy reliance on relationships. It would've raised too many questions with far too many issues.

His previous decision was now turning out to be a silver lining. Even in his current position, he could at least influence the future.

While Itachi was ruthless and capable, Danzo knew Hiruzen's influence would rub off on him in time. His old teammate had a penchant for spreading the Will of Fire, as irresponsible as it was. The foundations were already there; Itachi nearly died saving his teammate during the attack on the Fire Daimyo.

"I can not allow a narrow, old-fashioned view to dominate our village's leadership," Danzo chuckled, an unfamiliar rattle that sounded more like gasps rather than laughs. "Looks like our battle will continue onto the next generation, Hiruzen."

After all, there was nothing suspicious about advising and teaching an up-and-coming talented shinobi from a civilian background. The Fourth Hokage had been picked up and tutored by Jiraya. With the time Danzo now had, he could pass it off as a newfound interest in teaching youngsters with potential. And if they picked up more than just techniques from him, who was to judge?

He was sure he would be watched, but even Hiruzen would see the tangible benefits of having him pass down his abilities to a successor.

It was time for the roots that protected the great tree of Konoha to rise from the earth and make their presence known. He had found the public face for them.