Kitsune, S-Rank

"Let's go, it's time to go to the academy," Itsuki said with a smile. Hinata nodded shyly, still embarrassed from earlier.

Soon they were out of the Hyuga clan compound and Itsuki watched as tension leave Hinata's shoulders after they crossed the gates. Itsuki pretends to not notice, moving nonchalantly behind his ward.

Soon they reach near academy and Itsuki senses a familiar but significantly larger chakra signature skulking in the tree line. Extending his hand, Itsuki gave a tree a chakra-powered tap. The tree shook and a figure in all orange fell down into bushes. Naruto got up, wanting to complain but one look from Itsuki stopped him right in his tracks.

He gave Itsuki a stink eye and made his way to the academy. Itsuki turned his attention to sensing, focusing on four strong chakra signatures hiding around Naruto.

It did not astonish him, four Anbu following the Jinchuriki was not odd, especially during wartime. Naruto was an asset, a weapon to the village. Naruto's own father, the Fourth Hokage made him that, a weapon and no amount of sugar-coating can change that.

Making four hand seals, Itsuki wove a genjutsu, expanding it to cover the entire block before ensnaring Anbu's in it. The Kurama clan genjutsu, even in its very base form is potent enough to control all five senses of its victim. Just like that, Anbu fell under Itsuki's control.

Itsuki smiled in satisfaction at his handiwork. Tweaking their perception just a little bit, he made his way to sulking Uzumaki.

Where Itsuki and the rest were standing in a deserted alley, just a little off from academy gates. No one was present to witness their interactions and with things heating up, he did not want Hokage to know the extent of the relation between him and Naruto.

"Hey, is this how you treat me after seeing me in weeks?" Itsuki continued, ignoring Hinata'a eeep, "I feel hurt."

"Baka, you threw me." Naruto pointed at Itsuki with righteous indignation. Itsuki raised his hands in defense, "I just tapped the tree a little, I had no idea your hold was so weak."

Both of them know that was not what happened, Naruto was not that incompetent. Itsuki detected Anbu's but Naruto had no idea he was being followed. Itsuki made him fall to make him look inconspicuous, and not display stealth skills way above an academy student.

Even the banter was actually a code, informing Naruto he was being followed and to keep low for the next few weeks. Even if Itsuki had Anbu under his Genjutsu, a ninja can never be too careful.

"Alright enough banter, it's time for Academy." Itsuki brought Hinata forward, who was trying to hide behind Itsuki, "This is Hinata and she is also going to the academy."

"Hi, I am Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage, dattebayo," Naruto said, giving her his signature megawatt grin.

Itsuki sensed Hinata gushing over being close to her idol, and then, just like that, she fainted. Only Itsuki supporting her kept her galling on the ground. Shaking his head, he complained, "See what did you do? Not even an hour into my mission and I have a fatality."

Naruto sputtered, "Hey You were...I did not...I mean you were supposed to protect her. You did not do your job properly so it is your fault, not mine. Yes, Yes, your fault, not mine."

Itsuki could not take it anymore, he laughed. "No need to worry so much," he got out between his laughs. Laying down Hinata on a bench, he got serious, "Naruto keep an eye on her at the academy. She has suffered enough already."

Naruto nodded, knowing firsthand how innocently cruel children can be.

"I am getting late, see you later." Naruto ran towards the academy, only to stop a little ways from Itsuki, "And Itsuki-nii," Naruto did not look back, "It's great to see all right," and immediately dashed away.

Itsuki stilled and smiled a little. It was the first time he met Naruto after the border mission. His actions during the mission will forever haunt him but knowing people he cares about care back makes their deaths over his a little bearable.

Shaking off ideal thoughts, Itsuki rubbed his fingers together, using chakra to accumulate static charge at his fingertips. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a small bolt towards Hinata, barely enough to shock her awake.

"You should sleep at night, now is time for the academy Hinata-sama." leading still red Hinata towards the academy, Itsuki slowly relinquished his control over the genjutsu he was maintaining all this time, despite Anbu's being none the wiser.

He sensed a familiar chakra signature approach and settle in foliage. Itsuki saw as Kito signaled from his hidden position in hand signs to come to Hospital.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Konoha General, an hour later

"Good, come in Itsuki. I think you should see this." Tsunade pushed the reports regarding Nx-244 towards Itsuki. Itsuki did not question, sensing her emotions.

He picked up the stack of papers and started to read. Tsunade watched on as Itsuki's frown grew the more he read, a look of recognition when Uchiha's surname became common and finally, rage when he read the last name.

"I should have known, Danzo never had just one plan in action." Itsuki held his forehead, this complicated few things, and explained few others.

"We now know why Ichika did not die at childbirth, damage to her DNA occurred after that."

"It goes beyond that." Tsunade was not finished, "Someone was outsourcing our information and modifying records for decades. I have no idea just how much was changed, how many post mortems falsified and research stolen. It was completely an accident I even got to know about the leak after I started investigating into missing Nx case."

"Even records of Apotheosis were stolen" Itsuki raised his head at that, as Tsunade continued, "They were coded, yes but even you know how flimsy your code was."

"I never expected it to be stolen, and to begin with, those notes are not even complete."

"But it would be enough for Danzo and the rest of the elders to draw conclusions, "Tsunade yelled, anger rolling off her. Anger at her incompetence, anger at Danzo and damned Elder Council, anger for not discovering the leak earlier. "Itsuki, even from the little I could deduce about your abilities, you are a monster. You make genius like Kakashi look like blubbering academy students. And if they think you have a way to reach that level, they will not stop at anything to get it."

She pulled out a Bingo book and threw it at him, "Open page 35." Catching it, Itsuki opened it to find a familiar fox mask drawn on it.

"Kitsune Wanted Dead or Alive! Bounty S-rank, offered by Kumogakure and Amegakure, Wanted for actions at border skirmishes." Itsuki read it out loud.

"It's you, is it not. I got a bingo book just this morning and made the connection, how long will it take for Danzo to do that. For all we know, he may already have, he was always suspicious of you."

"You are right," Itsuki put down the bingo book, "We have to move up the schedule on Apotheosis. Danzo he... I can not afford to be passive anymore."