Chapter 191: Naruto, Do You Want to Become My Apprentice?
By the time Kenichi reached Konoha, it was already the next morning.
The rising sun poured light over the village and washed across the Hokage Rock.
And on that stone monument, Kenichi spotted a small figure.
The three tomoe in Kenichi's eyes rotated as his Sharingan focused, and he quickly made out who it was.
Naruto.
The boy stood with his hands on his hips, breathing hard, then thrust a tiny fist toward the sun in a pose that looked far too heroic for someone his size.
"I know kids in the shinobi world grow up early," Kenichi muttered, staring at the sight, "but being able to climb the Hokage Rock at this age is a bit much, isn't it?"
Naruto was not even three yet, and he had already scaled the Hokage Rock. It was baffling.
Then again, this was the shinobi world. If something looked impossible, it usually meant you had not seen the worst of it yet.
Kakashi had become a jonin at twelve, after all.
Kenichi's interest rose. With his Sharingan, he immediately noticed two ANBU tailing Naruto from a distance, clearly assigned to watch and protect him.
It seemed Hiruzen valued Naruto more than he let the village believe.
Unfortunately for them, those two ANBU were not impressive.
Kenichi landed the airship far from Konoha, hid it carefully, left a summoning mark on it, and then flew straight toward the Hokage Rock.
He had not yet reached the time he agreed on with Shisui, so there was no need to rush into the village. Besides, Kenichi wanted a look at Konoha's attitude toward the Uchiha after the Eight Tails incident.
After all, the Mangekyo Sharingan in the Eight Tails' eyes was not something the older generation would fail to recognize, and Hiruzen definitely knew what it meant.
Most importantly, Kenichi intended to take samples once a year to observe whether Naruto's genes would change over time.
Naruto was the reincarnation of Asura.
It was hard to say whether Naruto could develop something similar to Obito's situation. Those extra factors had already made Obito something more than a normal Uchiha shinobi.
"Fox," an ANBU wearing a tanuki mask yawned, then glared at Naruto with open displeasure. "What do you think that brat is doing climbing the Hokage Rock this early?"
The sun had only just risen, but Naruto had not waited for daylight. He had come out while it was still dark.
What was even harder to understand was that the Third Hokage did not stop him at all, and even allowed him to climb the Hokage Rock.
This was the Hokage Rock, a sacred monument carved with the faces of every Hokage. Yet the brat was stomping around on it like it was his personal playground.
"How would I know?" the ANBU nicknamed Fox replied, clearly irritated as well. They had been watching this kid for a while, but they still did not understand why they were ordered to guard and monitor him.
And with Naruto's reputation in the village, almost everyone disliked him, including Fox.
Fox's wife had died on that chaotic, sorrowful night.
If not for his own discipline and the Hokage's orders, he would not have wanted anything to do with the brat's morning adventures.
"Isn't it because he wants to get closer to the sunlight?" a strange voice asked.
Fox answered without thinking. "How should I know?"
Then he froze.
Something was wrong.
Before he could sound the alarm, a pair of eyes filled his vision.
For less than a heartbeat, Fox's mind went blank.
That was all Kenichi needed.
In that instant, Kenichi knocked him unconscious, then casually tied him to a nearby tree.
Fox's partner fell just as easily. Both ANBU had already been distracted, and with Sharingan genjutsu used as an ambush, taking them down was not difficult.
"Naruto," Kenichi called softly, smiling as he looked at the child sitting on the Hokage Rock, staring at the sun as if trying to understand it.
Naruto's life was outrageous.
Kenichi could not fully understand why Naruto had not turned dark after growing up like this, but he had to admit it.
Being around someone like Naruto was, in a way, comforting.
Naruto's personality was almost unbelievable. A child that bright should not exist in a world like this. It felt too fantastical.
And yet, that impossibility was exactly what made Naruto so unique.
Still, Kenichi was far older than Naruto. He had no interest in being Naruto's friend.
But another kind of relationship might be possible.
"Want some?" Kenichi walked over, squatted beside Naruto, and produced a plate of fried chicken nuggets, still warm.
Kenichi was picky about food and refused to suffer unless he had no choice. Unless a mission was urgent, or eating would expose something he wanted hidden, he always ate properly.
He had made these on the airship to test its stability and resistance to heat.
Being hungry had also been a very important reason.
"Huh?" Naruto blinked, staring at Kenichi with pure curiosity. "Uncle, who are you?"
It was the first time anyone had offered him food.
Kenichi smiled. He had used a Transformation Technique to disguise himself, but the disguise was based on his original appearance, so it felt natural to him.
"Me? Just an ordinary ninja." Kenichi waved a nugget lightly.
Naruto caught the smell, swallowed hard, and reached for it without hesitation.
Kenichi watched, amused and a little concerned. Naruto trusted far too easily. At this age, he would eat almost anything a stranger put in his hand.
"Why did you come here alone to climb up so early?" Kenichi asked, pulling out a grilled chicken wing and eating slowly.
"I wanted to see what the sun looks like," Naruto said seriously, wiping grease from the corner of his mouth.
Kenichi glanced at him. Up close, Naruto looked like an ordinary child. His stomach was covered by his clothes, and nothing seemed unusual.
But Kenichi knew what was sealed inside him.
"So," Kenichi asked, "what do you think?"
"I can't see it clearly," Naruto admitted, shaking his head and swinging his short legs as he sat on the stone.
Kenichi found it oddly funny.
Naruto was sitting right below the Fourth Hokage's face.
Was this, in a strange way, Naruto finally experiencing what it felt like to be held high by his father?
Kenichi reached out and rubbed Naruto's head.
Naruto tried to resist, but it was hopeless. Kenichi ruffled him until Naruto grew dizzy, then toppled over with a thud, sprawled out and completely disoriented.
Kenichi lay down too, staring up at the sky beside him.
"Kid," he said, "do you want to become my apprentice?"
Naruto's small eyes widened in confusion. "Pepsi? What Pepsi?"
Kenichi paused, then decided not to correct him.
He did not even like Pepsi. He preferred Coca Cola.
Unfortunately, neither existed here. He had drunk plenty in his previous life, but he had never memorized how to make it. Who did that?
And even if he remembered a recipe, the exact proportions mattered.
As for Naruto not understanding what apprenticeship meant, Kenichi did not mind.
This time, he only wanted Naruto's hair and to leave an impression.
Naruto was still too young. He had not even entered the Academy yet. Of course he did not understand things like taking on a master.
There was no rush.
All Kenichi needed was the seed.
"You'll understand later," Kenichi said calmly. "If things ever go badly for you, become my apprentice. I'll teach you what you need to chase your dreams."
Kenichi pulled his hand back.
A single hair rested between his fingers.
Naruto's hair.
"I'm leaving," Kenichi added, glancing upward. "If someone sees me, it'll get annoying."
There was nothing above them, but Kenichi knew better. If Hiruzen decided to check on Naruto with his jutsu, Kenichi could easily end up in a mess he did not want.
Naruto blinked and looked around.
The uncle who had been beside him just moments ago was suddenly gone.
Kenichi did not care much about the exact first impression he left. He had what he came for.
And if things continued along his planned direction, Naruto would probably become his apprentice the next time Kenichi returned.
After all, Naruto would soon learn that his talent with ordinary ninjutsu was terrible, that most villagers hated him, and that he would be isolated by nearly everyone.
So if Kenichi replaced Iruka before Iruka truly entered Naruto's life, if Kenichi became the light in Naruto's heart first, what kind of Naruto would that create?
Even Kenichi was not sure.
He looked down at Konoha below, then at the Uchiha district, and finally turned away.
Konoha was not a good place to sneak into right now. After the Eight Tails attack, security would be tightened everywhere.
He just did not know whether the Kumogakure people were still inside the village.
"People's vision is always too short," Kenichi murmured as he moved through the forest. "Unless the Otsutsuki come crashing down from the sky, it's almost impossible to get the Five Great Nations to unite willingly, so…"
If forming an alliance was difficult, then he would use a different approach.
At that moment, inside a Root branch base, Danzo Shimura looked down at Shisui with a greedy light in his eye.
"Shisui," Danzo said, voice low, "there's something I need your cooperation on."
"Lord Danzo," Shisui replied, bowing his head as always, "give your orders."
Danzo narrowed his eyes.
Even though Shisui's behavior looked normal, Root had already noticed something off within the Uchiha clan. There were signs of movement, subtle changes, hints of something being prepared.
But Root still had not identified what it was.
Danzo suppressed his doubt and spoke again.
"Do you remember the night the Eight Tails jinchuriki attacked Konoha?"
"I remember," Shisui answered immediately. "The eye in the Eight Tails' eye looked like the Sharingan of the Uchiha."
It was more than similar.
It was the Mangekyo Sharingan.
When Shisui saw it that night, he had gone cold.
For an instant, he even suspected that a clan member had finally snapped and decided to break with the village completely.
But the Eight Tails arrived, and although panic spread through the clan, it quickly calmed. Shisui also noticed something else.
Root shinobi had surrounded the Uchiha.
Fugaku wanted to go out and help, but Danzo ordered him back.
Shisui had been confused about why he was pulled away, until he later saw the Fourth Raikage's dark face at the scene and understood.
His presence had not been for defense.
It had been for blame.
How pathetic.
"The village is very disappointed in the Uchiha," Danzo said, letting the words hang.
Shisui lowered his head.
Normally, he would have panicked.
But right now, only coldness spread through him.
The day he first met Kenichi, he had not fully believed Kenichi's words. After he returned, he tried to verify everything himself. He went to Danzo, hoping Root could help the Uchiha find a way out as quickly as possible.
And what did he receive?
The same excuses, over and over.
"I'm busy today."
"The Uchiha's contributions aren't enough."
"That old man Hiruzen won't budge."
"I'll try harder. Don't rush. Just do your job properly."
And then what?
It dragged on until now.
Danzo still had not fulfilled any promise.
Shisui suddenly realized how foolish he had been. He had actually expected someone like Danzo to keep his word and fight for a new future for the Uchiha, and he had offered loyalty in return.
It was ridiculous.
"Lord Danzo," Shisui asked smoothly, hiding everything behind obedience, "what do you need me to do?"
Danzo's smile sharpened.
"Because of the Eight Tails and the Sharingan, the peace talks between the village and Kumogakure have reached a stalemate," Danzo said. "Naturally, your Uchiha will need to…"
He did not finish the sentence, but the intention was obvious.
Danzo had already asked Orochimaru, and Orochimaru had said he could transplant many Sharingan into Danzo.
The problem was simple.
He needed Sharingan.
And Orochimaru no longer had any.
.....
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