This decision was something Uchiha Hikari had already considered.
In this era, she was essentially a ghost—a person with no registered identity, no home, and no ties. While she could have asked Hiruzen to arrange temporary lodging for her, Hikari had just finished delivering a stern ultimatum in the Tsukuyomi space. She wasn't in the mood to backtrack now.
So the best solution was simply to move into Naruto's apartment.
At least she was somewhat familiar with the layout here, and it would make fulfilling Minato's request easier.
"The rewards from my late friend's missions should still be available, right? Please withdraw a portion to cover my living expenses for the time being."
Hikari continued making demands.
"Also, when you barged in earlier, you broke these windows. Make sure to send someone to fix them quickly—otherwise, it'll be impossible to sleep comfortably once the temperature drops at night. And the repair costs should come out of your own budget. No objections, I assume?"
"..."
The Anbu agents bristled at Hikari's domineering tone.
Hiruzen's expression remained stern, but he nodded. "I'll arrange it."
With the negotiations concluded, there was no reason for Hiruzen to linger. After telling Naruto, "Grandpa has work to attend to. I'll visit again another day," he quickly left with the Anbu in tow.
Only then did Hikari finally relax, stretching her arms with a long exhale. The movement subtly outlined the slender yet toned curves of her body beneath her dark blue Warring States-era combat attire, her exposed arms as pale as polished jade.
"Yawn—"
Using Tsukuyomi wasn't entirely without strain.
The drain on her ocular power left her eyes sore, like the fatigue of staring at a screen for hours. It was uncomfortable, but compared to Uchiha Itachi—who would bleed from his eyes after just a few uses of his Mangekyō abilities—she was still in much better shape.
Rubbing her temples to ease the pressure, Hikari began surveying Naruto's apartment.
"Hmm... The space is decent. Should be enough for two people. The walls need repainting, the fridge is a bit old—better replace it. And the furniture..."
"Um..."
Naruto watched Hikari move around the apartment before hesitantly speaking up. "Hikari-nee... are you really going to stay here? And what were you and the old man talking about earlier? I think I heard my name..."
"Well... the 'friend' I mentioned earlier was actually your father."
"!"
The sudden revelation hit Naruto like a shockwave, leaving him momentarily speechless.
A few seconds later, he practically leaped forward, grabbing Hikari's sleeve with wide, hopeful eyes. "Nee-chan! What's my dad like? Where did he go? Why hasn't he ever come to see me—"
"Sorry, but due to certain agreements, I can't tell you who he is just yet."
Hikari subtly tugged at her sleeve—unsuccessfully—before raising a finger to her lips. "But don't worry. From now on, as long as I'm in this village, I'll take care of you on his behalf."
"As for the villagers... if your 'grandpa' keeps his word, they shouldn't openly insult you anymore. But whispers and cold shoulders will probably still happen. Just ignore them—they're not worth your time."
She paused, then added, "Ah, right. I forgot to ask earlier—you don't mind me staying here for a few days, do you? If you're uncomfortable, I can find somewhere else."
"... Of course I don't mind!"
At his core, Naruto was still just a lonely child.
Even if he didn't fully understand what was happening, he agreed without hesitation.
Hikari ruffled his hair absently, then finished her inspection of the apartment, mentally noting what needed repairs. A glance at the wall clock told her it was almost noon.
"You've got some money left, right? I'll go buy groceries and make lunch."
---
"Lord Hokage, that girl—"
Outside the apartment, on the quiet streets of Konoha, Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked at his father with concern.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Hiruzen calmly issued orders. "Inform the Anbu to strictly suppress all information about last night's explosion and today's incident. And... elevate all intelligence regarding Uchiha Hikari to the highest secrecy level. All reports are to bypass standard channels and come directly to me."
"...Understood."
Shinnosuke hesitated before whispering, "That genjutsu she used on you... Could it have—"
"Don't worry. My mind remains unaffected."
Hiruzen cut him off, then glanced back at Naruto's residence, his expression unreadable.
"Who knows... whether her arrival will bring fortune or calamity to Konoha..."
---
The Anbu worked with impressive efficiency.
By that afternoon, workers had arrived to repair the broken windows.
And early the next morning, just as dawn's light began creeping over the horizon, a team delivered a batch of new furniture to Naruto's apartment—along with fresh bedding, groceries, and a bankbook containing a substantial sum of money—all handed directly to Hikari.
"Lord Third instructed me to deliver these. He said it's from the late Lord Fourth's estate..."
The messenger was a purple-haired kunoichi wearing a rabbit mask, her face hidden. But her voice sounded young, likely no older than fourteen or fifteen.
"Starting today, I will serve as your assistant in Konoha. Any requests or messages for Lord Third can be relayed through me. I'll do my utmost to assist you."
"Hm..."
Hikari nodded slightly.
So Hiruzen wasn't planning to withdraw surveillance on Naruto—or on her, for that matter. He'd just repackaged it under the guise of providing an "assistant."
Not that she particularly cared.
Konoha would never leave its Jinchūriki completely unsupervised. And she had no intention of causing another Nine-Tails incident anyway.
As long as the Anbu knew their place, this arrangement might actually ease tensions—preventing Hiruzen from overthinking and making things needlessly hostile.
"What's your name?"
Hikari studied the purple-haired kunoichi, feeling a vague sense of familiarity.
"Usagi (Rabbit)."
The kunoichi hesitated before adding, "But you may also call me by my real name—Mitarashi Anko. If you're unfamiliar with Konoha, I can act as your guide. And if you need to purchase clothing or other necessities, I'd be happy to accompany you."
"Oh."
Hikari tilted her chin toward the Anbu.
"Bring everything inside. I'll tell you where to put it."