Naruto: The Strongest

"Looks like we were a step too late. Orochimaru still managed to escape." 

In the Hidden Leaf Village, inside the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, held his pipe in his mouth as he read the report in his hands. 

His gaze swept over the ANBU standing before him, especially the one at the back—Shuuzawa. 

Only then did he speak with a hint of resignation. 

"Although there were some losses, obtaining intelligence on Orochimaru is already a great gain." 

"Besides, we weren't fully prepared, so this mission isn't considered a failure. You all did well."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage." The assembled ANBU members immediately bowed slightly. 

Meanwhile, hidden among the crowd, Shuuzawa pursed his lips. Was this what they called a "most successful failure"? 

Truth be told, Shuuzawa knew that this Third Hokage probably never truly intended to deal with Orochimaru. 

Otherwise, when Orochimaru fled from the village, why didn't the Third Hokage—who was still at the tail end of his prime—put an end to him himself? 

After all, in just a few years, he would end up nodding in agreement when a certain someone wiped out their entire clan.

But whatever the Third Hokage was thinking had little to do with Shuuzawa. 

After all, one reason he stayed in the Leaf was the stable government position, and the other was that Danzo was still alive. 

Besides, hiding in the Leaf meant he had the village's protection, and if anything happened, the village would take the blame for him. 

What could be better? "Alright, you may all go and rest for now." As Shuuzawa was lost in his thoughts, Hiruzen suddenly spoke up. 

However, his gaze once again landed on Shuuzawa, and he suddenly smiled. "Shuuzawa-kun, I'd like you to stay for a moment."

Just as Shuuzawa, standing at the back, was about to make his exit, he froze slightly upon hearing those words. 

He wasn't sure what kind of trouble the Third Hokage was planning now, but he stayed put. 

After all, if you wanted to advance in your career, you had to listen to the boss. 

"Shuuzawa-kun, according to the report, your performance this time was outstanding." 

Once the other ANBU members had left, Hiruzen smiled and asked, "Also, how do you feel about working in the ANBU compared to the Foundation?"

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Hokage. Whether it is in the Foundation or the ANBU, we are all serving the Hidden Leaf." 

Shuuzawa immediately put on a righteous expression. However, deep down, he was sighing with relief—ANBU was far better than the Foundation. 

Not to mention, getting his Sealing Techniques to Level 5 had cost him quite a few free stat points. 

With those points, his physical attributes could have reached Level 7 already. 

Besides, Danzo's twisted mentality—always scheming and treating "eliminating entire families" as a casual practice—was simply too unbearable. 

Apart from himself, were there even any normal people left under Danzo? Still, despite his thoughts, Shuuzawa chose to endure. 

"That's right, we all serve the Leaf."

Hiruzen had no idea what Shuuzawa was really thinking. He nodded in satisfaction upon hearing his response. 

"Though our responsibilities are different, my old friend has certainly raised a fine talent." 

"The purpose of the Foundation is to train and supply capable operatives for the ANBU."

"..." Shuuzawa didn't know how to respond to that. 

Clearly, Orochimaru wasn't wrong when he said the Third Hokage was well aware of why Shuuzawa had been transferred to ANBU. 

But that was no surprise—Hiruzen and Danzo had probably been secretly debating this matter for a long time.

"You did an excellent job this time. I'll be awarding you accordingly under ANBU regulations." 

The Third Hokage continued with a smile. "Also, given the casualties in this operation, some teams will be reorganized." 

"Your current team will be restructured as well. I'll assign new members to your squad."

"..." Shuuzawa was momentarily stunned. Was this Danzo making his move? 

Using Orochimaru to eliminate some ANBU while also forcing Shuuzawa to hand over research materials? 

At the same time, can we gain influence over ANBU's internal assignments? Impressive, old man. 

Shuuzawa even considered whether he should at least leave Danzo's body intact when he eventually took him out. 

"I will follow Lord Hokage's arrangements." Shuuzawa nodded and accepted it directly.

"Good." Hiruzen still wore a warm smile. "You worked well with Yuugao. Since Fujikawa was injured this time, he will be taking some time off to recover." 

"For now, go and rest as well. I look forward to seeing you perform well in ANBU."

Shuuzawa scoffed inwardly as he turned to leave the office. 

As expected of master and student, these two really had a way with words—saying one thing while meaning another. 

Luckily, Shuuzawa was experienced enough to understand all the implications. 

In fact, given his workplace habits, he knew when to understand something and when to pretend he didn't. 

"Still, their relationship is really complicated. Could it be because of the Nine-Tails incident, where the Third Hokage lost his wife...?"

Suddenly, Shuuzawa shuddered. 

For some reason, an unsettling image popped into his head—Danzo being forced to bow his head while the Third Hokage stood over him, stammering and unable to speak. 

The sheer weirdness of the mental image made Shuuzawa's face turn pale. Damn it, at least turn off the lights so I don't have to picture this so clearly!

"You're out?" Just as Shuuzawa was mentally cursing himself, a voice interrupted his thoughts, finally pulling him away from that disturbing scene. 

"Yuugao-senpai?" Shuuzawa turned his head and saw Uzuki Yuugao, who had already removed her mask. 

He casually took off his mask and smiled. "Senpai, were you waiting for me?"

"Mm." Yuugao nodded, then spoke seriously. 

"You just joined ANBU, so there are many things you're still unfamiliar with. Also, during this mission, you saved me twice, and I..."

Was she about to offer herself as repayment? Shuuzawa raised an eyebrow, amused by the thought. 

After all, he had quite a bit of confidence in his own "righteous and dignified" appearance. 

No matter what profession you were in, good looks were always a form of combat power.

Otherwise, why did attractive people always seem to end up together?

"Then let me treat you to ramen, Senpai!" Though his mind was filled with ridiculous ideas, Shuuzawa's words were still proper. 

"Huh?" Yuugao was briefly taken aback. How did the conversation suddenly turn into him treating her?

Before Yuugao could respond, Shuuzawa continued with a smile. 

"As your junior, treating you is only natural. Besides, we'll likely be teammates in the future, so I hope you can take care of me from now on."

"This..." Yuugao hesitated slightly, but before she could say anything else, Shuuzawa took the initiative. 

Reaching out, he gently grabbed her hand and grinned. "Alright, Senpai, let's go. 

I heard Ichiraku Ramen is a great place, but I haven't had the chance to try it all these years. Plus, I'd really like to thank you."

"Thank me?" Yuugao was confused, but Shuuzawa simply led her forward without answering. Meanwhile, in his vision, a system prompt appeared:

[Side Mission Completed: Rescue ANBU Members]

[Mission Rating: B]

[Reward Acquired: Leaf-Style Kenjutsu (Uzuki Yuugao)]

[Bonus Applied: Merged with Taijutsu LV5]

The Konoha-ryu sword style, no matter how you look at it, is technically a part of Taijutsu. 

Shuuzawa's system had an interesting trait—it allowed him to integrate any ability of the same category once he acquired or was rewarded with it, instantly using it at his current level of mastery. 

It was the same with his Suiton and Doton techniques—once his level increased, he could learn and perform new jutsu at the corresponding strength. 

Looking at it this way, his system was undeniably powerful, but the real issue was that free points were hard to come by, strictly awarded based on mission difficulty.

He was truly the embodiment of "starting from scratch, rising and falling by his efforts." 

After all, if he took one wrong step, he might not even be around anymore. 

"Still, the ability I got this time is pretty interesting," Shuuzawa thought. His mission reward came from Uzuki Yugao, granting him some of her skills. 

"Crescent Moon Dance, Hazy Night, and Konoha-ryu Continuous Slash?" 

The first two were familiar enough, but the last one left him confused—wasn't that from some pay-to-win game? 

Either way, it didn't matter. What mattered was that these abilities would further enhance his combat capabilities. 

If he factored in the rewards promised by Hiruzen Sarutobi, this was definitely a major boost for him.

"What's wrong?" As they walked through Konoha's streets, Yugao, now in casual attire, noticed Shuuzawa spacing out and asked in a soft voice, "You seem a bit distracted." 

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about our injured and fallen teammates," Shuuzawa shook his head immediately, putting on a sighing expression. 

His words made Yugao pause for a moment before she spoke seriously. 

"That is the fate of the ANBU. We knew this the moment we chose this path—we are the ones standing at the forefront of Konoha's defense."

"I understand, senpai." Shuuzawa nodded quickly, not wanting her to get too philosophical on him, so he immediately echoed her words. 

"We walk in the shadows, serving the light. That is ANBU." 

"Serving the light—that is ANBU," Yugao murmured, clearly moved. 

A simple phrase perfectly encapsulated the essence of their unit. 

She suddenly realized that this junior, who had just joined ANBU, seemed to understand its purpose even better than she did. 

After all, she and her senior, Gekkou Hayate, had already been in ANBU for two years—how was she not as perceptive as this newcomer?

That thought left her feeling somewhat frustrated. Fortunately, Shuuzawa was not the brooding type. 

Under his lead, their conversation quickly found common ground, and the atmosphere lightened. 

He also took this opportunity to learn more about his senpai—her love for flower viewing, her deep passion for Kenjutsu and sword techniques, and even her opinions on their near-contemporary peers. 

In short, Yugao spoke earnestly while Shuuzawa listened with great interest. 

"I'd love to spar with you someday, senpai. I hope you'll guide me well," Shuuzawa said.

"Of course, no problem! And just call me Yugao—but only outside of work." 

The two of them continued their chat as they walked, with Yugao becoming visibly happier when she heard about Shuuzawa's interest in Kenjutsu. 

Before long, they arrived at Ichiraku Ramen. Since the dinner rush had passed, the stall wasn't too crowded. 

However, Shuuzawa unexpectedly noticed a blond-haired boy standing under the eaves nearby. 

The boy clutched his empty stomach while glancing longingly toward Ichiraku Ramen.

"That brat…" Yugao frowned at the sight of the kid, clearly not too familiar with Naruto. 

Like many in the village, she harbored some level of disdain toward him. "What about him?" 

Shuuzawa knew exactly what was going on but deliberately blinked in feigned ignorance. 

"Haven't you heard the rumors?" Yugao now looked at Shuuzawa in confusion, speaking in a low voice. 

"According to the rumors, that boy is the incarnation of the Nine-Tailed Fox—the culprit behind the disaster five years ago."

Five years ago, the Nine-Tails attacked Konoha, bringing untold devastation. 

The Fourth Hokage and his wife perished, along with countless shinobi and civilians. 

Truly, Obito had mastered the art of "repaying kindness with a vengeance." 

"If he really is the Nine-Tails incarnate, then why is he still in Konoha?" Shuuzawa blinked, putting on a curious expression. 

Yugao hesitated for a moment before replying in a righteous tone. "That's because Lord Hokage is merciful. He chose not to deal with the boy."

"Is that so?" Shuuzawa feigned confusion and then asked, 

"But even if the Hokage is merciful, wouldn't he still prioritize the safety of the villagers? What if the boy suddenly loses control one day?" 

"I…" Yugao was left speechless. 

She wanted to argue that there were ANBU, Konoha's many shinobi, and the Third Hokage himself, but the words got stuck in her throat. 

She had witnessed firsthand the destruction caused by the Nine-Tails years ago. 

She had even attended the Fourth Hokage's funeral. She knew exactly how dangerous the beast was.

So why had the Hokage allowed Naruto to stay in the village? Seeing Yugao's conflicted expression, Shuuzawa immediately understood. 

At her ANBU clearance level, she likely wasn't privy to information about Jinchuriki. 

In truth, neither was he—Danzo had never assigned him to anything related to Jinchuriki. 

But Shuuzawa had the advantage of being a transmigrator. 

As an experienced worker, he knew that when something was beyond his clearance, the best response was simple—don't ask.

He wasn't some reckless Uchiha. He was a loyal and devoted shinobi, an "insignificant cog in the grand machine of Konoha." 

If anything, Danzo was probably hoping he'd get involved with Naruto somehow. 

"So, senpai, don't doubt Lord Third's wisdom," 

Shuuzawa said, casually patting Yugao's shoulder with a grin. "Rumors are just rumors. As ANBU, our duty is to trust in the Hokage." 

"Senpai, you don't think Lord Hokage would put Konoha in danger, do you?"

"Of… of course not. And stop calling me senpai—just call me Yugao." 

Yugao hesitated, unsure whether it was Shuuzawa's easygoing attitude or his words that made her waver. 

She found herself at a loss for a counterargument. 

After all, opposing his reasoning would make it seem like she was questioning the Hokage's judgment—something highly inappropriate for an ANBU member. 

Years of rumors still made her feel uneasy, but Shuuzawa didn't give her time to dwell on it. He was already pulling her toward Naruto.

At that moment, Naruto was completely unaware of the approaching duo. 

He was busy counting the small handful of coins in his nearly empty frog-shaped wallet, frowning in distress. 

Just then, a young man's voice rang beside him. "Huh? That's barely enough… not even for one bowl of ramen."