Seeing Kakashi like this, the Third Hokage issued an order.
"Don't let that Uchiha Ryosuke get near the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki again."
"You know full well the Nine-Tails' Rampage may have been triggered by someone from the Uchiha controlling the beast."
Kakashi nodded his assent and left the Hokage's office.
Alone in the office, the Third Hokage let a thin smile tug at the corner of his mouth, pleased with his own cleverness.
The next morning, Ryosuke was, as usual, grinding through physical training to raise his stats.
Even if taking a beating boosted his body, he couldn't keep pestering Might Guy forever; that wasn't a long-term plan.
He couldn't keep sparring at full power with Guy either—it would wear them both down.
Ryosuke could recover by the next day thanks to his absurd regeneration, but Guy was different.
If Guy got hurt, it would affect his work and life—and that wasn't something Ryosuke wanted.
Besides, Ryosuke didn't need to worry about money and could train all day; Guy was a civilian shinobi—he had to take missions.
If their matches injured Guy, a mission might fail—or even get him killed. Ryosuke wouldn't have that on his conscience.
While he was training alone, a masked man appeared not far away.
Sensing the newcomer, Ryosuke stopped. "What do you want? Don't tell me the Third Hokage has decided to actually protect Naruto?"
Maybe the Third did know how to do the right thing.
Kakashi sighed inwardly and said slowly, "The Third Hokage ordered me to tell you not to approach Naruto again."
Ryosuke blinked. He was annoyed, but this wasn't the time to fall out with the Third.
"Then how do you plan to handle Naruto? Are you going to make his identity public?"
That was what he cared about now.
Kakashi thought a moment and relayed the Third's decision; it wasn't exactly a state secret.
When Ryosuke heard it, his expression darkened.
They were calling the villagers' mockery and hatred a 'trial.'
What a high-sounding excuse.
It was like Sunagakure's jinchūriki Gaara—his father kept sending people to provoke or assassinate him, even ordering Yashamaru, the one person who'd treated him kindly, to make the attempt.
Gaara killed the assassin with Shukaku's power, only to realize he'd slain his own uncle. In that instant, he all but snapped.
From then on he was little more than a killing machine.
If not for meeting Naruto later, he would have sunk completely into darkness.
Gaara's father called it a 'test' too: only someone who's faced true darkness yet still loves the village can be trusted—a 'qualified' jinchūriki.
To Ryosuke, that was pure brain-dead logic.
History proved the Fourth Kazekage was wrong. Even though Gaara later became loyal to Suna, that wasn't the father's doing—it was Naruto's influence. Naruto saved him.
Ryosuke stared at Kakashi. "Do you agree with this 'trial' too?"
With some regret, Kakashi nodded. "It's the Hokage's decision."
He didn't really agree, but he had no say.
Seeing Kakashi like this, Ryosuke felt he was letting the Fourth Hokage down. "I remember the White Fang of the Leaf was driven to suicide by the villagers' vilification. Was that the leadership's 'trial' for him, too?"
"You think that kind of trial is necessary?"
Kakashi's face changed.
His father had been a hero of Konoha, but after abandoning a mission to save his comrades, the villagers slandered him; even the comrade he'd saved badmouthed him behind his back.
In the end, his father took his own life.
He certainly didn't believe his father was a sinner.
Someone who wouldn't even save a comrade is beneath trash.
But what could he do? The whole village believed his father was wrong.
Maybe that was the leadership's 'trial' too.
Only his father couldn't bear it and died.
Maybe Naruto would repeat that tragedy.
Maybe Naruto shouldn't be put through this 'trial' at all.
Naruto was so young; Kakashi didn't think he could bear it. His father hadn't.
He said quietly, "I don't agree—but it's the Hokage's order."
Ryosuke's expression brightened slightly. So Kakashi wasn't beyond saving.
"Go tell the Third Hokage this: Uchiha will meet whoever we want. Tell him to butt out."
"Even as Hokage, he has no right to meddle in Uchiha affairs."
If the Third wouldn't give Naruto a decent childhood, Uchiha Ryosuke would.
Kakashi was stunned.
He'd thought this guy, like Uchiha Obito, was an 'odd' Uchiha without the usual clan arrogance.
He'd misjudged him—right now, Uchiha Ryosuke was prouder than most Uchiha.
"You're really going to do this?" he asked, shocked.
Relations between the leadership and the Uchiha were already strained. If Ryosuke squared off against the Third, the consequences could be serious. He wasn't taking sides; a clash between a great clan and the leadership would be bad for the entire village.
Ryosuke nodded.
So what if he opposed the old man now? Even if the leadership wanted to move against the Uchiha, it would have to wait until after talks with Kumogakure.
The Cloud issue alone was enough to keep the Third sweating.
It was clearly Kumogakure's fault, yet they'd forced Hyuga Hizashi, the Hyuga clan head's brother, to die as a scapegoat.
Maybe it did end the conflict—but it cost the Hyuga's loyalty.
There were certainly no Hyuga among his subordinates.
Kakashi looked like he had more to say, then held his tongue. He doubted he could sway this proud Uchiha.
And he couldn't change the Hokage's decision anyway.
He vanished into the trees.
Ryosuke watched him go, then returned to training. In the end, power was the strongest trump card.