"We can try."
Sarutobi Hiruzen tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, pondering for a moment before nodding.
"You handle the arrangements."
"That girl may be powerful, but her nature doesn't seem malicious. In fact, she appears more level-headed than most Uchiha. If we handle this properly and let her form bonds with the people of Konoha, there's a chance we can turn her strength to the village's advantage…
You know as well as I do that the situation inside and outside the village is unstable. Kumo has been probing for an opening. At a time like this, we absolutely cannot afford any incidents."
"Understood."
Sarutobi Shinnosuke bowed and left.
Just as he opened the office door, another man—wrapped in bandages, half his face obscured—appeared outside.
"...Lord Danzo."
Shinnosuke's brow twitched imperceptibly as he lowered his head slightly.
Shimura Danzo, leader of Root.
Though Root was nominally a branch of the Anbu, the two organizations had no direct chain of command. Moreover, Danzo held the title of Hokage's Advisor, placing him half a rank above Shinnosuke, the Anbu commander. Thus, even Shinnosuke had to show him deference.
"Ah, Shinnosuke."
Danzo's voice was as cold as his demeanor. He paused at the doorway, waiting for Shinnosuke to leave before stepping inside.
Hiruzen swiftly closed the report in his hands, interlacing his fingers beneath his chin as he looked up.
"What brings you here, Danzo?"
"Heh."
Danzo's lips curled into a sneer.
"A Uchiha from the Warring States era awakens in the village, kills an entire Anbu squad upon breaking free, and makes contact with the Jinchūriki… Hiruzen, something this significant, and you didn't even breathe a word of it to us?"
"...You found out already?"
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.
"Root's intelligence network is as sharp as ever, I see."
"Hmph. I've already spoken to Koharu and Homura. They knew nothing either."
Danzo's voice dripped with disdain.
"If I hadn't received word in time, would you have kept us in the dark indefinitely?"
"Hiruzen, as the Hokage of Konoha, how can you allow such a dangerous individual to roam freely in the village, let alone permit her to live with the Jinchūriki? What are you thinking? Do the casualties of the Nine-Tails attack four years ago mean nothing to you? Are you eager to repeat history?!"
Hiruzen's expression darkened under Danzo's relentless accusations.
"I'm well aware of the risks. But this situation is different. I've interacted with Uchiha Hikari—she is, at the very least, someone we can tentatively trust. If we provoke her recklessly, Konoha will be the one to suffer the consequences…"
Hiruzen had considered the option of eliminating or controlling Hikari.
But even in the best-case scenario, it would cost the lives of at least ten elite jōnin—or his own as the Third Hokage. That was a loss Konoha could ill afford. And if things went awry, involving Naruto, another Nine-Tails rampage could erupt—one potentially worse than the last.
So, as long as Hikari showed no overt hostility, maintaining the status quo was the wisest choice.
As for the Jinchūriki…
They could find ways to intervene later.
After all, there was no way Hikari could have gained Naruto's complete trust in such a short time.
That was Hiruzen's reasoning.
But Danzo clearly disagreed.
"Hiruzen, listen to yourself. After all these years, do you still not understand the nature of the Uchiha? You'd place your trust in a stranger you've met once or twice over your comrades who've fought alongside you through life and death?!"
Danzo took a deep breath, then shifted tactics.
"Fine. If you truly believe this Uchiha can be trusted… then hand her over to me. I will ensure her absolute loyalty to Konoha—forge her into a blade for the village!"
"?"
"Absolutely not!"
Hiruzen's refusal was immediate and firm.
"You'll regret this, Hiruzen!"
"Danzo, I am the Hokage!"
SLAM!
The door to the Hokage's office shut with a resounding crash, marking the end of the tense exchange.
Outside, Danzo's face twisted into a scowl.
A Root operative materialized silently at his side, whispering,
"Lord Danzo, we've received word from Konoha Hospital. Morino Ibiki has regained consciousness and recounted the battle with the girl, Uchiha Hikari. Based on the details, it's highly likely she possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan, just like Uchiha Shisui…"
"I see."
Danzo glanced back at the Hokage Tower, his voice low.
"Continue monitoring the Uchiha girl and the Jinchūriki. Report any developments to me at once."
"Yes!"
---
Unbeknownst to Hikari, undercurrents were swirling in Konoha's shadows.
Her past two days had been spent preparing for her trip to the Dragon Ball world.
Unsure whether her Sharingan genjutsu would work on Dragon Ball characters, she had packed not only spare clothes but also a stock of ninja tools and soldier pills, stuffing her backpack to the brim.
—Naturally, all paid for with Minato's funds. She'd already cleared it with him in the chat.
She had also wanted to buy a batch of explosive tags, but those were restricted items, sold only to registered shinobi. Ordinary shops didn't carry them.
Her activities, of course, hadn't escaped the Anbu's notice.
That evening, Mitarashi Anko came knocking, subtly probing whether Hikari was facing any troubles.
"No troubles. I just plan to leave the village for a bit."
Hikari had been considering whether to inform Hiruzen anyway, so she decided to drop a hint.
"I'll likely depart in the next day or two and return in about half a month."
"Leave the village?"
Anko blinked, then hurriedly said,
"Shinobi need the Third Hokage's approval before leaving the village. Only after obtaining permission can—"
"But I'm not a Konoha shinobi."
Hikari cut her off without hesitation.
"I don't belong to any hidden village or faction. If I had to label myself… I'm just a civilian. A civilian who happens to know a little ninjutsu."
She punctuated this by pinching her thumb and forefinger together in a "just a tiny bit" gesture.
"?"
Anko's expression turned incredulous.
Wiped out an Anbu squad on her first day awake. Put Morino Ibiki in the hospital. Reportedly clashed with the Hokage himself in a genjutsu battle. And now, not only is she not being pursued, but she's also been allowed to act as the Jinchūriki's guardian…
And she calls herself a civilian?