241-245

Chapter 241 The Little Genius 

Shindai and Uchiha Hikari arrived in Kamimachi. 

Kamimachi was about the same size as the Land of Hot Water's market, Tanzaku Town. You could probably call Kamimachi, "Kamimachi Street," too. 

"Wow, it's my first time in Kamimachi, and I can't believe how many people are here!" 

Hikari Uchiha, looking puzzled, glanced back at Shindai. "Why are you hiding behind me?" 

"Hiding? What are you talking about? I just like standing behind people, that's all!" 

Hikari found it incredibly strange. Before they came to Kamimachi, Shindai was walking in front of her. But as soon as they arrived and saw the crowds, Shindai started walking behind her, peering around like he had something to hide. 

A thought sparked in Hikari's mind: "Could it be... you're afraid of crowded places?" 

"What nonsense are you spouting?! Do you know what they call me in Konoha? A social genius! Me, afraid of crowds? That's a joke! So funny, haha!" 

Shindai let out a very dry, forced laugh. 

Hikari's eyebrow twitched. "Oh really? I wouldn't laugh at you, you know." 

"I told you to stop talking nonsense! I'll walk in front, you follow me!" 

Shindai immediately strode ahead of Hikari. 

Hikari watched Shindai walk, his back hunched, his arms and legs moving in sync like a puppet, and his hands awkwardly unsure of where to go... Honestly, she wanted to laugh. 

Shindai and Hikari arrived at a ramen shop. After they ate their fill, Shindai walked out, picking his teeth. "Tsk, this place can't even compare to Ichiraku Ramen. It's barely edible. Nameless, when we get to Konoha, I'll treat you to Ichiraku Ramen. I'll show you what the best ramen tastes like!" 

Hikari suddenly felt a bit emotional. All her life, this was the first time anyone had offered to treat her to a meal. During her time as a "weapon," she only ate leftovers, because "weapons" didn't need to eat. 

Shindai waved his hand in front of Hikari's face. "Hey, what are you thinking about?" 

"Nothing, just wondering what's going on over there." 

"Over there?" 

Shindai looked ahead and saw a goldfish scooping stall. 

"You've never seen this before? They're scooping goldfish over there, but they don't use regular nets. They use paper nets." 

Hikari was surprised. "Paper nets? Won't a paper net tear when it goes into the water?" 

"Yeah, it will! If it was that easy to scoop them up, how would the boss make any money? And no, I'm not just bragging, but in Konoha, they call me the goldfish-scooping genius! Come on, I'll show you what I can do!" 

Shindai rolled up his sleeves, looking ready for action. 

Hikari looked confused. "Aren't we going to Konoha?" 

Shindai asked, "Are you in a hurry?" 

"In a hurry... not really." 

"Then there you go! If we're not in a hurry, let's have some fun before we go. Hurry up, I can't wait to show you my skills!" 

Shindai grabbed Hikari's wrist and jogged over to the goldfish scooping stall. 

Shindai asked the owner, "Boss, how much for one scoop?" 

"10 ryo for one, 80 ryo for 10." 

Shindai pulled out some money and handed it to the owner. "Give me 10 scoops! Nameless, watch closely, I'm going to scoop 100 fish with these 10 tries!" 

The owner smiled as he took the money. "I wish you luck, customer, and hope you scoop 100 fish." 

Not getting a response from Hikari, Shindai turned to see her staring at her wrist. 

"What's wrong? Did I scratch you? That shouldn't happen, my nails aren't long, and your sleeve is so long, I grabbed your wrist through your clothes." 

Shindai grabbed Hikari's wrist again and looked. "No injury, not even a red mark. Doesn't look like you're hurt." 

Hikari quickly pulled her hand back. "I'm not hurt, I was just thinking." 

Shindai grumbled, "Why do you have so much to think about? You need to focus on what's in front of you! I was just talking to you." 

Hikari murmured, "Focus on what's in front of me, huh..." 

Shindai, very "professionally," began to explain to Hikari: "When scooping goldfish, try to choose a place where the goldfish are gathered, that way you can increase your success rate. Move the paper net slowly and accurately, so you don't startle the goldfish." 

Shindai slowly moved the paper net closer to the group of goldfish, without startling them. 

"Then, when scooping the goldfish, once the paper net is close to the fish, you need to act quickly and accurately. Scoop them from the tail and quickly flick them into the bucket to prevent them from jumping out! Also, the force needs to be just right – enough to scoop the fish, but not too much that the paper net breaks... Watch me!" 

Shindai plunged the net into the water, greedily trying to scoop three goldfish. 

As expected, the unexpected happened: the paper net broke before it even came out of the water. 

The owner smiled and handed Shindai another paper net. "What a shame, just barely missed it. Please try again, customer." 

Hikari looked at the owner with a subtle expression. Just barely missed it? It looked like he missed it by a lot. 

Shindai gave a dry laugh and explained, "That was an accident. It's been a long time since I've done this, I'm a bit rusty." 

Shindai took the second paper net. "No accidents this time, watch closely!" 

This time, Shindai wasn't greedy and only aimed for one fish. The moment it came out of the water... 

"Pop." 

The paper net broke, and the goldfish returned to the water. 

A vein throbbed on Shindai's forehead. 

"Again!" 

"Quick, again!" 

"Hey! I refuse to believe this!" 

"Is this paper net rigged?!" 

In an instant, Shindai's 10 attempts were used up. 

Hikari looked at Shindai, whose face was flushed and several veins were popping on his forehead, with a hint of amusement. "Goldfish-scooping genius, huh?" 

Shindai, thoroughly mocked, couldn't take it anymore. "Boss, 10 more tries!" 

"Hurry up, 10 more!" 

"Stop wasting time! Again!" 

"Come on!" 

Shindai had lost count of how many sets of 10 he'd bought, his eyes turning red. Even the owner couldn't stand it. "Customer, how about I just give you one?" 

Shindai was completely hyped up now, his eyes bloodshot as he roared at the owner, "No! Do you think I can't catch them?! I'll show you today! Give me 10 more!" 

The owner shrugged. Free money, why would he refuse? "Alright, 80 ryo." 

"Let me try." 

Hikari took a paper net from the owner. 

Shindai looked at Hikari with a skeptical gaze. "Huh? Are you sure you can do it? This is really hard, I even suspect this owner is cheating." 

The owner looked displeased. "What? I'm not cheating! I'm the most honest vendor on this street! You're just messing up, customer. Your theory sounded pretty good at first, but who knew you were only good at talking?" 

Shindai glared at the owner. "See this Leaf Village headband on my forehead? I, Hatake Kakashi, am a Konoha Jonin! Do you believe I'll flip your stall over?!" 

Meanwhile, Kakashi, who was on a solo mission outside the village, suddenly sneezed several times. 

Chapter 242: The "Little Genius" - You Gotta Read It Backwards 

Shindai was really throwing his weight around, using Kakashi's name, and it totally freaked out the shop owner. Even though the owner had never heard of "Hatake Kakashi," that Leaf Village forehead protector on Shindai's head was the real deal. 

Uchiha Hikari gave Shindai a strange look. "Isn't your name Shindai? Why are you suddenly Hatake Kakashi?" 

Since Uchiha Hikari wanted a turn, Shindai stepped aside. He'd only meant for Hikari to play, but he got a bit carried away himself. 

Uchiha Hikari casually dipped the paper net into the water. 

Shindai scoffed, "If you catch anything like that, I'll swallow every single goldfish in this stall!" 

Then, Uchiha Hikari casually pulled the paper net out of the water, and there, nestled in the net, was a goldfish. Shindai's mouth hung wide open, completely dumbfounded. 

"No, impossible! I don't believe it! It must be a fluke! I was just softening them up, and you got lucky! Try again!" 

For the next nine paper nets, Uchiha Hikari didn't miss a single time. Each net had at least one goldfish, and two of them even had two! Shindai stared at Uchiha Hikari, completely flabbergasted. "Are you... are you kidding me?" 

Uchiha Hikari placed the goldfish she'd caught into a bucket and said, "I just did what you said earlier. It seems pretty simple." 

Shindai felt like he'd been struck by lightning. His confidence had been utterly zapped; he was completely numb. 

The owner rubbed his hands together. "Um... if we sell these goldfish individually, they're 20 ryo each. There are about two or three hundred here. If the customer wants to swallow them all, I can give you a discount." 

Shindai snapped, "Swallow them? I'm not just swallowing these fish, I'm going to swallow you whole! Are you gonna let me swallow you?!" 

The owner jumped back in surprise. "N-no, I can't do that!" 

Shindai huffed, "Today was just pure bad luck, not bad skill! Had enough fun? If so, let's go!" 

"Yep, I've had enough fun. It was pretty good. Let's go then." Uchiha Hikari followed behind Shindai as they left. 

The owner looked at the fish Uchiha Hikari had caught, left in the bucket, and happily muttered, "What great luck! I hope I get one or two more suckers like that every day. Heh, a free 960 ryo!" 

Just as the owner was about to dump the goldfish back into the pond, Shindai's eerie voice rang out: "What do you think you're doing? Those are the goldfish we caught!" 

"Ah, I just saw that you two forgot them and wanted to bag them up to chase after you!" The owner quickly grabbed a plastic bag and put the goldfish in it. "I'll even throw in a free bag of fish food for you two." 

Shindai snatched the bag of goldfish and the food. "Give me another bag of food! I spent so much money! It's what I deserve!" 

"Y-yes, of course, customer. Here you go." The owner quickly pulled out another bag of food and handed it to Shindai. 

"Alright, you're smart. Hatake Kakashi will remember you!" Shindai and Uchiha Hikari left again. 

Walking down the street, Shindai handed the bag of fish and the food to Uchiha Hikari. "Here, don't be so careless next time. If you catch 'em, they're yours. If you don't take them, that scummy owner will just dump them back in the pond to trick the next sucker." 

Uchiha Hikari stared blankly at the bag of goldfish Shindai handed her. 

Shindai urged, "What are you spacing out for? These are still yours. Do you want me to carry them for you?" 

"Ah, oh." Uchiha Hikari took the bag of goldfish and the food, whispering, "Thank you." 

Shindai waved his hand and sighed. He didn't get anything this time, and he even spent over a thousand ryo. Plus, he got all worked up over catching goldfish. It was really frustrating. 

Uchiha Hikari suddenly spoke up, "Um, I have a question." 

"Hmm? What is it?" 

"You said the owner was tricking suckers, so then you..." 

Shindai's face instantly darkened. "You look so clueless, but you're a king when it comes to landing a finishing blow! I am not a sucker! I wouldn't have fallen for that trick if I didn't think you wanted to play. I'm usually super sharp!" 

"It was because you thought I wanted to play...?" Uchiha Hikari gripped the bag of goldfish tightly, a strange feeling blooming in her heart. 

"Alright, let's go." Shindai and Uchiha Hikari continued walking forward. 

Just as they left the main gate of Kamimaki Town, Shindai suddenly stopped, narrowing his eyes at the path ahead. 

"Well, well, well, if it isn't a familiar face~" 

"Heh, looks like my luck isn't so great today." 

Standing in front of Shindai was the runaway, Sarutobi Asuma. 

Shindai said in a mocking tone, "Little runaway, be careful your parents don't catch you and spank you." 

Asuma's forehead immediately bulged with veins. "Do you want to fight?!" 

Shindai straightened his back and snorted, "Who's afraid of who?! Loser!" 

Asuma gritted his teeth. "You dirty trickster, do you dare come to the small grove nearby with me?!" 

"I'll go!" Shindai told Uchiha Hikari, "Nameless, I'm going to teach this rebellious brat a lesson." 

Uchiha Hikari looked curiously at Asuma, who was already heading towards the grove. "Is he your enemy? But he's wearing the same forehead protector as you, isn't he?" 

"He's not an enemy, just a comrade from the same village. We just don't see eye-to-eye. I can handle him easily, you just watch from the side!" 

Shindai went to the small grove. 

Shindai provocatively beckoned. "You can come at me anytime you want." 

Asuma suggested, "To prevent any shameless guys from playing dirty, I propose that both sides only engage in frontal taijutsu combat! No ninjutsu or genjutsu allowed!" 

"This..." Shindai immediately looked unwilling. His taijutsu wasn't that great. 

Asuma sneered, "Scared? If you're scared, apologize, and I, the great Asuma, will generously forgive you." 

Asuma's taunt instantly hit its mark. Shindai scoffed, "Scared of you? That's a joke! Who in Konoha doesn't know I'm a taijutsu genius?!" 

Uchiha Hikari, observing from the side, twitched an eyelid when she heard Shindai's words. 

Social genius, but seems like a social recluse. Fish-catching genius, but ended up getting himself upset. And now a taijutsu genius... 

Shindai's "little genius" titles, it seems, you have to look at them in reverse. 

Asuma, seeing his taunt succeed, was instantly thrilled. "Then it's settled! Whoever breaks the rules will have to walk with their head down whenever they see the other person from now on!" 

"Deal!" 

Just then, a single leaf floated to the ground, and Shindai and Asuma simultaneously charged at each other. Their fists and feet clashed, and they were instantly locked in a fierce exchange. 

Uchiha Hikari, watching the battle, frowned. Is this the level of taijutsu for ninjas these days? As a former "weapon," Uchiha Hikari, an entity feared by both the Senju and Sarutobi clans who had to team up to seal her, her combat level was undoubtedly beyond compare. Therefore, watching Shindai and Asuma fight now was no different than watching kids squabble to Uchiha Hikari. 

Chapter 243: Such a Vicious Taijutsu! 

Shindai and Sarutobi Asuma were going all out with pure taijutsu, and Uchiha Hikari watched with a pretty blank expression. Her inner thought was, "Not great." It was miles away from the taijutsu battles of their era. 

Shindai and Asuma were fighting fiercely, but overall, Shindai was on the defensive. Just then, Shindai got punched in the face and stumbled back a few steps. 

Asuma blew on his fist. "Yeah! That felt good!" 

Shindai clutched his cheek, grimacing as he glared at the triumphant Asuma. "That was just luck! What are you so proud of?!" 

Asuma jumped up and down excitedly, waving Shindai closer. "Heh, come on then! If I don't knock your teeth out today, I'm not a Sarutobi!" 

"Bring it on!" Shindai stuck out his neck and charged at Asuma. 

Asuma's fist was already loaded, aiming for Shindai's face again. But to Asuma's surprise, Shindai didn't seem to want to dodge. What was this about? Giving up? 

"Whatever," Asuma thought. "A punch that lands on Shindai's face is a good punch!" 

Asuma's fist smoothly connected with Shindai's face. Yet, Shindai bizarrely cracked a smile. With a twisted expression, Shindai looked at Asuma and said, "That felt good, didn't it? I'm gonna make you feel even better now." 

The next second, Asuma's face turned green, and his back arched. 

"Let... let go!" 

"Let go? I was just getting warmed up!" 

"You shameless jerk! You're using dirty tricks again!" 

"Dirty tricks? Did I use ninjutsu? Or genjutsu? This is still within the bounds of taijutsu, isn't it? Grabbing your crotch isn't breaking any rules!" 

That's right. Shindai took Asuma's punch head-on just to make Asuma drop his guard so he could successfully go for the crotch. 

Asuma endured the throbbing pain, trying to throw another punch. 

"Hmm? Still want to fight?!" Shindai squeezed harder, and Asuma's expression instantly became distorted. "Agh!" 

Uchiha Hikari couldn't bear to watch and turned her head away. 

Shindai chuckled sinisterly, "Do you surrender?" 

Asuma was trembling all over. "No, never!" 

"Oh? Then I'm going to start twisting, hmph. Maybe they'll call you 'Sarutobi No-Balls-ma' from now on. I hear you're pretty close with Kurenai, right? You must like her, huh? Too bad, from now on you'll only be good sisters with Kurenai~" 

"Wai-wait!" Asuma's face was a mottled purple, and he grudgingly said, "I... I surrender!" 

Shindai grinned. "Oh, you're surrendering, huh? But your surrender attitude isn't quite right~" 

Asuma made a sour face and reluctantly apologized, "I... I sincerely apologize to you, Shindai. Please forgive me!" 

"See? If you'd apologized like that earlier, it would have been fine. I'm a generous person, so I'll reluctantly forgive you." Shindai released his grip. 

In that instant, Asuma suddenly exploded into action, launching a flying kick at Shindai. 

"Take this, brat!" 

A smirk played on Shindai's lips. "I've been guarding against you this whole time!" 

With a "bang," Shindai was enveloped in smoke, replaced by a log. Asuma's face changed. "A Substitution Jutsu?!" 

"I'm below you." 

Asuma, still mid-air, looked down and saw Shindai at his landing spot, with Shindai's hands forming the Tiger seal. 

"Fire Style?! We agreed no ninjutsu!" 

"It's not Fire Style! Kakashi taught me this! It's the Hidden Leaf Secret Taijutsu Technique: One Thousand Years of Death!" 

Shindai's fingers, formed into the Tiger seal, rammed upwards. Asuma's face instantly turned bright red. 

"Aaaah!" 

A shrill scream echoed throughout the small grove. Uchiha Hikari, who had just witnessed it, couldn't help but clench her own backside. 

What a vicious taijutsu! 

Asuma lay on the ground like a dead dog, his body still twitching uncontrollably. Shindai walked up to Asuma, looking down at him smugly. "You thought you could ambush me? Dream on! The winner is clear now, I'm the victor!" 

Asuma, clutching his backside, leaned against a tree, looking disgruntled. "You're still as devious as ever, you jerk!" 

Shindai scoffed, "What's wrong with being devious? Winning is all that matters! Do you want me to be like you and lose? Anyway, this is pretty far from the Leaf Village. Are you really running away from home and not going back?" 

Asuma's tone was resolute. "No, I'm not going back. I have to make a name for myself out here. I don't want to live in his shadow forever!" 

Shindai shook his head. "You're really stubborn. I'd love for someone to have my back." 

Asuma retorted unhappily, "Hmph, you wouldn't understand. When I try my hardest to accomplish something, hoping to get everyone's recognition, and then someone just casually says, 'As expected of the Hokage's son,' do you know how that feels? All my hard work, dismissed with a single sentence." 

Shindai thought for a moment, then agreed. "Yeah, that's pretty frustrating." 

Asuma looked at Shindai with some surprise, not expecting him to understand. 

"Want one?" Asuma pulled out a cigarette and offered one to Shindai. 

Shindai raised an eyebrow at the cigarette Asuma offered. "Isn't it a bit early for you to be smoking at your age?" 

"Hmph, what? Is there an age limit now? I'll smoke if I want. If you're too scared, then fine, that's one less for me." 

"What makes you think I'm scared?!" Shindai, who had almost no resistance to taunts, took the cigarette Asuma offered and lit it with Asuma's lighter. 

"Cough, cough~" Shindai took a puff and immediately started coughing. "What is this stuff? So strong." 

"Heh, real men like it strong." Asuma exhaled a puff with satisfaction. 

Uchiha Hikari looked on, bewildered, at Shindai and Asuma, who were now puffing away. Weren't they just fighting? How did they become so chummy in the blink of an eye? 

Asuma looked at Uchiha Hikari. "By the way, who is she?" 

"Oh, her? She's a friend. I'm taking her to the Leaf Village." 

"Alright then. When you get to the Leaf Village, don't tell anyone where I am. You never saw me. I'm leaving. Oh, here, take this as a thank-you for keeping my secret." 

Asuma tossed the remaining cigarettes and the lighter to Shindai, then struggled to his feet, limping and waddling towards Kamimaki Town. 

Shindai watched Asuma's retreating figure, stroking his chin and muttering, "Is this the story of a rich kid starting his own business? No, it should be a government official's kid. The Third Hokage is pretty poor; he only invested 200,000 ryo." 

Shindai turned to Uchiha Hikari. "Nameless, sorry to keep you waiting. Let's go." 

Chapter 244: Hope and Light 

Shindai and Uchiha Hikari kept heading towards Konoha. 

Uchiha Hikari was walking behind Shindai, looking like she had something to say, but just couldn't get it out. 

Suddenly, Shindai stopped and turned around, asking, "What's wrong?" 

Uchiha Hikari flinched, her gaze shifting to the side. "Ah, no, nothing at all." 

Shindai gave her a weird look. "Nothing? No way, there's definitely something. Ever since we split from Asuma, you've been acting strange, looking at me like I'm some kind of dirty rag. The moment I look at you, you immediately look away, just like now." 

Uchiha Hikari's eyes instinctively dropped to the ground, and she stammered, "I-is that so?" 

"Hey, you're just plain lying now. Could it be... you're worried about my 'Thousand Years of Death' jutsu? Don't worry, I won't use it on you. I know I don't have much integrity, but I'm not that shameless." 

Shindai actually thought Uchiha Hikari was acting this way because of the "Thousand Years of Death," since its visual impact was, well, a bit too intense. 

Uchiha Hikari quickly shook her head. "No, it's not that. I wanted to ask, when you said I was your friend, was that true?" 

Shindai was puzzled. "Huh? Just for that? Of course it's true! How could it be fake? I even bought you a meal! If we're not friends, are we enemies? Would I buy an enemy dinner? What kind of question is that?" 

A faint smile appeared on Uchiha Hikari's lips. "Yeah, you're my first friend." 

Shindai looked surprised. "Huh? Even though you're usually pretty cold and distant, you don't mean you have no friends at all, do you? Even after only a few days, I think you're a pretty decent person." 

Uchiha Hikari mumbled, "Because no one would ever see me as a friend, or even as a person..." 

Shindai was silent for a moment. It seemed "No Name" had a pretty rough life before. 

Shindai started to piece things together in his mind. 

Could this "No Name" be a long-lost Uchiha clan member? 

Maybe she was captured, and they researched her Sharingan. Then, because the war started, they sealed her away in that godforsaken place. 

And "No Name" as a name? Who takes a name like "No Name"? 

She'd said before that people called her "No Name." So it seemed "No Name" wasn't her actual name, but what they called her because she didn't have one. 

Shindai chuckled, patting Uchiha Hikari's shoulder. "Aw, cheer up! From now on, I'm your friend. If you stay in Konoha, stick with me and I'll look out for you. My connections in Konoha are super solid, believe it! 

Your name isn't really 'No Name,' is it? Do you not have a name? How about I give you one?" 

Uchiha Hikari looked at Shindai with a strange expression. Why was he suddenly trying to name her? 

Before Uchiha Hikari could say anything, Shindai was already talking to himself. "Hmm, let me think about it carefully... what's a good name? I got it! How about Asuka? 'Asu' means hope, and 'ka' reminds me of the summer sun, symbolizing light. 

The name Asuka means hope and light, symbolizing a beautiful and happy future! I'm such a naming genius!" 

Uchiha Hikari looked at Shindai, her gaze momentarily lost in thought, remembering something her parents once told her. 

"Little Hikari, we named you Hikari (Light) because we hope you'll stay far from the darkness of war and walk in the light, living happily forever." 

Uchiha Hikari's eyes welled up, glistening with unshed tears. 

Seeing Uchiha Hikari on the verge of tears, Shindai freaked out. He quickly said, "You don't like it? Just say so if you don't like it, don't cry! If you prefer 'No Name,' I'll just keep calling you 'No Name,' alright?" 

Uchiha Hikari broke into a bright smile. "I don't like 'No Name.' Asuka, I really like that name..." 

Shindai let out a sigh of relief, grumbling, "So you do like it! Then why are you crying? You scared me half to death, I thought I said something I shouldn't have! So, I'll call you Asuka from now on?" 

Uchiha Hikari nodded. "Yes, call me Asuka from now on." 

"Alright then, Asuka, let's keep going!" 

"Okay, Shindai, tell me more about Konoha on the way." 

"No problem!" 

Because they weren't moving very fast, and Shindai wanted to stop in a Fire Country town for food, it took them a few extra days to reach Konoha. 

During these few days, Shindai and Uchiha Hikari's relationship grew much closer. 

Uchiha Hikari also discovered Shindai's biggest flaw: he was a motor mouth. 

Once he started talking, he just wouldn't stop. 

But thanks to Shindai's endless chatter, Uchiha Hikari learned a lot more about the current Konoha. 

And it wasn't just Konoha; Shindai also recounted his glorious history, like how he supposedly thrashed Granny Chiyo of the Sand Village, exaggerating the story several times over to Uchiha Hikari. 

Shindai, in turn, learned a few things about Uchiha Hikari. 

When Shindai curiously asked if Uchiha Hikari was from the Uchiha clan, she directly activated her Three-Tomoe Sharingan, making her identity quite obvious. 

However, one thing was very strange: Uchiha Hikari told Shindai that she wasn't from the Uchiha clan. 

Possessing the Sharingan means you're from the Uchiha clan; that's something the entire ninja world acknowledges. 

But since Uchiha Hikari didn't want to elaborate, Shindai couldn't push it. 

Not far from Konoha's main gate, Shindai stood with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, exhaling a puff of smoke. 

"Phew, finally home! Asuka, let's go. I'll take you to meet our Hokage, Lord Minato." 

Because Uchiha Hikari's identity was unknown, Shindai vouched for her, promising to keep an eye on her. After getting a temporary permit, they smoothly entered Konoha. 

Shindai led Uchiha Hikari to the Hokage's office. 

"Lord Minato! I'm back!" 

Shindai and Uchiha Hikari arrived at Minato Namikaze's office, where he was alone. 

Minato Namikaze smiled. "You're finally back, Shindai! And who is this?" 

Shindai said to Minato Namikaze, "Her name is Asuka. I named her, you know? Pretty good, right? I found Asuka in the seal at Kannabi Bridge, and she has the Sharingan." 

Minato Namikaze looked at Uchiha Hikari in surprise. "An Uchiha? But why were you in a seal? Since you, Shindai, saw that double seal during the mission to blow up Kannabi Bridge, it's been about a year now." 

Uchiha Hikari didn't answer Minato Namikaze. She just stood there with a cold, expressionless face, staring at him. 

Seeing Uchiha Hikari reverting to her cold silence, a helpless Shindai told Minato Namikaze his theory: "I think, maybe she's an Uchiha clan member who ended up outside the village for some reason, and then Asuka was born. Because Asuka herself said she isn't from the Uchiha clan." 

"Is that so?" 

Minato Namikaze curiously scrutinized Uchiha Hikari. This Uchiha Hikari gave Minato Namikaze a very dangerous feeling. 

Chapter 245: Detective Minato 

Minato Namikaze gazed at Uchiha Hikari, a strange, unsettling feeling bubbling up inside him—she felt dangerous. 

This wasn't some baseless hunch; Minato had carved his path on the battlefield, and his perception of danger was acutely honed. This sensitivity had helped him avert several crises. 

Minato asked, "Since Shindai gave her that name, what's her real name then? And who are her parents?" 

How would Shindai know? He was just guessing. So, he looked at Uchiha Hikari and whispered, "Come on, say something! Don't give him the cold shoulder. This is Konoha's leader, the Hokage! Show some respect, alright?" 

Minato Namikaze glanced at Uchiha Hikari again, surprised, because when she looked at Shindai, that dangerous feeling seemed to vanish. 

Uchiha Hikari finally spoke. "I've forsaken my surname. I was once called Hikari, but now I am Asuka. As for my parents, there's no need to mention them; you wouldn't know them anyway." 

Shindai's spirits lifted when he heard Uchiha Hikari reveal her name. "So, you were called Hikari before? My chosen name is quite similar, isn't it? My naming skills must be top-notch!" 

Minato Namikaze continued, "Since you say you're not an Uchiha, but you've come to Konoha with Shindai, does this mean you wish to join Konoha?" 

Uchiha Hikari's voice was flat. "I'm here to confirm something." 

Minato Namikaze's brow furrowed. That dangerous feeling was back. 

After a moment of thought, Minato said to Shindai, "Shindai, could you let Asuka and I talk alone for a bit?" 

"Oh, alright." Shindai reminded Uchiha Hikari, "I'll wait outside. Don't be too cold, okay? Just answer whatever Lord Minato asks you, got it?" 

Uchiha Hikari nodded. "I understand." 

Once Shindai left the office, Minato Namikaze crossed his arms and stared at Uchiha Hikari. "Shindai said you have the Sharingan, but you also said you've forsaken your surname. It seems the surname you've forsaken must be Uchiha, right? And what you want to confirm in Konoha must also be about the Uchiha clan, correct?" 

Uchiha Hikari admitted, "That's right. My purpose in coming to Konoha with Shindai is to confirm if the current Uchiha are still the same Uchiha from that era." 

Minato Namikaze looked puzzled. "That era? Which period are you referring to? The Third Great Ninja War era?" 

"No, the Warring States Period." 

"The Warring States Period?" 

Minato Namikaze was a bit confused. Looking at Uchiha Hikari's age, she seemed to be about the same as Shindai. The Warring States Period she'd experienced should at most be the Third Great Ninja War. It was unlikely she'd lived through the Second or even the First Great Ninja War. 

Could it be... this Uchiha Hikari just looked young, but was actually much older? 

Minato Namikaze asked with some curiosity, "The Warring States Period you're talking about, do you mean the First or Second Great Ninja War? If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" 

Uchiha Hikari replied, "Even earlier than that. Back then, ninjas still operated in clans; there were no hidden villages. By that reckoning, I should be over eighty years old now." 

"What?!" 

Minato Namikaze's eyes widened in shock. Over eighty? How could someone over eighty still look like a young girl? 

Minato Namikaze didn't quite believe her, thinking Uchiha Hikari was just rambling. 

Uchiha Hikari looked at Minato Namikaze with an unruffled gaze. "I know you don't believe me, that you think I'm talking nonsense. Even after my seal was broken, I found it hard to believe, but it's the truth. If Shindai hadn't praised you so much, and asked me to answer your questions, I wouldn't waste so many words on you." 

Minato Namikaze's expression immediately became very strange. 

She was so blunt. 

However, she was saying all this to him because of Shindai... Did that mean Uchiha Hikari considered Shindai, who broke her seal, as her benefactor? 

Minato Namikaze speculated, "So, you're saying the Uchiha sealed you, and you want revenge on the Uchiha?" 

Uchiha Hikari shook her head. "That's what I thought at first, but now I'm not so sure if I want revenge. If the current Uchiha are still the same as the Uchiha from that era, then I won't hesitate to kill them all. 

Back in the Warring States Period, I was used as a weapon. I was sealed by the Senju clan and the Sarutobi clan working together. However, Shindai told me the Senju clan has declined now, so you wouldn't be able to stop me." 

Uchiha Hikari activated her Mangekyo Sharingan, her crimson eyes fixed on Minato Namikaze. 

Through the fight Shindai had with Asuma Sarutobi, Uchiha Hikari felt that the strength of ninjas in this world was... well, just average. And after these few days of recovery, Uchiha Hikari had fully regained her strength. 

Minato Namikaze stared at Uchiha Hikari's eyes in disbelief. 

"Mangekyo Sharingan?!" 

Minato Namikaze quickly regained his composure, his mind racing. 

He now had to believe that this young girl might truly be over eighty years old. 

However, that eighty years old should be theoretical; her actual age should still be that of her current appearance. 

It was just that being sealed for so long caused her body to stop developing. 

And Uchiha Hikari had just said she found it unbelievable after waking up, so she must have been in a deep sleep during the sealed period. 

Therefore, her psychological age should also only be her age before being sealed. 

The Senju clan and the Sarutobi clan sealed her, yet she wants revenge on the Uchiha clan, and she called herself a "weapon." 

From this, part of the truth could easily be deduced. 

The Uchiha clan back then used Uchiha Hikari as a weapon and likely did some terrible things to her, which is why she cast aside the Uchiha surname and resents them. 

Moreover, Uchiha Hikari said she initially wanted revenge, but now she's unsure, wanting to confirm if the current Uchiha are still the same as they were. 

Looking at it this way, it must be thanks to Shindai that Uchiha Hikari changed her mind about immediately seeking revenge on the Uchiha clan. 

However, he absolutely could not take Uchiha Hikari to confirm anything right now. The Uchiha clan's situation hadn't been resolved yet, and if Uchiha Hikari misunderstood, it would be troublesome. 

Minato Namikaze asked, "So, should I call you Hikari or Asuka?" 

"Asuka is fine." 

A surge of relief washed over Minato Namikaze. If Uchiha Hikari continued to be called Asuka, the name Shindai gave her, it would be much simpler to handle. 

Minato Namikaze then suggested, "This confirmation won't be possible right away. I imagine you'll need time to observe, otherwise what you see might only be a partial truth. So, how about this: for now, you can stay in Konoha and observe things gradually?" 

Uchiha Hikari thought about it, then nodded. "Alright." 

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