At Konoha’s gate, Uchiha Tonan stepped out of the barrier and took a deep breath. It was the kind of feeling that was similar to the wide sea allowing the fish to leap about or the vast sky letting birds fly.
“Perhaps, this world once had a single hue, but after my arrival, it caused a butterfly effect. The situation is becoming more and more confusing. The dignified Konoha Hokage cannot even trust his advisers! It seems Naraku’s means are a bit strong…”
Getting Shimura Danzo on his side made sense but being able to pull Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu into his camp as well…
“It’s a bit scary. Could it be he grasped a handle on them?” Tonan didn’t believe the two advisers would betray Sarutobi Hiruzen just because of money. The only possibility was that they did dirty things and were caught red-handed.
Thinking about this, even in the original works, regardless of the anime or manga, the Daimyo was Naraku. But in that, he was a well-deserved good-for-nothing. Humans truly need to lose the most precious things when they are the happiest. Only then they can grow up.
Tonan sighed lightly, and his figure suddenly disappeared. In the distant woods, two people without any ninja marks were lurking.
“He ran away.”
“Did he use the Body Flicker Technique?”
“No, it’s faster than that.”
“He’s almost out of my perception range.”
“We cannot help it. Let’s return to report that the mission has failed.”
The two people looked at each other, but their line of sight was blocked by an indifferent face.
Pop!
Tonan placed his hands on their shoulders and said without any emotion, “If my guess is right, you two have come here to seek death, isn’t it? You didn’t even wear masks.”
“What’s going on? Why can’t I move?”
The two ninjas without any identification were terrified. Not only were their bodies paralyzed but they couldn’t make a sound either. At this moment, in Tonan’s eyes, the three tomoe were spinning slowly, casting the Hell Viewing Technique.
He wanted to see their background. However…
“This curse seal again?”
Tonan stopped pressing on their acupoints and made a hand seal.
Crackle, crackle, crackle~
Two lightning needles pierced through their heads and a powerful lightning-attributed chakra exploded, destroying their brains. After doing everything, Tonan didn’t even bother to destroy the corpses and jumped back, landing on a higher branch.
A gust of wind blew over, and he disappeared without a trace. He didn’t need to guess who was behind these two. But Tonan couldn’t figure out one thing. Why did the person behind the scenes send two chunin?
He was Hiruzen’s student. If two chunin could kill him, wouldn’t that be the biggest joke? As for the identity of the person behind the scenes, he didn’t even need to think.
Several minutes later, at the Root Headquater…
“Danzo-sama, the mission failed.”
“Sure enough, that little fellow has a jonin’s strength. Send the corpses back to the Fire Capital. Also, inform about that brat’s strength to the Daimyo in passing.”
“Yes.”
“Why is the Daimyo paying so much attention to this brat?”
……
It would not be wrong to say that the Revere Fire Street was not inferior to Konoha in size. Because the most famous temple of the Ninja World, the Fire Temple, was located on a high mountain far-off from the Revere Fire Street.
Outside the street, there was a wide field. Now, it was approaching the autumn harvest. There were tall crops everywhere, hiding the farmers and flocks of white pigeons flew towards the sky.
Tonan sat alone on a stone in the field, playing a custom-made flute purchased from the musical instrument store in the Revere Fire Street. He had been coming here for quite a few days already.
The workers in the field were already acquainted with him and no one asked him questions again. The farmers, who were taking a break, lay on the ridge with straw hats on their faces, quietly listening to the elegant sound of the flute.
Tonan was playing the flute but what he was listening to was not just the flute but a conversation.
“Naoko, there’s a secret I’ve always wanted to tell you.”
“Tomaru-san, I’m listening.”
“I like you.”
“Tomaru-san, sorry, I already have someone I like in my heart.”
“Who’s that person?”
“Sorry, I can’t tell you right now.”
“Alright…”
Soon after, Tonan heard the sounds of plants being cut by a sickle. The movement was chaotic as if someone was venting and with time, it was getting closer to Tonan. Not long after, the crops in front of him were parted by the man called Tomaru.
Tomaru ferociously waved his sickle towards Tonan and said, “Why are you playing it? It sounds annoying. Do you know that you are disturbing everyone?”
The sound stopped abruptly. Tonan put down the flute and got up, deeply bowing, “I’m truly sorry.”
Tomaru waved his sickle, looking more irritated, “Leave quickly, you are not welcome here. If you want to play, go somewhere else.”
Tonan nodded lightly and turned to leave. A while later, a woman ran over, and said to Tomaru with dissatisfaction, “Tomaru-san, why did you drive him away?”
Seeing his sweetheart angry, Tomaru explained, “Naoko, he’s playing flute in our field… what if he is a bad man? I did this for your safety.”
Naoko took a deep breath and said to Tomaru, “Go back, you don’t have to worry about these things.” Tomaru felt a little uncomfortable in his heart. He lowered his head, “I… fine, I’ll go.”
Naoko stood on the ridge. After seeing Tomaru leave, she turned around and stood on tiptoe, looking around. A gust of wind blew and bent the crops a little, revealing Tonan.
He was walking on the ridge not far away, with his hands on his back and a calm expression on his face. The setting autumn sun gave a warm hue to his handsome face, making his features look impeccable.
Suddenly, Tonan looked over in her direction. He reached out his hand to adjust his glasses and then nodded slightly towards Naoko. Naoko was stunned for a moment, and her heart was jumping. She even felt a slight suffocated feeling.
‘Ding! Gained Nohara Naoko’s acknowledgment.’
The wind blew away quickly. The crops returned to their previous upright state, completely covering Tonan. Naoko jumped twice on the spot but was still unable to see anything. She felt a little lost in her heart.
In the evening, she returned home after a busy day. She went to her bedroom first and looked in the mirror. As she touched her tanned skin, a figure flashed in her mind. There was a slight blush on her face, but then looking at her reflection, her eyes flashed with a hint of sadness.
“Naoko, don’t think about it, that person looks rich and also younger. Stop daydreaming. Look, how tanned you are.”
“Naoko, the food is ready,” an aged voice came from outside. Naoko quickly covered the mirror and ran out of the bedroom. In this family, only she and her grandmother were left to depend on each other. Her grandmother was old, so Naoko had to carry the family’s burden.
On the dining table, there were two simple vegetarian dishes and two bowls of rice. Naoko sat in seiza-style in front of the dining table and ate rice in small bites. She was completely distracted. Sometimes, she was shy and smiling, and sometimes, she was frowning and worrying. Her changing moods did not miss her grandmother’s notice but the elder woman didn’t say much.
