Kitagawa was taken aback. "You know me?"
Nakano nodded. "Of course."
"You're the youngest teacher at the Leaf Village Ninja Academy. Plenty of people at the hospital were talking about you!"
Kitagawa was surprised. "Really? I'm honored."
"But what are you doing out here at a time like this?"
Nakano turned the question around. "That's what I should be asking you."
"Why were you following me, Teacher Kitagawa?"
Kitagawa's eyes fell on Nakano's glasses, then he smiled. "I like your glasses!"
Nakano blinked, then adjusted them. "I'm curious—how did you figure it out?"
"Never mind..."
Nakano sighed, pain crossing his face. "You shouldn't have come. I didn't want to kill anyone."
If Kitagawa had been a direct Hokage guard or a Root operative, he would've surrendered immediately.
But a school teacher? He'd have no choice but to kill to cover his tracks.
"You're forcing my hand!"
Nakano suddenly roared. A scalpel shot out from his sleeve, and his entire body rocketed forward like a released arrow.
And while attacking, his left hand was forming hand signs with a single hand.
Kitagawa was impressed. Single-handed hand signs? Have they become that common?
Not bad for a spy. You can't judge a book by its cover.
He realized Nakano was casting a genjutsu with that single-handed sign.
Trying to mess with my perception of the scalpel's trajectory?
Kitagawa analyzed it quickly. Nakano was already close, and chakra gleamed faintly on the scalpel in his right hand as he slashed at Kitagawa's abdomen from an awkward angle.
He's going for the kidneys!
Kitagawa felt a chill, then—with a sonic boom—his form vanished from the spot.
"What?!"
Nakano's eyes went wide.
That speed...
He spun around and threw the scalpel at Kitagawa's last position.
But before the scalpel even reached it, Kitagawa's form had already vanished again.
Nakano turned once more, catching a glimpse of a huge foot rocketing toward him from the corner of his eye. Damn it, no time...
THUD!
Kitagawa's foot planted squarely on Nakano's face, sending him flying. His glasses skittered away.
Kitagawa walked forward, picked up the glasses, and looked down at the unconscious Nakano. "I hadn't even started talking, and you already gave yourself away."
He shook his head and picked up the scalpel.
Both pieces of equipment went straight into his inventory, and the traits fused into him instantly.
Excellent Disguise Technique, C-Rank Sensory Jutsu, Chunin-Level Medical Technique.
Now Kitagawa had chunin-level medical ninja abilities and sensory powers to boot.
He tested it. The sensory range wasn't strong—maximum thirty meters.
But Kitagawa was satisfied. He didn't have sensory abilities before.
Still, looking down at Nakano on the ground, Kitagawa suddenly felt an impulse: pull out the scalpel and dissect him!
The side effect kicked in.
Suppressing the urge, Kitagawa saw Nakano stirring awake, struggling to lift his head. "How... how did you discover me?"
Kitagawa smiled but didn't answer. He kicked Nakano unconscious again, then pulled out thin steel wire from his equipment pouch and bound his hands and feet before hoisting him up and leaving.
Nakano was delivered to the Hokage Tower.
From there, the Hokage's direct guard took over. Though Kitagawa left a shadow clone at the tower to wait for questioning.
That afternoon was tool-throwing practice.
Kakashi performed brilliantly as always—launching six shuriken in a single moment, all hitting their wooden targets perfectly. The girls in class loved it.
Obito was jealous and envious, especially when he saw Rin clapping happily. He immediately gritted his teeth to himself. I'm definitely going to be better than this guy!
Soon, Kitagawa called Obito's name.
Obito walked out with his chin held high, full of swagger, holding six shuriken.
The next moment, his arms whipped forward, and six shuriken shot out.
The watching students' jaws dropped.
Because the shuriken weren't heading for the wooden targets—they were heading straight at Teacher Kitagawa.
Is wanting to kill your teacher a natural instinct with this kid?
Kitagawa was speechless, but his hands moved fast. A blur of motion, and he caught every single shuriken barehanded.
Kakashi, who'd been about to call Obito an idiot, froze in shock.
"Obito, were you trying to kill me?"
Kitagawa demanded.
Obito's face flushed with embarrassment. "That... that was an accident!"
Kitagawa's expression didn't change. "500 laps after class!"
Obito left looking like he wanted to cry. He didn't dare complain—he was afraid Kitagawa would increase the punishment. The teacher had done that before, after all.
So after the afternoon class, Kitagawa took both Obito and Gai out for laps again.
But the "physical punishment" over these weeks had made Obito improve dramatically. He finished 500 laps and still had enough energy to walk home on his own.
Watching Obito leave, Kitagawa decided that next time "punishment" would start at 1,000 laps.
Time passed unknowingly into evening.
After dinner, Kitagawa dragged his exhausted body home.
Under a streetlamp, his footsteps suddenly stopped. He frowned at the ninja in front of him wearing a cat-faced mask.
An aftermath from this morning's spy situation?
Wasn't it already resolved?
"Kitagawa, Danzo-sama wants to see you. Please follow me."
The cat-masked ninja spoke.
Kitagawa's eye twitched.
Danzo!
Why would this guy be interested in an unremarkable person like me?
Because of the spy situation this morning?
Should I refuse?
Kitagawa weighed the options in his head. But the Root operative had already turned, clearly confident there would be no refusal.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and Kitagawa's lips curved into a smile. Then let's go see what Danzo wants.
A short while later, on a rooftop.
Kitagawa met a relatively young Danzo.
No bandages on his head or arms yet.
"What does Danzo-sama want with me?"
Kitagawa asked directly.
Danzo spoke flatly. "You're direct. In that case, I'll be straightforward too."
"I appreciate your talent."
Kitagawa remained calm. "Thank you for the recognition, but I have no interest in joining the Root."
Danzo's eyes were profound. "I hadn't finished speaking."
"I don't need you to join Root. I simply need you to use your talents to identify suitable students at the academy for Root to recruit and train."
Kitagawa frowned. "School student records and evaluations are already filed with the administration. It should be easy for someone of Danzo-sama's position to access them, right?"
Danzo nodded. "Of course."
"But I need first-hand information. Your professional assessment as a teacher, before I present it to the Hokage. Understand?"
Ah, I see.
Danzo wanted the information first—to secure people before the Third Hokage got Kitagawa's evaluations.
There was an even deeper purpose underneath.
Currently, the Root still had the function of supplying talent to the Hokage's direct guard unit. It wasn't yet the private army it would become solely under Danzo's control.
Kitagawa realized: Danzo was gradually seizing control of the Root.
Or perhaps he'd been doing it since the Second Great Ninja War.
So—refuse or accept?