"Dangerous? Difficult?"Shihouin Naraku grinned, tossing the documents back onto the desk."That's exactly what I want."
He turned to Kakashi with a spark in his eyes. "Just wait. You'll see what happens next."
Even Kakashi had to pause at the sight.
The confidence. The posture. That effortless charm.
"…Tch. Handsome bastard," Kakashi muttered under his breath. "Still not as good-looking as me, though."
Over the next few days, Naraku wasted no time. Under Kakashi's guidance, he rapidly absorbed Anbu protocols, chain of command, and field operation standards. He met squad leaders, tactical officers, and even sparred with a few to test chemistry.
One morning, Kakashi led him down a corridor to meet a familiar face.
"This is Tenzo," Kakashi said. "You two should already know each other."
"Senior Naraku. I'm Tianzang," the stoic ninja bowed.
Of course, he hadn't adopted the codename Yamato yet.
"Know you?" Naraku smiled. "I've patched up half your ribs at least twice."
Tenzo looked faintly embarrassed. "I didn't realize that was you back then."
Naraku waved it off. "That's fine. I didn't realize you were Anbu either."
Looking back, Naraku remembered how many of his emergency patients bore unusual wounds, came in under aliases, or vanished without follow-up. He'd suspected Anbu connections, but never confirmed them—until now.
"Tenzo won't be part of your squad," Kakashi added. "He's on a long-term assignment."
Naraku understood immediately.Uzumaki Naruto. The Nine-Tails.
Tenzo's Wood Style was crucial to suppressing the beast sealed within the boy. Even if he couldn't match the First Hokage, being able to temporarily restrain the Nine-Tails made him irreplaceable.
"Poor guy probably doesn't even have time to breathe," Naraku muttered.
"Three hours of rest on a good day," Kakashi confirmed. "He rarely even eats properly."
Naraku whistled low. "Brutal."
"That's Anbu. We don't get medals. Just scars."
Later that day, Naraku headed straight for the Hokage Building.
He was here for one thing.
The Seal of the Tongue Eradication Curse.
It was a vicious jutsu Danzo used on Root operatives to silence them permanently. Speak a word of Root's secrets, and the seal would paralyze—or kill—you.
Naraku wanted a way to remove it.
"I don't need the technique itself," he told Sarutobi Hiruzen, who sat behind his desk, puffing on his pipe. "Just the method to reverse it."
The old Hokage gave him a long, thoughtful look.
"…Danzo never should have used that seal in the first place," he muttered. "But fine."
A few moments later, a scroll was delivered to Naraku.
He bowed, accepting it.
"Get comfortable in Anbu," Hiruzen said, blowing a plume of smoke. "There's a mission coming soon. You'll lead it."
Naraku's eyes sharpened. "Understood."
But instead of returning to base, Naraku headed home.
Being deputy captain had its perks. His presence at HQ wasn't always required, and he had something—someone—waiting for him.
As he approached the house, he heard soft sounds inside. Not threatening. Familiar.
He opened the door.
Uzuki Yugao's voice floated from the kitchen."You're back."
Her long purple hair spilled over one shoulder as she peeked out with a smile. The sight of her brought warmth to his heart in an instant.
"Dinner's almost ready."
"You just got back from a mission yesterday," he said, walking over. "You should rest."
Yugao waved him off. "I am resting. This is relaxing for me."
Naraku grinned. "You're impossible."
They sat down to eat, slipping effortlessly into laughter and stories.
"Try this one," she said, placing something on his plate. "You'll like it."
He handed her another piece with a mock-serious tone. "Only if you eat that."
The meal passed with ease, light jokes and genuine affection between them. Once the table was cleared, they moved to the porch outside, the cicadas humming softly in the evening air.
Yugao leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I heard about your promotion," she said quietly. "They really pulled you out of the medical department."
Naraku exhaled slowly.
"It's not so simple. They didn't just promote me. They're trying to strip me of influence."
"But the medical department was yours," she said. "You built it. If you leave now—"
"They're hoping I'll fade out." He looked up at the sky. "But they've underestimated how deep my roots go."
"Yashiro Ao isn't just some puppet," Yugao warned. "He knows medical jutsu."
Naraku's lips curved.
"Sure. But they've given him a battlefield I designed. He's playing catch-up in a world I created."
Later, the quiet turned into gentle affection. Their lips met, arms pulled close, and Naraku—unable to resist—lifted her into a princess carry.
She flushed.
"It's still daytime…"
He smirked.
"Exactly. Perfect time for a workout."
The door shut behind them with a quiet thud.
Soft laughter.Dim light.Whispers.
The world outside continued on.
Hours later, resting beside him, Yugao lay tracing small circles on his chest with her finger.
"You really think you can thrive in Anbu too?" she asked softly.
Naraku didn't even hesitate.
"Thriving isn't enough." His voice was calm. "I'm going to rise."
Yugao looked up at him.
"And when you do?"
He turned, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
"Then I'll be in position to reshape this village for good."