Chapter 12: Are We Going to Ichiraku Ramen? Please!

Danzo sat on the tatami mat, his gaze focused, flanked by his Root subordinates. In front of him was a low table with a freshly brewed tea set.

Kneeling before him was a Root member.

"Lord Danzo." The subordinate lowered his head, behaving with utmost respect.

"Speak."

At Danzo's command, the Root member reported the intelligence he had gathered in detail.

Danzo's hand, which was about to grasp the teacup, froze mid-air.

His gaze was fixed ahead but didn't land on the Root member.

It seemed that Danzo was seeing something deeper.

His suspended hand unconsciously clenched and then ultimately dropped down slowly.

The intelligence this Root member brought back was none other than Haru inviting Naruto to Ichiraku Ramen.

'What does this brat want to do...?'

Danzo murmured to himself. After experiencing so many storms in Konoha over the years, he considered himself perceptive about many matters.

However, regarding Haru, who had suddenly appeared, Danzo felt a very subtle sense of unease.

First, he rescued Hinata without the Hyuga clan noticing, resolving the situation with the Cloud Shinobi.

This put the Hyuga clan in a position of great debt to him.

Then, he went to the ninja school through Hiruzen.

'Whether it's chakra or the displayed talent, he is truly a genius. Why was he rejected by the ninja school five years ago?'

Danzo fell into deep thought, trying to connect the clues he had gathered.

The ninja school shouldn't have posed a challenge for Haru.

With his performance, even alongside a genius like Itachi, he would not be at a disadvantage.

Plus, with the surname Senju, it wouldn't take long for him to stand out.

"No… things aren't that simple."

Danzo clenched his fists tightly.

He worked hard to eliminate all impossibilities.

Thus, whatever remained, no matter how unlikely it seemed, was the only truth.

The only answer!

It was Naruto.

'No, not Naruto, but his body.' Danzo's gaze grew profound.

Although Naruto was the orphan of the Fourth Hokage and the son of a hero, Hiruzen had already sealed off that information.

This was a secret known only to the higher-ups of Konoha.

Moreover, this condition wasn't enough to pose a threat.

But the thing inside Naruto was different.

He was Konoha's greatest trump card.

He was the Jinchuriki.

One must understand that a so-called village is merely a collection of several clans.

Senju, Uchiha, Sarutobi, Shimura, Hyuga...

These major clans determined the structure of Konoha.

The Senju clan, needless to say, saw Haru as their greatest hope amidst their decline.

The Uchiha clan, currently marginalized, lacked the strength to grasp power in Konoha, so they were not a concern.

As for the rest...

The Sarutobi faction was naturally led by the Third Hokage.

Now, the Hyuga clan also owed a favor to Haru due to Hinata.

If Haru were to also win over Naruto, the Jinchuriki...

In an instant, Danzo gasped, frightened by his own analysis.

'No… Haru is indeed strong, but he isn't enough to reach this level; he's just a teenager, not a ninja and has no real-life experience.'

'He can't be that deep.'

'It's that Sarutobi guy.'

Bang!

Danzo slammed his fist down onto the table.

Deceit never harms, but the truth is a sharp blade.

It must be Hiruzen Sarutobi who, five years ago, meddled,

preventing Haru's enrollment and making him wait patiently until today. He had let Haru and Naruto become classmates, thus drawing them closer.

Perhaps Hiruzen even manipulated the class arrangements to ensure that Haru and Naruto would be placed in the same class.

And one more thing.

'Why did Haru suddenly go to the Forest of Borders?'

Before one engages in an action, there must be a logical reasoning behind it!

But Haru's appearance in the Forest of Borders made no logical sense!

Danzo couldn't think of any reason why Haru would be there.

Could it be that on that day, a voice suddenly appeared in his ear, enticing him to go to the Forest of Borders?

And then there was that day in the hospital, Hiruzen's behavior.

That's it.

It's all Sarutobi!

He must have discovered the Cloud Shinobi's plot early on and used it to allow Haru to perform a hero's rescue.

As a result, Haru indirectly gained the support of the Hyuga clan!

How terrifying.

In an instant, beads of sweat formed on Danzo's forehead, and his back was soaked through.

Having spent half his life in a standoff with Hiruzen,

he always thought that Hiruzen was merely lucky to become Hokage.

But now, it seemed that Hiruzen was far from simple.

'How far does he see?'

'How did he set this up?'

'No!'

Quickly, Danzo abruptly stood up from the tatami mat.

At the very least, he couldn't allow Haru and Hiruzen to gain the advantage of having the Jinchuriki.

"Gather the Root!"

Meanwhile, Haru was completely unaware of Danzo and his Root members as he walked along the path to Ichiraku Ramen with Naruto.

"I'm telling you, Uncle Ichiraku's ramen is super delicious!"

Naruto was excitedly animated, feeling as if he were in a dream.

"Yeah, it is." Haru smiled and nodded.

After all, he had already been in this world for five years and had tried all of Konoha's famous snacks.

He even ate there during a celebration held by the Uchiha clan.

Though compared to ramen, he preferred the eastern-style grilled skewers.

Grilling fine beef to medium rare, then sprinkling it with chili, cumin, and adding sesame and beer.

Ah…

So delicious.

"Um…"

However, just as the two approached the street corner, close to Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Haru turned around and looked at Naruto. "Aren't you going in?"

"Um…"

Naruto lowered his head, deliberately avoiding Haru's gaze, looking to the side.

"Hmm?" Haru tilted his head, confused about what was bothering Naruto.

He wasn't a little girl; this wasn't a date.

'What's there to be shy about?'

"I…"

As soon as Naruto opened his mouth, he felt his breath quicken, and an unprecedented tension seized his nerves.

Seeing this, Haru patted his shoulder and said, "It's okay. If you don't want to talk, don't force yourself. I'm right here with you."

Upon hearing Haru's voice, Naruto finally lifted his head to meet Haru's gaze, but quickly turned away, speaking in a stammer, barely audible.

"I... do you... do you want to be my friend?"

Looking at Naruto's sincere and innocent demeanor, Haru couldn't help but smile.

"What about you?"

"Me?" Naruto didn't expect Haru to throw the question back at him. He stared blankly for a moment before vigorously nodding, as if afraid Haru would change his mind, and quickly shouted, "I want to!"

"I want to!"