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Chapter 92: The Next Unlucky One?
🕑 Added 2025-03-04 15:52:10 +0000 UTCChapter 92: The Next Unlucky One?
"I wonder how things are going in the Land of Hot Water…"
Walking through the bustling streets of Konoha, Haruta strolled leisurely with Yugao, silently mulling over his thoughts.
To be honest, it was impossible for him not to be curious—after all, the trap he had set for Danzō wasn’t small.
Even though it hadn’t fully erupted yet, that sentimental Hokage was bound to hold onto grudges.
But that was exactly his intention—because the deeper the pit, the harder it would be to climb out of!
Of course, there might be some unexpected gains as well, but that would depend on how things unfolded.
"What are you thinking about? You look like you have a lot on your mind."
Yugao noticed that Haruta had been unusually quiet and gave him a curious glance.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you want to head back?"
"No need, I’m fine."
Haruta snapped out of his thoughts and quickly shook his head—only to immediately regret responding so fast.
"Really? Then why are you still on leave?"
Yugao blinked and asked curiously. Haruta could only sigh.
"I’ve mostly recovered, but if I can rest, I might as well take advantage of it. Otherwise, why would our teacher give me a leave permit?"
Yugao pursed her lips at that. She couldn't help but think: Tsunade-sensei’s leave permits actually count?
Haruta had somehow managed to get his hands on a large sum of money and handed it over to Tsunade, making her absolutely ecstatic. But that also meant trouble for Yugao and Shizune.
They had to spend a great deal of time dragging Tsunade back from bars and gambling dens. And more often than not, they would hear her shouting—
"Don’t bother me! I’m rich now!"
In such an atmosphere, how could Tsunade be bothered to care about anything else? Getting a leave permit from her was as easy as a single sentence for Haruta.
Yugao felt helpless, but Haruta was enjoying himself immensely.
Being able to slack off like this was simply amazing!
He had mostly recovered already, but he had no intention of going back to work just yet.
After working so hard for so long, why shouldn't he take a break?
He hadn’t said, "Keep the music going, keep the dance going," yet—that was already being considerate!
Besides, the Hokage wasn’t even in the village. There was no rush to return to duty.
Slacking off whenever possible—that was the classic move of a seasoned veteran!
"Alright, stop overthinking. Taking a break is normal. Look, aren’t you on a break today too?"
Haruta shook his head and stopped dwelling on it. He smiled, winked at Yugao, and took her hand, leading her toward the livelier part of the village.
"Just relax and enjoy yourself. No need to overthink things when you're out for a rare day off."
Yugao let herself be pulled along, feeling a little exasperated. But she had long since gotten used to this kind of situation and could only follow obediently.
Though today wasn’t an official rest day, Konoha was as bustling as ever. The lively streets were filled with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares.
People of all kinds wove through Konoha’s streets and alleyways. Haruta had never been to other villages, but he had to admit—he quite liked how Konoha was.
"Damn it! Where did that brat go?"
"Check over there! We can’t let that damn kid get away!"
"How the hell did the village even let that brat become a ninja?"
"Enough talking—just find him already!"
Just as Haruta and Yugao were strolling through the streets, a large group of Konoha villagers stormed past them, grumbling and cursing under their breath.
Each of them looked furious, their anger practically radiating off them.
"Huh? What’s that about?"
Yugao curiously glanced at the group, but Haruta’s gaze locked onto a nearby wall. His mouth twitched.
"Maybe… someone’s pulling a prank."
That wall looked… off. It was clearly a disguise, though to ordinary people, it wasn’t easy to notice.
Haruta thought for a moment and quickly figured out who it was. So, instead of leaving, he grabbed Yugao’s hand and waited until the angry villagers passed. Then, he walked up to the disguised wall.
"Come on out, kid. They’re gone."
Haruta sighed. Yugao also examined the fake wall with interest—she had clearly noticed something too.
"Eh? I got caught?"
A familiar, childish voice rang out. A moment later, the wall seemed to shed its skin, revealing a blonde-haired kid peeking out.
"Naruto?"
Yugao frowned when she saw the little troublemaker. She had just taken Karin to school earlier today, so she knew this wasn’t a break day.
"You little brat, what’s going on? Don’t you have school today?"
"Isn’t it obvious? He skipped class."
Haruta smirked as he looked at Naruto.
"And let me guess—those villagers were chasing after you, right? What kind of mess did you get yourself into this time?"
"Uh… Big brother, big sister, I…"
Naruto looked embarrassed. He hadn’t expected to run into the two people he admired the most right after pulling a prank!
Naruto had been in school for a while now and had made a few friends.
But the ones he thought about the most were still Haruta and Yugao.
After all, aside from the old man Hokage, these two treated him the best.
They took him out for ramen, bought him things—every little bit of kindness, he remembered.
Even though… they had tricked him before.
Like when they said they weren’t actually ninjas. But little things like that didn’t matter to him.
Seeing them again made him really happy, but the situation… wasn’t ideal.
"I just played a little prank on them… I didn’t expect…"
After a brief hesitation, Naruto gave a sheepish smile.
"A prank?" Yugao wasn’t convinced. "A prank wouldn’t get that many people chasing after you."
"It was probably some kind of mischief."
Haruta chimed in, making Naruto’s face darken.
"I’ve been hearing rumors while on leave—something about a certain brat pulling pranks all over the place, like throwing paint on people. That wouldn’t be you, would it?"
"I…"
Naruto lowered his head, unsure of what to say—because, well, it was him.
"I just wanted to…"
"Alright, never mind that. Since we ran into you, why don’t you tag along with us for a bit?"
Haruta didn’t press him further. Instead, he reached out and ruffled Naruto’s spiky blonde hair.
It was surprisingly soft—felt nice, actually.
"Eh?"
Naruto stared at Haruta in surprise. He had expected a scolding—after all, even the old man Hokage had reprimanded him before.
But Haruta didn’t seem to care much at all?
"Haruta, aren’t you being too lenient? If this keeps up, he’s just going to get worse."
Yugao frowned slightly as she glanced between Naruto and Haruta.
Sure, the kid was pitiful, but spoiling him too much wouldn’t be good for his future.
"So what, should I beat him up?"
Haruta tilted his head at Yugao. Naruto stiffened but didn’t run away—at least, not from these two.
"Besides, I’m guessing this kid is doing all this to get people’s attention, to feel some kind of recognition, right?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
Yugao looked surprised at the insight, while Naruto’s eyes lit up—like he had found someone who truly understood him!
"But… isn’t that kind of dumb?"
Yugao asked in confusion.
"Not only is it pointless, but it’ll just make people dislike him even more."
If it were anyone else, Naruto would have argued back. But since it was Yugao, he just kept quiet.
"Yeah, it’s pretty dumb."
Haruta nodded and looked at Naruto with a small smile.
"Listen, kid, pranks might get you noticed, but they won’t earn you real recognition…"
"After all, no one enjoys being pranked. It just makes people angry. The bigger the prank, the more resentment it causes.
"Recognition doesn’t come from pointless troublemaking or upsetting others. It comes from doing meaningful, valuable things."
Haruta wasn’t sure if Naruto could fully grasp his words. After all, the kid had lived a tough life, which had shaped his way of thinking differently from most people. Otherwise, who else would keep pulling pranks just to get attention?
Perhaps, in Naruto’s eyes, this was simply a way to make people notice him—a desperate attempt to gain recognition.
"Why hasn’t the Third Hokage corrected this? Seriously…"
Haruta sighed but didn’t dwell on it. He patted Naruto’s head again and continued.
"You think that as long as you grab everyone’s attention and make things interesting, they’ll accept you?"
"Mm…"
Naruto hesitated but eventually nodded.
Haruta shrugged and asked, "So, if I threw a couple of cockroaches into your ramen while you were eating, how would you feel?
"Or if I hid your ramen just before you poured in the hot water, making it go all soggy, what then?
"Or maybe… right when Ichiraku is about to close, I buy the last bowl right in front of you—"
"Stop it, big bro!"
Naruto clenched his fists, feeling an urge to protest. Why was Haruta only using ramen examples?! Couldn’t he use something else?
But thinking about it… if someone did those things to him, he’d be absolutely furious.
So if he did similar things to others, wouldn’t they feel the same way?
"Oh no…"
A realization hit Naruto hard. He didn’t like it when people treated him like that—so why would they like it when he did it to them?
But still… he hesitated, looking at Haruta with big, watery eyes.
"But… I’ve seen others pull pranks, and they got praised for it…"
“Other people play pranks with their families, right?”
Hearing this, Yugao seemed to think of something. She gave Naruto a strange look and asked.
“Uh…”
Naruto was momentarily at a loss for words. Come to think of it, that really did seem to be the case.
Haruta also understood now. After all, some pranks were only possible with family because they could result in positive feedback.
Sometimes, a parent might even praise their child, saying they did a good job or something similar.
But Naruto… had no family.
Could it be that this kid saw such interactions and thought that pulling pranks on others would achieve the same effect? That he could just go for it and make it work?
“What an idiot.”
Haruta muttered helplessly. At this moment, Naruto’s face turned red, unsure of how to respond.
Fortunately, Haruta didn’t make things too difficult for him. As they walked, he casually bought three skewers of candied fruit and handed one to Naruto.
“Eat up. Stop doing such foolish things.”
He handed another skewer to Yugao before continuing,
“Pranking others won’t get you anywhere. People already don’t like you, and acting like this will only make them resent you even more.
And the more you try to get attention and recognition this way, the bigger your pranks will get. Won’t that just turn into a vicious cycle?
So, make more friends instead of wasting time on pointless things. Aren’t your classmates much more likely to accept you?”
“…Is that so?”
Naruto fell into deep thought at Haruta’s words, while Haruta continued,
“Of course. Remember when you were gathering mushrooms last time? Didn’t I tell you that they’re good for the elderly? Next time, you can bring some to Lord Hokage—he’ll like them.
Lord Hokage already acknowledges you, right? You should repay those who treat you well. Just like how you still owe me for that bowl of ramen.”
“Hey, you—!”
Yugao had been listening and found nothing wrong at first. But the more Haruta spoke, the more ridiculous it became.
“You’re still holding onto that ramen debt? And what mushrooms are you even talking about?”
“It’s nothing. Just a small matter.”
Thinking back to the colorful mess of mushrooms Naruto had gathered, Haruta shivered slightly.
“Just remember what I said. If you focus on being a good person, you’ll realize the world isn’t as cruel as it seems.”
“…Not as cruel, huh?”
Naruto looked up at Haruta and Yugao, then thought about Teuchi from Ichiraku Ramen and the Hokage who occasionally looked after him.
He seemed to understand something.
Yugao, too, was a bit surprised by these words. She smiled at Haruta.
“Who would’ve thought—you’re actually pretty good at comforting and taking care of kids. Who taught you?”
“I grew up without parents myself, so I know what this little guy is missing.”
Haruta shrugged, speaking casually.
“The head of my orphanage used to teach me the same way.”
That wasn’t exactly true—Nonō Yakushi hadn’t taught him this. This was just something he’d understood even before he transmigrated.
He deliberately avoided mentioning others, as the education he had received in his past life emphasized: ‘How should one repay kindness? By treating kindness with virtue and resentment with fairness.’
As for telling Naruto to forgive those who mistreated him? That was impossible. Especially since Haruta himself had his sights set on Danzo.
“I see.”
Yugao nodded, but she didn’t press further.
Haruta might seem indifferent about being an orphan, but she didn’t want to touch on a potential sore spot.
So, she deliberately changed the subject.
“You really like kids, huh? I’ve seen this little guy run into you multiple times, and you’re always nice to him.”
“Aren’t you the same, Senpai?”
Haruta blinked, then grinned and said softly,
“How about we make one of our own someday?”
“You bastard! What nonsense are you spouting?!”
“Huh? Senpai doesn’t like the idea?”
“You—! You insufferable idiot!”
In an instant, the two of them began bickering, while Naruto, walking beside them, was filled with an indescribable feeling.
Although he felt like these two big brother and sister figures were saying something a bit inappropriate, it was beyond his comprehension.
And now they were playfully arguing because of it.
But for some reason, he found it incredibly warm.
Maybe it was because he had never experienced such moments before.
Or maybe… it was because these two truly cared about him.
The thought filled his heart with both gratitude and warmth.
“Alright! I have to listen to them properly from now on!”
Taking a bite of his candied fruit skewer, Naruto realized for the first time—this sweet and sour treat was really delicious.
---
Meanwhile, in the Land of Grass, another round of negotiations between Konoha and Iwagakure had concluded.
Both sides wanted to settle things quickly, but reality proved otherwise—some matters were simply not so easily resolved.
Even though Konoha had subtly conceded some benefits, there were still countless complicated issues to haggle over.
“This is such a headache…”
Stepping out of the negotiation hall, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples in frustration. Beside him, Shikaku Nara also nodded.
They had prepared themselves mentally, but the complexity of this discussion was proving to be truly exhausting.
“I never expected the Third Tsuchikage to be this difficult to deal with… Though, his attitude does seem a little off.”
“Indeed. He doesn’t seem as anxious as before.”
Hiruzen had noticed it too. While both sides were eager to resolve the issues, Onoki didn’t seem as desperate as expected.
That made Hiruzen curious. What exactly was that old fossil scheming?
“Hm?”
Suddenly, Hiruzen sensed something. He looked to the side and saw Onoki approaching, followed by a group of Iwa Anbu.
Before Hiruzen could react, Kakashi and the other Konoha Anbu instantly emerged from the shadows, standing guard behind him.
Haruta might slack off, but Kakashi and the others never neglected their duties.
“No need to be so tense, Hokage.”
Onoki wasn’t fazed by the response. He stopped a few meters away and spoke.
“Do you have a moment? Let’s have a chat.”
“A chat?”
Hiruzen wasn’t sure what Onoki was getting at, but after a moment’s thought, he smiled.
“Of course. It’s always a pleasure to exchange ideas with the Tsuchikage.”
Signaling his Anbu to stay behind, he watched as Onoki did the same before they both walked into the nearby forest.
The Land of Grass had lush, vibrant forests that were quite pleasant.
But given how often it was caught between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, who knew how many battles had been fought here? How many bodies lay buried beneath these thriving trees?
Perhaps this very forest had been nourished by countless fallen warriors.
“This negotiation has turned out to be far more troublesome than we anticipated.”
Once they were alone, Onoki turned to Hiruzen with a smile.
“And you and I are both under immense pressure. Now, it’s just a matter of seeing who buckles first.”
“Sometimes, Tsuchikage, it’s best not to be too greedy.”
Hiruzen shook his head, lighting his pipe.
“Konoha has already made concessions to resolve this quickly. Besides, shouldn’t you be the one feeling the most pressure?”
“Yes, I’m under quite a bit of pressure—losing ground in the Land of Grass, along with various internal issues.”
Onoki admitted frankly, then gave Hiruzen a meaningful look.
“But I suspect you’re not as comfortable as you pretend to be either.
Do you really want Sunagakure to take a bite out of this situation?
You finally managed to subdue a rabid dog—do you really want to see it get back up and start barking again?
And… it seems your subordinates aren’t as obedient as you’d like.
For example, your old classmate—Danzo Shimura.”
Hiruzen’s eyes narrowed at that. He stared at Onoki, deep in thought.
What was Onoki implying? Had he discovered something?
“I find your words about Sunagakure a bit extreme, but I won’t argue.”
After a moment, Hiruzen responded calmly.
“As for everything else… I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Do you really not know? Or do you just not want to know?”
Onoki smirked, tossing a scroll to Hiruzen.
“Take a look. Maybe it’ll clear things up.”
Hiruzen caught the scroll, his expression darkening as he read its contents.
"Sunagakure… Ebizō."
The information in Onoki’s scroll wasn’t exactly top secret, but it contained some rather interesting details.
For instance, Ebizō had suddenly acquired a significant amount of funds, which he had used to help Sunagakure overcome its difficulties.
Or the fact that he had recently recruited a talented Jōnin named Yura—an act that, in some ways, undermined the Fourth Kazekage’s authority.
When combined with Danzo’s recent actions and Sunagakure’s rapid response, Hiruzen couldn’t help but consider a possibility he had been reluctant to entertain.
"Danzo and Ebizō are in contact… and the bargaining chip is money? No… that’s not enough. There must be something else."
Hiruzen speculated furiously, until suddenly, a name came to mind.
"Sasori of the Red Sand… Could Danzo be holding something over him? Given Sunagakure’s situation back then, did he force Ebizō into making certain choices?"
It was hard to say whether this was a mere coincidence, but in this context, the whole situation began to feel suspicious.
Especially since Danzo had never been one to play by the rules—he had attempted to assassinate the Hokage, hidden away Wood Release users…
There was no telling what else he was up to.
He had even been in contact with Hanzo of the Salamander, but an unexpected turn of events led to the complete annihilation of Root.
So if Danzo had indeed done something, it wouldn’t surprise him in the least.
“Looks like he did it on purpose after all… Shikaku really is sharp.”
After a long moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly. With a slight movement of chakra, the scroll in his hand ignited.
He watched the rising wisps of blue smoke as it burned, and in the end, he could only sigh once more.
“Danzo…”
On the other side of the forest, Onoki walked slowly toward the exit.
Giving this intel to Hiruzen was a bit of a loss for him, but not as much as one might think.
After all, as he had said, he always had countermeasures. At worst, he could withdraw slightly in the Land of Bears and offer some benefits to Sunagakure.
It might seem like he was taking a huge loss, but Konoha would be the one with a headache—after all, the rabid dog they had just subdued would be free to bark again. That was the last thing Konoha wanted.
“And then there’s that Danzo Shimura…”
If his intel and judgment were correct, then once Sunagakure gained the upper hand, Danzo would be the first to step forward and accuse Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Similarly, if there was no favorable outcome in the Land of Grass, Danzo would do the same. So Onoki’s move was more of a veiled threat than anything else.
“To think he dares to use us as mere pawns… he’s got some nerve.”
Onoki’s gaze darkened as he muttered under his breath.
“But I won’t forget this, Danzo Shimura.”
Meanwhile, Haruta had no idea that, without realizing it, his old superior had become one of the most infamous figures in the ninja world.
Even though he hadn’t resumed working yet, he still had plenty of things to take care of.
He hadn’t forgotten that he needed to thoroughly investigate that buried Uchiha.
With his current strength, dealing with the Obito situation wasn’t a major issue anymore, and even Shisui’s circumstances seemed somewhat unusual.
But Haruta still believed that having an extra source of power would provide additional security.
Especially since the Uchiha in question was undeniably talented. It would be a waste not to investigate and uncover their potential.
“As a transmigrator, I have a natural case of ‘firepower inadequacy anxiety.’ The stronger I am, and the stronger those around me are, the safer I’ll feel.”
Haruta muttered to himself before focusing on the scroll Tsunade had given him.
To be honest, its contents were overwhelming and disorganized.
It contained records from the Senju clan’s ancestors, notes from both Hashirama and Tobirama Senju, as well as historical accounts and stories about the clan.
On a normal day, he could read through it like a novel to pass the time.
But searching for something specific within this mess? That was a whole different level of effort.
“The biggest issue is that it doesn’t specify when this person was sealed…”
Haruta rubbed his temples in frustration. All he knew was that this ‘Uchiha Ultimate Weapon’ was immensely powerful, with a crazed Mangekyō Sharingan ability.
And that they had survived a hundred years buried underground after being sealed. Beyond that, there was barely any information.
“All I know is that she’s older than Madara Uchiha… but by how much? That’s the headache.”
With no other choice, Haruta continued flipping through the scroll. As for whether he should ask Tsunade about it…
Knock, knock, knock—
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. Haruta quickly stashed the scroll away before opening it, only to see Shizune standing outside.
“Shizune, what’s up?”
Although he had been interrupted, Haruta didn’t mind. He smiled as he asked.
“Dinner might be a little late today. I just came to let you know—hope I didn’t disturb you.”
Shizune smiled helplessly. Haruta shook his head lightly.
“No need to be so formal, Shizune. Did Lady Tsunade come back?”
“Mm.”
Shizune nodded, then gave Haruta a slightly resentful look.
“She got drunk again. She’s resting now, so we’ll have to wait a bit for her.”
“Hah…”
Haruta felt a little awkward—he understood the meaning behind Shizune’s look. She was blaming him for giving Tsunade so much money.
But fifteen million ryo wasn’t that much in the grand scheme of things. It was just a fixed amount she received every month.
Still, it was enough for Tsunade to burn through recklessly…
And this was precisely why Haruta hadn’t gone to Tsunade for information—she was simply too unreliable!
Rather than ask her for any valuable intel, it was probably more efficient to search for it himself.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
“Alright, thanks, Shizune.”
After politely seeing Shizune off, Haruta sat back down and reopened the scroll, resuming his search.
At the same time, he began considering how he would handle things if he actually found this Uchiha.
“If I remember correctly, she harbors deep resentment toward the Uchiha…”
Haruta stroked his chin, recalling what he knew. But then another realization hit him.
“Uh… but she doesn’t seem to have much love for the Senju either.”
Haruta wasn’t a Senju, but at this point, even if he denied it, no one would believe him.
The thought alone gave him a headache, but thankfully, there were ways to deal with it.
“From what I recall, she’s susceptible to persuasion, isn’t she?”
Talking one’s way out of trouble wasn’t easy, but given her psychological weaknesses, there was definitely a chance to influence her.
As for the Uchiha clan, Haruta wasn’t sure what Shisui was thinking at this point.
Haruta had already done an impeccable job in making Danzo public enemy number one. He was just shy of outright telling Shisui, ‘Kill Danzo, and everything might change for the better.’
As for the consequences of killing Danzo… well, Haruta hadn’t mentioned those. Nor had he told Shisui that, before or after taking action, certain matters had to be addressed.
“Namely, the internal issues within this clan.”
The Uchiha were facing both internal and external crises. Inside, a group of fools believed they had the numbers to stage a successful coup, never once considering…
That they had a traitor among them.
And externally, Danzo was playing the long game, looking for his moment to tell Hiruzen, ‘Once again, I win, little monkey.’
With such internal and external pressures, eliminating an outside threat wouldn’t be enough. Both internal and external tumors needed to be dealt with together.
“Besides, as long as Fugaku Uchiha is clan leader, who would listen to Shisui? The kid hasn’t been humbled by reality—he’s too young.”
Thinking about Shisui’s eventual suicide, Haruta could only shake his head. Then again, not everyone had the same luck he did.
Or perhaps… the same misfortune.
After all, he had already taken one brutal beating from society, barely getting a break before being thrown into the ninja world for another round of suffering.
Still, those experiences had given him plenty of insight. He could see through situations and knew how to adapt.
“So I need to watch Shisui’s next moves… and keep an eye on Itachi Uchiha as well.”
He would certainly monitor the fate of the Uchiha clan, but he would only guide events in a way that benefited himself.
After all, he wasn’t an Uchiha. He had nothing to do with the Sharingan, so his priority was his own well-being.
“Hmm?”
Just as Haruta was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed that one of the scrolls in his ninja pouch had been activated.
Taking it out and opening it, he raised an eyebrow.
“Kabuto?”
Kabuto had been lying low in Iwagakure for some time now. Their last meeting had been when they went to steal the Ryūmyaku.
Haruta wasn’t sure what Kabuto’s current situation was, nor when Danzo would finally give the order.
Opening the scroll, he saw a single line of text.
[I think I’ve found her.]
Seeing this message, Haruta was a bit surprised.
However, for safety’s sake, he didn’t respond directly. Instead, he wrote a short reply.
[985?]
[…211.]
Seeing this response, Haruta let out a slight breath of relief.
Though there was still a chance that Kabuto had been captured and had his memories probed, he trusted that Kabuto wouldn’t be that unlucky.
From the way the message was written, it seemed that Kabuto had taken the opportunity to do some personal investigating during his mission.
[What happened?]
[I trusted what you told me, so I started observing. During one of my missions, we met by chance. The moment I saw her, I was certain it was her.]
Kabuto’s reply came quickly, and Haruta couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
As expected, after Haruta’s warning, Kabuto had started his own investigation—whether out of trust or a desire for confirmation.
And it seemed his luck was quite good—he had actually found something.
Still, Haruta decided to remain cautious.
[You don’t have definitive proof. If you’re wrong, the consequences will be severe.]
[I’m certain. If it were anyone else, I might be mistaken. But her? No matter what, I wouldn’t be wrong.]
Kabuto’s response was swift, and through his words, Haruta could sense his urgency.
Haruta actually believed that Kabuto had found the right person. He could even guess what was going through Kabuto’s mind right now.
After a brief pause, Haruta replied.
[I believe you. But I suspect you took a risk, didn’t you?]
[Yes.]
Kabuto didn’t hide it. In that situation, he probably couldn’t have resisted making a move.
[I thought so. If I’m not mistaken, she didn’t recognize you at all, did she?]
[No. She had no idea who I was—she treated me as a complete stranger. I even made sure to pass by her on purpose, even bumped into her, but…]
But she didn’t recognize you. I know. I’ve even seen you kill her before.
Haruta mentally sighed. Kabuto really was unlucky—stuck with such an unreliable superior. That was probably the worst nightmare for any working man.
And now that Haruta thought about it, wasn’t Orochimaru supposed to appear in Iwagakure soon?
If he remembered correctly, Orochimaru had gone there to clean up loose ends—whether that meant Kabuto or Nonō Yakushi.
But, of course, Orochimaru had his own plans. He had recognized Kabuto’s talent and chosen to recruit him rather than eliminate him, turning him into his most loyal follower.
Haruta could only sigh at that. Some people just shine no matter where they go.
Though his mind was filled with scattered thoughts, Haruta quickly refocused, his gaze returning to the scroll.
[So everything I told you has come true.]
[What do I do now? I feel like I’m going crazy. She’s right in front of me, but I…]
Kabuto was clearly distressed, though he still made sure to phrase his message carefully.
Haruta tilted his head, thinking things over.
This wouldn’t be easy to handle—but it wasn’t impossible either. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have given Kabuto that warning in advance.
[My advice is to stay low. Don’t approach her again. If you attract her attention or suspicion, it’ll only make things worse for both of you.]
[But…]
[Gather information on her, learn everything you can while focusing on your mission. Leave the rest to me.]
[I-I understand.]
Even through the scroll, Haruta could almost feel Kabuto’s struggle.
But he hadn’t lied—he already had a rough plan in mind.
No matter how he looked at it, Orochimaru seemed to be the key breakthrough point.
“I don’t quite remember when Orochimaru joined the Akatsuki, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use it.”
Haruta felt a bit fortunate that he had already informed both Tsunade and Danzo that he had a contact within Akatsuki.
When he brought this up to Hiruzen Sarutobi, he could use it to his advantage.
Just imagine—Orochimaru, Uchiha Obito, and Akatsuki all tangled together. That would make his plans a whole lot easier!
[Destroy all records. Wait for my signal.]
[Understood.]
Seeing Kabuto’s final response, Haruta stretched lazily, a grin appearing on his face.
Another mission was underway, and Danzo was one step closer to becoming the ninja world’s most infamous figure.
---
