34 Chapter 34

"Two bowls of ramen."

"The Third Hokage is treating."

Kagura Akihara pointed to the elder behind his, appearing somewhat impolite.

"I also want two bowls of ramen!"

"The Hokage Grandpa is treating too!"

Naruto Uzumaki pretended to be cool, mimicking Kagura Akihara, pointing at Hiruzen Sarutobi following behind them, acting even more rude than Kagura.

This kid Naruto really didn't understand what manners were, at six years old children at this stage liked to imitate people they encountered.

Even...

Naruto could go beyond the people he imitated.

"Uncle Teuchi, Sister Ayame!"

Naruto smiled happily on his face and chuckled, "If you have any wishes, you can find Hokage Grandpa! As long as you say your wish, he will help you fulfill it!"

"Eh?"

Teuchi, the ramen shop owner, tried to open his eyes in confusion.

"Really?"

Ayame looked towards the elder with a touch of surprise.

"Cough, cough..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly coughed a few times, helplessly saying, "Naruto, the Hokage's existence is not for everyone to casually make wishes!"

"Oh."

Naruto's face immediately fell.

However, Naruto's mood quickly brightened again, "Nevermind, I'm happy enough to be able to eat ramen tonight!"

"Forget it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed deeply, sitting down next to them, "Teuchi, get me a bowl of ramen too, I may have to put it on the tab tonight."

"Oh, alright."

Teuchi, the ramen shop owner, obediently nodded, not caring about the Third Hokage's tab.

At this time, the reputation of the Hokage in Konoha was actually not bad, no one would think that the dignified strongest ninja village's Hokage would ever default on a tab.

"Ah, suddenly remembered something."

While waiting for the noodles to cook, Naruto Uzumaki curiously turned his head to look at Kagura Akihara: "I don't think I've asked your name yet?"

"A."

Kagura Akihara stated his codename from the Root, then added: "But only Danzo-sama can call me by that name, you can call me Kagura, Kagura Akihara."

"Why?"

Naruto Uzumaki asked directly.

"Because Danzo-sama gave me a new life."

Kagura Akihara spoke calmly, as if he were merely stating facts: "I used to be a child from the village orphanage. Someone sent me to a dark place, where a long-haired man would cut me with a knife every day. I wanted to die but couldn't. Danzo-sama saved me."

"Oh? Danzo saved you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's slightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had been considering the relationship between Kagura Akihara and Danzo Shimura. Upon hearing Kagura Akihara's words, he immediately got some clarity.

"Yes, Danzo-sama saved me."

Kagura Akihara reached out for a pair of chopsticks, calmly regulating his emotions: "When I thought I had been abandoned by everyone, when I was despairing at the world, Danzo-sama rescued me, made me a ninja, taught me ninjutsu..."

"Sounds like a good guy..."

Naruto Uzumaki's opinion of Danzo Shimura immediately improved.

"Cough, cough..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt choked by his smoke.

Danzo Shimura is a good guy?

That seemed a bit insulting to the old man's ears.

"The Third Hokage also thinks so, right?"

A smile also appeared on Kagura Akihara's face, seemingly happy about Naruto Uzumaki's praise, reaching out to pat the blond boy's head: "When you become a ninja, I'll have Danzo-sama transfer you to the Root, and we'll kill the other Root members together."

"Huh?"

Naruto Uzumaki's smile suddenly stiffened.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi started to cough violently.

The Hokage suddenly felt that transferring Kagura Akihara from Root to ANBU might actually be saving his old friend Danzo, to prevent Root from becoming an empty shell in the future.

This lesson was a bit of a failure, but there was also a significant gain. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt he was gradually understanding the truth of why Kagura Akihara was so loyal to Danzo Shimura.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, the long-haired man who experimented on Kagura Akihara should be his renegade disciple Orochimaru...

As for Danzo rescuing people, only naive children would believe such a thing. The person who originally threw Kagura Akihara into the lab might have been Danzo.

In his heart, Hiruzen Sarutobi more or less understood a bit of the truth. Danzo Shimura had always supported Orochimaru's illegal human experimentation in the past.

Finding an appropriate opportunity to let the child know the truth...

At that time...

Would this child still be so loyal to Danzo Shimura?

Hiruzen Sarutobi leisurely lit his pipe again. His only trouble was how to ensure that the child wouldn't hate Konoha for its mistakes after learning the truth.

This kind of thing...

It's not a problem for Hiruzen Sarutobi.

As long as Kagura Akihara establishes bonds with others and learns to protect the friends connected to him in his future life...

"Kagura."

"Don't always think about hurting others."

"The purpose of a ninja's existence is not to harm others."

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his pipe in his mouth, looked seriously at Kagura Akihara, intending to start his class anew: "Kagura, the purpose of a ninja's existence is to protect, to protect those you wish to protect. Have you ever wanted to protect someone?"

"I have, I guess."

Kagura Akihara nodded, nonchalantly continuing: "I wanted to protect the orphanage director Nonō Yakushi before, but she abandoned me, so now I want to kill her..."

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression subtly changed.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had heard the name Nonō Yakushi. She seemed to be a member of the village's intelligence department and provided a lot of information for the village...

But...

Wasn't this child a little extreme!

"Now, I only want to protect Danzo-sama."

Kagura Akihara propped up his chin with his elbow, contemplating what he wanted to say: "But what Danzo-sama asked me to do for him is probably just helping him kill enemies and such."

"That Danzo..."

Naruto Uzumaki shivered on the table.

"Do not speak lightly of killing."

Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped his pipe, his expression becoming extremely serious: "A life wants to live to my age, it needs more than sixty years; however, if a life dies, it often only takes a few seconds..."

"So you're saying..."

Kagura Akihara almost self-taught, his eyes lighting up: "If you want to protect someone, you need to work hard to protect them for decades; but if you want to help him kill enemies, it only takes a few seconds to do so, this seems a bit simpler..."

"..."

Naruto Uzumaki felt something was a little off.

"Cough cough..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand continuously, saying: "Although that is the case, an excellent ninja often does what ordinary people can't do..."

"..."

Kagura Akihara fell silent.

However, after just a moment, Kagura Akihara suddenly spoke: "Danzo-sama said that I can use Wood Release jutsu, something others can't do. I've already done enough to be excellent."

"That's not what I meant..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but grit his teeth.

That bastard Danzo Shimura clearly led this child astray!

"Hey, what about you?"

Kagura Akihara looked at Naruto Uzumaki: "Are you an excellent ninja? Can you do something others can't?"

"I can!"

Naruto Uzumaki raised his face, sniffled, and answered with a flushed and proud face: "Other kids can cry in their parents' arms, but I don't have parents, no one by my side, and I won't cry alone!"

"You're also an excellent ninja."

Kagura Akihara sincerely praised.

"..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression gradually became somewhat heavy.

The old man tapped out the last of the tobacco from his pipe, put it away, and looked at the ramen served by the hardworking shopkeeper and Ayame. He finally decided to give up on this lesson.

"Let's eat..."

"After you finish your ramen, go back and rest."

"Children must go to bed early, you can't stay up late."

--x--

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