Itachi

---

"Why do I think he's so weak?"

Orochimaru stared at the spot where Natsume had vanished, his mind swirling with questions.

Those two Wood Clones had posed no threat to him at all.

It was as if they were the work of a genin.

But could someone with genin-level strength really know so many secrets?

Impossible.

The only explanation was that Natsume was deliberately concealing his true power, feigning weakness to confuse his enemies.

"A troublesome one," Orochimaru muttered, his wariness of Natsume deepening. This man was far more dangerous than he appeared.

When dealing with him, Orochimaru knew he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

His thoughts then shifted to Shimura Danzō.

A dangerous glint flickered in Orochimaru's eyes.

Danzō was an ally, yes, but the two of them held dangerous secrets over one another—a precarious balance of power. If those secrets were to come to light, it would be disastrous for both. Even if it didn't kill them, it would strip them of everything.

Still, Orochimaru couldn't shake his frustration.

Wood Release — because of Senju Hashirama, it was revered as the strongest Kekkei Genkai, even surpassing the Sharingan in Orochimaru's eyes. It was the first Kekkei Genkai he'd ever acquired, and to him, it was invaluable.

Danzō's betrayal would be intolerable.

Confronting him directly, however, would yield no results. Unless, of course, he captured Danzō.

Orochimaru decided to investigate Root on his own.

With his abilities, no one would notice his presence. Not even Root's elites.

Sending someone else was an option, but Orochimaru feared alerting others. It would be far safer to handle it himself.

Without hesitation, he set off for Root's headquarters.

Under the cover of night, his stealth was impeccable, his presence almost nonexistent.

Root had several secret bases. Thanks to their cooperation over Wood Release, Orochimaru was familiar with many of them.

And Natsume had already informed him about a survivor with the codename "Tenzo."

This narrowed his search.

Orochimaru decided to focus on one of Root's training facilities.

He summoned several snakes, and before long, they slithered to their target.

North of Konoha Village.

Orochimaru entered one of the buildings, a facility used to train new recruits for Root.

As Konoha's most powerful covert organization, Root's training methods were brutal, designed to strip recruits of their emotions and turn them into perfect, unfeeling tools.

The essence of a shinobi, honed to the fullest.

While Naruto was a "hot-blooded" manga, the reality of the ninja world was different. Most shinobi were ruthless killers. For the sake of a mission or the village, they would kill anyone—man, woman, or child—it didn't matter.

If ninjas were real in the modern world, you'd be wise to avoid them entirely.

Orochimaru's gaze landed on a boy, no older than ten.

Tenzo.

He followed the boy silently, waiting for him to use Wood Release.

When he finally did, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"So, it's true..." he whispered to himself.

The mysterious informant hadn't lied.

And if that small secret was true... what greater secrets were yet to be uncovered?

The possibilities piqued Orochimaru's curiosity.

As for Tenzo, Orochimaru quietly abducted him without a trace.

---

The next morning, Natsume woke to the vibration of the Holy Ring of Fate.

[Because of your actions, Tenzo's fate has changed. You have gained ninety Fate Points.]

Ninety points meant Tenzo's destiny had drastically diverged from the original timeline. It would be nearly impossible for him to join the ANBU now.

Natsume rubbed his chin, contemplating the implications.

Tenzo was supposed to be Naruto Uzumaki's team leader later in life, chosen specifically because his Wood Release could suppress the Nine-Tails.

"Maybe this is an opportunity to get closer to Naruto," Natsume mused. It seemed entirely possible.

By then, Tsunade would already be Hokage, and she'd certainly know about his Wood Release abilities.

With ninety Fate Points in hand, Natsume turned his thoughts to his next goal.

The thing he desired most was the Sage Body. The perfect complement to his Wood Release.

But ninety points were far too few.

He had only been able to exchange his Wood Release talent thanks to a beginner's discount, reducing the original cost from 900 Fate Points.

To fully unlock the powers of Wood Release would require 2,000 Fate Points, nearly double.

And the Sage Body? A staggering 3,900 Fate Points.

"Patience," Natsume reminded himself. He was only seven. Time was on his side.

For now, he could enjoy the affection of Lady Tsunade.

"Natsume, morning!" Tsunade called from the kitchen, flashing him a radiant smile.

Natsume couldn't help but smile back.

A great day had begun.

There's an old saying: how can you not be happy when the first thing you see upon waking is a beautiful woman smiling at you?

"Natsume, time for your medicine."

Shizune's voice cut through the moment, and Natsume's smile faltered.

This woman was always such a killjoy.

He downed the bitter medicine in a few gulps, then rushed over to Tsunade with his mouth open, clearly asking for candy to wash away the taste.

"Natsume, you can get it yourself. I'm busy," Tsunade said, focused on the rice balls she was preparing.

Natsume hesitated, confused. She usually had candy in her pocket, but today...

He glanced at the black sash around her waist.

It must be under the apron.

His hand reached under, feeling around until his fingers brushed against a piece of candy. Along with a... warm softness.

Tsunade glanced down but didn't seem to care. She wasn't shy about being touched, and Natsume wasn't exactly an outsider.

After popping the candy into his mouth, the bitterness faded.

He ran off to wait in the living room for breakfast.

Shizune, as usual, was absorbed in a book.

---

"I'll walk you to school today," Tsunade said after breakfast. "Shizune, stay here and keep studying."

Natsume's excitement flickered. He was eager to attend school, hoping to meet familiar characters from the plot and accumulate more Fate Points.

Unfortunately, the timing wasn't ideal.

Naruto Uzumaki and the rest of the Konoha Twelve wouldn't enroll for another six years.

As for Kakashi's generation, they had already graduated.

Natsume was stuck between these two periods, with few recognizable characters around.

---

At Konoha's Ninja Academy, the damage from the Nine-Tails' attack had mostly been repaired. Classes resumed today, and Natsume was joining as a first-year student in Class 1-A.

"Tsunade-sama," Yamanaka Naoto, the Class 1-A teacher, greeted them warmly. "I've received the notice. Don't worry, I'll take good care of Natsume."

Tsunade nodded.

With her backing, few would dare to mess with Natsume.

"Natsume, I'll pick you up after school," Tsunade said, patting his head before turning to leave.

"Natsume, my name is Yamanaka Naoto. You can call me sensei from now on." The teacher smiled. "Let's introduce you to your classmates."

As a transfer student, Natsume couldn't escape the usual self-introduction ritual.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Natsume. I don't have many hobbies... I just want to live a peaceful life."

It was a simple statement, but it still drew attention.

He was, after all, quite handsome. Several girls stared at him in fascination.

"Natsume, you can take the window seat in the last row," Yamanaka-sensei said, patting him on the shoulder. "Your seatmate is Uchiha Itachi, the top student in our class. I'm sure you can learn a lot from him."

This special arrangement was clearly a favor to Tsunade's apprentice.

But Natsume froze.

Uchiha Itachi? His seatmate?

He couldn't help but smirk inwardly.

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