Chapter 90: Is Jiraiya Reliable for Looking After a Child?
On the top floor of the Hokage Building.
The trio who had returned to Konoha happened to form a harmonious picture of "four generations under one roof" with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered the possibility of Orochimaru being the mastermind. Whether it was his intelligence, strategy, or his motives and intentions, it could indeed explain the series of problems that had occurred in Konoha.
Especially when he opened the sealing scroll and immediately confirmed that these were the cells of Hashirama Senju, which he had ordered to be sealed away long ago.
And the only ones who could obtain them and dared to reach for them were Danzo Shimura and Orochimaru. Honestly, Hiruzen Sarutobi was very doubtful whether Danzo still had the guts to continue his forbidden research.
"Things have already reached this point; we cannot just sit by and watch." The Third Hokage tossed out a warrant, throwing it to Kakashi Hatake, "I will authorize you to have access to the village's biological laboratories. You will be responsible for surveillance and secret investigation."
To find out who is secretly stealing the First Hokage's cells...
Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't know whether he hoped Danzo was not involved, or hoped he would leave a small loophole for him to catch... After all, since the Land of Grass incident, Root had been a bit too active.
Kakashi Hatake took the warrant and glanced helplessly at his young teammate, "It seems our squad is destined not to have a good New Year this year!"
"As long as it doesn't delay the hatsumōde (first shrine visit of the year), it's fine."
Uchiha Itachi smiled shyly. He had promised Sasuke this year that he would take him to participate in the New Year hatsumōde. Last year, Sasuke was too young; this year would be the little cub's first time participating in a group activity.
The crow's crimson eyes rolled, "..."
This New Year really couldn't be too peaceful...
Hmm, mainly, it couldn't sit by and watch Orochimaru become the new Scapegoat Kage!
Orochimaru posed no threat to its own cub; he was basically a perfect counter... But Danzo Shimura couldn't be allowed to stay for long. His status was rather special and could easily bring trouble.
If not for the lack of opportunity to communicate with Danzo privately, Kitahara would have already used a Tailed Beast Bomb to give him a bath! Did Danzo Shimura not covet the cub's Mangekyo Sharingan? Did he have no thoughts of secretly ambushing them?
Since the old fellow was so cautious, it had to think of a way to make Danzo carry another black pot... and incidentally make this New Year a little more lively, to prevent the little cub from clinging to his older brother all day.
Even if Danzo hadn't participated in this matter, it could make Danzo participate. And with its understanding of the man behind Konoha's shadows, it was impossible for him not to participate.
Whenever there was some dirty business, you could definitely find Danzo's shadow.
Uchiha Itachi didn't know that the crow's rolling eyes had already hatched a terribly wicked idea.
After leaving the Hokage Building, the three first went to where Naruto lived.
Kakashi knew the news of Minato Namikaze's posthumous son and definitely wouldn't hide it from Jiraiya. Coincidentally, the old man had returned and was idle while recuperating. It was just the right time to entrust the little fellow to his care.
Hopefully, Jiraiya, for the sake of his great disciple and his wife's spirits in heaven, wouldn't pass on any strange attributes to Naruto...
However, the first thing Jiraiya said upon seeing Naruto Uzumaki made the accompanying Kakashi and Uchiha Itachi break out in a sweat in the middle of winter, "Ha, Naruto is actually so cute? If I take him out, a lot of little girls will surely like him... hehehe..."
"Lord Jiraiya... he's still a child."
"Teacher Jiraiya... he's still a child."
The two members of the Black Snow squad spoke almost in unison, simultaneously reaching out to block Jiraiya's demonic claws. Doubt spread in their minds... Entrusting a child to Jiraiya's care, was that really reliable?
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of him." Jiraiya waved his hand, bent down, and picked up the little fellow, "I will definitely teach him to become a resolute ninja!"
The moment Jiraiya picked up Naruto, he checked the seal on Naruto Uzumaki's body for firmness. After confirming there was no leakage of Nine-Tails chakra, he nodded with satisfaction, "I didn't expect the old man's sealing jutsu to have some skill!"
"..."
Uchiha Itachi and Kakashi's expressions were a bit strange. Wasn't the Third Hokage your teacher? Was it really okay to talk about your teacher like that?
"He's just too skinny... Let's take him out for barbecue tonight!" Jiraiya put the child down and rummaged through his wallet over and over.
"Teacher Jiraiya, his body is still too delicate. He can't eat barbecue, right!" Uchiha Itachi said weakly. No matter what, a child of this age's staple food should be mainly liquid food, right?
Kakashi Hatake shook his head, "I've already bought this week's ingredients, and Naruto's milk. They're all in the refrigerator."
He often visited Naruto here and would incidentally help buy his necessities. The ANBU members responsible for looking after the child were a bit careless.
"Oh oh, you guys are so thoughtful!" The old man slapped his forehead, scanned the room, and said softly, "The room is a bit dirty... You guys go back and rest! Leave this to me!"
"Then we'll help too!" This was Kakashi.
"Okay, then we'll leave first." This was Uchiha Itachi.
Kakashi Hatake looked at the embarrassed little boy and couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Itachi's parents should be waiting for you to come home, right! The Uchiha clan grounds are far from the village, hurry back!"
Kakashi's home only had him. The place he spent the most time was the Memorial Stone. It didn't matter if he went home early or late.
For a ninja like Itachi, whose parents were both alive, he hoped Itachi could spend more time with his parents. After the New Year, ANBU missions would become more and more frequent, and the time spent with family would only become less and less.
Kitahara's sharp beak tapped Uchiha Itachi's head, "Caw!"
Let's go, time to go home for dinner!
On the way, the commercial street was bustling with people coming and going. The New Year atmosphere in Konoha was getting stronger year by year.
After the Third Hokage took office again, he had taken over a village in a state of transition between old and new. But after two years, apart from the occasional rogue ninja incident, the entire village seemed to have regained its vitality.
Kitahara looked at a squad of ninjas laughing as they passed by, then turned to look at the Hokage Rock in the distance with the heads of the past Hokages. The light of the Will of Fire in the ninja world was truly dazzling!
A little boy suddenly bumped into Uchiha Itachi. The toy in his hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
The little thing looked at the toy on the ground, stunned for a moment, and held back his tears, muttering in a low voice, "A toy for my little sister..."
"Neji, you should apologize to the other person first."
A young man walked up, stroked the little fellow's hair, then looked down and saw the person his own cub had bumped into, somewhat surprised, "I'm so sorry..."
"And you are?"
Uchiha Itachi frowned in thought. The other person wore casual clothes and looked quite dignified. His eyes were the unique Byakugan Kekkei Genkai of another prominent clan in Konoha, the Hyuga.
The Uchiha clan meetings rarely mentioned the Hyuga. When someone occasionally did, it was mostly to say that the Hyuga clan was a bunch of cowards, unworthy of being ranked alongside them.
"I am Hizashi Hyuga. Unlike my older brother, my reputation isn't as great. You probably haven't heard of me, right?"
The young man smiled, showing no hostility or contempt for Uchiha Itachi's age. No one in Konoha yet dared to look down on the Uchiha's current number one master, even if he would only be seven after the New Year.
Kitahara cooed softly, "Caw!"
Uchiha Itachi tilted his head, receiving the crow's message, then replied, "I just haven't seen you before. I have heard of the Byakugan clan's field of vision."
"I hope Neji's actions haven't caused you any displeasure. I apologize on his behalf." Hizashi Hyuga clasped his hands and bowed slightly, then bent down to pick up his still-dazed son.
Uchiha Itachi had never experienced an equal social interaction in the adult world, and to start with someone of Hizashi Hyuga's high caliber, he was momentarily flustered, "It's alright, it's understandable for a child to be a bit excited. May I ask where he bought his toy?"
(End of this chapter)
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