[Konoha Village]
On top of the wall, the Hyuga clan was monitoring the people entering and exiting the gate.
Hyuga Motou was currently resting.
A team member nearby came to report:
"Mouto-sama, we discovered Kakashi and Yamato, as well as Shirakumo Hayame, who only recently returned to the village, just left Konoha through the main gate."
He immediately activated his Byakugan and looked in the direction described by the team member.
'That direction?'
'Where are they going?'
Motou silently remembered it, preparing to tell Sota in a while.
———
[Ninja Academy]
Naruto, who finally endured until class ended, leaned over to Gaara.
"Hi, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, you're Gaara, right? I heard you're also a Jinchuriki."
Gaara turned his head to look at Naruto, eyes showing a puzzled expression, "You are a Jinchuriki, why are other people not afraid of you?"
Naruto scratched his head, "Afraid? You mean they hate me?"
"People in the village used to really hate me, but recently it's gotten a bit better."
Gaara asked in confusion, "What was it like before?"
Naruto laughed awkwardly and, in a very relaxed tone, told all sorts of things about how he was bullied before.
The more Gaara listened, the more confused he became, because although he was constantly disturbed by Shukaku and couldn't sleep, with an unstable mental state, there were always dedicated people taking care of his food and daily life. Other than not worrying about clothing and food, basically whatever he wanted, he had.
The villagers all feared him when they saw him.
But Naruto was bullied like this.
"Why didn't you fight back?", Gaara interrupted Naruto as soon as he opened his mouth.
Naruto was choked up, "I did fight back, but I couldn't beat them."
Back when he was chased and beaten by a group of kids, he did fight back, but couldn't win against several people teaming up.
Gaara asked in confusion, "Aren't you a Jinchuriki? Don't you have some abilities of a Jinchuriki?"
Naruto looked a bit blank, "Jinchuriki's abilities, what are those?"
Gaara was just about to demonstrate his sand-controlling ability to Naruto, when the Fire Release Heavenly Prison mark appeared on his body.
He groaned, just remembering that he had been sealed by Rengoku, and now even the sand wouldn't protect him.
"Gaara, what's wrong with you?", Naruto, seeing Gaara a little uncomfortable, hurriedly asked.
Gaara shook his head, "It's nothing. My ability was sealed. My ability is to control sand."
"As a Jinchuriki, don't you have special abilities?"
Naruto still shook his head blankly, "I don't have any."
["Heh…"]
Kurama's voice suddenly appeared in Naruto's mind.
["What's the use of controlling sand."]
Naruto, realizing the Nine-Tails was talking to him, immediately asked in his mind, "Then Kurama, what special ability do you have?"
Kurama snorted, ["You'll find out later."]
"Then when you were being bullied, your family didn't care?"
Naruto shook his head, "I don't have family."
Then he thought of Uzumaki.
He felt Uzumaki was like family to him, but Uzumaki was now missing.
Gaara didn't expect that kind of answer either.
For a moment, both of them fell silent.
At this time, the class bell rang.
Naruto also snapped out of his memory, "But I have friends."
"I think you're just like me. Let's be friends."
Gaara glanced at Naruto and turned his head, "I won't stay here for long."
Naruto touched his nose. Although Gaara didn't agree, he didn't clearly refuse either.
And Naruto could feel that Gaara was very lonely.
"Then, during the time you're at school, we're friends!"
At this moment, the teacher entered the classroom and started class.
Gaara didn't answer Naruto's words, but there was obvious emotional fluctuation in his eyes.
After all, this was the first person to ask him to be friends.
———
[Hokage Office]
The Third Hokage listened to Iruka's report.
His eyes were filled with a thoughtful expression.
'Is Uchiha Rengoku planning to treat the Ninja Academy as a tool to connect with other clans?'
As for sending the Hidden Sand Jinchuriki to the Academy, the Third Hokage also didn't understand the operation.
'Could it be that Rengoku really wants to show off the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan?'
However, in the eyes of the Third Hokage, it really seemed that Uchiha Rengoku didn't intend to use the Nine-Tails' power to start a coup anymore.
After all, Rengoku's current prestige was sky-high, and he already held power.
There was simply no need for a military coup. There was a high possibility Rengoku would be the next Hokage.
It seemed like the Uchiha would quiet down for a while.
The Third Hokage secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then said kindly to Iruka, "You just do your job at the school. Listen to Rengoku, and there's no need to report to me specially."
"The other teachers are the same."
Iruka breathed a sigh of relief. He really feared the Third Hokage would make him a double agent.
He couldn't do that.
"Understood, Hokage-sama, then I'll take my leave."
The Third Hokage nodded and watched Iruka leave.
He had actually wanted Iruka to continue bringing him information, but Rengoku deliberately had Iruka come report, obviously a warning.
Clearly saying, I know about this person relaying information to you.
Currently, the Third Hokage didn't think the teachers at the school could withstand Rengoku's Sharingan genjutsu interrogation.
He could only abandon all these eyes and ears.
However, as long as Rengoku wanted time to develop, he would always find an opportunity.
But for now, he needed to curb the Uchiha's development.
"Someone come."
"Yes, Hokage-sama," An Anbu entered.
"Go call Ryogen."
"Yes," After the Anbu disappeared—
The Third Hokage spoke to the empty room, "I'm preparing to weaken the Uchiha."
Sarutobi Ishishu asked, "How are you planning to do that?"
The Third's eyes darkened slightly, "Danzo is currently conducting a plan called 'Gyuttenko.'"
"It can absorb chakra and then form a huge explosion."
"I just remembered, the Tsuchigumo clan's people has a similar secret technique."
Sarutobi Ishishu asked, "You're planning to bring them here?"
The Third Hokage denied, "En no Gyoja is already seriously ill. His son had an accident on the Third Ninja War battlefield."
"His secret technique was not passed down."
"He had a secret pact with our Konoha, and only I know where he is in seclusion."
Sarutobi Ishishu suddenly understood, "You plan to have Ryogen go capture him?"
A glint of calculation flashed in the Third Hokage's eyes, "Danzo will be more interested than we are."
———
[Root]
Danzo was already used to living in this kind of sunless environment.
He was also very patient, knowing he no longer had any trump cards.
So he also tried to fake civility with the Third Hokage as much as possible.
It's just that recent experiments had made no progress, making Danzo's face very gloomy.
This was originally a desperate gamble.
But now, after investing a huge amount of time and money, the Gyuttenko plan still showed no progress.
And recently, the information from outside was worse and worse.
Uchiha Rengoku's strength was too great, and his personality was also that of a very forceful hawkish figure.
Even the Third Hokage wasn't his match and could only yield.
"Danzo-sama, someone who was undercover near the Third Hokage has sent word," A Root member came and interrupted Danzo's contemplation.
Danzo stretched out one hand.
That Root member placed a scroll in Danzo's hand.
Danzo opened it and read, "'En no Gyoja'? The one from the Tsuchigumo clan?"
If he could obtain that secret technique, it might give him a bit more leverage.
Maybe it could even help break through the Gyuttenko plan.
After thinking for a moment, "Send Yamanaka Kaze over."
Yamanaka Kaze soon arrived.
Danzo handed the intel to him, "Take people immediately. Get ahead of the Anbu and capture the person listed here."
"Yes!"
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