Chapter 4

People are prone to fear many things. Fear breeds anger, anger breeds hatred, and hatred leads to even greater hatred until the source of fear is destroyed.

Takeshi calmly knocked on the door of the Hokage's office. Sarutobi Hiruzen always appeared relaxed, calm, and judicious—good traits for the leader of a village. The visit of this guest was not a surprise to him. After all, in Konoha, he had enough ears and eyes to monitor every step of his subordinates and more…

"What can I help you with, Takeshi-kun?"

"I've come for answers. Now that I'm part of your community, I have the right to them, don't I?"

"True, but you could have easily waited a while and gotten all the answers in our archives. What's the rush?"

"I'm not interested in digging through documents, and I want to have a conversation with someone rational, wise, and understanding in these matters."

"Well, consider me an open book, Takeshi-kun. You can ask your questions, but keep in mind, if the topic of the question is too personal or extremely dangerous, then you understand that I cannot answer it."

"Of course. I fully understand that."

Takeshi sighed heavily and sat down on a chair next to the Hokage's desk, resting his chin on his hand, he decided to start with something simple.

"Why did the exam go so terribly?"

"You probably weren't paying close attention to the overall situation. Throughout this year, I didn't manipulate the candidates' minds or strip them of their emotions. I believe a shinobi must retain these qualities to remain human."

"Is a 'shinobi' really human? He is a tool in the hands of the village to carry out its tasks. Nothing more and nothing less."

"You know, you remind me of my friend—Danzo. He also believed that emotions only interfere with the execution of tasks. And even after so much time, we have remained true to our own principles. What do you think, Takeshi-kun, why did a little over 60% of the candidates die in the exam?"

"Irresponsibility, frivolity, and naivety."

"Correct, and there's nothing I can do about that. I'll let you in on a little secret: most of the candidates were not particularly special. Most of the participants failed the genin exam and chose this path solely for the money. We repeatedly warned them about the danger and possible death on the exam, so it's their own fault."

"I don't blame you. Moreover, I more than understand and accept your point of view. Each person decides for themselves who they want to be."

"Do you not feel sorry for them at all?"

"Feeling sorry for fools is a waste of time. I'd rather feel sorry for those who put all their effort into becoming better but died from a stab in the back."

"So, you have a code of honor, then?"

"I admire strong individuals and I'm indifferent to the weak."

"Yes, but your squad was also weak."

"Morally, yes, but they had some skills. And I couldn't let the captain down and fail to carry out her order."

"Ah yes... Yugao and her order to assist the squad. Are you always so responsible?"

"If I have the strength and means to do it, then always."

"Even if it's dangerous and risky for your life?"

"Even then. I suppose, if I were to put it very briefly, it was just natural selection, and only the strong will remain in the end."

"One could say that."

"Alright, next question. Who is Uzumaki Naruto?"

"He is an orphan, more precisely, he is the son of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and Uzumaki Kushina, and also the jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails."

"Hm, I see. Now... everything is clear to me."

Takeshi pondered for a full five minutes and perhaps would have thought even longer if he hadn't been distracted by the interested voice of the Hokage.

"Is something wrong, Takeshi-kun?"

"Just trying to understand why the Hokage's son lives like a stray dog running through the yards. Even considering that he's a jinchuriki, that's no reason to discard him and pretend he doesn't exist."

"Alas, Takeshi-kun, but from a political standpoint, Uzumaki Naruto is too important a figure."

"So 'important' that everyone in the village sees him as nothing more than a demon and doesn't know the whole truth? Why breed hatred in a child's heart when you could give someone who could cleanse that hatred?"

"There are things that even I cannot influence. Help from the side might also be seen as interference by the Hokage. And what difference does it make to you, Takeshi-kun? Are you concerned about the fate of this boy?"

"Yes, even if you consider him no more than a strategically important weapon, wouldn't the best solution be to give the boy motivation in the form of a loved one?"

"There is no need for that. Politics is a dirty thing and whether you like it or not, it's impossible not to get your hands dirty."

"Does anyone have the right to interfere in Naruto's life?"

"Almost no one. Only the Anbu appointed by me watch over him and report everything twenty-four hours a day. They are allowed to intervene only in cases of extreme necessity. In other cases, there is no one who would have the right to establish any kind of relationship with him. This rule applies among all the clans, and the clanless simply do not know the full picture of what is happening and merge with the crowd of foolish people. There are too many influential individuals who want our 'weapon' to have no power or right to choose. It will be easier to control, predict, and use for the benefit of the village..."

All this was said quite calmly and indifferently, and only in the Hokage's gaze could one detect an interest in his interlocutor. As if he was expecting some negative reaction or an outburst of indignation, but instead, Takeshi just as calmly held his chin in his palm and also pondered the issue from the perspective of Konoha's 'top.'

Takeshi logically, to himself, calculated who could benefit from this and concluded that only the 'Advisors of Konoha,' who are an important part of the village, could fit the bill. They also represent the political position of the village responsible for its security and development.

"You know, Takeshi-kun, you're a very interesting person. An ordinary person would have felt compassion and pity for Naruto Uzumaki's situation, but you only look at the situation as an observer."

"What's the point of pity if my actions can't change anything? I am Your Weapon. I bear your seal, and therefore, even if I wanted or had the opportunity, I can no longer oppose your decision. I'm just seeking understanding and the arrangement of things in Konoha."

Regarding the last part, Takeshi lied a bit, or more precisely, deliberately omitted that in the future he might find a way to remove the seal.

"You know, it's precisely this quality in you that's extremely useful, namely—simple understanding. Everyone is used to calling actions simply evil or good, but few see a good intent in evil actions or, conversely, a truly horrifying outcome in good ones. I think when the time is right, I'll tell Naruto the whole truth. Right now, it just doesn't seem possible."

"You mentioned 'a crowd of foolish people,' so why aren't people informed...?"

"The damage inflicted by the Kyuubi was simply horrific. From this, various kinds of hatred appeared in the village. Some hidden deep within people, and some openly, like most of the villagers. To maintain stability in the village, they needed someone they could blame for all the sins. And you understand who plays the role of the local 'scapegoat.' People could talk, look, ignore him as they pleased, but absolutely everyone is forbidden to touch him."

"Is this… stupid?"

"Why would you say that? Help me come up with a better option and we'll consider it together. Come on, Takeshi-kun, I'm all ears," Takeshi slightly grimaced at his silly cheerful tone and his feigned terrible smile. It seemed like he was just waiting for him to try to blame him for this decision.

"You could have..." Here he remembered that Naruto Uzumaki had no chance of getting help from anyone because of foolish politicians, clans, and the like. This... situation forced the Hokage to act this way, even if from the outside it looked despicable. Takeshi even thought for a moment that the local Hokage was almost useless because this rank did not give its holder absolute power and the final word. This high honorary rank was like a label on an important and beloved bird.

"I'll ask another question. If he is the son of the 'Fourth,' why didn't anyone close to him take him in?"

"There were candidates," admitted Sarutobi reluctantly, "but the council of clans and Konoha by a general vote decided to reject this option. There were three of them. Jiraiya, Tsunade Senju, and, surprisingly, Kakashi Hatake. Jiraiya was... too fickle a person and taking responsibility for caring for a child would have been too much for him. Tsunade was not going through the best of times and due to past wounds, she likely could not have cared for him either. As for Kakashi Hatake, the main reason for the refusal was quite simple and had already been mentioned earlier."

"'Strengthening the position of the clan'?"

"Correct."

"And why is everyone so afraid of that?"

"Perhaps you didn't notice last time, but Naruto Uzumaki has monstrous potential to become a strong shinobi. Thus, if a clan that took him in were to expand its territory, then they would have nothing left but to submit because of Naruto Uzumaki."

"Alright, I think I'm fully satisfied with my curiosity regarding Naruto Uzumaki."

"And what do you think about all this? Do you think I'm a monster, a tyrant, or a two-faced hypocrite?"

"I think that the village's power structure needs changes. I don't blame you specifically for this entire situation, but I believe that if people thought not only of themselves but genuinely about the good of the village, this would not have happened. In this entire situation, I saw only people's fear and their desire to keep a weapon close to them, not the son of a legendary shinobi."

"So you think that despite everything said, Naruto Uzumaki should have...?"

"A teacher. Friends, family, and such cannot replace what the boy most needs. Strength. He's too naive and foolish to understand that mere resolve to become strong is not enough to defeat talented and powerful opponents. To give him hope that his dream is not pale and stupid."

"And yet you are kind, Takeshi-kun," said with a light smile.

"I look at it from the perspective of full commitment. Unleashing the boy's potential will give this village..."

"A huge problem."

"...or a useful figure."

"This is not a game of shogi, Takeshi-kun. In shogi, you freely control the outcome of the battle. Whereas in reality, you cannot predict people's moves in case of critical situations."

By dangerous situations, he meant bursts of anger and hatred, which could be caused by revealing and uncovering the truth. Now, the former immortal undead fully understood the situation regarding the jinchuriki in this village and he did not particularly like it. People fear the power the boy possesses and therefore did everything to keep this power close to them. It reminded him of how Gwyn, the God of Light, once in the past, also locked potential Chosen Ones with Dark Souls in a secluded beautiful place. He too feared their power and not without reason, considering the strength that Slave Knight Gael possessed. The difference was only in scale. Gwyn was forced to do so because of the number, here it was just one boy.

"If the power structure wobbles and we manage to influence Naruto Uzumaki's position for a while, can I contribute to that?"

"The key word 'If' it happens. The Advisors, Root, the Council of Clans. All these three spheres are against you and Naruto. You need to convince at least two of them to act as you wish. If you can achieve that, consider him at your disposal."

"You keep a weapon near you capable of destroying villages and do everything to turn this weapon against yourselves. I think I'll go. If you don't mind, I'd like to train a little on training ground No. 15."

"Alright. I also wish you succeed," and before he crossed the threshold, he decided to call out to him, "Ah yes! Takeshi-kun! Those who are against your idea will surely want to hinder you in fulfilling your wish, so be ready for that."

"Thank you for the warning, but I already know this."

This week passed for Takeshi surprisingly boringly and slowly, even considering his individual training. The greatest advantage he had managed to achieve with the last year of training involves strengthening his body through spiritual energy. As mentioned earlier, the undead always valued the strength of their own soul more than their own body, so no matter what happened to the body, what wounds or training it went through, the soul was the key value. Abnormal strength and speed he could simply write off on good chakra control. This was the only achievement that was valued in Anbu. Unfortunately, he could not explain the abnormal reaction and high pain threshold of his body. Takeshi did not particularly choose any constant weapon during his training, as he considered it wrong to depend on any particular weapon. After all, he himself was a weapon and in case of extreme necessity, he could create it using the Power of Fire. Despite Takeshi deciding not to rely heavily on Chakra, he needed to use and develop its powers. In this world, the art of swordsmanship using chakra was called Kenjutsu and to make it easier, more convenient, and effective to apply his abilities in battle, he decided to use this. Covering his blade with fire? That was quite simple. But few understood the true meaning of his fire. The Flame of Life. The exam for the rank of captain did not have everything that was in the exam for entering Anbu. First, there was normal testing. They provided him with question options about various situations he or his squad could get into. He, as one might guess, needed to answer them, providing an action plan. When the testing was done, they offered him a final test to spar with an opponent stronger than him. They did not tell him his name, rank, or abilities, and by appearance, she reminded him of one of the usual Anbu in a white animal mask, and thus, this was indeed the hardest part of the exam. Since his opponent used a short version of a katana with a straight blade on her back, he had to take a weapon of the same shape from the rack in turn.

Without saying a word to each other, Takeshi respectfully bowed slightly and assumed a combat stance. With his left hand, he threw three shuriken, simultaneously closing the distance with a sharp burst and delivering a downward strike. All projectiles were calmly parried, and the strike met with a split-second block, after which he slightly increased the distance again to repeat the attack from below upwards. The fight resembled a game of chess. Both opponents seemed to foresee each other's moves and produced counteractions accordingly, thus each move had to conceal the true scenario of that action. In that brief moment of the fight, Takeshi spotted the Sharingan, familiar from descriptions in books, through the holes in the mask. Takeshi also felt that his opponent was holding back and not fighting at full strength. It wasn't hard for him to guess why… He had to take a risk. He threw his weapon at the opponent and appeared behind him. His sword was deflected, Takeshi's thrust with a kunai at the back only struck a log, and his enemy attempted to stab him from above. The blade of the sword also hit the log, and above it, spinning his body, Takeshi crossed his kunai in yellow sparks with his opponent.

"Enough!" raising his voice slightly, the Hokage commanded, and both instantly broke off their engagement and knelt on one knee, "Congratulations, Takeshi. From this moment, you are an Anbu captain. Come to my residence at seven in the morning tomorrow to receive your first assignment. You are dismissed."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

As Takeshi left the arena, the Hokage stayed for a few words with his faithful subordinate, named Uchiha Itachi.

"What can you say about him?"

"I would give him the nickname 'False Sharingan,'" Itachi commented in a cold tone and removed his mask.

"So, you noticed his peculiarity, then? He truly can read his opponents' movements."

"It's abnormal. No ordinary shinobi can just read movements. It takes years of experience or being an Uchiha. Where does a teenager get such abilities?"

"That... we do not yet know, but there is one hypothesis and we cannot confirm it yet. Also, I called you here not just to conduct this sparring. So, my fears have been confirmed, Itachi? Is the Uchiha clan really...?"

"Yes... and when the time comes, I will let you know. Just protect my brother. That's all I ask."

"I will do everything in my power."

With a blurred black trail, Uchiha Itachi left the arena area, and from the shadows stepped out Danzo.

"Are you sure he will fulfill his part?"

"Absolutely. Is Root ready to fulfill theirs?"

"Do you doubt me?"

"No, it's just... I have this feeling that we're missing something."

"Everything will proceed in the best way. Still... I regret that you decided to keep Takeshi here."

"You don't know how to appreciate talent. You prefer to use them and discard them if they start to show emotions at the first opportunity."

"Bonds are a weakness. All that matters is the completion of the mission at any cost."

"And here we are back to our perpetual debate. Maybe some other time? Over a cup of sake?"

"Let's settle the Uchiha matter first, then we'll drink."

"You're right."