41-45

Chapter 41: I Am One of Them

Shimura Danzo’s pupils constricted sharply as he stared intensely at Touji.

*Ding! Shimura Danzo’s favorability decreased by 5! His current favorability is 15! Warning! Extremely dangerous!!*

“What do you mean by that, kid?” Shimura Danzo asked with a hint of threat in his voice.

Touji’s lips curved into a slight smile.

Danzo panicked.

That experiment had crossed two major lines.

First, they used live humans as test subjects.

Orochimaru had been exiled from the Hidden Leaf Village because of his human experimentation. If it were discovered that Danzo had been involved, or worse, was one of the key figures, his fate wouldn’t be much better than Orochimaru's.

Even if the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, tried to defend him, Danzo would still be forced out of the leadership circle.

Second, they had used the cells of Hashirama Senju.

Hashirama, the God of Shinobi and the founder of the Hidden Leaf, was revered by all shinobi. If it became public that Danzo had experimented on Hashirama’s remains, the entire village would turn against him.

The remnants of the Senju clan, now scattered among the common people, wouldn’t stand for it either. Especially Tsunade, Hashirama’s granddaughter, with her fiery temper—she would personally come for Danzo.

If either of these secrets got out, Danzo would have no place left in the Hidden Leaf.

“What do I mean? How about I explain it to everyone right now?”

Danzo trembled, his killing intent rushing toward Touji. Touji’s hair stood on end, but he wasn’t scared. As long as he could see Danzo’s favorability, he knew how far he could push without worrying about Danzo lashing out.

If forced, Danzo might use the forbidden technique, Four Symbols Seal, and everyone present would die!

At this point, even Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned.

Danzo’s secret organization, Root, was technically part of the Anbu, but its control rested entirely with Danzo. Hiruzen knew most of what Danzo did, but it was impossible to know everything about Root.

Danzo’s anxious behavior now clearly indicated that something he didn’t want exposed was about to be revealed.

Still, the priority was to protect Danzo for now.

“We’re all here for the sake of the village,” Hiruzen said, trying to calm things down. “No need to argue. Let’s all take a breath.”

Touji scoffed. “Shut up! I’ll deal with you later. Right now, I’m here to talk to Lord Danzo about those test subjects!”

Hiruzen frowned again. As the Hokage, no one in the village ever spoke to him without respect, yet Touji didn’t seem to care about his authority and even told him to shut up.

*Ding! Hiruzen Sarutobi’s favorability decreased by 1! His current favorability is 39! Warning!!!*

Danzo’s face darkened. After a long silence, he finally spoke.

“You’re talking about Orochimaru’s human experiments, right? What does that have to do with me?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about! And I was one of the test subjects!”

Touji’s grin widened. He had been the target of Danzo’s assassination attempts, all because he lacked a proper identity. But now, the experiments provided him with the perfect background.

That’s why Touji had summoned Hiashi Hyuga and Hiruzen Sarutobi—to make Danzo admit the truth himself.

“And I don’t recall ever saying the experiment had anything to do with you!” Touji added slyly.

Danzo’s heart skipped a beat.

In his rush to defend himself, he had let slip too much.

Now, the others were staring at him with suspicion. If this conversation continued, Danzo knew he would be finished in the Hidden Leaf.

“Danzo, care to explain what your involvement was in that human experiment?” Hiashi Hyuga, who had never liked Danzo, seized the opportunity to press him further.

Danzo’s face darkened as he quickly calculated his options.

There was no escaping this now. His best chance was to minimize the damage.

“What are you trying to say, kid?!” Danzo shouted, suddenly launching a palm strike at Touji. Just as it was about to hit, Hiashi Hyuga intercepted the blow.

“Danzo, what exactly are you trying to hide?!”

Danzo’s face was livid with rage, and he wanted nothing more than to destroy Touji.

“You seem to be forgetting,” Touji taunted, “Hashirama’s cells!”

Now everyone was looking at Danzo with anger and disgust.

“How could you, Danzo?!”

“Unforgivable! How dare you tamper with the First Hokage’s remains!”

Danzo staggered, barely keeping his balance. His face was full of despair. He knew he had lost.

What made it worse was that he hadn’t been defeated by Hiruzen Sarutobi or Orochimaru but by this young upstart, Touji.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face grew stern with anger.

“Danzo! You dared to touch the First Hokage’s remains! That’s an unforgivable crime! From today onward, you are to remain confined to your home. If you step outside, you will be treated as a rogue ninja!”

Hiruzen’s tone softened as he turned to the others with a look of sorrow.

“The First Hokage is our village’s symbol of faith. If anyone spreads word of this, causing unrest in the village, they will be treated as traitors as well. Touji, I will help restore your identity. You’ve been through so much.”

Danzo, who had been bracing for the worst, relaxed a little upon hearing Hiruzen’s words. At least his life was spared.

House arrest was hardly a punishment.

But he knew that much of his power would now be absorbed by others.

The others frowned at Hiruzen’s words, realizing that he was protecting Danzo. But there was nothing they could do. After all, Hiruzen and Danzo had always worked closely together.

Touji shrugged. Everything had gone as he expected.

Danzo existed to do the dirty work that the Hokage couldn’t be associated with. If Danzo were gone, many of the village’s covert operations would come to a halt.

This was something Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn’t allow.

But Touji had achieved what he set out to do.

He had secured a legitimate identity and given Danzo a harsh lesson—showing him who he could and couldn’t mess with.

Danzo leaned close to Touji’s ear, his voice cold. “Kid, is this really worth it? Dragging us both down? What do you want out of this?”

Touji knew that from this moment on, he and Danzo were enemies until death. The assassination attempts would only increase from here. But Danzo, cautious of causing too much trouble within the village, wouldn’t dare openly target him anymore.

“The reason is simple,” Touji replied calmly. “I’m someone you can’t afford to mess with.”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 42: Are You Worthy?*

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a cold laugh.

He didn’t expect to be called here by Tenten and have such a great opportunity present itself.

Although Danzo Shimura was indispensable, his power had recently grown too vast, almost threatening to overshadow Hiruzen himself.

Hiruzen had been troubled by this, but now, everything seemed to have worked out.

During Danzo’s confinement, Hiruzen would take the chance to absorb much of Danzo’s influence.

With that, Hiruzen could finally rest easy.

Thinking about this, Hiruzen cast a satisfied glance at Touji.

*"Ding! Hiruzen Sarutobi's favorability has increased by one! His favorability is now at forty!"*

"Alright, let's settle this matter. I’ll make sure Danzo is closely watched. Anyone have any objections?"

Everyone looked at Hiruzen helplessly.

The Hokage had spoken. If anyone dared object now, it would be extremely inappropriate.

They all knew Hiruzen was protecting Danzo, but what could they do?

They could only begrudgingly accept it.

"I disagree!"

Hiruzen’s smile froze instantly, his eyes turning cold as they locked onto Touji.

"Kid, do you think my handling of this matter is unfair? Or do you have a better solution?"

Hiruzen spoke calmly, but there was an undertone of menace that made everyone shudder.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was the Hokage of the Leaf Village, the highest authority.

His words carried the weight of an imperial edict.

For Touji to contradict him now — wasn’t that a death wish?

Hiashi Hyuga quickly ran over, grabbing Touji with one hand, a sycophantic smile plastered on his face.

“Hokage-sama, Touji is just a kid. Don’t take him seriously.”

“Exactly, Hokage-sama has a broad heart and wouldn’t be offended by Touji.” Kakashi Hatake rushed over as well, laughing as he tried to smooth things over.

Hiruzen snorted coldly, glaring once more at Touji.

“You're young. Watch your words next time.”

“Oh, I see. In that case, let’s talk about Hizashi Hyuga, Sakumo Hatake, and Naruto Uzumaki somewhere else.”

Touji’s eyes locked onto Hiruzen as he spoke, observing the subtle changes in his face, his lips curling into a smile.

Hiruzen and Danzo had always been in cahoots.

Now that Touji had already offended Danzo, if he did nothing, the next assassination attempt would certainly not be far off.

So Touji's goal now was to take from the tiger's mouth.

Hiruzen glared at Touji, his breathing growing heavier.

If it weren’t for the people around them, he would have already stabbed a kunai into Touji’s heart.

“What do you mean by that?”

Hiashi Hyuga and Kakashi Hatake both stopped in their tracks.

The mention of Hizashi Hyuga and Sakumo Hatake was like a thorn in both their hearts.

Now that Touji brought it up, they naturally wanted to know the truth.

“Please, stop imitating Danzo's way of talking. Always asking ‘What do you mean by that?’ Don't you get it yet?”

Hiruzen’s face flushed red instantly.

In all his years as Hokage, it was the first time someone had humiliated him like this.

*"Ding! Hiruzen Sarutobi's favorability has decreased by ten! His favorability is now at thirty! Warning! Hiruzen Sarutobi has developed murderous intent towards the host!"*

Touji smiled nonchalantly.

If it were anyone else, a favorability of thirty with murderous intent would have made Touji flee immediately.

But Hiruzen was different.

Hiruzen was the Hokage of the Leaf Village, known as a decent and upright man.

If Hiruzen suddenly killed someone over a few words, his image would crumble, and his ability to remain Hokage would be in question.

That’s why Hiruzen needed Danzo.

“Let’s start with the Leaf hero, Sakumo Hatake, also known as the White Fang. This hero was ostracized by the entire village just because he saved his teammates. Do you deny that you were behind it?”

Touji smiled again, looking directly at Hiruzen.

Hiruzen’s facial muscles twitched, but he quickly composed himself, his expression turning serious.

“I, too, was deeply saddened by Sakumo’s demise. While he did cause a critical mission to fail, resulting in the deaths of more ninjas, I still wished to keep him. But alas, the families of the deceased couldn’t let go. By the time I realized, it was too late.”

Seeing Hiruzen’s sorrowful expression, if Touji hadn’t known better, he might have been deceived.

But since he knew the truth, Touji wasn’t about to let him off the hook.

“You were just afraid that the Hokage position would fall into the hands of an outsider. That way, your family and the clan backing you would suffer losses.”

“Utter nonsense!”

Hiruzen slammed his hand against the wall in fury, shaking the entire building. Bits of wood began to fall from the ceiling.

“Hokage-sama, did my father die just because he had a chance to become Hokage?”

Kakashi Hatake forced himself to remain calm, but his heavy breathing betrayed his inner turmoil.

No one could accept this.

The person he admired most indirectly caused his father’s death.

If it weren’t for the fact that Hiruzen was the Hokage, Kakashi would’ve already been at his throat.

“Don’t listen to his slander! He’s just making things up to smear me!” Hiruzen hastily defended himself.

“Making things up? Then let’s talk about how you’ve clung to power and protected your clan at all costs!”

Touji scoffed and downed the tea in front of him.

“To protect your clan, where has the Senju clan gone? To protect your clan, you were willing to sacrifice the Hyuga clan’s leader! To protect your clan, you relentlessly suppressed the Uchiha! Konoha used to be so strong, but because of you, heroes have died one after another for your personal gain. Do you even deserve to be Hokage?”

The room fell silent.

Hiashi Hyuga and Kakashi Hatake's eyes were burning with rage, and they subconsciously distanced themselves from Hiruzen.

Might Guy looked at Hiruzen, questioning everything. The Hokage he admired turned out to be so selfish.

Kurenai Yuhi frowned, letting go of Asuma Sarutobi’s hand.

That small gesture made Asuma feel awkward.

Tenten was stunned by Touji's words. For her, all this was too overwhelming, too soon to process.

But Touji’s confident demeanor had left an impression—Tenten thought he looked quite cool.

*"Ding! Hiruzen Sarutobi's favorability has decreased by five! His favorability is now at twenty-five! Warning! Hiruzen Sarutobi has developed murderous intent towards the host!"*

*"Ding! Tenten’s favorability has increased by three! Her favorability is now at eighty-two! You can now sign in!"*

*Chapter 43: I've Already Decided*

Touji sneered inwardly.

Although Shimura Danzo was indeed punch-worthy, the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen was just as bad.

If he hadn’t died early, things might have turned out even worse than with Danzo.

Now, after being stared at with multiple hostile glares, beads of sweat formed on Sarutobi’s forehead, and not even his Hokage hat could hide them.

“This kid is spouting nonsense! These were all accidents, definitely not my doing!”

Touji sneered again. At this point, Sarutobi was still trying to weasel out of it.

But Touji had no intention of letting him off the hook before getting what he wanted.

“Oh, really? So where did the Fourth Hokage’s belongings go? Naruto Uzumaki is so poor now that he’s surviving on instant ramen. Are you seriously going to say that Minato Namikaze left him with nothing?”

Sarutobi’s face went pale instantly.

There was no way out of this!

As the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, Minato Namikaze would have received plenty of compensation, more than enough to ensure Naruto would live comfortably for life.

But instead of giving it to Naruto, Sarutobi had kept it for his own family’s development.

Now that Touji had torn off his mask, Sarutobi was not only pale but also ashamed.

With so many eyes on him, everyone was waiting for a reasonable explanation from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

But there was none.

Sarutobi was more anxious than anyone else, but he simply couldn’t come up with an explanation.

Just then, the usually silent Shimura Danzo shook his head and stepped forward.

“I did all of these things.”

In an instant, all eyes turned toward Danzo, and Sarutobi’s face lit up with joy.

No surprise there, thought Touji. Danzo had been Sarutobi’s scapegoat for decades, taking the blame without hesitation.

Sarutobi’s joy quickly turned to a look of feigned outrage and confusion.

“Danzo! I can’t believe you did something like this! How could you betray them?”

As Sarutobi continued to roar angrily at Danzo, Touji couldn’t help but laugh.

Everything was going according to Touji’s plan.

As Hokage, Sarutobi needed to maintain a pristine image. If these accusations stuck to him, he wouldn’t be able to stay Hokage for long.

But Danzo had always been a shadowy figure, someone used to carrying out dark deeds in the background.

Taking the blame came naturally to him.

However, Sarutobi’s acting was so over-the-top that Touji burst into laughter.

Sarutobi, who had been shouting in righteous anger, immediately stopped and frowned at Touji.

“Touji! Do you find this situation funny?”

At this point, Sarutobi was feeling very uneasy.

How could a twelve-year-old kid know so many secrets? If Touji knew anything more, Sarutobi wouldn’t be able to explain his way out.

So now, Sarutobi watched Touji’s every move with bated breath.

“If you’re so sad about this, why not offer some compensation to everyone?”

“Compensation? Of course, but we need to discuss how much.”

Sarutobi raised an eyebrow and quickly responded.

“No need. I’ve already thought it through for you!”

Sarutobi’s heart sank. He felt like this was a trap, one Touji had carefully laid, just waiting for him to fall into.

But it was too late to refuse now.

“Alright, let’s hear it,” Sarutobi said in a threatening tone.

“It’s simple. Didn’t you forget to give Naruto Minato’s inheritance? Just give it to him now.”

“Of course, of course!” Sarutobi nodded eagerly.

If it was just money, gathering some from his clan wouldn’t be a big problem.

“And as for Sakumo Hatake, who was misunderstood by everyone before he died, Danzo should apologize publicly.”

Sarutobi’s heart skipped a beat.

This was a lethal blow!

If Danzo publicly apologized for Sakumo Hatake’s death, the issue would be resolved, but it would destroy Danzo’s reputation in Konoha.

His influence in the village would plummet, and his chances of joining the Hokage’s upper ranks would be gone.

“You’re going too far, kid!” Danzo jumped in, visibly furious.

Danzo had always aimed to become Hokage. To achieve that, his record had to be spotless.

It wasn’t a big deal to apologize in front of a few people, but doing so publicly would forever ruin his chances of becoming Hokage.

This made Danzo panic.

“Fine, I’ll speak for Danzo and agree to your demands.”

Sarutobi maintained a calm exterior. The priority now was to cut ties with this mess.

Danzo stared at Sarutobi in disbelief.

Danzo now suspected that Touji might have been sent by Sarutobi to sabotage him.

“Alright, I agree,” Danzo said through gritted teeth, then closed his eyes to hide the murderous intent in them.

“There’s one more thing.”

Before Touji could finish, Sarutobi leapt up.

“One more thing? Don’t push your luck!”

Touji quickly waved his hands, smiling. “Don’t worry, this one is simple. It’s just a small task for you.”

Sarutobi’s expression softened slightly, though he still didn’t fully trust Touji.

After all, this kid was proving to be a handful.

“Didn’t you say you were going to put Danzo under house arrest?”

“Yes, what does that have to do with the compensation?” Sarutobi asked suspiciously.

“Since Danzo will be under house arrest, his duties should be handed over to Hiashi as a gesture of respect for his brother Hizashi.”

“Impossible!” Danzo’s eyes shot open, and murderous intent burst forth, directed straight at Touji.

It wasn’t just about the position—it was about the power that came with it.

While Danzo’s closest allies were hard to sway, the lower-level ninjas were another story.

This would essentially hand over the influence Danzo had cultivated for years to the Hyuga clan!

Sarutobi also jumped to his feet.

Sarutobi had planned to absorb some of Danzo’s power for himself. If Hiashi Hyuga took Danzo’s place, Sarutobi wouldn’t even get the scraps.

Moreover, Sarutobi wasn’t comfortable with another clan controlling part of the Anbu forces.

“We can discuss this condition later.”

“You’re in no position to negotiate with me! This is my final decision, not something for you to approve!”

Touji’s voice turned cold, and he stared down Sarutobi with unshakable authority.

Sarutobi’s body tensed with killing intent, and for a moment, he wanted to tear Touji apart.

But seeing the confident smile on Touji’s face, Sarutobi began to panic.

“This kid knows too much! How could he know all of this?!”

As Sarutobi wrestled with indecision, Touji’s smile widened.

“I’ve said it before—you have no right to negotiate with me!”

*End of Chapter*

(Note: Votes, please!!!)

Chapter 44: Tearing Off a Piece of Flesh

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared intently at Touji with dead serious eyes.

Ever since he became the Hokage, no one had ever dared speak to him like this—not even the Hidden Cloud Village in the past.

But now, a twelve-year-old child dared to confront him like this, right to his face.

The most critical part was that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn’t have the courage to argue back.

"Hiruzen! You absolutely cannot agree to this!" Danzo Shimura was panicked, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi with pleading eyes.

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a bitter smile.

There was nothing he could do. If Touji had even bigger bombs to drop, the fire would completely consume him.

At least for now, the one hurt was only Danzo Shimura.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed helplessly. "Better him than me," he thought. Since it hadn’t come directly for him yet, he had no choice but to endure and compromise.

"I agree," Hiruzen Sarutobi said, deflating like a balloon. Even the light in his eyes seemed to dim.

Danzo Shimura staggered back a few steps and collapsed into a chair, his face showing a look of utter despair.

Danzo was furious—furious that Touji had dragged him down, and even more furious that Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't helped him out of the situation.

The single visible eye in Danzo's face radiated boundless hatred, as if he wanted to swallow everyone present.

After a long silence, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke with a hint of threat, "I’ll agree to your terms, but if anyone dares speak of today’s events, the consequences... well, I don’t need to explain."

With a cold snort, Hiruzen Sarutobi stormed off angrily. Danzo quickly followed, still cursing under his breath as he trailed behind.

Once the two were far enough away, Touji collapsed, exhausted.

Although he had appeared calm on the surface, facing two of the village’s top leaders at once had made his heart race like a rollercoaster.

Moreover, his injuries still hadn’t fully healed. The moment his tense mental state relaxed, his body could no longer hold up.

Fortunately, the rewards from all this were immense.

First, he’d gained an official identity in the Hidden Leaf Village.

With this, he no longer had to fear the Anbu suddenly appearing to “have tea” with him.

Secondly, Danzo Shimura was now under house arrest, and Danzo’s subordinates were now under the control of Hiashi Hyuga.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Anbu forces operated more openly, making it highly unlikely they would harm a ninja within the village.

So Touji was fairly certain his safety was now assured.

But what made Touji feel like he had gained the most was his rising favorability ratings.

*Ding! Kakashi Hatake’s favorability increased by 5 points! Current favorability: 88 points!*

*Ding! Hiashi Hyuga’s favorability increased by 10 points! Current favorability: 81 points! You may now sign in!*

"Sign in with Hiashi Hyuga!"

*Ding! Sign-in with Hiashi Hyuga successful! Received: Substitution Jutsu! Favorability increased by 3 points! Current favorability: 85 points!*

*Ding! Since you already possess the Substitution Jutsu, the lower-level jutsu has been merged with the higher-level one!*

*Ding! Sign-in with Hiashi Hyuga successful! Received: Rotation! Favorability increased by 2 points! Current favorability: 83 points!*

*Ding! Since you already possess Rotation, the lower-level technique has been merged with the higher-level one!*

Hiashi Hyuga’s Rotation was much stronger than Neji Hyuga’s, but Touji wasn’t exactly thrilled.

He had no chakra! What good were high-level techniques if he couldn't use them?

As for the Substitution Jutsu he received from Tenten, it was a bit of a relief.

Though he didn’t know what improvements higher experience in the Substitution Jutsu might bring, at least it didn’t consume chakra and could be used at any time.

"Touji, are you okay?"

Tenten hurried over, worriedly checking Touji’s body when she saw him slumped down.

Hiashi Hyuga frowned slightly upon seeing this.

He suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

Ever since Hizashi Hyuga’s death, the Hyuga Clan had been on a downward slope.

No new high-level talents had emerged, and the older generation of masters was gradually passing away.

Even though the Hyuga Clan was aligned with the Hokage faction, as Hiruzen Sarutobi grew older, he became more and more biased toward his own Sarutobi Clan.

Although the Hyuga Clan was nominally the largest clan in the village, in reality, it was just an empty shell without real power.

This worried Hiashi Hyuga, who feared they might follow in the footsteps of the Uchiha Clan.

But today, Touji had completely disregarded his own safety and used his small body to stand up against two of the highest-ranking officials in the village.

He had torn off a piece of flesh from both of them.

This act had forced Hiashi Hyuga, who had been increasingly distanced from the village’s upper ranks, to take a step forward.

Don’t underestimate this one step.

Hiashi Hyuga had struggled for over a decade, and even maintaining his current position hadn’t been easy, let alone making any progress.

Yet Touji had managed it! He had done what Hiashi Hyuga had not!

Originally, Hiashi Hyuga had planned to give Touji his most treasured daughter as a sign of gratitude.

But now, seeing how close Touji and Tenten were, a sense of unease crept into his heart.

Touji wasn’t just helping the Hyuga Clan.

Touji was also a highly talented ninja, with potential that was undoubtedly limitless.

There was no way Hiashi Hyuga could let him slip away!

However, as the clan leader, Hiashi wouldn’t stoop to Tenten’s level.

Instead, he began considering a brainwashing plan for Hinata Hyuga. If that didn’t work, perhaps even Hanabi Hyuga would be included.

At that moment, Kakashi Hatake walked up to Touji. His usual dead-fish eyes were gone, replaced by a look of genuine emotion.

When he had first brought Touji back to the village, it was because of a strange feeling of goodwill. But he hadn’t expected Touji to return the favor with such a huge gesture.

After all, the death of Sakumo Hatake had always been a thorn in Kakashi’s heart.

The village’s reaction to it had made Kakashi cold and indifferent.

But Touji had cleared all of that away, restoring Sakumo’s honor. This kindness was greater than saving Kakashi’s life.

For a moment, Kakashi didn’t know how to repay Touji.

"Touji, why did you help me?" Kakashi stammered, finally managing to ask.

Might Guy looked at Kakashi in disbelief.

In all the years he’d known him, he had never seen Kakashi like this.

Guy even wondered if he was under some sort of genjutsu.

Touji paused for a moment, then smiled widely and said, "Because you're Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi trembled slightly, thinking for a long time before scratching his head and laughing.

"Yeah, Touji is so carefree, so why am I being so awkward? But this favor... I’ll remember it!"

*Ding! Kakashi Hatake’s favorability increased by 2 points! Current favorability: 90 points! You may now sign in!*

Touji’s eyes lit up.

After Might Guy, Kakashi had now reached 90 points in favorability.

At 90 points, their relationship had reached the level of "life-and-death companions, never to betray each other."

(End of Chapter)

---

*Chapter 45: Leading the Team to the Land of Waves*

"Sign in: Hatake Kakashi!"

[Ding! Hatake Kakashi signed in successfully! Acquired: Chidori! Favorability increased by 1 point! Current favorability: 91 points!]

Touji's eyes lit up.

Although it wasn’t the Lightning Blade, getting Chidori was already a pleasant surprise.

Now Touji had incredible speed, but lacked a powerful single-target finishing move.

Sure, the Eight Gates technique could be considered an extremely strong one-shot ninjutsu, but such a high-risk trade-off wasn’t something Touji planned on doing frequently.

After all, fighting and then lying bedridden for half a month is definitely not a good thing.

But one persistent problem remained:

Lack of chakra!

*The Next Day!*

Danzo Shimura officially admitted that the incidents involving Sakumo Hatake and Hizashi Hyuga were connected to him.

As an act of penance, Danzo decided to confine himself at home, no longer stepping outside.

At least until he fully atoned for his sins.

At the same time, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, was quick to issue a public condemnation.

However, it was less of a true condemnation and more of an attempt to distance himself from Danzo.

He spoke as if there was some deep-rooted hatred between them. If Touji hadn’t been involved, he might have even believed Sarutobi's false act.

Meanwhile, another piece of news spread quickly:

The Hyuga clan was rising!

The sudden resurgence of the Hyuga clan, which had been declining, piqued the interest of many other clans.

These clans knew Hiashi Hyuga well. Even holding onto his modest position was hard for him, let alone making a comeback.

After many unfounded rumors, the clans came up with a relatively believable explanation:

The Hyuga clan must have been guided by some expert.

But all clues pointed to one person—a twelve-year-old boy who wasn't even officially a ninja yet.

When the clan leaders heard this, their first reaction was to scold the ninjas who reported the information.

A twelve-year-old pulling the Hyuga clan out of a crisis? Why don’t they say he can reach the heavens too?

However, a few clan heads were willing to believe this was true.

They began searching fervently for this mysterious genius.

But Touji wasn’t happy at all.

"Touji… Touji-kun, I’ve peeled an apple for you. Please eat it," Hinata Hyuga shyly said, offering a slice of apple on a toothpick, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Touji-kun, I’ve made kunai-shaped fried chicken for you! Eat up!" Tenten said with a small smile, pushing a piece of golden fried chicken shaped like a kunai toward his mouth.

"Father is so annoying! Why do I have to accompany this idiot?" Hanabi Hyuga, kneeling on the tatami mat, muttered in frustration, her small, delicate face showing impatience.

Touji felt like crying.

Ever since he had publicly stood up to Danzo and Hiruzen, Hinata and Hanabi had been coming by every day.

At first, it was fine, but then Might Guy also arranged for Tenten to come help care for him, and the atmosphere started to get strange.

Every meal meant eating double portions, every snack required double the helpings, and even drinks had to be doubled.

Touji truly envied the “time-management master” from his original world, Luo Moumou, who could manage his schedule so perfectly.

At least today was better—at least the pink-haired girl didn’t show up.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, the door slowly opened.

In came Sakura Haruno, her pink hair bouncing as she walked in. She smugly waved a scroll in front of Hinata and Tenten, a look of pride on her face.

"Touji-kun, are you almost fully recovered?" she asked, her voice light and cheerful.

Touji twitched at the mention of "Touji-kun."

Thanks to Hiashi Hyuga's antics, this phrase had become a catchphrase throughout the village. Even kids were proud to use it.

If you didn’t know what "Touji-kun" meant, sorry, but you weren’t cool enough to hang out with them.

Touji was starting to worry. If people ever figured out the true meaning behind “Touji-kun,” he wasn’t sure if he’d be steamed or deep-fried.

Actually, Touji had already fully recovered.

It was just that Might Guy insisted on keeping him under observation, so he had no choice but to stay in bed a bit longer.

"Yeah, I’m mostly recovered," Touji replied.

"I thought so too," Sakura said, handing the scroll to Touji. "This is from Kakashi-sensei."

Touji slowly unrolled the scroll. As he read the contents, he couldn’t help but feel excited.

"The Land of Waves!"

The mission to the Land of Waves was officially classified as a C-rank mission, meaning there were no ninja involved, only regular bandits and thugs.

However, it was actually an A-rank mission, given that Zabuza Momochi, a member of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, would be there.

But what really excited Touji wasn’t Zabuza—it was his companion, Haku!

Haku possessed the Ice Release kekkei genkai, one of the strongest bloodline limits.

Moreover, Haku was the last known user of Ice Release in the world.

Touji couldn’t miss out on such a valuable opportunity. And since Kakashi would be there, Touji figured he could just focus on gaining favor and not worry about the mission itself.

He jumped out of bed.

"I’m definitely going! When do we leave, and did Kakashi-sensei say anything else?"

Sakura looked puzzled. "Kakashi-sensei? Kakashi-sensei said this was only a C-rank mission, so he wants you to lead the team."

Touji froze for a second before quickly checking the scroll again. When he saw the last line, his face twitched.

C-rank mission, my foot. This mission had Zabuza from the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, making it a full-blown A-rank mission.

And with Haku’s Ice Release, asking him to lead a team of rookies was like offering them up as easy targets.

"Can I opt out?"

Sakura shook her head.

"This mission was assigned by the Hokage. Kakashi-sensei was given another mission, so you have to lead this one."

Seeing Touji still hesitating, Sakura smiled confidently.

"Don’t worry, Touji-kun! It’s only a C-rank mission. We’re more than enough. If you’re not fully recovered, we’ll take care of things. I’ll protect you!"

Touji forced a smile.

In the Land of Waves mission, Sakura would be the most useless one.

But when she mentioned Hiruzen Sarutobi, Touji suddenly understood everything.

The timing of the mission and Kakashi being reassigned wasn’t just a coincidence.

It was clear that Hiruzen had noticed the hidden danger in the mission and purposely moved Kakashi out of the way, leaving Touji to fall into this trap.

If Touji refused, Hiruzen would have a reason to punish him.

Sighing in resignation, Touji realized he had no choice but to go.

"This is Sarutobi’s blatant scheme. I’ve just become a Konoha ninja and have to follow orders, so I’ll have to complete the mission."

He clenched his fists in frustration.

"But Hiruzen Sarutobi, you’ll pay for this!"

*End of Chapter*