The Third Hokage slammed a thick stack of documents onto the desk.
"Danzo, just what do you think you're doing? How dare you open the Heavenly Prison without authorization!? If other inmates had escaped, how would you take responsibility?"
Danzo replied coldly, "Hiruzen, I don't know what you're talking about. I know nothing of the prison incident."
The Third Hokage snapped angrily, "Still denying it? The corpse of your Root agent, Kido, was found inside the Heavenly Prison, and you claim ignorance!?"
Danzo leaned on his cane. "That was Kido's own action, nothing to do with me."
"Danzo! Stop acting here. Do you really think no one knows you ordered Ryoma to steal a Uchiha's Sharingan?"
"The Secret Arts Division has already found the evidence in Ryoma's corpse!"
"Hmph!" Danzo finally dropped the pretense, glaring at Hiruzen with hatred.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi! I've told you before—we should have eliminated the Uchiha early on. But you? Always hesitating! Always clinging to cowardly peace!"
"Now look at them—the Uchiha have already risen in power. Two Mangekyō Sharingan wielders within the clan, and outside they still have Itachi and Shisui. If not for you restraining me, I would have already slaughtered them all!"
The Third Hokage slammed the desk. "Kill! Kill! Kill! That's all you ever think about! Uchiha Fugaku already had the Mangekyō Sharingan for years—he just didn't flaunt it! Can you defeat Susanoo!? How many lives would it cost to wipe out the Uchiha Clan?"
"And could you guarantee Cloud wouldn't seize the chance to invade!? Or that Mist wouldn't march in? Or that Stone would sit quietly by?"
Danzo shot back, "If you had weakened the Uchiha earlier, would someone like Natsuki have ever risen? Without them holding us back, which hidden village could match us?"
The thought of Uchiha Natsuki's Susanoo weighed heavily on Hiruzen. Irritated, he took a deep drag from his pipe.
"Enough. No more provoking the Uchiha. As for Ryoma's matter—you will step down from your position as Elder Advisor, at least for now."
"HIRUZEN SARUTOBI!" Danzo's glare was venomous.
But the Hokage only sat there, stern and unyielding.
"Hmph!" After several seconds of tense silence, Danzo snorted heavily, turned, and left with a sweep of his cloak.
Watching his back, Hiruzen exhaled smoke from his pipe, his expression heavy.
"Lord Natsuki, word from the Hokage: Danzo's title as Elder Advisor has been revoked."
Natsuki raised an eyebrow at the report. "That old man really likes to play games…"
Although Danzo had lost his public position and was now an ordinary citizen on paper, as long as Root still existed, he could never truly fall. The title being stripped only cost him some funding.
And given his already tarnished reputation from recent incidents, Danzo was now keeping deliberately low. People were forgetful—give it time, and his sins would fade from memory.
At least, for now, he would remain quiet.
Natsuki himself still had no interest in clan politics, something he'd made clear to Fugaku in two private talks. Fugaku, though worried, had no choice but to let him be.
What concerned Fugaku more was the clan's financial state. The pro-birth policies he had set forth earlier had taken off—many couples were now expecting children.
Some families had lost members during the Third Ninja War and wanted to rebuild. Others simply saw the peacetime as an opportunity to add to their households.
Within just two months, many Uchiha women were confirmed pregnant.
But the clan's treasury… once all these babies were born next year, a massive payout would be needed. The Uchiha coffers were on the verge of collapse.
Natsuki merely told Fugaku not to worry. "If worse comes to worst, just hunt down some rogue ninja for bounties. That should cover it. We still have time."
Reluctantly, Fugaku set aside his worries and instead discussed sealing techniques with Natsuki.
Sealing had always been a weak point for the Uchiha. In fact, no nation had ever truly excelled in it.
Konoha's strength in seals came from inheriting the legacy of Uzushiogakure after its fall.
But Fugaku clearly had no talent in this field. Natsuki's lessons went nowhere. In the end, Natsuki had to write everything down and leave him to study on his own.
With that, Natsuki turned his attention elsewhere—to the Ninja Academy, to check in on Naruto and Sasuke.
A troubling thought had struck him:
Naruto must never invent that vulgar Sexy Jutsu.
In the original timeline, Naruto created it only to gain attention. But now, he already had recognition, friends, and companionship. There was no need for such antics, no peeking into women's baths.
The idea of the Fourth Hokage's son, before his values had even fully formed, running around every day with such indecency—it made Natsuki feel sorry for Minato.
And Jiraiya, for all his greatness, was simply shameful in that regard.
Naruto, once always fidgeting and restless, now struggled to sit still in class. The long lectures made him sleepy.
But when he saw Sasuke and Hinata listening attentively, he forced himself to pay attention as well.
These days, Naruto was rarely alone. Sasuke, Hinata, Shikamaru—they often accompanied him.
Sasuke had even beaten Neji in the monthly exam, taking first place.
Hinata, once bullied by a clueless civilian child, had been defended by the clan. That child's parents were warned, and the boy was beaten so badly his cries carried across two streets.
Word spread quickly—no one dared provoke heirs of great clans anymore.
As for Naruto, once isolated and stoned by his peers, no one dared openly harass him now.
With Natsuki's care, he wore clean new clothes, ate well, and no longer wandered ragged and mischievous.
Beyond Ichiraku Ramen, Sasuke would even drag him out to try other food. Though Sasuke pretended reluctance—it was Natsuki's order—the two actually had fun together.
Sometimes Neji, Hinata, Shikamaru, or Kiba would join them.
In this environment, Naruto's entire demeanor changed. He no longer acted out, and the blind hatred against him lessened.
Kakashi, acting under the Hokage's orders, had even "coincidentally" met Naruto several times at Ichiraku. Over time, he began to genuinely interact with the boy.
Naruto was easily satisfied. To him, each day now felt full of happiness.
And all of it, he believed, began with Lord Natsuki.
If Natsuki told him not to be mischievous, then he would listen.
So even though class was boring, Naruto sat there patiently, listening.
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