Chapter 7 — Under Quiet Observation
Silence permeated the Hokage office again.
Hiruzen Sarutobi remained seated for several long moments after Danzo left. The faint scent of smoke and tobacco still lingered in the air, mixing with the tension that had yet to leave the room.
He got up from his Hokage seat and slowly walked toward the window.
From the Hokage Tower, the entire village could be seen — civilians moving through the streets, shinobi leaping across rooftops, merchants calling out their wares.
"Three-tomoe Sharingan at his age…" Hiruzen thought quietly.
Hiruzen did not fear talent.
But he understood Danzo's fear the most.
The Uchiha name still carried weight — and history.
Shisui Uchiha, the masked man during the Nine-Tails rebellion, and the Asura of the ninja world — all of them came from the same clan.
Even now, the shadows of the past had not completely faded.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly and returned to his desk. He did not reach for his documents this time.
Instead—
He took out his crystal ball and activated it again.
The surface shimmered as chakra rippled across it.
He already knew Kenzo had taken a mission this morning from the ANBU report.
So without further delay, he immediately started searching near the forests of Konoha. After a long time searching uselessly through the trees, he finally saw the figure of the one he was looking for.
—
Miles away from the village, Uchiha Kenzo walked calmly through the forest.
His steps were unhurried and steady.
There was no visible fatigue on his face.
The flames from earlier had long since faded behind him. Only ash and silence remained at the bandits' former hideout.
As he moved, a faint feeling of being watched brushed against his senses.
Kenzo did not stop walking or show any signs of being aware that someone was watching him.
But his awareness sharpened slightly.
Someone was watching him again.
But who???
Of course, he knew who the most likely candidates were. In fact, there were only two — ANBU or Root.
Uchiha Kenzo, however, wasn't one to make baseless assumptions.
Without evidence to back it up, assumptions would only get you killed.
With that thought—
He did not activate his Sharingan.
He did not change his pace.
Instead, he allowed his chakra to settle into a quieter rhythm.
—
Back in the Hokage Tower, the crystal ball reflected Kenzo's steady expression.
Hiruzen observed him in silence for a moment.
"Absolutely no hesitation in his movements," he mumbled inaudibly in his office.
When he looked at him carefully again for some time, he seemed too calm for his age, and his rhythm felt too steady for someone just returning from a mission.
He probably noticed me watching as well.
As a shinobi with decades of experience who stood at the pinnacle of ordinary shinobi, how could Hiruzen Sarutobi not notice this?
Still,he had him fooled for a time there.
Hiruzen thought with amusement as a quiet chuckle formed on his lips.
Wasn't Itachi like this — quiet and precautious?
Maybe this child can also join the ANBU and serve under the Will of Fire.
With another puff of his pipe,
he zoomed in closer toward his face, taking in his facial features.
While doing so, he looked into his pitch-black, bottomless eyes.
Instantly, a quiet shiver ran through his entire body.
"ANBU!!"
"Bring me his complete history. Bring me every single thing related to his past."
"And monitor him with the strictest surveillance we have at present. Twenty-four seven."
"I want a complete report on him — what he eats, what he likes, what he dislikes. Everything."
The ANBU nodded hurriedly and disappeared quickly using the Body Flicker Technique.
He had seen many eyes before—
Some were filled with hope, some with hunger to climb to the top, and some with greed.
But never had he seen such truly terrifying eyes.
They were filled with endless darkness, seemingly having no hope in them. There wasn't even a single ripple in his eyes. They were calm like an ancient well,
beyond heartless and cold — everything was dark and dreary. His eyes gave off the feeling like he was a monster wearing human skin.
It was as if he saw everything as a small pebble on the side of the road.
Maybe it was a small animal or people — all were equal in those eyes.
In all his decades as Hokage, he had never seen such eyes before.
Hiruzen took another long puff from his pipe.
Such a person will definitely pose a grave danger to Konoha.
A chilling light flashed in his old eyes.
"Call Danzo over to me."
As Hiruzen gave the command in a quiet voice,and in the shadows, a figure moved silently.
—
The tall gates of Konoha slowly came into view through the thinning forest.
The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the ground as he approached the entrance. The two gate guards straightened slightly upon noticing him.
"Back from your mission?" one of them asked casually.
Kenzo gave a small nod.
"Bandit extermination," he replied in a calm tone.
"No survivors?"
"No survivors."
There was no emotion in his voice.
Just a simple statement of fact.
The guards exchanged a brief glance before stepping aside.
"Head to the Mission Hall to report."
Kenzo nodded once more and walked past them, entering the village.
The familiar atmosphere of Konoha surrounded him — the chatter of civilians, the scent of food from nearby stalls, children running across the streets.
Everything looked peaceful on the surface.
Yet the faint sensation of being watched had not disappeared.
If anything—
It had multiplied.
Subtle chakra signatures flickered at the edge of his perception.
Higher rooftops.
Blind angles.
Long-range observation.
ANBU.
The surveillance had intensified.
Kenzo kept his gaze forward.
So it has escalated.