With the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki transfer complete, Konoha's state of emergency finally came to an end.
However, among the usual four-person group in the training forest—
Kushina was nowhere to be seen.
"Nawaki-nii, where's Kushina?" Minato finally asked curiously.
Nawaki did not seem particularly energetic either. He simply patted Minato on the shoulder.
"Don't go see Kushina for a while."
"Let her calm down first."
Minato nodded, half understanding.
Still, seeing Nawaki in this state, he could tell something was wrong.
Arin was currently lying on a tree branch reading a book. The corner of his eye swept over Nawaki's somewhat dispirited appearance.
After thinking for a moment, he jumped down from the branch.
"Nawaki, let's spar."
Nawaki waved his hand weakly.
"Forget it. The gap between me and big bro is still way too large."
That definitely did not sound like something Nawaki would say.
"I'm heading back today."
He spoke to the two of them before walking away in a dazed state.
Once Nawaki left, Minato asked curiously,
"What happened?"
"A family member passed away."
Arin scratched his head.
He was not particularly good at comforting people.
He suddenly wondered—
If Nawaki had been present at the time, could the Great Angel's Breath have saved Uzumaki Mito?
That ability restored someone to their original state.
Theoretically, it should have worked.
Unfortunately, Nawaki had been beside them at the time, leaving no chance to use it.
At that moment, an ANBU member appeared before Arin.
"The Hokage summons you."
"That old man's finally restoring my identity, huh?"
Arin stretched lazily.
He had rested long enough already.
By now, the heat surrounding his title had mostly faded.
Everyone was discussing White Fang abandoning the mission.
Hardly anyone talked about the Flame Demon anymore.
Konoha civilians truly excelled at forgetting things.
After delivering the message, the ANBU disappeared instantly.
Arin looked toward the three faces carved into the distant mountain wall.
"Hokage, huh…"
"Heh."
…
"Yo, old man."
Arin greeted Hiruzen casually as he entered the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face darkened slightly.
"Hyuga Arin."
"Starting today, your jonin status is officially restored."
"You will resume carrying out missions for the village."
Arin asked curiously,
"What happened?"
As far as he remembered, nothing major should have been happening in Konoha around this time.
Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe and slowly exhaled smoke.
"The Jinchūriki has changed."
"You know that already, correct?"
"I know."
Arin nodded.
Kushina had become the new Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
"A village without an active Jinchūriki is viewed as weakened by the other villages," Hiruzen said solemnly.
"Until the new Jinchūriki can wield the Nine-Tails properly, the other villages will definitely make moves."
"There's no way to hide the transfer from them."
"The new Jinchūriki still needs time to mature."
"I need you to head to the Land of Bears immediately and monitor Kirigakure's movements."
The newly made Jinchūriki Kushina still could not properly utilize the Nine-Tails' power.
As the equivalent of nuclear weapons, Tailed Beasts were theoretically capable of deciding wars outright.
At least in theory.
"Alright. No problem."
Arin showed little enthusiasm toward the mission.
Theoretically, the next great ninja war was still five years away.
Kirigakure was unlikely to do anything right now.
This assignment was probably just routine procedure.
"Take this seriously!!" Hiruzen barked.
"Yeah, yeah."
Arin waved a hand casually.
"So when do I come back?"
Hiruzen thought for a moment.
"Once it's confirmed that Kirigakure has no unusual movements, you may return."
At present, Konoha's major combat forces had all been scattered across various fronts.
Jiraiya still had not returned.
Orochimaru had been dispatched from the research division to confront Kumogakure.
Tsunade had been assigned to the Sunagakure front.
Sakumo Hatake had been sent to monitor Iwagakure.
"But isn't the Kirigakure front normally guarded by the Uchiha clan?"
Arin glanced sideways at Hiruzen.
"Is it really okay to send me there?"
Since Hiruzen became Hokage, the Uchiha had always overseen the Mist front.
Hiruzen sighed.
"Konoha is severely lacking manpower right now."
"We have no choice but to redistribute the Uchiha."
"And Kirigakure cannot remain solely under Uchiha supervision forever."
Many Uchiha had already been broken apart and reassigned into other ninja units before being deployed to the other three fronts.
The anti-Mist front was no longer exclusively theirs.
"And if it's you," Hiruzen added, "the Uchiha won't make things difficult."
Based on Hiruzen's understanding of the clan, they should not be too hostile toward Arin.
Arin fell silent for a moment.
His gaze unconsciously drifted upward.
That was because they had no idea how many Uchiha ninja had already died by his hand.
If they did know—
He honestly felt that he would become the one in danger instead.
"At the same time," Hiruzen continued, "I'm granting you temporary authority as battlefield commander."
"If war breaks out, you may directly command the entire camp in combat."
"Understood."
…
After leaving Hiruzen's office, Arin headed straight toward Root without pause.
Every single time he met Hiruzen, Danzo would summon him afterward.
Couldn't the two just meet him together once?
Arin felt completely speechless.
Within the darkness, Danzo emerged once more.
It was as though the man physically could not walk unless surrounded by shadows.
"Danzo-sama."
Arin greeted him perfunctorily.
Danzo paid little attention to the lack of respect and instead said heavily,
"You're being dispatched to the Kirigakure front. Hiruzen already informed you?"
"He did."
Arin nodded.
He was currently considering how to simultaneously farm Mist ninja and Uchiha—
Without getting double-teamed by both sides.
"This time," Danzo said solemnly, "I need you to collect every Sharingan you can."
"That won't be easy."
Arin spread his hands helplessly.
"Do what you can," Danzo replied. "If it's impossible, then forget it."
Then he suddenly narrowed his eyes.
This was not an ordinary Root ninja before him.
This was Hyuga Arin.
"When you say 'not easy'… what exactly do you mean?"
"Obviously killing Uchiha and digging out their eyes."
Arin answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"There are too many people watching. It's not exactly convenient."
Danzo's face darkened even further.
"I meant taking them from corpses!!!"
"Right. If I kill them, they become corpses anyway."
"NOT YOU KILLING THEM!!"
Danzo roared.
"THE MIST NINJA SHOULD BE THE ONES KILLING THEM!!"
"Ohhh!"
Arin's eyes lit up immediately.
"Have the Uchiha fight Kirigakure and then wipe them all out afterward?"
"That's brilliant, Danzo-sama."
"You—!!"
Danzo pointed at Arin, chest heaving furiously.
Throwing this monster into the middle of the Uchiha clan was basically the same as tossing a rat into a rice storehouse.
What exactly was Hiruzen thinking?
Then again—
He probably did not realize how enthusiastic Arin was about targeting the Uchiha.
Actually, no.
That explained everything.
"If the Uchiha suffer massive casualties this time…"
"I'll hold you personally responsible, Hyuga Arin!!!"
Danzo roared furiously at him.
✨ Bonus Chapter Goals ✨
10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read all chapters (Complete Story ) ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/CanonBreaker