Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Promoted to Squad Leader
[Konoha Village]
[Hokage's office]
"You actually brought back the corpse of that demon Zabuza?", Looking at Team 7, Uchiha Kage, and others like Yuhi Kurenai who had returned to the village, along with the two corpses taken out from the space scroll, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a flicker of joy in his heart.
He hadn't expected that even after he had suspended the mission, Kakashi and the others still managed to complete the task of infiltrating the Hidden Mist Village.
'It seems that now I can assign Itachi to another mission...'
Sarutobi Hiruzen's original intention was to have the injured Kakashi return to the village and then have Uchiha Itachi lead a team to the Hidden Mist Village.
"You have accomplished great feats again, the village will always remember your contributions."
Money, intelligence, all obtained at once, and they even brought back two of the Hidden Mist's ninja swords.
Now, whether relations with the Hidden Mist Village turn sour or friendly in the future, the initiative lies with Konoha.
Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth lift slightly.
'This child Uchiha Kage really is a lucky general.'
'However...'
Remembering Uchiha Itachi's suspicions, Sarutobi Hiruzen still kept an extra bit of caution.
"Kage, stay for a moment," After continuing to chat for a while, Sarutobi Hiruzen saw off Kakashi and the others, then kept Uchiha Kage behind alone.
"What is it, Hokage-sama?", Uchiha Kage, who had been mentally prepared, was not at all surprised by Sarutobi Hiruzen's action of keeping him behind for questioning.
"Given your exceptionally outstanding performance on this mission, I have decided to end your probation period early. You are now an official member of the Anbu," Instead of interrogating Uchiha Kage right away, Sarutobi Hiruzen first acknowledged his merits and even issued a promotion order.
"Not only that, I also intend to appoint you as a squad leader in the Anbu."
"Squad leader? Me?", Uchiha Kage quickly put on an expression of being overwhelmed by favor.
"But I'm just a genin..."
"It's fine, Uchiha Itachi was also promoted to Anbu squad leader at your age," Sarutobi Hiruzen was very satisfied with Uchiha Kage's reaction, and he naturally steered the conversation towards Uchiha Itachi.
"Uchiha... Itachi? That traitor?", Uchiha Kage tried his best to put on a gnashing teeth expression.
"Yes, you should have fought him, right?"
"Indeed, it's just a pity that he escaped."
"His strength is formidable."
"Hmph, he is somewhat strong, but nothing extraordinary. Next time, I will definitely kill him."
"Calm down, Kage, Uchiha Itachi is a ninja with the Mangekyou Sharingan, ordinary ninjutsu and genjutsu won't work on him."
"Is the Mangekyou Sharingan really that powerful? But I..."
"What? Is there something wrong?"
"Yes, his Sharingan seemed to have no effect on me, I don't know why."
"Such a thing? Kage, tell me in detail what happened that day...", Sarutobi Hiruzen led him on, and Uchiha Kage played along with his performance.
Apart from hiding the matter of the Byakugan and intangibility, Uchiha Kage almost revealed all the details of his battle with Uchiha Itachi that day.
"So that's how it is, it's quite strange..."
'This child is indeed as Iruka said, obedient and not hiding anything.'
Sarutobi Hiruzen was very satisfied with Uchiha Kage's performance; what he said almost matched what Uchiha Itachi had reported.
"But, your Uchiha clan is a miraculous one after all, perhaps you have an innate immunity to the Mangekyou Sharingan's pupil techniques," After finding that the accounts of Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Kage corroborated each other, Sarutobi Hiruzen became even more convinced that Uchiha Kage possessed a special constitution.
However, this child Yuhi Kurenai actually hid the truth.
'Could it be that she thinks I, as Hokage, would harm a young Uchiha?'
'Really, not all Uchiha geniuses are dead, Itachi is still alive... isn't he?'
"Really? So I am a genius..."
'So Sarutobi Hiruzen mistakenly thought I have a special constitution.'
'That saves me the trouble of explaining,' Uchiha Kage also breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"This is just my speculation. By the way, who taught you the Rasengan? This is a high-level A-rank ninjutsu, not something just anyone can learn," Although his suspicions were mostly dispelled, Sarutobi Hiruzen still asked one last question.
"I found this ninjutsu in the clan's collection and taught myself for a long time before I could do it," Uchiha Kage had 'created' the Rasengan not long after he was born.
At that time, Namikaze Minato hadn't even been born yet.
So, logically, there should be nothing wrong with this technique appearing in the Uchiha clan's collection.
"So the Uchiha clan also had this ninjutsu hidden away...", Sarutobi Hiruzen simply assumed that some Uchiha had copied this technique and made a scroll to store it, not thinking much more of it.
"Come in," Having no further doubts about Uchiha Kage, Sarutobi Hiruzen clapped his hands and called in two Anbu-nin who had been waiting outside the door.
"Ita, Sai, this young man will be your squad leader from now on, get to know each other," As Sarutobi Hiruzen introduced them, Uchiha Kage also looked up at the two who entered.
Then his expression instantly became interesting.
'Well... Sai is one thing, it's not hard to guess that Danzo would plant someone in the Anbu.'
'But this 'Ita'...', although wearing a mask and with his face wrapped in bandages, with the help of the Byakugan, Uchiha Kage recognized his chakra at a glance.
'No way, buddy? Uchiha Itachi actually returned to Konoha so openly? And as an Anbu ninja?', Uchiha Kage, extremely surprised, quickly stole a glance at Sarutobi Hiruzen beside him.
'What on earth is going on?'
'Did Uchiha Itachi sneak in disguised, or did he get Sarutobi Hiruzen's tacit approval?'
"What's the matter, squad leader?", Sai, who was also sizing up this Uchiha youth, had many tasks assigned by Danzo, one of which involved this young man.
"Nothing, let's get along well from now on," Smiling back at Sai's fake smile, Uchiha Kage greeted them both as if he knew nothing.
'Whatever, I'll deal with it as it comes.'
And with the enemy in the open and he in the dark, Uchiha Kage wanted to see what Uchiha Itachi was really up to.
"Ita's face was burned, and he's very introverted, a nod from him means he accepts you, remember to get along well from now on," Sarutobi Hiruzen's words were directed at both Uchiha Kage and Uchiha Itachi, hinting that he should not target the other anymore.
"Yes!"
'Burned face, introverted and silent?'
It seems that Uchiha Itachi's return was most likely with Sarutobi Hiruzen's consent.
'Could it be... because of that 'future notebook' I gave before, that Sarutobi Hiruzen called Uchiha Itachi back to the village.'
'To deal with Orochimaru?'
———
"Hey! The teacher is talking to you, why are you so absent-minded?", Vigorously ruffling Uchiha Kage's head, Yuhi Kurenai, who was waiting outside the Hokage building with Hinata and Shino, looked at her student with a smile.
"Teacher? And Hinata? Why are you...", Having just met two extraordinary Anbu teammates, Uchiha Kage was indeed a bit troubled.
Now, looking up and seeing Yuhi Kurenai and Hinata waiting for him, his messy mood instantly brightened.
'Konoha really is a village that makes you love and hate it at the same time.'
Uchiha Kage dodged Yuhi Kurenai's head-patting and gave a natural smile to Hinata and Shino behind her.
"Hey, don't ignore me again," Shino felt that this guy must be deliberately ignoring his name.
"Of course, it's a celebration after completing the mission, why else do you think we would wait for you," Seeing that she couldn't pat his head, Yuhi Kurenai shifted her target to the young man's handsome face.
'You use your tongue on me every night in my dreams, I'll...'
'Pinch yours.'
"The teacher said we should all go eat barbecue together..."
Seeing Uchiha Kage after several days, Hinata was both shy and happy.
Although every night she could "fantasize" about Uchiha Kage posing her in various embarrassing positions, fantasies are just fantasies, and the real person in front of her gave her a sense of security.
"Barbecue? Sounds good," Uchiha Kage instinctively glanced at Hinata's well-endowed chest.
Thinking that it had grown a bit more in just a short time apart.
"By the way, you haven't told anyone about that incident, right?", Although he knew Hinata wouldn't harm him, Uchiha Kage still wanted to tease this girl who blushed at the sight of him.
'Although the Byakugan can't see clearly, it might still make out my outline.'
'Could it be that Hinata has been secretly watching me every time?'
"Of... of course not! I would never tell anyone about Kage-kun's affairs!", Hinata knew Uchiha Kage was referring to the incident during the battle with Uchiha Itachi.
At that time, only she noticed that part of Uchiha Kage's body had mysteriously disappeared.
"Don't bully Hinata!", Seeing Uchiha Kage corner Hinata as soon as he arrived, Yuhi Kurenai got a bit angry and grabbed the back of his collar.
Although she was happy to see these two together, for some reason, she felt a bit off today.
———
"The dungeon update is finally complete?"
[That night]
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