*Land of Waves, Central Plaza.*
The moment Yuto's feet touched the ground, the surrounding citizens surged forward like a tidal wave, engulfing him.
"Lord Yuto, that was brilliantly done!"
"Did you see the look on their faces? The other Kage must be choking on their pride right now!"
"Serves them right! A little humiliation is exactly what those high-and-mighty ninja need!"
Yuto responded with a smile to the crowd. Neji and Sasuke, who had come with him, seemed a bit more reserved and awkward of the commotion.
Naruto, however, wasn't shy at all. He grinned and laughed like he personally won the day.
Just then, a voice, a little too loud and a little too gleeful, cut through the noise. "Hey, Lord Yuto! You were serious back there, right? You did all this… for the titties?"
The smile instantly vanished from Yuto's face.
'Damn that stupid system! I'm never living that down.'
His ears burned. This was a core memory now, and not a good one. He offered the crowd a stiff, robotic wave, spun on his heel, and made a tactical retreat toward the administration building, the echoes of the crowd's laughter following him.
"BWAHAHAHA! Why can't you just admit it?" A mocking laugh echoed from the Spirit Pearl
"Yuto, running away is a bit shameful, you know?" Mikoto joined in, teasingly. "You had no problem saying it in front of everyone back then. Why are you afraid to own up to it now?"
Yuto pretended not to hear, his face a stoic mask as he led Naruto, Sasuke, and Neji into the main office.
"Welcome back, Lord Yuto." Uzumaki Rina, dressed in a sharp black pantsuit, was already waiting for them.
"Ah, I'm back." Yuto nodded, then gestured toward Sasuke and the others. "Assign them to the same class as Karin."
"Understood," Rina replied.
"Huh? Wait a second!" Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "Yuto, what's the big idea? We still have to go to school?!"
He'd defected from Konoha to become a rogue ninja, and now he was being told he had to hit the books?!
"The Land of Waves has a clear statute: all children under sixteen must undergo compulsory education," Yuto stated, pulling out a copy of the nation's legal code and showing it to them. "Of course, I'm the exception."
"Why do you get a pass?!" Naruto sputtered, outraged. "You're always lecturing us about opposing privilege, and here you are, pulling this privileged crap?!"
"You're mistaken, Naruto-kun," Rina adjusted her glasses calmly. "The reason Lord Yuto is exempt from this decree isn't due to privilege. It's because he has already obtained the highest academic degree currently offered in the Land of Waves. If you can manage the same, you wouldn't need to attend school either."
"How do you get this 'highest degree'?" Naruto asked, frowning.
"Just accept the arrangement, idiot," Sasuke shook his head dismissively. "You can't even pass an elementary school exam."
"You think you're so great, looking down on me?!" Naruto immediately jumped up.
"Talk to me when you can score full marks on a test," Sasuke scoffed.
"You just wait, you bastard!"
"Idiot."
"Must you two do this every single time?" Neji massaged his temples, a familiar headache beginning to form.
"He started it!" Naruto yelled, pointing a dramatic finger.
Sasuke ignored him completely, his dark eyes fixed on Yuto.
"Our mothers," he began, his voice low. "Are they… living with you now?"
The room went dead silent. The air grew thick with unspoken awkwardness.
Swish. Swish.
A sphere of black and a sphere of white light drifted out from Yuto, materializing into the forms of Mikoto and Kushina.
"The hell" Naruto stared, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Not only are you living together… they're living inside you?!"
___
Meanwhile, in Konoha.
Standing on the platform of the Hokage Tower, Sarutobi Hiruzen surveyed the devastation. Entire streets were flattened, smoke still curling from ruins. A profound, aching regret settled in his chest.
If he had known earlier that Hayashi Yuto was such a monster, he would never have recalled Tsunade to teach him. This tragic outcome was the result of his failure. He had failed the First and Second Hokage.
"Lord Hokage." An ANBU wearing a fox mask appeared behind him, kneeling on one knee. "The losses from this incident have been calculated."
"Go ahead," Hiruzen said without turning, merely waving a weary hand.
"The entire southern district is almost completely destroyed.Two streets in the eastern district were flattened. All facilities in the VIP quarter are paralyzed. After calculation, the confirmed direct loss to Konoha is eight hundred and sixty million ryo."
Hearing the report, Hiruzen felt a sharp pang of pain in his chest.
'Eight hundred and sixty million ryo!'
And that was just the direct economic loss. The subsequent ripple effects weren't even factored in.
The death of the Fire Daimyo and numerous other dignitaries within Konoha's borders—the loss of credibility from that couldn't even be measured in money. Once these powerful figures grew wary of them, where would Konoha get its mission commissions in the future?
"Hiruzen, you seem troubled," Danzo's low voice sounded.
"You are dismissed," Hiruzen waved the ANBU away before turning to his old friend. "You heard. Konoha is facing a major crisis this time."
Funds were critically short.
Forget future development, even maintaining the status quo would be a monumental struggle.
"Foolish, Hiruzen!" Danzo let out a cold laugh. "Such a trivial matter has you stumped?"
"Hmm?" Hiruzen looked at him, puzzled.
"Raise the tax rate on Konoha ninja. Cut mission rewards by thirty percent," Danzo laid out his plan, speaking confidently.
"Then, go to the other nobles in the Land of Fire and increase our protection fee. Raise them by fifty percent for all ninja ranks!"
"Are you joking?" Hiruzen stared, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You'll provoke a backlash from the nobility!"
"Necessity dictates the action. Pin all the blame on Hayashi Yuto," Danzo snorted derisively.
"Then send people to threaten those fools: if they don't accept our protection, they can wait for Hayashi Yuto to come for their heads!"
"Where did you learn all this?" Hiruzen couldn't help but inhale sharply. "The Land of Waves?"
"Their policies towards the nobility are worth borrowing!" Danzo snorted lightly.
"But even if the nobles concede... what about our own ninja? This doesn't seem right," Hiruzen said, his expression hesitant.
"As ninja of Konoha, it is their duty to contribute to the village's foundation!" Danzo replied, holding his head high, his face utterly calm.
"If anyone complains, find an excuse to detain them first. I have sufficient reason to suspect they are spies for Hayashi Yuto!"
Hiruzen was now certain his old friend had picked up some… interesting techniques in the Land of Waves.
While it certainly felt wrong, given the current circumstances, there might be no other choice. They'd just have to let their comrades bear the hardship… for now.
"However, compared to a trivial matter like money, Hayashi Yuto is the real problem!" Danzo spoke again.
"Do you have a good strategy?"
"First, call for a Five Kage Summit!"
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