Satsuki nodded and dashed towards a thick oak tree nearby. Her long black hair streamed behind her, her small figure tracing an elegant arc in the sunlight.
"Snap!"
As she ran up the tree for a short distance, a crisp sound rang out, and a large piece of bark shattered the moment Satsuki's foot touched the trunk. She quickly used a kunai to carve a mark above the damaged spot, then used the leverage to flip and land on the ground.
Satsuki looked up, comparing the marks on the two trees—her mark was a few points higher than Naruto's. A flicker of joy passed through her eyes at this discovery, but it was quickly replaced by a look of solemnity. She hadn't realized that maintaining a stable Chakra output was so difficult... She had been repelled just now because she injected too much Chakra.
At the same time, Naruto also began his own practice. Although the system had granted him fire affinity and mastery, tree climbing training tested a completely different ability. It was like being able to use Chakra to peel an apple didn't mean he could use Chakra to walk a tightrope.
Closing his eyes in concentration, Naruto replayed the original's secret in his mind. Not too nervous... not too persistent... Naruto adjusted his breathing, focusing his mind on the tree.
After that, only the rustling sound of feet rubbing against bark and the crisp sound of kunai carving into tree trunks remained in the forest. The two small figures practiced with such focus.
Satsuki once again sprinted up the tree, this time deliberately reducing her Chakra output. But the result of being too cautious was—before she even reached the mark, the Chakra in her feet dissipated, and she hastily used a kunai to steady herself, her face filled with unwillingness.
Seeing this, Naruto's mouth curved into a slight smile. "Sasuke... Satsuki, want to have a competition? See who can climb to the top of the tree first?"
Satsuki was startled, but then proudly said, "Of course!" She tossed her long hair, resumed her starting position, "Let me show you the power of the Uchiha! I will definitely win!"
— — — — — —
In the Hokage Building's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi had just seen Uchiha Fugaku off and was now sitting at his large desk, a wisp of smoke rising from his pipe. His brows were furrowed.
This decision... perhaps it was too risky...
The Third Hokage took a deep drag from his pipe, letting the spicy tobacco fill his mouth. He had already warned the Uchiha Clan and ordered the Anbu to intensify surveillance. Should any suspicious signs be found, the connection between Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke would be immediately severed.
But this was not only to foster a sense of belonging to the village in Naruto, but also to give the Uchiha Clan a chance—a chance to reintegrate into Konoha. The light in his pipe flickered, much like his wavering mood at that moment.
That guy... should be here soon. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, beginning to ponder how to deal with his old friend's interrogation.
Sure enough, not long after, the office door was violently pushed open, even the most basic knocking etiquette omitted. A gloomy figure appeared at the doorway, half his face wrapped in bandages, his dark grey kimono and white undergarments covering a slightly hunched but sturdy physique.
"The Darkness of the Shinobi," Danzo Shimura.
The Third Hokage didn't even look up, continuing to review the documents in his hand. "What is it, Danzo? I don't recall summoning you."
Danzo's face grew even gloomier. He strode to the desk, his cane striking the floor heavily. "Sarutobi!" His voice was filled with suppressed rage, "You know why I've come... and you know what foolishness you're doing!"
"Danzo, mind your attitude... This is Naruto's first time forming a bond in the village. Human emotions need a foundation, and if a Jinchuriki has no sense of belonging to the village, that would be the real disaster."
A sinister glint flashed in Danzo's exposed eye. "But that foundation! Is the bloodline of the Uchiha Clan! What if the village's weapon is brainwashed by the Uchiha—"
"Enough!"
The Third Hokage interrupted sharply, "That will never happen! Fugaku's daughter is only three years old, and the Anbu are monitoring their every move around the clock. If the Uchiha show any abnormality, I will immediately sever their connection."
Looking at the Third Hokage, who refuted him without mercy, Danzo's face was so dark it could drip water. He could never forget Hiruzen's furious reaction when he suggested that Naruto be entrusted to him for training—"What do you intend to do to the hero's orphan?" How self-righteous he sounded.
Heh... how ironic.
Danzo sneered inwardly. When he had secretly spread rumors of the "demon fox," Hiruzen knew but chose to tacitly allow it. And Minato's child... that brat who should have been hailed as the hero's son, was deliberately isolated amidst the villagers' malice.
His meticulously designed script was for Naruto to foster darkness through long-term hatred and loneliness, ideally to leak the Tailed Beast Chakra out of resentment. This way, he could justifiably, under the pretext of "protecting the village," bring the Jinchuriki under the control of "Root."
But Naruto's precocity completely disrupted his plan. Not only did the child not crave attention as expected, but he actively distanced himself from those who disliked him, adopting a complete "out of sight, out of mind" attitude. This calmness beyond his years rendered all of Danzo's calculations futile.
"Are you worthy of the Second Hokage? Have you forgotten our teacher's teachings?!"
The Third Hokage slowly exhaled a smoke ring. "Our teacher's teaching was to make the Uchiha useful to the village, but never to let them touch the core of power."
He stood up. "These past years, due to endless suspicion, the relationship between the village and the Uchiha has become extremely strained. Now, this is the Uchiha's chance to prove themselves."
"I have explicitly warned Fugaku not to interfere with Satsuki and Naruto's contact, and not to allow any other Uchiha Clan members to approach Naruto."
"Have you forgotten Kagami? Back then... our teacher even listed Uchiha Kagami as a candidate for the Third Hokage."
Danzo knew he could no longer persuade his stubborn old friend. He turned with a gloomy face, and as he reached the door, he paused and, without looking back, threw out a sentence.
"Sarutobi! Your decision will doom Konoha forever!"