"Question: If, during a mission, your teammate suddenly collapses and you ask if they're alright, but they reply, 'I'm fine,' what does that actually mean?"
"It means…" Hinata frowned deeply, holding a piece of grilled fish, lost in thought. The orange sunset cast a glow over her, making her look even more adorably dazed.
The two of them were sitting on a picnic blanket, playing a little question-and-answer game. It was childish, sure, but for two teenagers with budding feelings for each other, it felt just right.
Hinata, too, had received the Ninja God's Diary. Naruto told her he'd also gotten one, but brushed off the topic with a few vague words, pretending he didn't understand it.
"Mm… it means your teammate needs treatment," Hinata finally answered softly.
"Wrong." Naruto lightly tapped her forehead with his finger, putting on a serious face. "It means your teammate's airway is clear and not blocked by blood."
"Oh… so that's what it means." Hinata nodded innocently, convinced that Naruto was really teaching her important knowledge.
"Then, at that point, what should you ask him?"
"Where it hurts?"
"No—you should ask him what one thousand minus seven equals."
…
"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"
"Kiba, what's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Kiba sniffed, halting in his tracks. "Maybe I inhaled some pollen nearby."
His sister, Hana Inuzuka, crouched beside Akamaru, carefully inspecting the dog's injured leg. As the Medical Corps' only veterinarian, a minor injury like this wasn't a problem for her.
"Big sis… those strange things that appeared in my head just now… I'm kind of worried," Kiba asked with unease.
"Kiba, if this involves Lord Danzō and the higher-ups of Konoha, we shouldn't talk too much about it." Hana was a mature woman now, far more steady than her younger brother.
She'd graduated in the same class as Itachi Uchiha and, with her clan's resources, had already become a Chūnin. After working in the Medical Corps for so many years, she'd heard plenty of dark secrets—but to avoid trouble, she never repeated them.
For instance: the time Konoha's Corpse Disposal Unit was blocked by Root operatives from entering the Uchiha compound… and how the Uchiha bodies were secretly incinerated overnight.
And then the rumors—ugly whispers—that the Hokage himself had tacitly allowed Root to do this, all in pursuit of Bloodline Limit human experimentation.
So many stories, some true, some false—no one knew where fact ended and lies began.
Hana didn't want her only little brother dragged into such troubles, much less catch the eye of Root. That organization never played fair; if Kiba got pulled in, his life would be ruined.
But Kiba couldn't see the painstaking care behind her words. Crushed under the weight of his age and inexperience, he could only suppress his curiosity and crouch down beside his beloved partner Akamaru.
"How's Akamaru, sis?"
"He'll be fine…"
Scenes like this were happening all across Konoha.
At a training ground, Kakashi silently watched Sasuke's gloomy expression, unsure what to say.
Dusk had fallen. The night was creeping in.
In the dimness, Kakashi could barely make out Sasuke's silhouette, standing there motionless. His heart suddenly thumped wildly—something was wrong.
"Sasuke, don't be fooled! This might be an enemy's genjutsu!"
Sasuke didn't reply. He just stood there, radiating a chilling aura of hatred. Slowly, he raised his head, eyes locking onto Kakashi, gritting his teeth as he asked:
"Why does Danzō have the eyes of my clan on his body?"
Kakashi froze. He knew Danzō was a shady man, but this… this was monstrous.
Too many eyes? Could it be that even more had been transplanted elsewhere on his body?
The thought made Kakashi shiver in disgust. But even so, without solid proof, he couldn't confirm such things in front of Sasuke.
Expose one secret, and a dozen more would surface. Danzō was filthy, yes—but he wasn't the only one. From what Kakashi knew, things were far more complicated than they seemed.
"Sasuke, calm down."
"Calm down? How can I calm down, Kakashi!?"
…
Zzlaa~!
Freshly caught blackfish sizzled in the oil pot, popping and crackling as the savory aroma wafted through the campfire into the night air.
"Naruto-kun, you even brought a cooking pot?" Hinata asked shyly.
"Of course! If it's a picnic, you gotta come fully prepared!" Naruto gestured at the pile of utensils proudly. "A frying pan is essential. And later, I'll show you something even better."
"Wh-what is it?" Hinata blinked in surprise, her cheeks flushing.
Naruto glanced at her, the firelight painting her face red, and smiled mysteriously as he flipped the fish.
"You'll see soon enough."
Meanwhile, the Hokage building glowed brightly. Dozens of shinobi rushed in and out through the front doors, all wearing nervous, uneasy expressions.
In the high council meeting, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Koharu Utatane fixed dark looks on the seated Danzō.
"Danzō, do you have anything to say for yourself?" Koharu asked sternly.
"Nothing worth saying." Danzō crossed his arms. "Shouldn't the real focus here be that mysterious jutsu—the one that appeared in everyone's minds?"
"If the one behind this can spread rumors about me today, then tomorrow it could be anyone else."
"My stance is simple: let subordinates investigate, and wait. That's all."
His cold tone left both Hiruzen and Koharu with sour expressions, but neither pushed further.
They knew it was impossible to force Danzō to prove his innocence here. Not because it couldn't be done—but because it wasn't worth the fallout.
Exposing him outright would only embarrass the village. They needed Danzō. Removing him wasn't an option. And, truthfully, his words carried weight.
Everyone in that room had secrets. They weren't as brazen as Danzō, but still—if some "omniscient Ninja God" really existed, who knew whose sins would be revealed next…
…
Bang!
Brilliant fireworks shot up into the night sky, bursting in dazzling colors. Their glow lit up Hinata's upturned face, the blossoms of fire mirrored in her pale eyes.
Joy bloomed across her features as she gazed in awe, overwhelmed with happiness. All of this was thanks to the boy by her side—the one now lighting another round of fireworks.
Naruto had long forgotten about the Ninja God's diary. He didn't care. He had no idea how much turmoil it had stirred in the village.
He jogged back to Hinata's side, standing with her as they both gazed up at the exploding fireworks, hearts overflowing with bliss.
Their unspoken thoughts overlapped in the night:
"This is wonderful! With Naruto-kun, I feel truly happy!"
"This is wonderful! I finally got to spend some money—I feel truly happy!"