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[NTU] [ARC-21] Chapter : 283
🕑 Added 2025-03-30 07:50:52 +0000 UTC"Hokage-sama, I apologize for being late. What’s the matter?"
Kushina, her vibrant red hair cascading over her shoulders, accepted the cup of hot tea that Haku handed her. She smiled warmly at him, instantly feeling a sense of purity and kindness emanating from the boy.
With her keen chakra sense, she could sense his untainted, sincere nature. From the very first time they met, she had taken a liking to him.
"Now that I think about it, I’ve disrupted your life quite a bit… I wonder if you're settled in at the Uchiha compound."
Toshiro took a sip of his tea and casually steered the conversation in her direction.
Kushina had been living peacefully in her own home, but to prevent the Third Hokage from exerting too much influence over her and Naruto, Toshiro had intervened—relocating them to the Uchiha clan’s territory.
It had been a strategic move, but one that left him feeling somewhat guilty for not checking in on them sooner.
"Thank you for your concern, Hokage-sama," Kushina responded with a reassuring smile. "The Uchiha clan has been very welcoming. Mikoto and I have become close friends, and we’ve been happy here."
She paused for a moment, her expression softening.
"Besides, Naruto has made some wonderful friends."
Toshiro noted that the Uchiha clan had been more than accepting of Kushina. Most of them were aware of her true identity, and given Toshiro’s decision to have her stay among them, they naturally welcomed her presence.
They had always looked after her well, and Naruto had adapted seamlessly to their new home.
Only…
Whenever she thought of Naruto and Sasuke—their endless bickering—she couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.
The two boys understood each other better than anyone, yet for some reason, they constantly found themselves at odds.
It was a situation that left both her and Mikoto feeling equally exasperated.
"That’s good!"
Seeing that Kushina wasn’t particularly opposed to the move, Toshiro chose not to dwell on the matter.
"I have a mission for you—one I think you'll be quite happy to accept."
As he spoke, Toshiro retrieved a mission scroll from his robes—the very one he had prepared earlier in the Hokage's office—and handed it to her.
This assignment had been tailored specifically for Kushina.
Once she had left, another figure silently appeared before Toshiro.
Dressed in standard ANBU attire, the newcomer was notably short and slender. His exposed face, devoid of the usual mask, was rigid and expressionless, with deep nasolabial folds giving him an air of solemnity.
"Itachi, there's no need to be so formal. We’re family, after all."
Toshiro wasn’t surprised to see Uchiha Itachi, but his stiff demeanor made him frown.
This was his home, and seeing someone act so reserved in his presence was, quite frankly, irritating.
"Hai."
At Toshiro’s words, Itachi visibly eased, his posture relaxing ever so slightly.
"This is the document you've requested,Hokage-sama."
With that, Itachi respectfully handed over a sealed scroll along with a large sheet of parchment.
Toshiro's eyes flickered with interest.
"Oh? So there's finally news."
Taking the scroll and documents from Itachi’s hand, Toshiro made no effort to conceal anything as he began reviewing the contents right in front of him.
The first thing that caught his eye was an address, followed by detailed information on a particular ninjutsu.
Setting the address aside for now, Toshiro focused on the ninjutsu report, carefully reading through its contents.
"Hmm... Well done. This mission was executed flawlessly."
He was more than satisfied with Itachi’s efficiency.
Ever since the young shinobi had returned from the battlefield in the Land of Water, Toshiro had chosen to put aside the controversy surrounding his actions—especially the matter of him killing his own comrades.
After carefully considering the situation, Toshiro ultimately reassigned Itachi to the Root organization.
As Hokage, there were certain tasks that required execution from the shadows, and Uchiha Itachi was a prime candidate for such responsibilities.
However, Toshiro knew that some of the Root’s previous methods were too extreme. As a result, he initiated reforms, instructing Itachi to develop a restructuring plan and oversee its implementation.
"How is the Root reorganization progressing?"
Despite being young and somewhat mentally unbalanced, Itachi was undeniably efficient. In just a year, the once-chaotic organization had been brought under control.
Toshiro had already decided—itachi would serve as Konoha’s hidden protector, a role not unlike his former one.
"I have another mission for you."
After receiving a confirmation from Itachi about Root’s progress, Toshiro handed him the address he had just obtained.
"This location belongs to a ninja named Roshi—the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki."
"The Four-Tails’ Jinchūriki?"
The mention of a jinchūriki caused a rare shift in Itachi’s otherwise composed expression. He parted his lips slightly, as if about to speak, while his brows knit together in contemplation.
Itachi hadn’t anticipated that his covert mission to the Land of Earth would lead to information regarding the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki.
From what he knew, the Four-Tails’ host, Roshi, was a shinobi of Iwagakure. Could it be that the Hokage wasn’t content with having only the Nine-Tails in the village and was now setting his sights on the Four-Tails as well?
"Your mission is to locate Roshi. I need a portion of the Tailed Beast’s chakra from him."
Hearing this, Itachi felt a noticeable sense of relief.
He had been wary that Toshiro might have more ambitious—perhaps reckless—plans, which could escalate tensions between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. However, since the objective was merely to obtain some of the Four-Tails' chakra rather than capture the beast itself, his concerns eased.
"Take this," Toshiro continued, handing Itachi a small, inscribed seal. "Once you locate him, use your chakra to activate this seal, and I will come personally."
Years ago, Toshiro had enlisted the Akatsuki’s services to track down Roshi. Now, with the precise location finally in hand, he dispatched Itachi to complete the deal, ensuring that Akatsuki received the remainder of their payment.
The transaction with Akatsuki was about to be finalized.
With the transaction nearly complete, Toshiro casually tossed a small vial of green, glowing liquid toward Itachi.
"This is for you."
Noting the flicker of confusion in Itachi’s gaze, Toshiro explained indifferently, "It can partially restore the lost power of your eyes and delay Mangekyō-induced blindness."
He wasn’t the type to offer empty words. If Itachi was going to serve as his right hand, he would ensure the Uchiha had the tools he needed to survive.
"…Can something like this… truly work?"
Itachi's usually impassive demeanor wavered. His gaze flickered between the glowing green liquid in his hand and Toshiro, doubt clear in his eyes.
As Fugaku's son, he was well-versed in the secrets of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
To his knowledge, there was no cure for the inevitable blindness that came with its power. It was an intrinsic flaw of the Sharingan itself—one that every wielder eventually faced.
"You'll find out once you try it," Toshiro replied with a smirk, offering no further explanation. "This mission isn’t urgent. Go home, rest, and spend some time with your family."
Roshi could wait.
Unlike the ruthless leaders from his past life, Toshiro understood the importance of pacing. He knew that constantly pushing Itachi to the brink would only risk instability—especially given the fragile nature of the Mangekyō Sharingan’s spiritual energy. If something went wrong, it would only create another mess for him to clean up.
"Go on."
With a dismissive wave, he sent Itachi on his way before turning his attention back to the scrolls before him.
These weren’t just any stolen documents—this was ninjutsu intelligence acquired through Akatsuki, smuggled out from Kumogakure.
"Tensō no Jutsu… I wonder if it could be fused with the Hiraishin to create a teleportation jutsu that bypasses the need for pre-marking…"
His original request from Akatsuki had been for the Tensō Jutsu—a technique valuable enough that he had even used Iwagakure ninja as a cover to obtain it.
Now that the technique was in his possession, Toshiro could hardly contain his eagerness to dissect its underlying principles.
If his memory served him right, this jutsu operated without the need for a pre-placed marker—unlike the Hiraishin, which required a specialized kunai or seal.
Instead, the technique relied on predetermined coordinates, allowing the user to specify the distance and location before initiating the teleportation.
It functioned almost like a directional space portal.
However… there was a catch.
This technique appeared to depend on a fixed sealing array. The question now was whether that array could be simplified—or, better yet, eliminated altogether.
